Conference stubai::hiking

It turns out that the Montanas are too narrow for my feet. :(  Sigh.
Now I'm back to the drawing board... Asolos, Lowas and Scarpas this time.
The Lowa Civetta was the best of the bet as far a fit, but 
Mike at All Outdoors said they only had a slight rocker and are
used mostly for climbing.

Anyway... Does anyone around here have a copy of Rock and Ice #71?  

thanks,
John

Well, I finally found a pair that fit.  Scarpa Invernos.  I had to
special order size 13 from Wilderness House, All Outdoors doesn't
carry Invernos, REI doesn't carry up to size 13.

For those who might read this later... the Invernos have a nice wide
toe area and a somewhat more narrow heel.  They fit my feet even 
better than the Vario Softs.  They are supposed to be good for below
zero temps.  They have a gasket instead of a bellows for the boot's
tongue.  The liners are 4mm closed-cell foam.

I hope to use them on Moosilauke this weekend.

thanks to all that helped...

  I'll be interested in hearing your impressions of the Scarpa Invernos.
 I'm toying with buying a pair myself, but suffer sticker shock.  I'd sure
 like to know what an actual owner thinks of them.

  bb

  Well, John R., I bought the Scarpa Invernos.  I got a 10% end-of-season
 reduction, although they were brand new.  Reduced from $329.50 to $296.55.

  "Metsky sent me," I lied.  They looked impressed, but wouldn't give me
 an additional discount...

  I tried the Koflach Vivasofts, on sale at $189.50.  I don't like the
 feel of them compared to the Scarpas.  Nice boots, it seems to me.

  bb

If you had gotten a discount, my cut is 25%.

:-)

 -dave-

>  Well, John R., I bought the Scarpa Invernos.  I got a 10% end-of-season

Where was this 10% off sale?  Wilderness House?  I need an ice ax now.
That's probably a whole 'nother can of worms.

I'm suprised you couldn't get the "Metsky discount."  Maybe you just
weren't able to explain enough of the web site to convince them.  Showing
your Digital badge might help too. :)

  I was at REI, but I think it's over now.  They said they were sending
 the rest of their winter inventory out west now.  I'm lucky. as I'm a
 10 1/2 - they were out of some sizes.  Still had a few sizes of the
 Koflach's.

  EMS will hold its all-store 10% off everything + up to 40% off useless
 stuff sale, March 19-23.  They usually stock several types of axes/tools.

  While at REI Woburn, I noticed that Lowe's is out with a new snap-on crampon
 of the fang family, which they are calling "superfangs".  All I noticed is
 a different color plastic snowguard, but I'm sure there's enough new
 technology there to confuse me thoroughly.  All I could afford right now
 was the Scarpas, which I will use with strap-ons.  Double-boots have a
 bigger profile, so I readjusted my SMC XL's, and they fit.  But next
 year I'll definitely go to snaps.  There's several brands.

  These days there's more kinds of ice tools around than you can shake a
 stick at !!

  bb