La Sportiva Nepal Cube Gtx Test

Here’s everything you need to know about La Sportiva Nepal Cube Gtx Test. Find all the information it in this article.

This is quite beneficial when you find yourself facing cold nights with nothing more than your boots to protect your feet. When comparing to other boots of similar construction on the market, some analyzers consider the La Sportiva to be one of the toastiest out there. I knew I was officially a climber when I bought my first pair of approach shoes.

However, the real detail that aids in climbing ability is the lacing system. Right where the foot bends, La Sportiva has incorporated what they call EZ Roller hardware. This simple-yet-high-tech metal grommet locks down, keeping the laces in place when you tighten them until you pull the laces outwards again. This allows you to tighten the front of the boot separately from the top of the boot, which is AMAZING! How many times have you been lacing your boots, where you struggle to keep the right tension in the laces all the way through the final knot, only to find it is still too loose?

Climbing

You help support OutdoorGearLab’s product testing and overviews by purchasing from our retail partners. One of the benefits we get from heavier materials is often durability. It’s the third least expensive boot in our overview, and we suspect it’s the most durable, making it a good value. The only boots in this overview that are more water resistant are the Acrux AR and the Scarpa Phantom Tech. This makes sense, given that they’re both super gaiter boots with waterproof zippers.

I have contacted the manufacturers who claim they are not recommended over 4000 metres although I cannot find this information on their website. I was taken in by the name and descriptions of suitability for “high altitude,” “mountain terrain and ice” etc, but have suffered the consequences of frostbite. Despite the very misleading name, these boots are not recommended for use over 4000 metres.

La Sportiva Trango Tech Gtx

I’ve even used them for all grade 1 scrambles in UK and felt confident despite the acceptable lack of feeling under foot due to their extreme stiffness. Hiking, it took about 30 miles with swaps to running shoes when I couldn’t take it anymore. Otherwise, fit them the way you like, then stand in a bathtub full of warm water for like 10 minutes, then go for a half-mile walk in the boots still soaked.

+ Reduced weight mini steel parts reduce the overall weight of the boot. Quality and style “made in Val di Fiemme”, durability and maximum resistance thanks to the use of fine leathers and rubber rands assembled manually in Ziano, at the foothills of the Dolomites. I also notice that Heather has spammed every feedback site with this one star rating, both mens and womens models .

Nepal Evo Gtx

We did notice that the hard plastic of the front toe-welts was much thinner and less beefy than the plastic used on the Mont Blancs. On one of our boots this plastic actually began to delaminate from the boot slightly, which is our biggest complaint. The Nepals keep feet warm and dry while standing in snow. They win Editors’ Choice for being high performing, supportive and waterproof. Climbers who are looking to tackle more rock and mixed terrain than pure ice should consider the Trango Tower Extreme which gives up some calf support for performance on those media. The Nepal Cube GTX is the heaviest boot in our test, weighing in at 2lb 5.4oz .

Returned products must have all the original tags and labels attached and be in their original and integral packaging, including La Sportiva box, which is not to be used as shipping packaging. Vibram sole to ensure an optimal balance between performance and durability. Thanks to their insulated inner lining they offer reliable protection from the cold, which makes them an ideal solution for a wide range of outdoor activities. Created and developed by the R&D department at La Sportiva, it offers real advantages during racing by reducing negative ground impact. The unique position of the lugs allows as many of them as possible to come into contact with the ground, for maximum impact absorption.

Overviews

Yes, when out on the mountain you’ll find yourself able to wear this boot without too much worry of comfort issues, but it is far too advanced for everyday use. Whether you are destined for mountain climbing or ice climbing, the La Sportiva Nepal may be exactly what you’re looking for. This boot offers comfort, support, and a great look, making it one of the most versatile available. Like with anything available for purchase though, the Nepal does have a few downsides you should keep in mind when choosing this boot for your winter weather wardrobe.

This is a robust and unashamedly chunky boot, says Dan Bailey, and while you’ll find lighter models, and others… The boots feature a removable tongue so you can tweak the fit, and adjusting the tongue height by relatively small increments really does make a difference to the volume. But one of the jobs of the insole is to insulate from the cold ground or snow underfoot. If anyone out there does any ski racing you will know just how significant saving weight on the foot area is in terms of energy output for moving around the mountains.

Tech Info

I’m not sure why you felt it necessary to spam every shop you could find with your overview! These boots are to my mind quite obviously not designed for the altitudes you’re talking about. It doesn’t say on my running shoes that they’re not designed for rock climbing, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to blame the shoes if I use them for an unintended purpose. I’m not sure what the temperatures were on Island Peak the day that I climbed, but at 20,000′ it was cold. The snow we were climbing on was very compacted and more closely resembled ice, so our boots were always on the surface. Despite that and my good circulation, my toes felt frozen.

Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. And, to assure complete independence, we buy all the products we test ourselves. The tongue bellows extends almost to the very top of the boot and keeps water and snow out of the front.

La Sportiva Nepal Extreme

I put the Nepal Cube GTX to the test all over the world in all kinds of climbing conditions. First, on an end-of-season climb of Mt. Baker in the North Cascades. Then I tested them in Iceland, again in cold, wet conditions with fresh snowfall and lots of glacier travel.

Difference 1: The Weight

In keeping with the boot’s hybrid nature, the Trango Tech’s Vibram Cube sole nicely blends hiking and climbing performance. The “climbing zone” at the forefoot is a smooth patch of rubber built for traction on rock, while the square lugs and heel brake help with grip on soft surfaces, including mud and snow. This versatile build means that you get ample hold on a range of surfaces, but it also means the shoe won’t excel in any one area.

Warmth

Lighter boots improve the climber’s performance both during approach and while climbing . Much of the warmth in boots like this comes from the insulation. The Cubes have an insulated Gore-Tex liner, which is very slim, but does an okay job at keeping the foot warm, and a great job of keeping it dry. I’ve tested the Cubes down to -5, which isn’t super cold, but is a reasonable test of temperatures for Scottish climbing and summer alpinism. They were warm enough at -5, but I wouldn’t want to push too much lower, certainly not at high altitude.

The Arc’teryx Acrux AR weighs about 2 ounces less but offers more warmth and weather protection. The La Sportiva Trango Tower Extreme GTX is the lightest boot in our overview at 1lb 13.6oz . I bought the cubes as a size up for longer approaches and alpine routes. The weight benefit of the cubes is a positive, but if your evos fit fine and you’re not needing to cut every last ounce, I would stick with the evos.

The Cube’s have incorporated many of the design features and materials of the Evo’s. They have the Nepal last, have kept the same silicone impregnated leather uppers, lacing system , removable-adjustable tongue and Vibram soles with Impact Brake System to name a few. Mt Baker, the snowiest mountain the world, is known for its cold wet conditions; my experience was no different. Our entire climb was through wet snow; the Cubes did not wet out, yet they vented well — keeping my feet dry the entire day.

The silicone impregnated Idro-Perwanger Roughout leather measures at 3.2 mm and is considered quite sturdy. For this reason, these boots can easily be worn for several years without issue. The lacing loops of these shoes are constructed of mostly metal that is riveted to the leather. This offers more durability by ensuring a secure lacing system that shouldn’t cause you issues throughout the years.