I know nothing about plastic boots. Would one need to wear them in like you would with leather boots or can I just buy them a day before a climb ?

-- Dimitri Christodoulou (dimitri.christodoulou@alcatel.es), May 04, 1999

Answers

Always get them ahead of time if possible. Wear them in before you go. If you don't you'll probably turn into a giant BLISTER.

-- Habib (poorhabib@hotmail.com), May 07, 1999.

You don't really have to break in plastics like you would a pair of leather boots. The shell isn't going to give - ever. The liners tend to cushion out the fit; they may change over time as the insulation collapses, but it should take some use. I have to agree with Habib (sp?) that you want to wear them some for at least a few days before using them. This will give you time to find out if the fitting you did in the shop still holds. Especially for French technique, plastics can put the bite on your ankles. People with wider feet may find that the smaller toes are the trouble spot. In any case you want to know that the fit is gonna work. I can tell you from sad personal experience that it's possible to wear huge blisters into a foot or ankle with boots that aren't quite right.

-- Dennis Roscetti (roscetti@execpc.com), May 21, 1999.