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hikermtnbiker
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hikermtnbiker
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 5:23 pm 
My heavy 20 yo all leather, Norwegian welt boots are on their last legs. My gut instinct is to get another pair but I see so few folks wearing this kind of boot anymore that I should probably consider alternatives. I know there are all kinds of variables but I'd like to hear opinions from those who may have experiences with both.

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BirdDog
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 5:47 pm 
I had big heavy leather, Norweigen welt, boots for years, and loved them. However I now love my lighter Montrails much better. Go lighter, you'll like it.

"There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country." Teddy Roosevelt August 6, 1912
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mike
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 5:57 pm 
It depends on use. You can use step-in crampons with the old school boots and they may be no heavier than equivalent non welted boots. If just for hiking you can find boots that are lighter. Of course lighter means lighter all around not just weight which you may find takes getting used to.

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Yana
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 6:00 pm 
Lighter also means shorter life span - don't expect them to last anywhere near 20 years. lol.gif I usually destroy light/midweight hiking boots in less than one year, and I only wear them on 1/3-1/2 of my trips.

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Ski
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 6:02 pm 
hikermtnbiker wrote:
My heavy 20 yo all leather, Norwegian welt boots are on their last legs
they're just getting broken in. take them out to Alex and see if he or Dave can fix them up. Ardesson's Shoe Repair: 253 588 8949

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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skimanjohn
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 6:41 pm 
Have used old style boots for so many years i had no idea how nice the new stuff was.Now dont get me wrong my old Galibier Super guides kicked butt on steep ice,snow and rock.They also lasted 22 years but they weighed a ton.Iam now useing LaSportiva Trango S Evo Gtx and what a pleasure.These boots are not as good on steeper ice but for snow and rock in non winter conditions are simply awesome.No they will not last as long as the Super guides but they are very comfortable right out of the box and weigh only 2lbs 10oz.My suggestion is just take a look around and try some different boots on.ymmv

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Backcountry
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 7:30 pm 
I had a pair of One Sport Moraines that I wore for years...but they were over 4 pounds....Way overkill for hiking- too heavy and too stiff of a sole...yet even marginal in many mountaineering situations as the sole wasnt quite stiff enough for crampon use and were cold....My desires in the backcountry shifted towards more hiking/backpacking and I knew lugging those boots was too much. I bought a pair of Montrail Hardrocks and I havent looked back since. I do quite a bit of off-trail XC hiking and some scrambling have been super pleased with them. At just under 2# in a size 12, the difference is simply amazing in not carrying around cement shoes. I used to cringe when it was time to put on the old leather boots- I look forward to wearing Hardrocks now!!!

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joker
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 7:43 pm 
I used a pair of comfy custom-fit Limmers for about 20+ years before I screwed up and lack of good care let the leather crack. They fit well from the first time I wore them, and only got nicer with use. I went out and bought a pair of Vasque Clarions, which at roughly half the weight, felt at least as good as the Limmers on my feet, and served me well for everything from dayhiking to rough off-trail backpacking. Lightweight aluminum crampons have held on to them just fine. Yana is absolutely right, though - these boots don't last the way my heavy Limmers did. And the Limmers have beautiful construction - one sheet of leather with just one seam on the instep side, so they waterproof quite nicely (to the extent any leather boot can be "waterproofed" with treatments that don't damage the leather). But they're not worth carrying the extra 2.5 pounds around for me. I may even try some truly "lightweight" hikers to see just how far I can push them before I'm wishing I had my Vasques along. I sometimes also just use Nike high-top basketball sneakers when day-hiking in dry weather on graded trails. Limmer does sell some lighter-weight norwegian welt boots if you really want to make the retro fashion statement, but I think you may need to head to NH to get a good fit...

