La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

I've had these boots since 2010 with the intent to use them for only mountaineering and ice climbing so I bought them 1 size larger than what I normally use. I thought they would probaby needed break in time and starting using them in shorter trips then longer trips in every season and all weather. Yes, they are stiff for what they are meant to be for: Mountaineering but once you use them for regular backpacking they feel extremly comfy and secure in every step you take regardless of type of terrain. YES, they are not water proof but this allows them to breath fairly well in hot weather. Before the winter season starts I coat them a few times with NikWax and I never get wet or cold feet.
In the summer I've had to hike with extra heavy wet boots due to a storm but only because I was testing their limits and I was crossing knee high creeks in a hurry before flash floods triggered. With proper maintenance and preparation these boots are the most versatile out there, for work and play.

I might get a hot spot from time to time but never on the same spot which means I tend to tie my laces in a hurry and wrong. If I expect to put a long day on the trail I just tape my feet just in case or wear liner socks.

My boots have about 500 hundred miles on them at this time (which is nothing compared to my older pair) and they will last a few thousands more before they retire. AT Thru Hike is on the agenda so I will post an update eventually.

Get them only if you want something for ICE climbing and backpacking as a bonus, otherwise you might not need such a superb pair of boots.

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

I wear a 12 in most shoes, and a 46 fits me like a glove, straight out of the box! These can get a little warm, but work great in AK tundra, and CO snow and slush. With a little NIKWAX, these boots withstand all the slush and moisture i could through at em. Im 6'3" 210 lbs and the full shank is perfect for me. A bit pricey, but well worth the investment, especially with REI's return policy. they run a tad wide, but have plenty of adjustment for me.

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

I am going to keep this short as it mirrors the negative experiences of other reviewers.

After reviewing boots for several months I decided on trying out the La Sportiva Karakorums hoping they could do double duty as a mountaineering boot with some summer trekking as well. I had read the reviews of some people saying that they leaked but the majority of reviews rated the boot very highly.

The good:
These are by far the most comfortable boots I've worn. Which is one of the main reasons I overlooked some of the negative reviews and gave them a try. The built in rocker makes for comfortable walking and the ¾ shank was stiff enough to kick into snow to get good footing. Overall, it's an awesome feeling boot.

The bad:
For the first trip out with the Karakorums I did a summit that was about a 9 mile hike consisting of anything from deep wet snow to frozen ice. The boots waterproofing lasted right around five hours before water began seeping in at the toes. Both boots failed to keep water out in the exact same spot, right next to the "big toe" on the inside leading edge of the boot. By the time we got off the mountain the inside toe of the boot was completely soaked. Even worse yet, the lining on the inside of the boot is like a sponge and will not let these boots dry out very quickly (the inside was STILL wet when I returned them to REI).

Overall:
Amazingly comfortable boots with zero protection against water, and even worse will retain water for days if they do get wet.

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

I disagree with the poor ratings on this boot. I've hiked and mountaineered all over the Chugach range with these boots and had no issues. The first day I took them out of the box I wore them for four hours and climbed in 5 degree temps. My feet stayed dry, warm (with good patagonia socks) and blister free. I would recommend these boots to anyone.

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

I like these boots.

I bought these boots for a winter hike up Mt. Madison in NH this past February and to replace my general-purpose, Norwegian welt, heavy duty backpacking boots. I thought that the rocker sole (and user comments on multiple sites) would make these useable for three (fall, winter, spring) and maybe four seasons (also summer). So far, I can only comment on fall and winter use...I'll have to update after this summer.

These boots give you a good feeling of support and stability, but you don't feel like Frankenstein clomping around with concrete blocks on your feet. They have a nice narrowish outer profile (but not a narrow fit), which is good for getting your toe into tight places. They were comfortable to wear in the office during breaking and on a short hike up a rocky hill outside of Boston in the fall (Blue Hills).

These boots were great out of the box. I sized up about 1/2 size, because I wear orthotics and needed the extra space. I wear about an 11 and I ended up buying a size 45.5. I have a medium to wide foot, and they fit fine. The insoles are flimsy and need replacing, but that's probably true for many if not most boots. They did not really need a significant break-in time. I liked the lacing system, which locks down the lower portion of the foot to allow for more customized lacing. But, I did see other comments from people who did not appreciate the lacing system.

The boots can accept hybrid crampons, but I used Petzl strap-ons with no problems.

During an eight-hour day on the trail with about a 20 pound pack, the boots worked as expected. They provided all the support I needed and more. Post holing and kick stepping were fine. I liked the back heel cutout when coming down steep trails, as it made my stride more natural. We were mainly in deep snow, but walking on hard ground in town was a breeze. Good traction in loose powder and hard-pack snow without crampons.

Temps were about five degrees F most of the day, and my feet stayed warm with REI brand expedition weight wool socks and Smartwool wool liners. There was about a foot and a half of new snow, so I wore gaiters, which probably provided a little extra warmth.

The outer leather and rubber seem to resist abrasion from rock pretty good. I did not notice any problems related to durability or quality, but that's left to be seen.

