La Sportiva TRANGO S EVO GTX?

[Matt W.]

I purchased a pair of Zamerblan Ibex Pros and trained indoors with them for a few months. Took them on a short hike this last weekend and tore up my heels. What I really don't like about these, otherwise solid boot, is the lack of a "lace locker" for the section of lace you cinch up to lock the heel in. I've used other boots where that whole step is much more positive. Luckily I bought them from REI so I can exchange, but I should have put a pack on messed around with the incline more while testing them out. I was glad I had my Salomon's XA Pro 3Ds along as back up!

I'm probably going to call the brain trust over at Lathrop, but really leaning toward something light and fast like the TRANGO S EVO GTX.
http://www.sportiva.com/products/footwear/mountain/trango-s-evo

For your sheep hunters, do you think these would hold up to what Alaska throws our way? Would they be stiff enough for those times you push the edge a bit?

I've run the Cabela's Alaska Hunter by Meindl for the last 5 years. It performed really well for me the first 3-4 years, but in the last year or so it to has been giving me some massive heel blisters. I even replaced the SuperFeet with no luck.

I've started using my XA Pro 3Ds on a lot more of my trips and am moving toward the lighter side of the boot spectrum.. I'm looking for a light, yet somewhat stiff, unisulated, Gore-Tex boot. On paper those Trangos seem to fit the bill..

 

[Tanner]

I did a short hike in the Gore Range with a pair that a friend lent me yesterday. They are a 1/2 size too small for me but I did really like the boots overall. Super-light, stiff shanked, the lace system is very comfortable, and the sole was great through scree. They might not wear quite as well as a really tough pair of leather boots like the Alaska Hunter, but I can't see them getting thrashed too hard in a season.... If this particular pair fit me better I'd be taking them with me this fall to Alaska.

Hope that helps some.

Tanner

 

[Matt W.]

Thanks Tanner. I'll keep that in mind if I pick up pair. I usually wear a 9.5 which translate to a La Sportiva 42.5, so I'll try the 43 if I go with these.

 

[AK Shane]

The Trango are a perfectly capable sheep boot. I've always preferred the lighter weight mountaineering style boots over the beefy 4.5 lb leather boots. If the Trango's fit me, I wouldn't hesitate to buy them for sheep hunting. The sacrifice with these boots is some ankle support and some durability when compared to a leather boot.

If you haven't made the rounds in Anchorage boot shopping yet there are a number of boots available in this style that would be worth checking out. Barney's has the Salewa Raven Combi. AMH carries the Salewa Raven's as well, along with the Scarpa Triolet's. REI has the Trango and the Scarpa Charmoz.

I've sheep hunted in both the Scarpa Triolet and Scarpa Charmoz. The Charmoz are fully synthetic like the Trango and after one hard season were looking pretty beaten up. The Triolet are a leather/synthetic mix and after 3 seasons can keep going.

 

[mtnclimber]

They are a perfectly capable sheep boot.... for a little while. the lightweight boots come at a cost, they will wear out much faster than the regular mountaineering boots ( i.e. nepal evo gtx, mont blanc.)

but they are much lighter. Everything comes at a cost, so it depends on how much you plan on using them i say. If your an AK resident planning on hunting sheep at least once a year i couldn't recommend them.

the nepals are listed at 35 oz and the trangos at 26oz. For an extra 9oz they'll last much much longer. Nepals are what i use, and after 4 hard seasons of sheep and goat hunting they are still going strong.

If i was hellbent on getting a lightweight pair, id go with the salewa raven combi gtx before the trangos.

 

[docdb]

I'm going on my third sheep trip this year on Trangos, and I expect to wear them to nubs based on past experience. Their light weight, though, and fit, seals the deal for me. Also, they a quite fetching!

 

[docdb]

I did try a pair of Sportiva Extremes, but couldn't get the fit right, and they were too stiff. These are the so called "Silver Bullets"


Despite great care on my part, by day 10 OUCH

 

[Matt W.]

They are a perfectly capable sheep boot.... for a little while. the lightweight boots come at a cost, they will wear out much faster than the regular mountaineering boots ( i.e. nepal evo gtx, mont blanc.)

but they are much lighter. Everything comes at a cost, so it depends on how much you plan on using them i say. If your an AK resident planning on hunting sheep at least once a year i couldn't recommend them.

the nepals are listed at 35 oz and the trangos at 26oz. For an extra 9oz they'll last much much longer. Nepals are what i use, and after 4 hard seasons of sheep and goat hunting they are still going strong.

If i was hellbent on getting a lightweight pair, id go with the salewa raven combi gtx before the trangos.

Do the Salewa's run true to size?

docdb, thanks!

 

[Tanner]

I've run the Salewa Condors and I'd order 1/2 size larger than you normally wear. Those are badass boots though.

Mtnclimber, how do the Nepals fit? True to size, wide/narrow, deep heel pocket, etc...?

Tanner

 

[Matt W.]

I ran down to AMH today on my lunch break. Tried on several sizes of both the Scarpa Triolet and the Salewa Raven Combi GTX.
I could not get a good heel grip from the Salewa. Of the sizes I tried the 9.5 fit the best, sans the heel slip.
On the Scarpa Triolet I got decent heel grip on the 9.5, but toes bumped the end using their testing ramp, size 10s had to much heel slip.

The guy who helped me at AMH was top notch and went out of his way to help me. Even suggested several competitors and other boots to try. He said if the boot does not fit well in the store it won't get any better. Sure there are break in periods, but a good boot should fit well from the get go. Made sense to me.