Was wondering what people's experience with these boots has been on the big one? Warm enough by themselves above 17 or did you need overboots as well?

I would go with overboots or better yet the Olympus Mons because your feet/toes can go from cold to frostbitten very quickly up there and the trip would not be successful if you came back with less than 10 toes.

Spantiks + 40 Below Overboots = the shizzle.

Olympus Mons are not as versitale. Would you ever use those in the lower 48? Or even on Hunter? I wouldn't. Plus remember you're probably slogging in from ~7K. Those Mons, or even Spantiks, are gonna be ovens.

As far as not using an overboot: it's possible. However I think you should be very, very experienced with those particular boots + your feet at and above 17000'. It would also be totally conditions dependent. It would suck to get up there and get turned around by gear issues, or worse, keep going when you shouldn't.

Sam, I'm guessing you own a pair of Spantiks? Are they that toasty? I'm asking because don't know anything about them except for what I've read and looking for a warmer boot(have nepal tops now) for winter mountaineering here in CO and AK. I've have had my toes frozen before and the nepal tops just are not keeping my feet warm enough anymore.

Michael, you heading Denali or just curious?

The latitude of the mountain you plan to climb is a factor that also needs to be considered. I wore the Nepal EVOs to climb Orizaba (18.5k) in December and my feet were plenty warm. But, the weather on that mountain is quite a bit different than on Denali.

Thanks for the input on the boots!

If I were you, I'd go for some double plastic boots. I have the AFS Asolo 8000 and they're the warmest things in the world. Completely waterproof as well. I stepped into a huge puddle, all the was up to my knee, and my feet stayed completely dry.

http://www.zappos.com/n/multi_view.cgi?product_id=7134386&co>>>>>

Cassin? This year?

Don't know if this helps Michael, but I used Spantiks with the stock liners up to almost 20k in Peru and my feet were fine. I had to wiggle my toes once or twice during an uncommonly long belay, but otherwise, no worries. A friend of mine used them up to 8000m on K2 as well. Very different lattitudes from Denali though, obviously.

You might consider getting Intuition liners fitted to them for Denali then maybe taking some overboots just in case.

Regarding the other question about Spantiks for CO, seems like overkill to me except on the very coldest days, but I haven't frozen my feet before either so YMMV. Only time I've used them in the lower 48 was ice climbing in Cody on a -20F day.

Just my $0.02

Spantiks are great for Denali. Don't put Intuition liners in them, just stay with the stock ones. Forty Below overboots aren't necessarily essential if you're moving fast and not out in shite weather, but are worth taking. Depending on your route and pace, I've found that Spantiks are sometimes warm enough and sometimes not above 17k. They're fine up to 17k no problem. Throw in some VBL socks for using down low since your feet will sweat below 11k.

Your spantiks will be fine on Denali. Some people I know have fitted them with Intuition liners and this adds warmth as well as costing you an extra $150 or so. Fit is probably more important than another pair of liners that are thicker. Putting overboots on Spantiks would be too much bulk and adds that extra weight.

I've used Spantiks on Denali, in Nepal on 7000meter peaks and they seem fine to me AND I don't have the best circulation in my feet.

I think spantiks would be too much boot for a "normal" winter in Colorado. Baturas seem to fit the bill here. Using Spantiks on an alpine route in Canada in the winter might be a good idea. It's just that everyone reacts differently to the cold. When you are dehydrated, at altitude and the wind is blowing hard at 20below ya want warm toes...