All Degree Lite GTX

I haven’t had the boots too long, so I can’t attest to the durability, but this appears to be a great boot. It’s about the same weight as a standard hiking boot, but has the stiffness of a full-length shank. They seem to breath pretty well, not bad for mostly leather uppers. There was definitely a little break-in period, and at least for me, there seems to be a fine line between laces too tight and too loose. The tongues are pretty stiff and dig into my chicken legs if too tight and my heel moves if the laces are too loose, but overall I love these boots. Kick stepping in snow seems easy and they have good grip on rock and boulders.

Update June 2007: The problem with the tongue digging into my legs went away, I guess that was part of the break in, it only lasted a short while after the initial review. I still have them and I really like them. They are still in great condition, but I can see some problems forming where the rubber meets the leather on the front of the boots.

Update Jan 2009: I am still using these boots, they've been up about a dozen different Cascade volcanoes. They are certainly showing signs of wear, but with good care these boot last a long time and are a great value compared to the more expensive boots on the market. I will replace these boots with the same exact boot if they are still available, I think REI discontinued them...

Update Feb 2009: Effective Jan 2009 Raichle was purchased by Mammut, this boot was discontinued. Purchased 2 pair at a great discount from Sierra Trading Post.

I've actually had these boots two years but have hardly used them. My one thing is my toes fall asleep in them sometimes- I guess it's in the way I'm lacing up the boots or something. But they are more comfortable and easier to hike in than any other crampon-compatible boot I tried. They are lighter than many regular hiking boots and plenty stiff.

Have done some ice climbing in them and they were fine. I wonder how well they would do on serious alpine routes and extrteme cold- that's what you get with a "light" mountaineering boot. I have worn them in -20 and they were fine. They have no thermal insulation so I made sure I could fit two pairs of socks with no problems. The one other problem I have I also have with other boots- my calves are skinny enough that it is hard to get the top of the boot snug at the top.

I bought these boots because they seemed really versatile- light enough for general backpacking, surly enough for Rainier and Granite and other mountains like that. So far so good!

Like backpacks, boots are a particularly difficult piece of gear for me to find because of the differences in fit and feel. After trying on pretty much every other brand out there I happened upon these Raichles on sale at REI. After trying them on and walking around the store and up and down stairs for a few minutes, they seemed to fit my feet perfectly. Something I can't say for pretty much any other piece of gear that I own...there's always a subtle issue, it seems.

These boots have performed amazingly in all sorts of conditions since I've purchased them. I've taken them on slab rock, loose rock, sand, pebbles, sharp rockbeds, boulders, snow, ice, mud, water...They've been up a number of Washington Cascades hikes and climbs as well as Mount Hood via Old Chute earlier this summer. They have amazing grip on all sorts of surfaces and they don't seem to show any signs of wear and tear yet. They hold my Black Diamond Contact Strap crampons wonderfully and are stiff enough for some good footwork where necessary, yet not too stiff to be a great approach and hiking boot. They're always dry in wet situations and have kept my feet warm when it counts. These beauties have logged over 120 miles and 40,000 feet of elevation gain this year and they're still going! I would definitely buy these or another Raichle mountaineering boot again! Absolutely amazing!