A good climbing boot

[Greenstar]

i would recommend the la sportiva's but i am returning the second pair because of stitching letting go with only a couple months of wearing them.

I would not waste your money with anything with stitching. Get a full grain upper. For example, the fullgrain Asolo TPS 520 GV boot, or the Power matic GV boot (just saw them on EMS.com. Also look at these, look burly http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,83043_Asolo-Sasslong-Gore-Tex-Backpacking-Boots-For-Men.html

I like something like these that are fullgrain leather, no stitching because I can kick huge brush piles all day long as hard as I can, kick logs and branches, and my boots never fall apart.
By far the burliest boots ever, I have a pair of La Sportiva Makalus!! They took me about A YEAR to break in! But have lasted about six years now. The heavy vibram soles have now worn through, but the thick thick high quality leather is still fine. They fit me like a glove now too and are like nothing else I've ever worn. I'll hopefully get the soles replaced soon, because the stitching on my nice Scarpas are already getting freyed after only a week! and I dont want to ruin these good looking boots. I took them on the AT for three weeks!!

Good luck.
These ASOLO's are also top-notch though http://www.rei.com/product/694262
They wont last like my Makalus, but you'll get a few seasons out of them if you treat them when needed.

 

[Greenstar]

Excuse me though.. although my boots are very much like these ones http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7138241/c/19.html they are not the ones that accept crampons like these do I think, because these have a hard, stiff steal shank in the sole. These would take much longer to break in. Mine they may not make anymore. They were identical to Makalus, but without steel shank or crampon compatible. My uppers look the same, except mine being many years older dont have the small short rubber skin coating on the first inch of the toe, mine are just sole and leather strait up!
These will NEVER wear out on you though!
Again, good luck
http://www.epinions.com/reviews/La_Sportiva_Makalu_Boot

 

[Greenstar]

These are the REI Spirit II mountain hikers. The have a solid upper, and were my favorite boot till the came out with the Spirit III with a lot of plastic sewn in.

Notice that there very little stitching on the boot, and the upper is made from only a single piece of leather.

Yeah jps.. What are those all about? They do look good. How does the leather hold up? And how much?

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Yeah jps.. What are those all about? They do look good. How does the leather hold up? And how much?

What I was trying to say is that they do not make that model anymore. They came out with the Spirit III and the improvements did not hold up to tree work.

I would not waste your money with anything with stitching. Get a full grain upper. For example, the fullgrain Asolo TPS 520 GV boot, or the Power matic GV boot (just saw them on EMS.com. Also look at these, look burly

I've been in these for around nine months now. It took a while to figure out the metatarsal skips I need in the lacing.