Regarding the waterproof comments that others have made here, I can't really comment, since this was winter. I suspect that the comments about grit and soupy water getting into the boots might have to do with needing to use gaiters. I also suspect that these boots might be wetter in summer due to sweating, since these are pretty heavy boots.

I'll have to see what summer hiking looks like. I suspect it might be a bit warm, but it's a trade-off for the burliness and support.

Overall, I like these boots. They are definitely not a replacement for something like la Sportiva Nepal or a hard shell boot...but this boot seems like it will offer a balance between rock, ice, and snow for three-season and maybe four-season hiking/backpacking.

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

Sportiva Karakorum purchased Spring 2010, after long and careful shopping, for heavy-duty backpacking, scrambling, and moderate mountaineering. Used with Superfeet insoles, which worked well but I think Spenco closed-cell foam is softer and warmer. Most of this review written 10/2010, updated 1/5/2011.

I love the light weight, fit and comfort. What sold me on this boot is the rocker sole; gives a smooth fluid stride. I've never had a boot stiff enough for kicking steps in steep snow that gave me such a short break-in time; I've had none of the painful heel-pressure problems I've come to dread in a stiffer boot. Good for serious scrambling and moderate climbing, and very comfortable for working on your feet, good foot support. The boots are so comfortable that I'm reluctant to return them despite the following major issues:

I do not think this boot is suitable for wet places like the Washington Cascades. Admittedly, around here, a 'dry boot' is an oxymoron, but I have never experienced wetness like this even with worn-out Norwegian welt boots. Water cannot get out of them; the full rubber rand makes them like small bathtubs. No scuppers. The cloth liners and foam padding hold lots of water. When they're squelching wet from fording streams or walking wet brush, I can see standing water in the boots, turn them upside-down, and nothing comes out. You literally can't pour water out of these if the instructions were written on the sole. I sponge it out with my mittens or socks; it takes 2-3 repetitions.

On a 9-day trip in early September, wet weather for 7 days, mostly on-trail, my feet were constantly wet just from wet brush (with gaitors and rain pants). I had minor trench-foot numbness for a month afterwards. Not until day 8 of this trip, I developed an unusual skin rash all around my upper ankles which became quite painful [photo]. This day was steeper and often off-trail with several booted fords, so I'd tightened the uppers, and perhaps it was too much for my water-softened skin. Luckily, day 9 was easy. NOTE: I was very, very glad to have these boots at High Pass, a steep dangerous traverse with no ice axe.

The gimmicky lacing system is awkward and slow, offering no advantages over the traditional D-ring and hook system with a central locking hook. The fabric lace loops at the hinge make it very hard to disengage the locking D-rings, and they were half worn through by mid-September anyway, so I quit using them and found the boot notably more comfortable and much easier to put on/off. The locking D-ring severed the kernmantle on one of the laces in December, when it still looked brand-new. These laces are so slippery that a double knot can come undone unless it's very tight. I advise replacing them with a solid lace without kernmantle. The tight 3rd & 4th ring hooks may constrain your choice of replacement lacing, be prepared for that.
The double stitching at the top edge of the green leather at the inside ankle bulge was worn through by December, leaving over 1" of the seam wide-open on one boot. The leather itself shows almost no wear at this place.

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

These boots are wonderful. They are very comfortable due to the cutout above the ankle. The foot bed or insole is a little hard for my liking but thats an easy fix with your own insoles. They do not have a membrane such as Gortex so they are not completely waterproof. The leather used is considered waterproof but after long treks through snow, water, and slush the boots will leak. This can be prevented somewhat by waterproofing the boot with a water based repellant. These boots are great for spring, summer and fall. Winter not so much. The quality is superb. I have given these boots a whoopin and they still clean up nice after a hard years worth of use. I just bought a second pair and will leave those in the box until the others are too worn. I spent over 500 miles in these boots up and over granite, dirt, snow, water and slush. These boots will last for another couple years but I have a passion for great boots so I bought another since I liked them so much! Break in period is very minimal. I love Lowa's as well for their comfort and durability but went with these as they were highly recommended for summer boots and they feel great out of the box and beefy too!

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

my second pair with unknown amount of miles thats how much i use them. went to bottom of Grand Canyon three day trip no blisters,hotspots i love how rugged the feel. ankle stability was great on lose rock. overall great boot will continue buying as long as i can still hike.

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

These are the best boots I have ever owned. I have owned La Sportiva in the past with the Glacier and Makalu models, and these are a step above. Shorter break in and better comfort and support than any other boot I have tried.

I bought these boots in May 2010 and put 125 miles on them by November. They were used to climb 8 peaks in the Wasatch Mountains including Twin, Lone, and the Pfeifferhorn and performed amazing. No slipping, no blisters or hot spots, no sore feet, and great traction. I expect the boots to last 5-10 years.

Best summer trekking boot on the market.

Comments about La Sportiva Karakorum Mountaineering Boots - Men's:

Purchased these boots looking for something that offered a little more support than a hightop hiker. The boot has not let me down. Purchased insoles which really made the fit better. Spent a lot of time walking around to break these in prior to my first climb. Hiked 6 14er's with them so far and they offer great ankle support, grip, and durability. I am really happy with these boots.