La Sportiva Nepal EVO GTX

They are absolutely bomber mountaineering boots and I recommend them to any serious mountaineer BUUUUT holy hell do these suckers hurt—so much that on my last climb I joked that hacking off my feet with my ice ax and descending on bloody stumps would be less painful. Wearing them feels like miniature shark attacks (one for each foot).

They are ultra stiff, full-shank boots so I wasn't expecting them to ever be comfortable, but after using them nearly year-round for three years I thought they'd be broken in by now. Instead they leave me hobbled for days after a climb.

Unfortunately, there are few options for women's four-season boots and these fit me better than the others, which is why I keep wearing them. From now on, I'll wear approach boots/shoes and only put on the EVOs once I rope up or I'll just leave them at home and wear summer mountaineering boots instead.

5-stars for bomberness (that's a word, right?); 1-star for comfort.

Beefy, insulated, and puncture/abrasion resistant boot with silicone impregnated waterproof leather plus a Gore-Tex liner...so yeah, totally bomber.

Lace-lock system makes lacing highly customizable and ensures there is no heel slip. You can tighten the bottom and top parts of the boot independently—super cool!

Full-shank for steep routes and for ice climbing where front-pointing is necessary. Also good when leading a mountaineering route and have to step-kick for an extended period.

Removable tongue insert for a customized fit.

Stretchy gaiter keeps out snow and debris while also adding warmth.

Great ankle support and a flexible part between the top and bottom of the boot adds bend at the ankle so they are easier to walk in.

Really good sticky sole and edge for scrambling and rock climbing, and has La Sportiva's "impact brake system", where the lugs of the soles are slanted in oposite directions to minimize slipping.

The only real drawback is that they are pretty heavy. So, overall, they are frigging awesome mountaineering boots!

But like I stated above, comfort is a serious issue for me. I think my feet are a bit wide, not wide enough to wear wide shoes, just wide enough to make wearing these boots a traumatic experience. If you have normal feet, you should probably be good. If you only have sorta normal feet, then I recommend you consider the fit carefully; otherwise, you may find that you have the overwhelming urge to jump headfirst in a crevasse to end your suffering.

I have to give these boots mad props (yes I said mad props). Here's the story: I was stupid and had the brilliant idea of traversing Mt. Adams north to south but the catch was I parked my car on the south side forcing me to backpack around the mountain...

Great idea right? Any way I wore these boots for the entire 11 mile trip around the west side of the mountain and although they weren't exactly comfortable, they didn't destroy my feet either. Ok, so I thought I'd be clever and not lace them up all the way so I could flex my ankle a bit more which resulted in some blisters, an easy fix. Once laced correctly they were comfortable, walked well enough for me chew through the hike in about 8hrs (I could've done better in my tennies).

As far as the climb went they grip rock like a dream. The north ridge of Adams in one giant gravel pile, and they helped grip the tiny bid of solid rock there was. They kept my feet dry during the numerous stream crossings and gripped the wet rock amazingly as well. The ankle support is very intuitive. I could flex as needed but not so loose that when stumbling on the loose-pile-that-is-the-north ridge-of-Adams my ankles were not injured either.

Obviously they accept crampons, have a gore-tex lining, and all that good stuff. I didn't notice my feet being too warm with the duratherm lining but at the end of the day after taking them off, there was quite of bit of moisture build up.

Bottom Line: Great boot for CLIMBING. Don't try to hike in them. Wear your tennies instead ;P.

There is a glaring downside though: They are heavy, like 2lbs heavier than than my regular hiking boots.

Oh yeah, found mine used, pretty pricey otherwise.

Most important for a great all-around mountaineering boot is all day comfort, which the Nepal EVO GTX excels at. Even though the description does not mention any info about using this boot for technical climbing, I have found they are very solid for mixed/technical terrain. I highly recommend this boot and they keep my feet toasty!

The fit is true to size and is uniform to all La Sportiva boots. I have a high arch and use insoles which work very well. The lacing system is efficient at customizing the boot to my foot. 

I went on a 14 mile hike in winter with the boots right out of the box and experienced no discomfort. This boot provides very good comfort and support. They are very rigid and have a solid feel which helps climbing steeper inclines. 

I have yet to encounter any issues with water leaking in. These have kept my feet 100% dry. 

Excellent grip in both snow and dirt but slippery on wet rock. 

Keeps feet very warm but can overheat if temps get too high.

Very consistent boots that are very well made and last for years. I bought them in 2009, used them every winter/spring season and they're durability is amazing. 

Best mountaineering boot money can buy, period.

The fit of the boot is excellent. Like most La Sportiva products, it skews towards those with narrower feet, but will fit most people with medium width feet just fine. A "second tongue" is included, which allows for people with lower volume feet to customize the fit of the boot.

The boot is quite warm, probably the best leather boot on the market when it comes to keeping your feet warm, and the leather gives the boot a more "satisfying" feel when climbing than plastic. The incredible rigidity of the sole and upper make this boot excellent for everything from kicking steps to climbing vertical ice. The fact that it accepts automatic crampons is also nice.

The yellow dye in the leather will bleed out when new, making it look as if a dog has peed in the snow EVERYWHERE that you go. For a while.

Long story short, this is the best mountaineering boot you can purchase. As it ought to be for the asking price....ouch!

Bomb proof boots.

The Nepal Sportiva mountaineering boots are intended for full alpinism activities. They are warm under the coldest of temperatures and, yet, do feel light. Their overall quality is undeniable.

The boots perform beautifully with full step-in crampons and the sole's rigidity works wonders protecting your feet from the crampon's duress. Ankle length is convenient and doesn't restrict feet's freedom of movement.  

The outer material is soft and durable, fully waterproof, and does breathe well under very cold conditions. It isn't a boot to underestimate in warm weather; likely blisters will form. This is full winter boot. 

Tested under -40°C temperatures in deep snow and ice. Flawless grip and has maintained a beautiful look.  

Only negative comment is the lacing. Boots will require to be relaced often as the laces move under your normal feet's rotations and movements. Not an ideal task when hands are exposed to frigid temperatures. 

Background

Alpinism

These boots are bomber. They are definitely too stiff for approach hiking, however they shine bright when put into glacier travel and ice climbing. If you can afford them get them, otherwise look for some used ones.

Fit: They run an accurate size.

Comfort: Once broken in they are great!

Support: Full shank... enough said

Water Resistance: Gore-tex so good

Traction: Surprisingly great

Temp Control: Very good, however heavy thermal socks recommended for any temps below -5°C.

Ease of Use: Pretty simple, I like the "lace lock outs" at the ankle.

Features: Heel and toe welts for wire bail crampons

Durability: Bomb proof

Conditions: Whiteout storms, glacier travel, light trails, and ice climbing.

Great all around boot.

Good boot. I am currently using them for ice climbing and may use them for mountaineering in the future. They are warm and comfortable. Work well with my BD Cyborgs. Fit is true to size. I just wear a Smartwool ski sock with them and my feet are generally warm enough.

Would recommend.