Ice boot question

Looking at choosing a new pair of boots from Sportiva for waterfall ice and possibly A couloir in RMNP. Narrowed it down to either the Batura or the Trango Extreme Evo Light (aka as Silver Bullet). Also my street shoe size is 9 1/2, and I'm wondering about sizing. Thinking of 42.5. Any input would be appreciated.

If you haven't seen it already, this site has thorough boot discussions. coldthistle.blogspot.com/

No matter what boots you choose, remember to size up a bit for mountaineering and ice climbing boots. Whether or not you choose to wear thick socks or not, you would be constantly kicking steps climbing a couloir depending on snow conditions... Same for ice climbing, you do not want your toes to hit the toe box every time you swing your foot into a placement... Plus its warmer too. I have 2 pair of the la sportiva boots and I love them. I am about a size 9 1/2 - 10 street shoe and have 44, and 44.5 respectively. As you get better you can more so place your feet on the ice, rather than kicking etc, hence you can snug the boots a lil smaller. What I did was tried on the pair of boots I liked at a local retailer. When you are in the store lace them up just like you would, with the same sock you would use and go find a stairway that you can walk up kicking vigorously into each step as you go up. If you hit the toe box and it is uncomfortable, size up a half size... Then find the same boots cheap from a friend or slightly used online. Hope this helps, J.

no offense Jon, but your sizing advice might not be that great. I have owned the Trango Extreme Evo and the Batura and I wear an 11 street shoe, both of my LS sizes are 44.5 - with room for heavier socks.

Try the boots on. Preferably at the end of the day when your feet are the most swollen. Bring Light and heavy socks. Kick things with them. Walk up and down an incline. That should give you the best idea how the boots fit.

Also, when I moved to CO I bought the Trangos as a "Do everything boot" I found that they worked great on ice, but spring couloirs with dirt trail approaches killed my feet. I have since bought a pair of 3.5 season Scarpa Triolet Pros and use my Baturas for winter climbing.

Hope that helps.

Tits McGee wrote:no offense Jon, but your sizing advice might not be that great. I have owned the Trango Extreme Evo and the Batura and I wear an 11 street shoe, both of my LS sizes are 44.5 - with room for heavier socks. Try the boots on. Preferably at the end of the day when your feet are the most swollen. Bring Light and heavy socks. Kick things with them. Walk up and down an incline. That should give you the best idea how the boots fit. Also, when I moved to CO I bought the Trangos as a "Do everything boot" I found that they worked great on ice, but spring couloirs with dirt trail approaches killed my feet. I have since bought a pair of 3.5 season Scarpa Triolet Pros and use my Baturas for winter climbing. Hope that helps.

I wear size 11 shoes and have Baturas in 44.5, too, and they fit quite nicely. They are warm and I like them a lot.

Why you'd buy any shoe too big for your foot when you'll be spending most of a day in them is beyond me. Just my opinion,

But I do tend to wear a lighter sock over a bulky one as giving your feet room to move will give you feet places for blisters to form.

My boots fit like a glove, Batura's, and I also have custom orthotics in there. Worth every penny.....

Jim Amidon wrote:Why you'd buy any shoe too big for your foot when you'll be spending most of a day in them is beyond me. Just my opinion, But I do tend to wear a lighter sock over a bulky one as giving your feet room to move will give you feet places for blisters to form. My boots fit like a glove, Batura's, and I also have custom orthotics in there. Worth every penny.....

I agree, I never got the upsize for warm socks concept. I've read studies (forget where) that wearing multiple socks decreases circulation which equals cold feet. I think this theory is the same as how people used to wear climbing shoes 5 sizes too small. Antiquated. Buy the right fitting boot for the right situation. I wear a thin/med liner with one thick mountaineering sock.

Oversize and you'll regret it.

La Sportiva makes good boots. You are looking at two of their best. Their sizing chart is generally spot on. My suggestion is match your street shoe size to their Euro sizing chart using a super thin liner and a med weight wool sox and let the boot do the rest. FWIW I am a 12 US and a 45.5 in the entire line of La Sportiva...and generally a 45 to 46 in Scarpa as well.

Boots are all about fit. Silver bullet Trango fits me much much better than the Batura. Could be the other way around for you. Get the proper size and try them before you buy. (or mail order everything in and wear them around the house first so you can then send back the unwanted items)

FWIW I love the silver bullets as my do everything boot. Snow, approaches, up to WI5 and m8. The boots certainly aren't what is holding me back from climbing harder. I would love a whole closet full of specialized boots but the trangos fit me and work darn well.

I guess it depends on how cold you want to go & how warm you tend to be in the toes. i've been using the baturas for a couple of seasons & they are the only non-plastic that have ever kept my pitifully cold toes warm! they are essentially the trangos w/a super insulating gator over them. imo, i've never complained after a day of ice climbing that i wish my feet had been colder! if you are gonna play in the peak & have the dough, the baturas are hard to beat.
as for size, try them on. i went up 1/2 size from my old nepals to the baturas.

I've used the Batura a lot...never found it all that warm compared directly to the Silver Buller (its a little warmer than the SB) or the Nepal Evo.(pretty much similar to the Batura in every condition) Better boot in that style I think is the Scarpa Phantom Guide.

what Dane said...Batura is good, check out the new line of scarpa's. they look tits.

Got to say I love my Scarpas. I bought a pair sized to my street shoes and have found they fit right. Toes dont hit when kicking steps. The rocker makes it more comfortable for the approach. Before these I went with the 1/2 size larger concept and found that my feet had too much movement when on vertical ice and extra socks did not make up the difference. My advise is to try them on and walk up steps on the tip-toes and see what moves.

