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| Inverno   | 
| Page Type: Gear Review Manufacturer: Scarpa
| Page By: dug Created/Edited: Jan 15, 2002 / Jan 15, 2002 Object ID: 119 Hits: 1390 Loading... |
Pebax(R) plastic outer shells offer lightweight, flexible protection on snow and ice routes
Hinged ankles and tongues made of softer plastic allow ankle flexibility; harder plastic uppers assure rigidity and durability
Removable, lace-up, EVA-foam liners feature 1000-denier Cordura(R) nylon shells, plus foam footbeds and bushed nylon linings for comfort
Midsoles of natural cork add critical cushioning and insulation; shock absorbing heel plugs keep your knees from taking a pounding when off the snow
Aggressively-rockered soles balance the boots' stiffness and allow a normal gait during approaches
Pronounced grooves at toes and heels allow secure attachment of crampons
Vibram(R) rubber outsoles offer sure traction on varied terrain |
Reviews
| dug | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 3/5 | A pretty good all round cold weather mountaineering boot. Is plenty stiff for pure ice climbing but is less adept at mixed routes due to large profile. But for Alaska will handle everything from the W. Butt. of Denali to the Cassin to winter routes in the Sierra. I have walked long miles in mine and the rocker sole helps but remember these are PLASTIC boots so don't expect pure comfort for long approach hikes. For extreme cold weather get the alveolite liners, (an additional $200, damn!) Or better yet some thermo form liners. They don't ski well (at all)so if your goal is turning rather than climbing buy AT boots and adapt them for your summit attempts. | | Posted Jan 15, 2002 9:52 am |
| spyder550 | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 4/5 | I bought my Scarpas and have since worn them in the Colorado Rockies and the Cordillera Real of Bolivia. These boots have no break in period and mine are even sized large for altitude swell. I have not yet had a blister or even a hot spot. Through mud, slush, river crossings, etc. my feet have stayed dry. The construction of the Invernos is much stronger than Koflachs which I have seen with punctures from crampons. They will most definately last longer but walking comfort and weight is sacrificed for thicker plastic. My feet have got cold in them but my circulation is about as bad as it comes. After long periods hiking off snow the foot can get pretty sore also. My only concern is that I've seen rentals and the Vibram sole was delaminating on the heel, of course they were rentals. When compared to leathers it is nice to buy a boot that is comparable in price, has no breakin, keeps your feet warmer, can take tons of abuse, and the liners can be slept in and boots left outside with crampons still attached. Barrabes and other European sites are good places to find cheap prices. | | Posted Aug 14, 2002 1:46 pm |
| Chucky | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 5/5 | I have wide feet. I purchased my Scarpa Invernos (called Vega now) from REI. I wore them right out of the box with no break in period for glacier work on 9 September, and general snow mountaineering routes in September while ascending Mont Blanc du Tacul, France. They kept my feet nice and warm, and I never got a hint of a blister. The toughest part of wearing these is the walking on other than snow. In town, I simply left the outter boot untied for the top half, and I flopped around town to the hotel, with no problem. I found they kept my feet too warm with expedition socks and liners, so only wear one pair or more "normal" socks unless you are half way up Denali in the winter. These are the best out of the box boots I have ever worn in my life time, period. | | Posted Sep 15, 2002 9:35 am |
| Otomax | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 3/5 | MAYBE IT'S JUST ME, OR MAYBE IT'S MY PAIR BUT I HAVE HAD SEVERE SHIN BANG IN MY INVERNOS. I HAVE NOT FOUND THEM TO BE VERY COMFORTABLE BOOTS FOR DOWNCLIMBING OR LONG APPROACHES. I HAVE FOUND THEM TO BE VERY GOOD FOR SNOW AND ICE AND THEY ARE VERY WARM UNLESS MY FEET GET SWEATY. BUT I HAVE TO WEAR MOLESKIN AND FOAM PADDING ON MY SHINS TO KEEP THEM FROM BRUISING BADLY. | | Posted Oct 5, 2002 11:58 am |
| Martin Cash | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 5/5 | This boot is made extremely well, and is very durable. I liked the fact that it didn't have a toe rand, which always seems to come off. It is quite a stiff boot, which lends itself well to high angle terrain. On approaches I found it to be a little uncomfortable, until I tried loosening up the top few laces of the outer boot. That fixes any issue with shin grind for me. I have high arches, so when I first tried them on they didn't feel very good. However, with a pair of superfeet in them, they are the best fitting plastic boot out there for me. The high altitute liner option makes these boots very versatile. They can be used from Glacier Peak to winter in Alaska. 
