Other recent threads haven't exactly answered the question, so here it is for Sierra winter climbing/mountaineering members:

For our Sierra 14s/glaciers/passes in winter, I'm feeling like an insulated single leather mountaineering boot is both sufficient and in fact preferable.

True? False? Thoughts?

Put another way, are plastic double boots overkill for the Sierra in winter? And, are uninsulated single boots (i.e., Trangos, Makalus, Glaciers, et al) too little for the Sierra in winter?

I have done a lot of winter mountaineering, and in the lower 48 a plastic double boot is overkill. Not only that, it is also heavier, less flexible, etc. La Sportiva's fit me really well but I would definitely suggest trying on a LOT of insulated leather boots. Don't get something that is not comfortable right out of the box. Breaking in boots is foolish. You are more likely to break your foot. Millet makes some good stuff also. Currently my winter mountaineering boots are some Salomon Super Mountain Experts. Sadly they are not made anymore. Visit several shops and get a feel for what style, brand, etc. fit your foot best and go with those. Don't let price be your reason for buying or not buying the boots. Also, remember to pair them with some good socks. I use Injinji Coolmax mesh liners and Smartwool Mountaineer socks. Also make sure your crampons fit the boots well (shouldn't be too much of an issue, but it is something to keep in mind). Good luck!

Thanks!

Yeah, that's what I figured and have read, but I was curious to hear what anyone here had to say about it.

Part of the reason I'm getting mountaineering boots is that I'm sick of having to compromise crampon use with backpacking boots using old, flexible crampons.

If this is helpful to anyone in the future, I'll note my experiences: last night I tried on boots from Lowa, La Sportiva, and Scarpa. Only one of those really meets the criteria I have (mainly, insulated and with welts), but I wanted to get at least some sense of manufacturers' lasts. Sportivas were universally too narrow across the ball of my foot. Scarpa was better, but arguably too tight in the heel. Lowa was broadly the best, although with mountaineering socks and liners, the best fit was a whole one and a half larger than my Asolo backpacking boots and NB trail runners (in which I do all my non-snow backpacking). From 9.5 to 11. That seems worrying.

I'll be trying on other models from the same manufacturers tonight. Sadly, with any shops within reasonable driving distance in Los Angeles, the selection is not broad. I may try them on with my normal, somewhat thinner 'trekking' weight sock too. It could be that the really thick mountaineering sock in my case isn't best. Houston and Cosley in "Alpine Climbing -- Techniques to take you Higher" seem to suggest midweight socks too over heavy weight; less deflection between foot and boot.

Onwards the search goes.

i size to the heaviest combo socks i would wear ... which is liners and pat heavy mountain socks

you can have them a bit snug with yr heaviest socks, but not tight ... thats the way to loose toes

remember that yr feet swell as well

I have a pair Trango EXT Evo lights and I love them, they are a stiffer than the basic Trangos they sell at REI and they have a place for a toe wire, which makes them perfect for climbing. My foot is wide but they fit great. They are the only boot that my heal wont move around in. I live in Anchorage and they have been more than warm enough for every trip I have taken this winter. I use a super thin liner sock and a mid-weight smartwool sock, my feet shift around too much in anything bigger.

I second this.

I bought a pair of the Trango EXT Evo light GTX's last season to do Whitney in the winter.

I liked them a lot.

I bought mine from REI but I am not sure if they carry them anymore.

After trying on many different winter boots I thought these were by far the most comfortable.

REI no longer has the Trangos you guys referred to. Looks like an ideal boot spec-wise for what I'm looking for.

Last night I tried on another Sportiva, the Glacier. It fit slightly better than the Trango S Evo, but still wasn't quite right. Better, but slightly odd fitting.

I've always been trying on boots with my very thin liners, then thick sock.

Last night I also tried on the Lowa Silberhorn, first a 10.5 with my medium weight trekking sock, and then an 11 with my heavy mountaineering sock.

The 10.5 with the medium sock kind of yielded that eureka moment. Everything felt right straight away. Any slight imperfections felt like something that could be dealt with and/or adjusted. The 11 with the heavier sock also felt very good, but ever so slightly long; the front flex point felt a tiny bit in front of the pivot of my foot. Either one allowed my toes nice freedom of movement, the foot as a whole was snug but not constricted, and the heel was locked.

Damnitall if my feet don't want the most ridiculously expensive boot. They're $440.

Since I've established that these Lowas work with medium socks, I'm going to try the Lowa Mountain Experts again in a 10.5 with the medium sock and see if they fit as well.

Aside from cost, my only concern about the Silberhorns is that they're almost too much boot for the Sierra. They're serious. I can imagine though that they'd be fantastic for extended front-pointing though, and it's conceivable that at some point in the more distant future, I'll find myself in Peru, back in Ecuador, maybe Mexico, Rainier...who knows.

The Mountain Experts are a little less hard core; a little more supple, and, much less expensive (especially with a 20% off REI coupon to use).

Anyone have any additional thoughts on all that?

I have had good luck with light uninsulated boots in the
winter Sierra weather when I used vbl liners and warm sock.

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