Originally Posted By: Sphazo
Any thoughts on the Scarpa Charmoz GTX or Inferno?


The Charmoz is very close to the La Sportiva Trango Prime I have, but cut a little wider in the foot (will fit most people better). Light, won't need any break-in period, but not super warm. My daughter tried them on once and she felt they were very much a clone of the La Sportiva Trango she wore before.

Plastic shell boots are a pain to walk in over long distances. The inner boot moves around in the heel area of the stiff outer shell, and you constantly wonder what that will do do your heel. It's almost like walking in ski boots. Heavy, but warm as long as you can keep the liners dry. Over longer trips, that means frequently taking them out of the shell to dry them.

For pure crampon trips like a glacier route up to Rainier, these probably are the best value that will keep you dry and not drop the crampons. Plastic boots just aren't very comfortable.

I took these to Whitney last April
http://www.backcountry.com/koflach-arctis-expe-boot-mens

and tried them for a warmup hike on Telescope Peak and they felt like I was walking in my ski touoring boots, so I turned around very quickly and put them back in the box. They are probably great for a winter ascent of Everest, but for conditions you will find in the Sierras they were complete overkill. My crampons that fit fine on my size 45 Trango boots were at the end of the adjustment scale on these, beyond the last 'safe' hole. I'd need size 12+ crampons to use on these size 11 boots. Sold them back on ebay for profit, so I guess I can't complain. Glad I tried them.

If I ever need a warmer boot that isn't ski-compatible, I will go with a more modern design like the Scarpa Phantom Guide or the La Sportiva Batura Evo - except those are $$$. I think for anything than extremely cold winter days, my Trango Prime boots will be warm enough, and if you add a full boot thermal gaiter, you can extend the temperature range of a lighter boot quite a bit:

http://www.mtntools.com/cat/techwear/Gaiters/fortybelowoverboots.htm