These boots with gaiters for snowy mountains are made by a limited number of authentic mountaineering shoe manufacturers, although they hide behind ordinary single boots and don’t stand out. They have many advantages that single boots do not have, and have gained a certain amount of support from hardcore snow mountain enthusiasts.
Scarpa’s “Phantom Tech HD” is its representative model. Its looks may give you the impression that it is specialized for extreme applications such as alpine climbing and ice climbing in the winter, but it actually has the potential to be used all around. Let’s uncover its hidden power.
Text◉PEAKS
Photo◉Mie Kumahara
Boots with gaiters that are useful for general snow mountain climbing
Boots with gaiters are still uncommon, although they are becoming more common on snowy mountain climbs in Japan. Because of its radical feel, many people may have the impression that it is used for alpine climbing during the snowy season, or for high-altitude mountaineering overseas.
However, even though they are called boots with gaiters, there are several models that are designed for different situations, and there are also boots that are useful for climbing snowy mountains in Japan, where walking is the main activity. That is Scarpa’s Phantom series.Phantom Tech HD” (photo right) and “Phantom 6000HD” (photo left).
At first glance, it looks like the only difference is the length of the gaiter, but the difference is that the Phantom Tech HD has a built-in single boot, while the Phantom 6000HD has a double boot with a removable inner.
The Phantom 6000HD is better suited for mountaineering that is colder, has deeper snow, and lasts longer.In most cases, the Phantomtec HD matches better.
Let’s take a closer look at Phantom Tech HD, which is targeted by more climbers.
Warmth retention unique to boots with gaiters
The first advantage of boots with gaiters over regular boots is that they prevent snow from penetrating. But the benefits don’t stop there. An equally important benefit, if not more important, is that gaiters provide more warmth than regular boots.
Here, we will introduce the representative model of winter alpine boots.Montblanc Pro GTX” (photo left) and Phantom Tech HD.
The Montblanc Pro GTX uses Gore-Tex Insulated as a heat insulator. On the other hand, Phantom Tech HD uses “Primaloft Micropile” (synthetic fiber filling). Although they are different types, both are equipped with insulation to withstand snowy mountains during the harsh winter months. However, the Phantom Tech HD also has gaiters that create a layer of air, further increasing its heat retention ability.
The structure of the gaiter wraps the boots tightly, trapping air warmed by body heat, and the layer of air provides insulation against cold air and snow.
Of course, you can get the same effect by wearing gaiters with regular boots, but the coverage is still only partial, and there are likely to be gaps where air can enter and exit. It simply cannot match the built-in gaiter.
The Phantom Tech HD’s gaiters are made with HDry, a 3-layer waterproof and breathable material. As a result, they are waterproof and breathable, preventing the boots inside from getting wet even if you walk hard in the snow or get caught in the rain.
Even with a gaiter, it’s lightweight so you won’t get tired
You might think that since boots with gaiters = boots + gaiters, they would be heavier than regular boots, but when it comes to Phantom Tech HD, they are actually quite lightweight.
The aforementioned Montblanc Pro GTX weighs approximately 900g with one leg. On the other hand, the Phantom Tech HD weighs about 800g per leg, which is about 100g lighter. Furthermore, when installing a gaiter on the Montblanc Pro GTX, for example, Black Diamond’s “alpine gator”, the weight would be approximately 120g, and there would be a weight difference of more than 200g.
If you’re on a snowy mountain, you’ll also have to spend a lot of time wearing crampons, which puts a lot of strain on your feet. If it were even a little lighter than 200g, there is no doubt that the level of fatigue would change when walking for a long time.
The secret to the Phantom Tech HD’s lightness lies in its upper. The Montblanc Pro GTX is made of 3mm thick suede, which makes it extremely durable. On the other hand, the upper of the Phantom Tech HD is made of synthetic material, and although it yields to leather in terms of durability, it is also lighter and more comfortable to the foot from the moment you put it on.
What’s more, compared to leather, they don’t get stuffy, and even with a double layered structure with gaiters, they have the advantage of being less likely to trap moisture inside the shoes when you’re out and about.
Low cut allows for easy ankle movement
Phantom Tech HD’s superiority is not only in heat retention and weight. In fact, the ankle part of the inner boots is set a little lower, making it easier to move the ankle.
Montblanc Pro GTX on the left and Phantom Tech HD on the right. The difference in height is obvious when you compare them. In the first place, boots intended for snowy mountains are generally made with a high-cut upper to withstand heavier equipment than in snow-free seasons, and this makes it difficult for snow to get inside the boots.
However, the Phantom Tech HD is not a shoe designed for situations where you will be walking for long periods of time while carrying such heavy loads on your back. Its performance is due to its maneuverability that takes advantage of its lightness, and the gaiter makes it difficult for snow to get into it in the first place.
Therefore, the stiffness and difficulty of walking that are typical of boots for snowy mountains are reduced, and you can walk with a feeling similar to that of regular boots for snow-free seasons.
As for the upper, by intentionally omitting some reinforcement at the front of the ankle, it is made to allow for easy forward bending.
This is a common technique used in other boots, but the Phantom Tech HD has a lower cut, giving it more flexibility than a mid-cut or low-cut.
Unique lace locking system structure
From now on, let’s focus on the finer details of Phantom Tech HD. It’s a very plain part, but the first thing worth mentioning is the unique shoelace lock system.
There is a resin part that locks at the transition from the top of the foot to the ankle, allowing you to maintain tension at the top of the foot. In other words, you can tighten the ankle area tightly, or conversely, you can tighten it loosely from the ankle up.
