Scarpa Ribelle HD - First Impressions

[tdot]

Received the Ribelle HD's today. If first impressions mean anything, these could possibly be the best fitting, most versatile boot I've ever owned.

I'm a 44.5, and tried the 45, 45.5 and ended up in the 46, mainly for the additional width in the toebox. I might have gotten away with a 45.5, but didnt want to risk it. I have a wide forefoot, mid to high instep, narrow midfoot, heel and ankle. Basically a duck. I still have pressure in the forefoot, but it would likely be roomy for most people.

Lacing system is one of the best I've ever used, very responsive to different lacing techniques and I was able to get various levels of pressure throughout my foot.

Heel pocket could be a touch tighter, but I'll work with it for now. Played with the lacing a touch and was able to really suck my heel down, without too much pressure on my instep. I think a little work there and it'll be dialed.

Sole is stiff laterally, not quite to the same stiffness of the Charmoz but approaching it.

The stiffness lengthwise is deceiving. By hand it feels softer then the Charmoz and stiffer then the Zodiac Tech. But the rocker in the sole is very effective. On hard flat ground I would rank them as easier then the Zodiac Tech to walk in. Something I've never experienced with a Mountaineering boot of this stiffness. My gait was almost normal, not the usual rise and fall of walking in typical flat soled, stiff mountaineering boots.

I like light boots. These feel lighter then the stats suggest they should be. I need to actually throw them on a scale to see their actual weight.

So far I've got about an hour on the treadmill, with it at a 12 degree incline. And 30 minutes on stairs working on side stepping on the ball of my foot. On the treadmill they felt like an approach shoe and on the stairs they felt like a legitimate mountaineering boot. I was impressed. I even considered jogging in them, but came to my senses before trying. I'll be keeping these and getting them out in the mud and snow here shortly.

I've also spent some time in the Ribelle Tech OD. These are labelled as an Ice Climbing Boot. But they could possibly be an answer to a winter boot if you didn't need the ankle support of the HD. They are quite abit lighter and warmer as they have built in gaiters and insulation. I wish I could justify two boots, but I dont think I can. If I didnt have a Mountain hunt in the planning stages for this year, I would probably stay with the Tech OD.

 

[mt100gr.]

Received the Ribelle HD's today. If first impressions mean anything, these could possibly be the best fitting, most versatile boot I've ever owned.

I'm a 44.5, and tried the 45, 45.5 and ended up in the 46, mainly for the additional width in the toebox. I might have gotten away with a 45.5, but didnt want to risk it. I have a wide forefoot, mid to high instep, narrow midfoot, heel and ankle. Basically a duck. I still have pressure in the forefoot, but it would likely be roomy for most people.

Lacing system is one of the best I've ever used, very responsive to different lacing techniques and I was able to get various levels of pressure throughout my foot.

Heel pocket could be a touch tighter, but I'll work with it for now. Played with the lacing a touch and was able to really suck my heel down, without too much pressure on my instep. I think a little work there and it'll be dialed.

Sole is stiff laterally, not quite to the same stiffness of the Charmoz but approaching it.

The stiffness lengthwise is deceiving. By hand it feels softer then the Charmoz and stiffer then the Zodiac Tech. But the rocker in the sole is very effective. On hard flat ground I would rank them as easier then the Zodiac Tech to walk in. Something I've never experienced with a Mountaineering boot of this stiffness. My gait was almost normal, not the usual rise and fall of walking in typical flat soled, stiff mountaineering boots.

I like light boots. These feel lighter then the stats suggest they should be. I need to actually throw them on a scale to see their actual weight.

So far I've got about an hour on the treadmill, with it at a 12 degree incline. And 30 minutes on stairs working on side stepping on the ball of my foot. On the treadmill they felt like an approach shoe and on the stairs they felt like a legitimate mountaineering boot. I was impressed. I even considered jogging in them, but came to my senses before trying. I'll be keeping these and getting them out in the mud and snow here shortly.

I've also spent some time in the Ribelle Tech OD. These are labelled as an Ice Climbing Boot. But they could possibly be an answer to a winter boot if you didn't need the ankle support of the HD. They are quite abit lighter and warmer as they have built in gaiters and insulation. I wish I could justify two boots, but I dont think I can. If I didnt have a Mountain hunt in the planning stages for this year, I would probably stay with the Tech OD.

I took delivery of mine as well. 46.5 in scarpas is pretty perfect, again. I'll echo everything tdot said above. This is the best initial fit I have felt in this style of boot.

 

[tdot]

I took delivery of mine as well. 46.5 in scarpas is pretty perfect, again. I'll echo everything tdot said above. This is the best initial fit I have felt in this style of boot.

I think it's funny that the last they've used is named "Arg". It doesn't sound comfortable, but somehow it is.

