Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Plastic boots

Does anyone know if plastic boots can be rented anywhere near Mt. Whitney? Lone Pine is pretty small, but maybe Bishop? I live in Los Angeles, but I can't find any stores here who rent them. Any ideas? Thanks!

I live in the LA area and went through the same drill last year and gave up in frustration. I ended up buying plastic boots. If you do go the purchase route I strongly suggest that you go some place that knows what they are talking about. A-16, Sport Chalet, and REI in Los Angeles had no salespeople who knew anything about fitting boots. The REI in Berkeley was moderately helpful. I had the best luck at the Fifth Season in Shasta. If you travel to the NorthWest, I know there are many good shops in Seattle.

SB,

I have a friend looking for winter mountaineering boots. What stores would you recommend up in the Northwest that would actually have several types in stock to try on? (Down here in LA no one seems to carry anything). Thanks!

Melissa

In SF you could go to Marmot Mountain Works (Berkeley), Any Mountain (Marin) and REI (Berkeley is best).

In Seattle: Pro Mountain Sports, Marmot Mountain Works, REI (main store), though there are many others as well.

One other idea: you can call La Sportiva and they usually provide good guidance over the phone and you can order their mountaineering boots from them by phone as well. Be sure that you talk to someone knowledgable there if you decide to go that route. They also have a good web site: http://www.sportiva.com/

I agree with Sierra Sam's post about stores in the Seattle area. I have not had much luck ordering footwear by phone, Internet, or catalog. You may have better luck than I, but I've found that a good selection and a knowledgeable salesperson are invaluable. I also suggest you only go to places that can help you customize the boot if needed. I have very wide feet and needed the help of a seasoned expert. Lastly, I strongly recommend that you try having your boots fitted at the end of the day rather than in the morning. Your feet tend to be larger due to swelling in the evening. Good Luck.