Mountaineers Books Urban Trails

Rent or buy?

• Rent if you have a one-time, guided trip planned
• Buy if you have multiple trips or long training season

Choose based on your activity

• Long approaches: insulated boots for warmth and broken-in comfort 

• Hiking, scrambling: lighter, three-season boots are versatile and lower-cost

• Mountaineering: durable, rigid, waterproof plastic shell boots are common as rentals 

After you buy your boots 

• Consider adding insoles for comfort and support
• Break them in before your summit attempt
• Find crampons that fit: either strap on, semi-automatic or hybrid
• Clean between outings
• Reapply water repellent when moisture absorbs instead of beads