If I were to compare them to the Arctis Expe, I would say the Invernos have the edge in durability and price, and the Koflach's are warmer than the Inverno's standard liner, but colder than the high altitude liner. Both fit pretty well for plastic boots. Koflachs have more ankle flex so some people think they are easier to walk in. I've become accustomed to the stiffer top and actually find these comfortable to hike in all day on an approach. You get used to not flexing your ankle as much. | | Posted Oct 31, 2002 7:42 am |
| dsnell | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 5/5 | I bought my Invernos back in 1995 and have used them Rainier, Hood, Shasta, Iztaccihuatl, Ice Climbing, and a number of lesser winter climbs. I have found the Invernos to be an excellent all-around boot. My feet never got cold on the sub-freezing trip up Mount Hood, and I was comfortable wearing them on the long scree slog of Iztaccihuatl. My toes were a little sore after Iztaccihuatl, but I attribute that to a growing foot and altitude swell. They are a little clunky once you get off the snow, but, as the previous reviews have found, any discomfort can be alleviated by loosening the upper laces. | | Posted Aug 4, 2003 5:43 pm |
| martinmc | Untitled Review | | Voted 5/5 | The reference plastic boot. Not as warm as some (e.g. Koflach Artis, Asolo Ottomila) nor as much feel as the modern leathers (Sportiva Nepal Extreme, Salomon SM9) but overall the best package. You can walk in them fairly comfortably due to the rocker sole but then tighten them and front point all day or scramble up a mixed horror show. Ideal for winter multi-day trips as you don't get 'gout' like you do with leathers that don't dry.
You can get better performance if you buy a specific boot for a certain task, but if you want a boot that you can use all winter for lots of activities then these are it. | | Posted Oct 21, 2003 11:20 am |
| fmajor | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 5/5 | These, like other posters note, are the benchmark plastic boot. I have remarkably poor circulation (cold) in my feet (frostbitten too many times) so have had cold feet/toes in them. The sole is nicely rockered and allows for a natural gait in snow, but less so on hard surfaces where it is rather clunky. The mid-sole also has rigid welts for crampon attachment - and have never had a pop-off with my Sabertooth's.
Have frontpointed in them up many, many steep, snowy/ icy routes/trails. Never a blister, shin bang or pinched toes. Mine bear more than a few crampon "bites" and scuffs innumerable, but epoxy seals all the wannabe holes - none of which fully penetrated the thick outer shell. They have never let in any water or snowmelt.
