Scarpa Omega – A New Generation of Ice-Climbing Boot
Scarpa, well known for their double plastic Vega boots (Inferno in the U.S.), have released a new ice climbing boot that claims to be lighter and warmer than its competitors in the field of double plastic boots.
These are boots with a waterproof and freeze-proof plastic outside filled with a lovely, soft and cosy inner boot made of foam or felt that goes to bed with you.
While the Vega has been in all the major mountain ranges, and with high altitude liners has probably been to the top of all 14 of the 8000 meter peaks, it’s not a boot that generates a lot of love. It’s big, it’s heavy, it feels like you’re walking with each foot in a cement mixer and it can eat your shins for breakfast.
The new Omega is based on the Alpha, a boot that is loved by ice-climbers for the fact that it feels a lot like a leather boot, making it much more comfortable and giving a better “feel’’ than the clunky Vegas. But the Alpha’s main shortcoming is that it’s just not warm enough for extended expedition use. Andy Kirkpatrick, the British climber, wrote that he uses an oversized Alpha with the high altitude liner of a Vega to get “a boot that’s light and nimble as most leathers yet won’t freeze’’. Even so “if the temperature drops I know I’m going to suffer.’’
The Omega, which even looks a lot like the Alpha, has a new thermo-fit liner, which the company claims cuts weight and improves warmth. It clocks in as a lot lighter than the Vega. The company lists its weight at about 1.8kg, which compares with about 2.6 kg for the Vega. It is also supposed to be good down to -25 C
This is what the official press release says:
Designed to radically improve the ice climber’s performance: this is the most precise boot to date, with grip and technical features that have never been created for this category before. Many exclusive features: the new sleek, close fitting profile improves lightness and sensitivity; the thermoplastic insert in carbon fibre strengthens the boot without adding weight; the asymmetric position of the lacing and the closure of the tongue assure natural movement; the special Pebax( inserts reduce heel pressure. The whole structure – shell, cuff, tongue and closure system – works in harmony to assist the dynamic movements of the foot while wearing crampons.
They are almost as warm as the Vega (pictured below) with high altitude liners (which are good down to -30 C). That makes them a really viable option for a lot of routes. I’ve been diligently weighing up the pro’s and cons of the Alpha and Vega as well as the Vasque Ice for a planned trip to Aconcagua and was leaning towards the Alpha for comfort but worries about warmth. The new Omega may just settle that decision.
And one last thing. Read Andy Kirkpatrick’s article. It’s one of the most comprehensive pieces I’ve seen on modern mountaineering boots, covering all the latest models from the Olympic Mons and Millet Everest to leathers such as the Scarpa Cumbra and Sportiva Nepal Extreme. It also has a great section on foot care. This man knows what he’s talking about.
UPDATED NOVEMBER 2009
Since this first-look at the boots was posted there has been a lot of feedback on the boots, not all of it good.
The bad news first. The early batches seemed to suffer from quick degredation with people complaining about the liners breaking down or coming apart at the seams. The manufacturers said that the initial problems were related to the different layers (that are laminated together) coming apart and that there wasn’t much of a problem. Hah – if I shell that kind of money out for boots I want them to last more than a season. The more recent experiences of most people are, happily, a lot more positive. For a start it seems that Scarpa have licked the problem of them falling apart.
And people really like the feel and the insulation they give. For a seriously expert view I again defer to Andy Kirkpatrick who had this to say about how they are a good compromise between leather boots and the big clunky double ones:
The Scarpa Omega Source: Scarpa.co.uk
…{a} good link between the two camps is the Scapa Omega, which feels, weighs and climbs just like a leather boot. It’s not as warm or robust as a Vega but feels a damn site better on your feet. For colder climbs and extended technical trips I like the Spantik, as it climbs really well, and is almost as warm as the Olympus Mons. The Vasque Ice 9000 is a great boot, being warm and light, and although early models suffered from some problems new models should be good. I’m not really in the trade anymore so there may well be other boots.
Other mountaineering boots I’ve reviewed are the Scarpa Manta and La Sportiva Makalu.