Sportiva Evo S overkill?

[MichaelpMcCabe]

I'm having a heck of a time finding the right boots...

I am an avid hiker but new to full blown mountaineering. I'm taking it slow (plan to take the ems mountaineering class next winter) and for now am enjoying peak bagging in the Cats, Dacks and Vermont, and maybe some climbing in Canada...

I've been looking at the Asolo TPS 520's but I fear that they may not be ideal (slip on rock, not a full mountaineering boot). But, they do get some great reviews from you folks.

I'm also looking at the Sportiva Evo S boots. They same great, however, I wonder if they are currently overkill. I also worry about some negative reviews: not fully waterproof in snow, blisters, and not ideal for a wide foot. Do any of you have any experience with these boots in the Northeast? Are they overkill for me, or perhaps just not ideal for my purposes? FYI: I plan to purchase a separate winter boot next year for technical ice climbing so I'm currently looking for a satisfactory three season boot that can handle long one-day stints in the snow with some good socks...

I should also say that I'm turned on by the Sportiva Makalu's but I can't find them anywhere in the NY metro area. Perhaps if they're worth it, I'll take a trip up to VT and pick up a pair while visiting my sister in Burlington.

Thanks!

Mike

[SummitHat]

I would not recommend a stiff-soled mountaineering boot as a three season boot for long one-day stints in the snow, as there are many lighter, warmer, versatile alternatives. Stiff-soled boots like the La Sportiva S Evo are good with crampons but otherwise have a lot of drawbacks compared with non-mountaineering boots, e.g. more expensive, heavier, less comfortable for long distances, worse slippage on some surfaces, snow-balling under sole, etc. There are numerous threads on good hiking boots on this forum and others (adkhp, vftt, etc.) that you can find by browsing or using the Search features. Many of these threads will cite a boot like the Merrill Isotherm 8 or equivalent as a good quality warm hiker for folks with wide feet who want to spend a day in the snow.

The separate winter boot you intend to buy for technical ice climbing can be used for any snow & ice hiking that may require crampons. Thus the three-season hikers could be chosen for comfort, weight and cost without being the $tiff-$ole-$tyle. Use the left-over riches to purchase other gear.

I have used my La Sportiva Trango Primes for hundreds of miles of winter hiking, however I strongly prefer non-mountaineering boots for snowshoeing, microspiking or bare-booting (snow-depth permitting) when it's cold out.

Best of luck!

[MichaelpMcCabe]

Excellent help. I very much appreciate your input. Thanks!