I have recently picked up some heat-moldable Intuition liners and will likely no longer use the "stock" liner boot - the systems only true weak link. | | Posted Dec 9, 2003 10:08 pm |
| Yaquina | Untitled Review | | Voted 5/5 | Awesome boots. Really warm and probably more than is needed in the cascades where I spend most of my time. Really nice when it is cold and wet.. Fit my feet well, which are average width. No sore spots, although for long approaches on solid ground I find them to be less than comfortable. I do recommend these boots for general mountaineering, especially if you plan on trips to high altitude or cold climates. | | Posted Mar 14, 2004 4:31 am |
| SpankyBob | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 4/5 | I have very wide feet, 'EEE,' and finding boots that fit have been a problem. Rental boots were a constant source of pain so I finally opted for a pair that I could have customized. After a false start with Koflach Arctis Expe's I opted for the Invernos because I was told the high volume, high arch profile would most easily be modified to my feet. I bought my boots in the morning at 'The Fifth Season' in Shasta City, California and they were able to blow them out and modify the foot bed by the end of the day. I climbed Mount Shasta the next day with nary a problem. The boots are heavier than some, but for those with wide feet they are very malleable. This review is primarily targeted to those with wide feet and experiencing problems with fit. | | Posted Jun 29, 2004 12:02 am |
| Steve Larson | Bomber, warm, heavy boot | | 
Voted 4/5 | I, too have wide feet, and found that these boots fit better than any I've worn or tried on. I wore them ice climbing in New Hampshire during the cold snap of January '04 (-30F) and never had cold feet, even when standing around at belays. I find them more comfortable to walk in than my leathers (go figure!), and they perform surprisingly well on rock. I had better luck than dug with these on skis. They aren't meant to be an AT boot, so a direct comparison isn't warranted. My only complaint is that the liner tends to slide up in the heel while front pointing. I haven't gotten around to having the liners replaced or modified. A competent shop might be able to solve that problem. So far it hasn't been a major issue for me. I just lace them down as tight as possible. | | Posted Jan 28, 2005 12:08 pm |
| The Defiant One | Untitled Review | | 
Voted 5/5 | I bought these for $5!!!! I love REI garage sales. I think the guy who marked the price thought they were something else...These are a great boot for high altitude climbing. Excellent product. Very Warm. If you will only be climbing in the lower 48, this might be too much boot for you, unless you have wide feet or poor circulation. They're a great boot, i've worn them on several climbs, and they're really best for high altitude. below 16000, i wished i had my Degres, above, i was glad i didn't. They ice climb pretty well.
a good value compared to Arctis Expe | | Posted Mar 28, 2005 10:44 pm |
| CORDILLERAORIENTAL | Love 'em! | | 
Voted 5/5 | Love these boots. The only other plastic boots I have experience with are the Koflach Degres. Like others have stated, they are very warm. I consider myself to be cold-natured and I found I'm more comfortable wearing just a liner than a smartwool. I've only worn them in summer, in the Cascades, however. I have not gone to altitude with them, or worn them in winter. Also, they were very comfortable on the approach hikes. As with any plastic boot, if you loosen the top laces of the boot, they are much more comfortable to "hike" in. 5 out of 5. | | Posted Feb 13, 2007 1:22 am |
| jomisp | Untitled Review | | Voted 5/5 | I would have to agree with all the previous posters. I have the invernos and also have wide feet. The Invernos have been around a long time and a testiment to their simplicity in design and function. They have been on every major peak in the world. According to AMH, they are the staple on Denali. They are excellent in fitting all types of crampons, extremely important IMO. They have an excellent rocker sole making it easy to hike in (just make sure you loosen the ankle to prevent shin bang). They climb Ice like no ones business. They are very warm as well. | | Posted Mar 1, 2007 2:58 pm |
| RyanHalsey1 | Nice Boots | | 
Hasn't voted | I like them. They are very warm and good for climbing in my opinion. Like everyone else said, be sure to loosen the strings to make them more comfortable. Nice boots overall. | | Posted Dec 17, 2007 7:03 pm |
| live2climb90 | Nice boots | | 
Hasn't voted | I recenty purchased some of these boots and I am very happy with what I have gotten for my money. For one, they were a great deal at REI, for only $200 rather than the usual $280. Also, they are so comfortable! I couldnt beleive how nice they fit. One thing i noticed is that they are big for their sizes, I normally wear an 8 1/2 or 9, yet an 8 gave me the perfect fit. I am very satisfied with these boots and would recommend them to anybody. | | Posted Aug 13, 2008 3:22 am |
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