Expedition Boots are designed to insulate the foot from the cold temperatures which will be experienced in the High Altitude areas of the world, typically above 6000m, for the polar regions and for winter alpinism where things are pretty chilly! Nepalese mountains such as Island Peak and Mera Peak will require something a little warmer than the boot you might have used on Mont Blanc!.

Up and Under staff roam the high mountains from Denali in Alaska and Spantik in Pakistan to Cho Oyu in Tibet, so please feel free to draw upon our experience. We're always happy to swap stories with you over a nice cup of tea!

(Boots for summer mountaineering in the alpine regions of the world and for winter mountaineering in Scotland, for example, can be found in the mountain boot section, and we keep a wide range of walking boots too.)

Fit and sizing is obviously very important - please take a look at the notes at the foot of this page

Many years ago the ubiquitous Vega and later the Vega with an improved, warmer High Altitude inner was the common choice, especially for 6000 and 7000m peaks. How things have changed! The Vega is still around and though it is relatively heavy compared with more recent offerings it is still being used. It gives a fairly broad fit.

As the popularity of peaks such as Mera and Island peak grew, Scarpa created a new boot, the Omega was born, pictured right.

Compared with the Vega this boot has a lower volume around the forefoot and is much lighter thanks in part to the shallower tread depth. We have sold many pairs as it is wonderfully light but it may not suit you if you have a wide foot.

The boot comes with an Intuition inner which is mouldable. Whilst in store we place the inner in a special oven and we are push out the inner at required points, typically giving extra room at the toes. Tight spots should be avoided at all costs!

The Scarpa brand is very well known. However, other makes are also excellent.

The Boreal G1 Lite is worth a look. It is fairly broad and as it's name suggests it is very light (2180g for a size 7). It is another double boot with an insulated inner and shell. It is capable of 6000 and low 7000m peaks. We don't hold a lot of stock but can get sizes in approximately 2 weeks from Boreal without obligation.

We also stock the La Sportiva Spantik. Initially we obtained the boots to order but they have become increasingly popular with our customers and so now keep a range of sizes. For those who initially tackle a 6000m peak in Nepal for example but have plans to progress to higher or perhaps more technical peaks such as Ama Dablam, it often makes sense to invest in a more substantial boot than the Vega or Omega straight away. Given it's generous insulation this boot is light yet it is suitable for 7000m and low 8000m peaks. For example a pair of size 42s weighs about 2.4Kg.

And when it gets even colder....we can supply "8000m boots" such as the Scarpa Phantom 8000, the La Sportiva Olympus Mons and the Boreal G1 Expedition. These will perform on the highest mountains in the world and in the arctic regions also.

All three boots have an integral gaiter for warmth which are closed securely at the front either by generous velcro strips or by a waterproof zip in the case of the Phantom 8000. Beneath the gaiter there is a double boot comprising insulated shell and a removable insulated inner boot.

Important matters to consider...As well as the boot, sock choice is also important; socks such as the Extremities Mountain Toester or the Bridgedale Summit Endurance have a high wool content and when combined with another medium walking sock or a thick liner sock will give good performance. Be sure to have wriggle-room for those toes and avoid pressure points to maintain the best possible circulation. Extra warmth can be garnered from thermal liner socks.

It is important with High Altitude boots to have no pinch points and some room for feet to expand into - snuggness at the time of trying the boots should be avoided at all cost. It is common for feet to swell a tiny amount at high altitude due to water accummulation and boots may become too snug thus affecting circulation and warmth unless care is taken.

Dave's personal preference is to use a thick liner sock beneath the main thick sock when fitting himself out, and then having the option of a thinner sock when on an expedition so that room can be adjusted if required.

Footbeds can also be used to cup the heel and arch a little better than the footbed that comes with the boot. This can lessen heel lift and increase comfort when using boots with rigid soles such as these for long days over the course of a long trip. Footbeds use up space and this needs to be taken into account at the time of fitting. A number of staff use Conformable footbeds in a variety of footwear.