Garmont Tower GTX

Awesome boots!! They were comfortable right out of the box, and even more so when I used molded inserts. I bought these boots the day prior to mountaineering in the Northern Cascades (thinking that there would be some leather mountaineering boots for rent available in my size, the day before... there weren't), and was a little worried about breaking them in. They felt like sturdy sneakers, and surprisingly didn't need breaking in at all!

The Gore-tex truly kept my feet dry and comfortable through mud, snow, rock, and ice. The only time my feet were wet was when I didn't wear my gaiters properly. I felt secure and stable standing on the lip of rocky ledges with the tips of these boots; traversing on angled snow glaciers was a breeze with crampons.

The best part of these lightweight boots - no blisters/toe-jams/hot-spots! Unbelievable after a full day's descent from the summit to the car...

Garmont leather boots (and the Zion, the full leather one is the best) are top notch. They last about five times more than other brands, such as Marmot, for heavy backpacking between 1,500 and 5,000m, for five years, five times per year.

The lining will give in, but after years of abuse—an easy fix to a local clobber who replaced the lining around the heel with some leather for $25.

I prefer all leather boots such as the Zion and with a bit of wax in between hikes they are indestructible.

Great traction too, although not an approach shoe and not necessarily for rock scrambling, but they will do for that as well.

Asolo full leather boots are another great option.

But if you climb higher than 6000m then you need something thicker and better suited for crampons: such as Salewa Pro.

I put these boots through the ringer this summer (06) from day long slogs in rain and mud to all day glacier climbs. I have never had boots keep my feet dry like the Tower GTX. Other boots I've had with Gore-Tex liners eventually soak through and at the end of the day my feet are soaked. These boots kept me dry no matter what conditions I've subjected them to. Somehow Garmont figured out how to create a breathable boot that works. They are also incredible on class 3 and 4 terrain. The sole provides excellent smear capability and are stiff enough to give excellent edging stability. Very comfortable!

These boots are the best I've ever worn. Light, incredibly sturdy and packed full of features that I'll never use in a million years!

This bargain price from a UK store TK Maxx -- seller of discount footware and designer clothes. They do get some bargains in, so if you're in for a pair of boots, please check them out! And NO, I don't work for them! A limited selection, but you can find some stunning products.

Great summer mountaineering boots. Super light, stiff enough for snow, climbs rock much better than most mountaineering boots, hikes pretty good. Crampon straps will be more uncomfortable on these boots than heavier designs.

The best hybrid shoe. Great for alpine climbing, also wary comfort for long hiking. And most imp thing: low price! 120E