Scarpa or batura
There pretty much the same boot don't think one could go wrong with ether boot

I like the zipper on the scarpa better but now La Sportiva has jumped on the bandwagon there is no difference .

Soooo if your feet don't get cold than I think ether boot would be a good choice but I would not wish to walk 5 miles in ether one also you should consider a VBL sock
They save the insulation and keep your feet warmer than you can imagine.Your insulation stays dryer and your feet stay warmer Also don't forget the chemical heat packs they make your boots even warmer.

I have been messing with this VBL thing last season and still using it now it works! And is not near as bad as everyone had me believe my feet don't sweat as bad and if you change liner socks sometime during the day you'll have no problems liners dont weigh shit and dry fast in my pocket plus you'll never have blisters again as the VBL is nice n slick between your liner and outer sock.

I think this system would work well for your silver bullets too or any other insulated leather/ synth boot . Just go with whichever brand fits the best n make sure you try them on in the afternoon when your feet are the largest.

I fit my boots for performance and use my street shoe size or one half size larger but no more than that .

I use the phantoms and the Nepal evo and have demoed the Batura.

RISE FROM YOUR GRAVE!

Yeah, wasn't sure that this was worth starting a new topic over.

I have a question for all about exactly how a new boot (used mostly for ice but some mountaineering) should feel when trying it on. Specifically how much room your toes should have. I'm exactly an 11.5 and AAA width. I can tell that the Nepal Evos fit me the best, but I'm trying to decide between a 45.5 and a 46.

This was all of course with my standard heavy winter socks. With the 45.5 I can just barely feel my toes brushing the front of the boot while kicking hard and pointing my toes. It was more like some very light pressure on the tip of my sock. With a 46 I could feel basically nothing while kicking hard and pointing my toes. But I can tell they are a bit longer than the 45.5, and I have really warm feet so more room for socks is not an issue. Also realistically one isn't pointing their toes out while kicking - they're curled a bit. But then I'm still a novice ice climber here.

Or maybe I'm splitting hairs. Thoughts?

Sounds like you are going to want to go with the 45.5. The one thing to be aware of is that you don't want a constricting fit overall when wearing thick socks. Warmth in an ice climbing boot is all about how easily blood moves through your feet.

Both the Silver Bullet and Batura are great boots but built for different pursuits.
The Trango Extreme Evo Light (Silver Bullet) is a lighter and more flexible boot that I find does not have quite enough ankle support (for me) for extended sessions of standing on front points. It is probably the perfect boot for RMNP in winter and for three-season apline climbing in places like Chamonix, lower 48. I personally find the fit a little too tight for me but it is a very warm boot.

The Batura is roomier in the toe box and is the boot that I go to for everything because of the gaiter protection, fit and warmth. I think it gives me enough warmth and comfort that I use it for winter ice climbing, mixed alpine climbing and climbing in South America and Ruth Gorge in AK. I have warm feet and fit both style boots with a medium liner sock. I notice that with the long walk down from Long's Peak, Mt. Powell, Black Lake etc my toes feel better if I fit the boots so that I just barely feel the TOP of the boot but not the tip or end. Also, I fit my first pair of Baturas 1/2 size too big and the extra length did effect my technical climbing. They felt a little too long. I have 10.5 size feet and wear a 43.5 size Batura.

I also find that in order to increase the warmth of my boots going with a more efficient insole is better than wearing heavier socks. I still need to wiggle my toes at cold belays.

The Batura will be the boot that will fit the bill for a wider range of climates and temps. The Silver Bullet will be perfect if you want a lightweight/waterproof and warm boot for mainly climbing in Colorado, Rainier, Canada in the summer (NOT winter) and the Alps in summer. Hope this helps you some...........

Loved the Baturas. I am a size 11 street shoe and actually went for the 44 in the Batura a 44.5 in the EVO. I had to sell the Batura due to an old surgery scar. The plastic lace lock pressed against the incision and about an hour out into it, I started to feel the scar bruise and swell. I wish I could still climb in them, they are precise, lightweight and very warm...great boot!

Matt Glue wrote:I'm exactly an 11.5 and AAA width. I can tell that the Nepal Evos fit me the best, but I'm trying to decide between a 45.5 and a 46.

I am an 11.5 - 12 with AAA width. My Nepal Evos are 45.5 and fit like a glove with warm wool socks. The Nepal Evos are amazing boots.

Well since I started the original thread, I should probably chime in here. I went with the Sportiva Trango Extreme Evo GTX, and thus far have only done a few pitches with them, but I couldn't be happier. I also went with Petzl Darts and togeather they make a great combo. I was even pulling off some sport type moves my last time out. I am a 9.5 street shoe and chose size 43. I could have used a 43.5 because with a heavy sock like Dachstein things are a bit too crowded. Lighter sock and I'm fine.

Dave Swink wrote: I am an 11.5 - 12 with AAA width. My Nepal Evos are 45.5 and fit like a glove with warm wool socks. The Nepal Evos are amazing boots.

Man, that settles it. On top of all the other threads and posts I've been reading in which most people size the Nepals (and other LS) basically even with their street shoe size. I think the guys at my gear shop are really overemphasizing leaving room for toes. Or maybe I'm confusing just barely feeling my sock compress against my toe with actually feeling pain, which is what one should really look for.

My long sad story is that I was convinced to get a pair of 47s (!), dealt with them for 1.5 seasons, and finally sold them to someone. I've actually already bought some 46s, but wearing them around the house I can tell they are longer than they need to be. Will be exchanging next time I pass through that town.

Thanks all.