Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Boots for Giants

Hello All,

I am a habitual giant and I am in the market for an Alpine Boot that can hold hybrid crampons.

I recently bought a pair of Lowa Mountain Expert GTX boots in the largest commercially available size of US Mens 13. I am at best a 13 EEEE or a solid 14, but I was hoping that I could break them in a bit and maybe they could work. According to some onlie (errm online) they are boots that require nor break in.

I saw stellar reviews and with a fast-expiring coupon I went to REI and saw that my 12-point CAMP Stalkers fit them perfectly I decided to jump on the opportunity and I made the purchase.

I wore them for 13 miles on a trip to Telescope, Rogers and Bennett Peaks in Death Valley. Tenuous reports expected some snow and ice (lies, all lies...) After 13 deceptive miles my feet were mangled.

The toe box, though narrow, actually kept my toes scrunched but un-blistered. The heel had so much motion that I lost 4 square inches of skin on either heel. It took a full week for them to recover (try stomaching dress-socks and business shoes with those tender puppies).

I suppose my question is whether or not you know of a better or larger size boot?

I now realize most people wear hiking boots and approach shoes only donning alpine boots once ice is before them, but I may be wrong I don't think that they should hurt that bad.

Also, I was lacing them as tightly as possible to keep my heel locked down. It didn't work.

I appreciate any insight and guidance that this fine community can offer.

Hi Notice the instance responce ? This sums up the boot market these days I had a pair of but they ....... The next pair should.....
I had a great pair of winter boots , I know because some LBMFer took them out of the Hostel not to digress , They were light a solid base with real vibram soles and rated 25 below which I think was underrated, very costly $65.00. I found them on a skimobile site and thought A major mountaineering Ski boot Company should be trusted so since it looked like no one else bought them I would, Like Richard I collect boots , cheap boots as a hobby test them and compare them to real boots made years ago that are still ready for a few more miles.

OH your boots ! go online type in Mountaineering boots look for the old Companies from Europe. They still offer hand made quality boots that are custom fit. Test results if the boot is on a shelf in a box with a picture of a mountain and some fancy story , wear the box .
Please if you read this and have my boots .....
Doug

I have tiny feet, so it's not relevant but...

Northwest Territories... Chineese made crap that fit like a glove and I could get maybe 500 miles out of them before they fell apart... very cheap. Used to buy a pair in Kathmandu before the start of every trek I did over there.

Meindl... German boots that fit like a glove and lasted forever... don't know that the company even exists anymore... probably to only pair of expensive boots I've ever been impressed with.

HiTec... I bought all of the 9 1/2 inventory when the Altitudes went on Clearance at EMS... I think about $30/pair... just left one pair in KTM because they smelled so bad... still had a LOT of LIFE left in them after 500+ HARD MILES... I've gotten 2+ years out of every pair I've ever owned and I've owned a LOT of them...

With boots, I don't buy the You Get What You Pay For BS... I got nearly a hundred pairs (That's a TALL TALE.) of expensive boots in my garage and most of them will never go on my feet again...

Find what works on your feet and then buy enough to last (most) of the rest of you life... no matter how much $417 you'll take from the experts...

whatever you do, if you finally get a pair you like, you can extend the life before resoling them.

That process tends to make them feel different, so when I wear off the outer back edge of the heel, I turn the boots upside down, clean the heel with rubbing alcohol, build a "dam" around the heel with duct tape, and glop on some Freesole. Let it harden 48 hrs, remove tape.

This stuff really works. Far better than Shoo-Goo. I typically get about 100 trail miles with each gluing, and can redo it.

Guy at Kittredge shop in Mammoth told me about this:
Freesole

Sierra Trading Posts has lots of boots bigger than 13
Sierra Trading Post
I have some Asolo GTX 14s, too narrow toe with medium, wide version seemed too wide. Fine tuning. One foot I wear two liner socks under my wool layer.

I'm 6'6 with fat size 14 feet.
Was like you searching. Found Hi-Tec about 12 years ago.

They have our size in numerous boots.
I do however take precautions on a first hike by putting duct tape on my heals. Bad knees from basketball and ACL surgery almost made me halt hiking. Found new life, especially on the down hills with Hi-Tec.
These boots are good to my feet, toes and knees.
Also had similar issues with my ski boots, but that is another story.
Michael

Thanks Michael!

Mainly I am looking for a full-shank boot with a crampon lug in the back. I think I'll stick with a solid hiking shoe and keep the alpine boot to wear only on the technical sections (more weight but functional).

Hiking shoes I'm golden for.

Michael I'd recommend Salomans. I am your height, 285 and have 13EEEE (Super wide)feet.

I got Saloman Quest 4D GTX backpacking boots for a bid on the JMT in summer '11. I though they were pricey (220.99 MSRP) but on the entire JMT I did not get a single blister in 18 days, 15 of which were hiking(I was carrying between 49-70lbs on my back).

Now Saloman boots run a little narrow so I got the size 14 shoe. After two-weeks of break in at home I took off for the JMT. The Salomans have great support and they are light for comparable size boots. They were waterproof 6-7 inches to the top of the boot.

The sole is contagrip which is softer than vibram and thusly has better grip especially on snow and sand (Never took a fall). As a result they are less stable on slick, wet rock, but walking with bent knees and full core control, one can easily keep their balance.

On the JMT I rolled my ankle twice, slid on some steep sand cutting switchbacks down Mather Pass (sorry NPS) but I suffered no injury, blisters or wet feet (except for a willful crossing of bear creek with boots, we also had masses of Snow [in July!] that year). Although I credit a lot of this to learning proper lacing techniques from the folks at REI and judicious selection of double-socks.

Another feature of the Salomans that I like is the lock-back bight on the sides, my shoelaces came untied plenty, but the straps held the lower lacing snug.

I have put 700 miles + in the last 2 years (including the JMT, other weekly hikes, and some scrambling up such routes as the MR) and even now as they are (mostly) waterproof, fraying and coming undone at the seams they are still better boots than some brand-new Columbia/Merrell boots that I've had.

-Joseph

I used to speedskate in carbon fiber boots. Not plush and comfy by any stretch of the imagination. We found these to work well in keeping blisters at bay.

They transition well to many different sports. (read -hiking, trekking in and out of water, mountaineering, skiiing)

Ezeefit ankle booties