MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS

Mountaineering boots – now that’s a shoe! With mountaineering boots, you go up the highest summits, the toughest and roughest expeditions. With this shoe, you are ready for really everything you might encounter in the mountains. Mountaineering boots are quite different to hiking or trekking ones, even though they look quite similar – but it is the inner values. Also, they are great for snow and ice! 

How is the mountaineering boot different to the trekking one?

Generally, hiking boots and mountaineering boots are quite similar. You take both up on the mountain, on hikes and tours. Both have a good profile, both can be waterproof, can be breathable and can be crampon-compatible. And both support your feet when you are out and about.

But the mountaineering boot is simply a bit more robust than your hiking boot. And stiffer, both on the outer material and the sole. Because while you can bend your trekking shoe using two hands, this is nearly impossible with the mountaineering boot. This is due mostly to the insole, which is underneath the midsole and made of very stiff material. Back in the day, this used to be a heavy metal, today it is carbon or plastic material because it weighs less. As of this, these shoes are great for tough tours and expeditions. If you are on a hiking trail, your hiking boot will fit perfectly. But if you heading into untouched and difficult terrain, you need a mountaineering boot.

On a mountaineering boot, the stem is usually higher. This gives your ankle more support and your feet are more stable. On the other hand, these shoes weigh more as well.

Taking your mountaineering boot into snow and ice

Mountaineering boots are also made for the colder months of the year, or the highest summits and glaciers that carry snow all year round. Most of them are crampon-compatible. These can be bought separately. There are different systems that fit different shoes. Some crampons are put onto the front or back of the shoe like baskets, others are pushed onto the back using a rocker arm.

And mountaineering boots are what you need to go ice climbing. Because the shoe needs to be robust, stable and keep you warm!