KOFLACH Arctis Expe Plastic Boots

Comments about KOFLACH Arctis Expe Plastic Boots:

I rented a pair of these boots to test for possible future purchase. I want plastic for reported warmth. It provided this, and that's all. My son and I were to hike Mt.Washington. They were fine until I hit the Lion's head trail. When movement required forward bend, these boots put painful pleasure right above the ankle joint. Very painful and cost my son and me a summit of Mt.Washington. Far too heavy and bulky and painful. I admit these were brand new and most often there is a break-in period so that may have been a factor but, these are very not my kind of boot!

Comments about KOFLACH Arctis Expe Plastic Boots:

I take a size 10.5 in my summer hiking boots and the 11's with smartwool mountain socks fit great.
I bought these boots for camping because you can take the inner boot with you in the sleeping bag and they are sturdy also for hiking in the white mountains. The weight of the boots don't bother me but I found that the inner boot rubs below the calves so I wrap them. I'm guessing it's because I have skinny legs. I have used them three times, once camping in about negative 10 degrees and my feet did feel the cold slightly. The other two times was hiking in the white mountains, about 0 degerees and recently hiking Mount Osceola and it was about 10 degrees. Crampon use is easy, once you've done it a few times.

Comments about KOFLACH Arctis Expe Plastic Boots:

I'm glad to see that these boots are back on the market. I have a pair of Expes that I purchased years ago and they are still my favorite boots.

To anyone who is thinking about purchasing these - do it. The secret to making these boots incredible is to toss out the liner that they come with and replace them with a set of Intuition liners. This lightens the boots considerably, makes them more comfortable, and makes them even warmer.

These boots are my go-to for all mountaineering and ice climbing. Yeah, some days you could wear a single boot and not freeze your feet, but why bother when you can be assured of having toasty toes with these boots no matter what the thermometer reads?

I also appreciate the stiffness of these boots. I've tried more "modern" single boots that flex - they're certainly more comfortable to walk in, but the flex just means you're going to tire more quickly when you're frontpointing up a steep section or climbing vertical ice. These boots give you a nice stable platform to stand on.

Really, with the Intuition liners, these boots are light enough to compete with the newer, synthetic single boots, but are much warmer and more stable. The only real downside vs. a single boot is their bulk, but I haven't really found that to be a big deal for me.

Comments about KOFLACH Arctis Expe Plastic Boots:

Climbing in Alaska demands the best and that's what these are. Rigid, yet not heavy feeling at all. Liners are super warm, and ankle support seems to be the perfect balance between flexibility and strength. It's a shame they won't be available anymore.

Comments about KOFLACH Arctis Expe Plastic Boots:

Unfortunate for me, I had to return these due to being to long. The fit is pretty much true to your actual measured foot size. Just be sure and measure your foot after a hard day on your feet. This will give you an indication of your true foot size. I wear a size 12 in Asolo, Vasque, etc. Also, heel lift in the bootie should be avoided.[...]

Comments about KOFLACH Arctis Expe Plastic Boots:

No break-in required; very comfortable and supportive. Has a large toe box; sized for heavy socks. Slight heel lift, but it is the booty, not my foot, doing the sliding. Laces are a bit short, so I swapped-out for some utility cord. A lot of boot for the money. Most users would be well served by the [...] if they do not need the extra insulation.

Comments about KOFLACH Arctis Expe Plastic Boots:

Overal, I love this boot. I recently climbed Mt. Washington and then Mt. Cascade, one of the high peaks, and was impressed by their stability in each of these endeavors. I actually bought these for ice climbing but also bought them for their versatilty, including the ability to take crampomatic crampons and to accomodate randonee ski bindings. The one aspect of the boot I don't like is how your toes hurt going down hill. This is alleviated by getting them good and tight, but hard to do with a stiff boot. I really think a ski buckle type strap across the top would be a good addition to this boot.