G2SM - how high, how cold?

So I've got a pair of G2SMs that I've been using for about a year now, and they are pretty awesome.  I've climbed a handful of 5/6000m peaks in them, and I have never experienced cold feet. In fact, the only time my feet have experienced an even mild chill in them was while standing around in the middle of the night at ~5800m trying to figure out how to get a sick partner down for 45 minutes.  (My hands were about 1,000,000x colder.) 

I'm considering climbing either a high 6000m peak or a 7000m peak this upcoming season and am wondering if anybody has any experience taking their G2SMs up to those altitudes.  

I've only used mine for ice climbing, but you could get an overboot fitted to the G2SMs to add extra warmth without having to upgrade to the Olympus Mons or something.

sandrock wrote:

I've only used mine for ice climbing, but you could get an overboot fitted to the G2SMs to add extra warmth without having to upgrade to the Olympus Mons or something.

You should get the G5s!  And yeah, the Olympus Mons just look bulky.

I don't have experience, but suspect it depends on the conditions. Denali on a bad day is probably a lot to ask of any reasonable boot. By the same token I'm betting people have done trekking peaks in Himalayan summer with less boot. Obviously depends on logistics too (are you moving or belaying multiple technical pitches). 

Ueli (RIP) thought Scarpa's equivalent was good to 8km. 

 https://youtu.be/N8QHIerFg-8

More than enough boot for 7000m if you ask me.  Phantom 6000s are plenty for Denali, colder than Spantiks, and Denali is a hell of a lot colder than most 6000m peaks.  

Olympus Mons et al. are for winter 8000m.  

Didn't Simone Moro test the boot on Gasherbrum 2? (Hence the boots name...) It should be just fine at 6000m and 7000m.  

Also, FWIW, I don't think the Phantom 6000 is Scarpa's equivalent.  Seems relatively clear to me that Sportiva is positioning the G2SM as more boot than the Spantik.  

DCarey wrote:

Didn't Simone Moro test the boot on Gasherbrum 2? (Hence the boots name...) It should be just fine at 6000m and 7000m.  

It was winter so he only would have went up a little bit in them, that being said they were originally only intended for the approach. That being said basecamp is at 5300m and if he only went up 700m in them that's 6000m in winter.

They are supposed to be a 7000m boot, so you should be fine into the low 8000s depending on the fit and your own circulation.

That is what they are *supposed* to do, but it would be cool to hear from a non-sponsored party..

Jacon wrote:

Also, FWIW, I don't think the Phantom 6000 is Scarpa's equivalent.  Seems relatively clear to me that Sportiva is positioning the G2SM as more boot than the Spantik.  

They're both ~2kg super gaiter style double boots. I'm willing to entertain the idea that Sportiva has put out something revolutionary in a competitive market with insulation and engineering Scarpa doesn't have access to, but I doubt it. The P6k was a popular boot (compared to the relatively clunky Baruntse/Spantik) and LS was playing catch-up. 

Well, the chief difference is that the G2SM has a much thinner liner, and more insulation in the boot itself (which I think is exceptionally clever, though hardly revolutionary).  It's clever because I think you get a much more technical fit, and because the liners don't really need to be thick and warm: they just need to be removable so you can put them in your bag at night.  

I agree that P6000 was/is popular: I still own and love mine.  I think they're a huge improvement over my old Spantiks, but that was a hugely popular boot as well.  

I don't own and haven't tried the G2SMs—all I was saying was that Sportiva is positioning them as warmer than Spantiks, and that the Spantiks are warmer than P6000s.  You're right, though: the weight is very similar, so how much warmer can they really be?   

Chris C. wrote:

That is what they are *supposed* to do, but it would be cool to hear from a non-sponsored party..

Wait, you mean you want feedback from people who have actually used them, and not random suggestions from some guy who read a press release and has never gone mountaineering?

Kyle Tarry wrote:

Wait, you mean you want feedback from people who have actually used them, and not random suggestions from some guy who read a press release and has never gone mountaineering?

Yes, now when looking back at my question I see how ridiculous it sounds. 

Chris C. wrote:

Yes, now when looking back at my question I see how ridiculous it sounds. 

In case my post wasn't clear, I think your question was very clear, as was the fact that you want to legitimate feedback.  Sadly, that hasn't stopped the armchair mountaineering squad.

jdejace wrote:

I don't have experience, but suspect it depends on the conditions. Denali on a bad day is probably a lot to ask of any reasonable boot. By the same token I'm betting people have done trekking peaks in Himalayan summer with less boot. Obviously depends on logistics too (are you moving or belaying multiple technical pitches). 

Post summary: "I don't know"

Kyle Tarry wrote:

In case my post wasn't clear, I think your question was very clear, as was the fact that you want to legitimate feedback.  Sadly, that hasn't stopped the armchair mountaineering squad.

Haha I figured. I wasn't taking a shot at you.

Funnily, the only post in this thread that actually addresses warmth at altitude with actual experience is my original post.

Sorry for trying to help. Have fun on your trip. 

Kyle Tarry wrote:

Nick, I like your style.  Here's my contribution.

Chris, I have a friend who went to 7,000 ft in boots that were black and yellow.  Since they are the same color as yours, and the elevation has the same number, I think you'll be fine.

You are correct I haven't gone mountaineering the closest i have done is mont blanc, that being said I would like for you to tell me how exactly my comment is wrong or inaccurate?

It's well known that the footwear you use in the mountains is entirely dependent on how you are climbing and even then mountain boots tend to have a large range of use, Ueli Steck has ran up 7000m peaks in trail runners, lightly and non insulated single boots are used on Mont Blanc which even in the summer goes down to -4F, Simone Moro went part way up a winter ascent of Nanga Parbat in the boots in question (-45f is quoted on gear junkie though i imagine this is base camp) considering the temps that he used them in a well chosen ascent of a small 8000m peak is certainly doable especially considering most ascents of Everest wont see temperatures of less than -35F in april.

I would love to link a graph showing the average temps of Everest but it seems to not want to work. http://www.himalayanwonders.com/siteblog/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Everest-Summit-Temperature.png

Seb, the point is that he asked for feedback from people who had used them.  Your points are all "correct" (except for the stuff that was just guessing), but none of that is new information to Chris, or anyone really.  We know what Simone Moro did in them, but that's only 1 piece of highly anecdotal data, and his example might not be that valuable for the rest of us.

First off, I love my g2sm's. They are (for me at least) the most technical fitting and capable boots for their warmpth. However I did get some minor nerve damage in a few toes in them on a particularly long and bad day to be atop denali. I was using them with the super thick red smart wool socks and an ultra light over boot.alrhough like many have said Denali is extremely cold and it was a bad storm. And, the over boot could hardly be called that, they were essentially just ballistic nylon covers with no really insulation. They just help keep boots dry to make bringing the shells in the tent easier without having to clean off snow (highly recommend)

Greg Shea wrote:

First off, I love my g2sm's. They are (for me at least) the most technical fitting and capable boots for their warmpth. However I did get some minor nerve damage in a few toes in them on a particularly long and bad day to be atop denali. I was using them with the super thick red smart wool socks and an ultra light over boot.alrhough like many have said Denali is extremely cold and it was a bad storm. And, the over boot could hardly be called that, they were essentially just ballistic nylon covers with no really insulation. They just help keep boots dry to make bringing the shells in the tent easier without having to clean off snow (highly recommend)

That sucks, I hope that nerve damage is recoverable. Good info to know.