 

[tdot]

I dont know how the OP has been making out in these boots. But I'm loving them.

I have over 75 miles on them now, with everything from 30 to 110 pound packs. Hard pack flat trails to steep granite. They are not the stiffest boot I've ever worn, but they are the most versatile. Personally I've disliked any boots approaching this level of stiffness on anything but soft snow or extremely steep terrain. However these boots are a bizarre blend of approach shoe and mountaineering boot. The rocker helps them walk extremely efficiently with little effort vs. a typical stiff boot.

The fit problem in the heel that I had previously was due to using an aftermarket insole that was too thick. It had pushed my foot up and out of the heel pocket. Remedied by going to a mid thickness insole and havent even found a hot spot on my foot since.

I was concerned with the fact that I had to upsize 1.5 sizes to get the width I needed. But the fit has not been sloppy, I can easily stabilize my foot 100%. The extra room is appreciated with a 100+ pound pack and descending.

The rocker may be a negative in steep ice or when using a full crampon. But Scarpa uses the same sole on a dedicated speed mountaineering/ice climbing boot, so it must work.

I'm happy enough with this boot that I'll be buying a second pair when they go on sale, for backup.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

That's great to hear! I've just been able to hike a few miles on hard pack dirt road trails, as I'm still forcing myself to rest my achilles tendons so they can hopefully recover well enough to get in shape for a 5 day high sierra backpack trip and hunting season soon after. I have spent a number of hours in them, even around the office and town just to get them slowly forming to my feet.

The rocker was very interesting and did feel a touch weird with such a stiff boot, as there's a bit of a flow to the gait with it.

It's interesting that I also sized up quite a bit too in order to feel confident my toes would have enough room on heavily laden downhills, but the efficiency of the lacing system and natural glove like fit for my foot shape made the larger size still feel snug in all the right places. I really love how easily and quickly I can torque down or refine how snug they fit and am lucky that for my feet I don't feel any pressure points, but rather a very nice even pressure throughout my forefoot.

To give my achilles a little less pressure I've also been experimenting with leaving the uppers unlaced which was quite nice walking flat ground easy terrain.

I can't wait to test it more in varied terrain and very curious to hear other guys' experiences as a few more pic them up.

 

[Spoonman]

Still rocking mine on almost a daily basis! I wear them all over the place( work, yard, grocery store, trail hikes, and back country hunts) and I absolutely love them. I’m not a huge REI fan but I went to one of their garage sales and found a pair that some how were my exact size that someone didn’t like for $130 that had very and I mean very little use. I also found a pair of the Zodiac Scarpa’s for $117. It was my lucky day! I put in the Superfeet trail blazer comfort insoles in all my boots and the combination is perfect for me.

 

[Kris S]

Hey All, I've been researching these Scarpa Ribelle HDs, and I have found all of your feedback super helpful. The last question I'm trying to get an answer on is how warm these are in the summer. I'm looking for a boot that I can wear most of the year including the summer months. Most of my hiking/hunting/scouting is at altitude but its not uncommon to be 70*F in the summer months while hiking or scouting. I'm concerned that because they are insulated my feet will be miserable, and at $360 I'm not sure I could justify multiple boots at this point. Any feedback would be appreciated!

 

[Spoonman]

Hey All, I've been researching these Scarpa Ribelle HDs, and I have found all of your feedback super helpful. The last question I'm trying to get an answer on is how warm these are in the summer. I'm looking for a boot that I can wear most of the year including the summer months. Most of my hiking/hunting/scouting is at altitude but its not uncommon to be 70*F in the summer months while hiking or scouting. I'm concerned that because they are insulated my feet will be miserable, and at $360 I'm not sure I could justify multiple boots at this point. Any feedback would be appreciated!

I wear mine all year. Feet get a little warm when it’s hot but nothing I can’t deal with. I just wear a little lighter sock in the summer.

 

[Kris S]

Thanks Spoonman for the reply. Purchased.

 

[Spoonman]

Thanks Spoonman for the reply. Purchased.

Good deal man! As long as your feet agree with them (everyone has different feet) then I know you’ll love them!

 

[tdot]

Now that it's getting warmer, I'm finding the waterproof liner is breathing noticeably better then the standard Goretex liner.

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

I'm concerned that because they are insulated my feet will be miserable, and at $360 I'm not sure I could justify multiple boots at this point.

Just to clarify, the Scarpa Ribelle HD's are not insulated. Scarpa makes a different boot, the Ribelle Tech OD, that is insulated, but the Ribelle HD we are talking about is not.

Congrats Kris on your purchase. If they fit your feet I think you'll love them. I am good with the stiff sole from a flex point of view, though am noticing after walking on hard pack dirt for a while that the sole is very firm when it comes to compression. Not a real issue for me so far, but something I'll keep an eye out for.

