Super Alpinista

This boot has excelent construction you can tell by giving the product a once over. The boot is very rigid but offers some flex at the ankle. This is a large boot with a very small footprint it may be hard for some to adjust to this format. So far I have found this boot to be at home in snow more than anything else, it works well as a hiking boot for most distances. This boot is best used in Winter conditions and snow/ice travel. My only complaint would be the products weight and lacing system.

I got these boots on sale for 174 USD, what a bargain. After a few scrambles and a 7 mile hike I am relatively impressed. my feet stayed warm and dry in 20-30 degree temps. upper flexibility make these a good hiker. with a vapor barrier sock layer they should stay dry inside, although they didnt seem to clammy with just a pair of smartwool mid weights, they were still slightly damp after two days inside drying out. They climb like a bat out of hell on rock and snow with the skywalk stealth rubber sole. I dont quite understand the adjustable tongue-upper insulation, but I adjusted the tongue pad a little to the outside of my boot and found it eliminated a spot where the metal eyelet was causing a pressure point on my toe joint. I cant wait to step into a pair of crampons and climb some icefalls. they seem to be of bombproof construction and fit better with every use it seems. The weight of the boot is a sign of reliability, but after mile six I could really feel the extra ounces catching up with me. These are my first pair of mountain/ice boots.

I have used this boot for general mountaineering, ice climbing, and as a ski boot along with my silvretta 404 AT bindings (not stiff enough for a full on decent, but works great for light touring). It works for all of these things. There is a better boot for each activity, but for a do all boot this one works great. The construction has held up well, but I only have a year or so of use on them.

I've used these for ice climbing and winter mountaineering in the Cascades, Sierra, and Mexican volcanoes. They have performed admirably and always keep my feet warm. However, the real downside to the Super Alpinista is their weight. At 9 lbs they are heavier than some double plastic boots I've played with.