This is not limited to snowy mountains, but if you loosen the upper part when climbing, it will make it easier for your ankles to move, and if you tighten it up to the ankles when descending, it will prevent unnecessary ankle movement and make it easier to make a firm contact with the snow and ground.
The structure is very simple: you tighten the shoelaces starting from the tip of your foot, and once they hit the locking part, tighten that part firmly, and from then on the shoelaces on the instep will never come loose. Conversely, to loosen it, just pull the light blue loop.
The shoelaces themselves are thin flat strings that are similar to round laces, and can be tightened with more tension than round laces.
Land rubber and midsole structure inherited from Libere
The upper itself is made of a relatively soft synthetic material, but the lower part is reinforced with land rubber around the entire circumference to increase the stiffness of the upper only where necessary.
This is a detail borrowed from Scarpa’s Libere series, in which the land rubber acts as a structural material as well as reinforcement, preventing the shoe from twisting unnecessarily or causing the foot to shift laterally within the shoe.
Additionally, the inner part of the shoe has reinforcement similar to land rubber, which protects the upper from things like crampon nails.
Furthermore, the design of the details inherited from the Libere series is also applied to the midsole. The midsole is designed to be slightly softer on the inside of the foot and harder on the outside. This reduces the impact when landing, while ensuring that power is transmitted properly when kicking off.
The light blue part of the midsole on the inside is a little softer than the black part on the outside, and absorbs the shock of the ground. When kicking off, the black outer midsole transfers the power to the ground.
Zipper that is easy to operate even when wearing gloves
Let’s take a closer look at the details of the upper. The zipper on the gaiter uses a waterproof zipper that does not allow water to pass through, and the slider used to open and close it has a large pull that you can fit your fingers into.
If you’re climbing in the winter, you’ll most likely be wearing gloves, but of course you can slip your fingers through them even if you’re wearing gloves meant for the harshest of winter, so opening and closing is smooth.
In fact, this also has the important role of preventing damage to the zipper. The most common accident with boots with gaiters is when the zipper opens mid-way and snow gets in. This mainly occurs when the slider is not pulled along the zipper when closing it. The zipper doesn’t fit properly and ends up opening halfway.
By attaching a large pull handle to the slider, it becomes easier to pull the slider toward the zipper, and as a result, troubles can be prevented during movement.
Additionally, there is a small loop attached to the tip of the zipper for passing through the hook of a gaiter or inner gaiter of shell pants.
Even if you have boots with gaiters, if you have severe and long russels, you can prevent snow from getting in and getting wet by wearing a single gaiter or an inner gaiter on your pants. useful for.
Additionally, a shock cord and cord stopper are attached to the top of the gaiter to prevent snow from entering.
This not only prevents snow from entering, but also prevents cold air from entering and warm air from escaping.
Phantom Tech HD is an option if you want to replace it.
The Phantom Tech HD has a lot of advantages: it has sufficient heat retention, is lighter than regular snow mountain boots, and allows you to walk lightly with a feeling similar to trekking boots. These shoes have the potential to dominate the snowy mountains, but they do have one drawback: the price.
It can’t be helped since it brings together all of Scarpa’s technology and uses quality materials, but at over 100,000 yen (116,600 yen including tax), it may not be the first choice for snowy mountain climbing.
However, the main feature of winter boots, which are mainly used for walking on snow or with crampons, is that the soles do not wear out easily, and if used for general usage and frequency, they can be used for a longer time than trekking shoes. It shouldn’t be an investment.
If you’ve figured out how to play in the snowy mountains and plan to continue enjoying it, it’s worth adding to your options.
If you think the boots you already have are starting to look a little worn out, then you should try them out at a shop. I’m sure your concept of alpine boots for snowy mountains will change.
Scarpa/Phantom Tech HD
- Price: ¥116,600
- Size: EU37-48
- Color: Black x Bright Orange
- Weight: 800g (EU42/one leg)
Check out “Phantom Tech HD” here
“Phantom 6000HD” is suitable for hard use such as long traversing in the harsh winter season.
If the Phantom Tech HD is the younger brother of the Phantom series, its older brother is the Phantom 6000HD. As mentioned above, a major feature of the shoes is that they have a double structure similar to ski boots, which allows you to remove the inner layer and use them like tent boots in a camp, or to dry them.
The upper part of the inner layer has a sock-like knit structure made from Primaloft yarn. Although they provide adequate heat retention, they are thin so they don’t slip off easily from your boots, giving you a sense of unity similar to single boots. Suitable scenarios include long mountain hikes in deep snow, such as long traverses in the Northern Alps.
Scarpa/Phantom 6000HD
- Price: ¥156,200
- Size: EU37-48
- Color: black x orange
- Weight: 1,050g (EU42/one leg)
Check out “Phantom 6000HD” here
“Phantom 8000 THERMIC HD” for high-altitude mountaineering overseas such as the Himalayas
The eldest brother of the Phantom series is the Phantom 8000 THERMIC HD. This model is aimed at climbing high-altitude snowy mountains such as the Himalayas rather than the snowy mountains in Japan, and the insole can generate heat by driving the battery (replaceable) built into the gaiter. If you are planning to go mountain climbing overseas in the winter, please contact an official Scarpa dealer or the customer support of Lost Arrow, the domestic sole agent.
Scarpa/Phantom 8000 THERMIC HD
- Price: ¥225,500
- Size: EU38-48
- Color: Black x Bright Orange
- Weight: 1,450g (EU42/one leg)
Check out “Phantom 8000 THERMIC HD” here
Planning cooperation ◉ Lost Arrowwww.lostarrow.co.jp/store/