Turns out my achilles tendonitis flares up more with boots vs. low tops, so at least during my rehab I'm going to try out an approach shoe as a possible alternative during summer months. Scarpa makes what looks like a "mini-Ribelle" in their Mescalito, which I've got coming this week to test the fit and feel. I figure a low top would be good anyways on training hikes with lighter packs to gradually strengthen the muscles around my feet and ankles. We will see...

 

[hikehuntrescue]

Super helpful thread, thanks all!

FYI - I've been running the Zodiac Plus GTX boots for about two years now. The sole fell apart on me and the gtx liner started to leak at about 10 months, and Scarpa sent me a straight replacement no questions asked. The replacement pair has held up great after a couple hunting seasons and lots of other backcountry adventures in between, but unfortunately the GTX has developed a slow leak in both toe boxes.

I've got a couple climbs scheduled next month and spring in the Cascades is famously slushy, so I'm seriously considering tagging some Ribelles... I'll report back if I do.

I have no plans to get rid of the Zodiacs as they're still great for decent weather adventures, and they're some of the most comfortable and stable boots I've ever owned (nevermind the lightest). I do need something that will keep my feet dry when necessary though...

 

[lifeisgoodsteve]

Super helpful thread, thanks all!

FYI - I've been running the Zodiac Plus GTX boots for about two years now. The sole fell apart on me and the gtx liner started to leak at about 10 months, and Scarpa sent me a straight replacement no questions asked. The replacement pair has held up great after a couple hunting seasons and lots of other backcountry adventures in between, but unfortunately the GTX has developed a slow leak in both toe boxes.

I've got a couple climbs scheduled next month and spring in the Cascades is famously slushy, so I'm seriously considering tagging some Ribelles... I'll report back if I do.

I have no plans to get rid of the Zodiacs as they're still great for decent weather adventures, and they're some of the most comfortable and stable boots I've ever owned (nevermind the lightest). I do need something that will keep my feet dry when necessary though...

It's so weird as I've heard a number of reports of the Zodiac Plus GTX falling apart quickly, though that's the only boot I'ver heard of like that in their lineup.

Sounds like you put on a lot of miles and elevation, so am curious of your impressions if you pick them up.

 

[hikehuntrescue]

Yeah, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on them (Scarpa has their entire line at 25% right now, FYI). I'll put them to work this summer and fall for sure and let you know how they do.

 

[elkeaterco]

I just got a pair in. I went a full size bigger (45 to 46) then all my other standard boots and running shoes (Crispi, lowa, salamon, altra). Fit is just about perfect with enough room in the toe box. My forefoot is 4.5" wide which I gather is on the big normal and small wide side of things. I'll put some hard miles on them and see how they wear.

 

[Spoonman]

I put on 15.1 miles and 4000’ of elevation a couple weeks ago In my Ribella’s and I’m still just as happy. I’m going on another 15+ mile trip tomorrow and I know they’ll be great. I have not had any issues with my Zodiac’s yet and they have a lot of miles on them. I’ve owned a lot of boots with goretex and they all have leaked at some point sooner rather than later. My Ribella’s are still water tight.

 

[Firemedic710]

Ok so I’m looking for a dedicated sheep boot for my delta hunt this august. I’ve got these Ribelle hd, Salewa ravens and lowa alpine pros sitting in front of me. They all fit my foot great. Ribelles may be the most comfortable and easiest walking of the 3. The Salewa ravens while comfortable have a weird foot strike for me. I hit the outside heel rolling into the inside ball of my foot. The lowa are a much flatter sole.

Has anyone compared the ribelles to the Crispi briksdale sf? Thinking that may be the last contender.

 

[Spoonman]

Ok so I’m looking for a dedicated sheep boot for my delta hunt this august. I’ve got these Ribelle hd, Salewa ravens and lowa alpine pros sitting in front of me. They all fit my foot great. Ribelles may be the most comfortable and easiest walking of the 3. The Salewa ravens while comfortable have a weird foot strike for me. I hit the outside heel rolling into the inside ball of my foot. The lowa are a much flatter sole.

Has anyone compared the ribelles to the Crispi briksdale sf? Thinking that may be the last contender.

I’ve not compared the briksdale but I have had 2 pair of the summits. I know they are not even close to the Ribella HD’s but the Crispi’s let my feet get wet after 6 months. My brother has the same issue with the Colorado boots. I also had a pair of the Salewa crows and the mtn trainers and while they were probably the most comfortable boot I’ve ever worn again my feet got wet within a year. I live up in Washington and hunt the Olympic Peninsula so I neeeeeeeeed waterproof boots. The Ribella’s are the easiest to walk in for me but when I’m on a steep climb on wet dirt they tend to slip a little more I think because of the rolled toe.

 

[Trogon]

Anybody got a weight on the size 45 Ribelle?