Two-step stomp. —
We took to the snow, ice, and rock dance floor with the latest in plastic, leather, and hybrid double boots.
My first few years of winter climbing in Rocky Mountain National Park were filled with moments of nerve-shattering fear and hours of stomping around in plastic double boots. After a few seasons of battling the high winds and cold temps typically encountered in “The Park,” I became proficient at scrambling, and — eventually — climbing steep pitches with my big stompers on.These early experiences made it easy for me to transition into the bigger ranges, where the climbing requires the warmth and support of double boots. Many of today’s newer climbers however have never worn a pair of double boots, wisely opting for light, dexterous leather boots on one-day outings. However, if you’re headed on an expedition to somewhere high and cold like Alaska or the Himalayas, you’d better pack a cozy, warm, and well-fitted pair of double boots. Doubles are also invaluable for frigid days or long ski approaches, and they can’t be beat if your feet are naturally cold. When you’re hunting for double boots, it’s easy to get too concerned with a boot’s technical specs and flashy image. Just remember, no matter how great a particular model is supposed to perform, if it doesn’t fit your foot well, nothing else will matter. Blisters that cover the bottoms of your feet and seeping heel lacerations that fill a boot’s shell with blood make sticky rubber rands and ultra-warm liners pointless. So, grab the socks in which you plan to climb, along with your custom foot-beds (if you own a pair), head down to the local outdoor shop, and try everything on.
When trying on boots, perform a shell fit first. Pull the liners out, put on your socks, and stand in the shells with your toes just brushing the ends of the boot, then see if you can stick two stacked fingers (three fingers for the Koflach Arctis Expe due to its extra-thick liner) between your heel and the shell. If you can, you’re within a half size of the right fit. Now, put the whole boot on and walk around for a few minutes. Are there any pressure points? Does your heel lift when you stand on your toes? Should you go a half size bigger or smaller? Tight boots will cut off your circulation, severely compromising your warmth, while loose-fitting boots will chafe your feet raw. An ideally fitted boot offers good heel retention when you frontpoint or walk uphill, provides light support over the instep, and has plenty of room for your toes. Also, don’t buy boots a size too large with the intention of wearing extra socks for additional warmth. This tactic will seriously impair climbing performance and can cause severe blistering. If you’re worried about cold feet, purchase a full-coverage supergaiter.
If you don’t already have a pair, consider buying after-market insoles, either pre-fabricated or custom-made. Most people find that these improve even the best out-of-the-box fit; for some folks, insoles are so effective that they can make a questionable boot a contender, especially when it comes to heel fit. After-market, pre-fabricated insoles do a great job of positioning the foot in biomechanical neutral. However, if you need corrective alignment, a custom orthotic made by an experienced sports podiatrist is the way to go. A podiatrist will assess your biomechanical alignment and stride, and shape the orthotic to bring your foot back into proper position. Once you know which boot models meld with the shape of your feet, bust out the tech info and match the boots’ construction and performance to your needs. Despite their simple appearance, double boots are surprisingly complex creatures, starting with the shell. The most common shell material is the durable and easily molded polyurethane plastic found on the Asolo AFS Evolvzione, Koflach Arctis Expe and Degre, and the Lowa Civetta Extreme. The Asolo AFS Ottomila and Scarpa Alpha and Inverno use Pebax, a nylon whose flexibility is not affected by temperature changes. Salomon and Boreal use leather, which provides a natural and forgiving flex, but requires periodic waterproofing and is not as durable as synthetics. Vasque’s Ice 9000 has a shell made with Exo-Therm, a new composite of thermoplastic urethane, Kevlar nylon mesh, Mylar film, and Aveo closed-cell foam. Liner material is a significant determiner of a double boot’s warmth. Open-cell foam is an affordable standby that is durable, reasonably warm, and allows the foot to breathe. Closed-cell foam is considerably warmer than open-cell, but doesn’t breathe as well. It’s also more fragile — a liner built exclusively with closed-cell can typically stand up to the abuse of just one long trip or expedition. However, its life span can be increased if it’s used in conjunction with other more durable insulators like open-cell, or Thinsulate, which can also be used as a stand-alone insulator in conjunction with a waterproof membrane like Sympatex or Gore-Tex. The new kid on the insulation block is custom moldable closed-cell, which is outrageously warm, light, and durable, but completely lacking in breathability. A new adjunct to structural insulation is the use of heat-reflective Mylar film. After confirming your size and running the tech-spec gauntlet, be sure to check each boot’s compatibility with your existing crampons or crampons that you’ll be purchasing. Finally, don’t forget to take your new stompers out before the big trip to see how they hike and climb.To put the boots to the performance test, we hiked until our knees creaked and climbed peaks in Colorado, Wyoming, Alaska, and Canada. When hiking, we considered how forgiving the ankle and tongue of a boot were, as well as whether or not a boot’s rocker, or sole shape, facilitated a comfortable stride. We evaluated ice and steep snow performance in terms of support and security when frontpointing or sidestepping. On rock, we considered an entry’s ability to edge and smear. Durability of the shells turned out to be a non-issue, as they are all indestructible.