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reststep
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PostMon Sep 28, 2009 9:33 pm 
Backcountry wrote:
I had a pair of One Sport Moraines that I wore for years...but they were over 4 pounds....Way overkill for hiking- too heavy and too stiff of a sole...yet even marginal in many mountaineering situations as the sole wasnt quite stiff enough for crampon use and were cold....My desires in the backcountry shifted towards more hiking/backpacking and I knew lugging those boots was too much. I bought a pair of Montrail Hardrocks and I havent looked back since. I do quite a bit of off-trail XC hiking and some scrambling have been super pleased with them. At just under 2# in a size 12, the difference is simply amazing in not carrying around cement shoes. I used to cringe when it was time to put on the old leather boots- I look forward to wearing Hardrocks now!!!
This sounds like my story. I switched from Montrail Moraines this summer to the Hardrocks and wonder why I took so long. I have done a few day hikes and a backpack last week part of which was off trail. I am very happy with the Hardrocks so far. My feet feel much better at the end of the hike. I have the mid GTX model.

"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
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hikermtnbiker
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PostTue Sep 29, 2009 5:15 am 
Mine are also Limmer customs and they too are cracking. They fit like a glove but they are just so damn heavy. My name came up on the Limmer list so I might investigate their lighter options. I'll also try some off the shelf boots but shopping for boots is like going to the dentist for me. Folks that recommend the Montrail Hardrock, are these the low cut trail runners that I am finding on the web?

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Backcountry
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PostTue Sep 29, 2009 6:17 am 
Sorry I should have been more specific for my post. Its the Montrail Hardrock GTX Mid. REI currently has them on sale for 20% off. Men's http://www.rei.com/product/792650 Women's http://www.rei.com/product/782905
I simply prefer a mid for keeping debris out of my shoes and some ankle protection from banging on rocks. Nothing to do with ankle support, because Im of the opinion the only boots that will offer sufficient ankle support precluding any injury are plastic mountaineering boots, ski boots, or motorcross boots....But thats perhaps for another discussion dizzy.gif

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DIYSteve
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PostTue Sep 29, 2009 8:06 am 
I haven't been in Norwegian welted steel shank ("NW SS") boots since the early 1990's, so I must depend on my recall to make any distinctions. I do vividly recall that, when I first switched to synthetic midsole boots, I was certain that I'd never go back to NW SS boots. Synthetic midsole mountaineering boots require little or no break in, and they stay torsionally rigid throughout their life. +1 to SMJ's suggestion to try on different models. Modern synthetic midsole mountaineering boots range from light but still torsionally stiff (e.g., Trangos, Scarpa Charmoz/Escape) to medium weight (e.g. La Sportiva Karakorum/Makalu, Scarpa Liskamm) to heavier stiff front-pointers (e.g., La Sportiva Nepal). As Yana and others state, the lighter boots will wear out, but boots in the Karakorum/Makalu class will last for years and perform similarly to NW SS boots yet weigh much less. I am unable to comment on trail hiking boots. If I'm confined to trail, I use trail running shoes.

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Malachai Constant
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PostTue Sep 29, 2009 8:37 am 
ditto.gif Pretty much everything he said. We have a couple pairs of Old Schools in good shape Scarpa & Moraines but have not used them for years.It is pretty much trail runners for trails or mid weight for snow and weight.

"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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pimaCanyon
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PostTue Sep 29, 2009 4:17 pm 
I also use trail runners for trail hiking and even for occasional off-trail. I would not want to go back to a heavy ass boot, but would consider using my Scarpa's (10 years old or so) if I were doing a trip with lots of off-trail. The Scarpa's are a full leather boot, but lighter than the old NorWelt boots. I'm guessing you could get an all leather boot quite a bit lighter than the pair that's wearing out on you. But if you hike mostly on trails, I'd suggest trying out a pair of trail runners first.

It's never too late to have a happy childhood
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Charlie Van Gorkom
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PostThu Oct 01, 2009 9:36 am 
Old Style Boots
For the curious, I still make my boots using the latest 500 year old technology. smile.gif

charles van gorkom, bootmaker http://www.hikingbootshandcrafted.com
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