Degre

I've included it in my product description.

These were my first pair of plastic boots....only used them on one climb. They were very comfortable for the first 7 hours....then, they began pinching my ankle so bad, after a half hour it felt like my ankle was broken. However, after about two hours I kinda got used to it. Unfortunately, I have flat feet and my arches kinda "fall" in, which was most likely the culprit....not the boot. At any rate, I then promptly bought a pair of Arctis Expe's, and have only encountered the above problem a couple times, and not nearly as bad. As far as cold weather performance, and can only judge from one climb....they were nice and warm in 0 degree F. temps, the soles gripped well, and didn't have a problem with the laces. If you have "normal" feet, you shouldn't have a problem.....

In regards to Diego's list price, expect to pay around $255 in the United States for a pair...

Not wanting to invest the cash in a pair of mountaineering boots, I rented a pair on a recent mountaineering course on Mt Shasta in Northern California. First off, I have always been of the opinion that no one should go into the woods with gear they don’t have experience with. However, because I wanted to save a buck, I did just that, showing up Thursday afternoon in Shasta City and renting a pair of these boots for a 3-day mountaineering course on Mount Shasta! I was quite apprehensive about the ¼ - ½ inch heal movement that I felt while trying them on in the rental store. However, these boots felt great after climbing for hours! All weekend they felt really comfortable. Only on my second day of use did my left ankle feel a little tenderness. This disappeared after loosening the laces. That’s the comfort side of things-they performed great. As for how well they kept me warm, that’s a little different – kind of. When moving, these boots kept my feet warm, temps varied between 60 degrees and 20 degrees. However, while sitting still longer than an hour, at temps of 20 degrees, my toes began to freeze! I should state here that my toes tend to get colder quicker than most of my friends. So keep this in mind. Other than the coldness aspect, these rental boots performed quite exceptional for a three day weekend – not one hot spot, not one blister. Note, I was wearing an expedition thickness sock, no liner.

So far, I have found this boot to be more than adequate for my needs. It has provided sufficient warmth while standing around at Camp in seasons ranging from winter to summer. In the Cascades Range in Washington State, where many climbs require a hefty approach, the Degre has exibited the ability to act like a heavy hiking boot with a soft upper shell and hinge that allows for easy movement on trail approaches. Normally, my feet have been known to sweat quite a bit in hiking boots and other plastic models, but the Degre's inner boot has allowed my feet to stay completely dry over multi-day trips.

Like all other models of Koflach's that possess a sturdy, rubber Vibram sole, they allow for easy movement over rock. even on verticle ice, the Degre perform adequately. Though the stability of the heel is questionable in verticle ice, overall I have found them to be a good, solid investment.

Three stars so far because they dig into my ankles. It seem like a taller boot may help alleviate this problem as all the lacing and plastic parts seem to converge in one area. I have taken to using preventative moleskin. Other than that I enjoy the mixture of plastic density that makes this a better boot for longer approaches, but probably not as good on vertical ice.

These are a very good value cold weather boot, which is why they are offered by most of the places that rent boots.

They are pretty damn warm, but not expedititon grade. However you can easily upgrade them if you need a super-boot later on. To do so, lose the flimsy liner they come with, chuck in some Spenco thermal insoles (and/or cork footbeds if you like) and you're already losing much less heat to the ground. Upgrade the liner with a thermoplastic ski-boot type liner and you've got a veritable tandoori oven on your foot, with a customized fit too.

You should try these on before buying - as I mention they are common at rental places, so take a pair for a test drive. They are quite flexible but some people complaing about shin problems wearing Koflach boots. Make sure the fit your physiology first.

The sole is decent and climbs reasonably well. They are not sensitive boots though. Don't expect much feedback from the ground you are treading on.

I love these boots! I rented a pair for a few days, they were comfortable, warm and not as heavy or stiff as they look. Later I bought a used pair in good condition at the end of the season from a rental company for $125. The heal lift takes a little getting used to, but is soon forgotten once you get climbing. Make sure you tie the inner boot snugly but not so tight that your the heal stays fixed in the inner boot since the “lift” occurs between your sock and the inner boot. I do not experience any of the ankle problems that seem to plague some others. My 3 teammates and I all use these boots for general mountaineering (no ice climbing) and Steve just bought another pair. Take your time getting fitted to make sure the heal lift is less than ½ inch and kick a wall or log or something repeatedly real hard to ensure your toes don’t touch the front of the boot. Its important that your toes don't touch when kincking in steps and comming doen the mountain. I added my own foot beds (get at a drug store or your outfitter) to get a better fit for my foot/arch type. I’m going to give these a 4 start rating because I do not have experience with other boots of this type.

Great Plastic Boot. I've worn them on a 20 hour marathon in the smokies for 30 min. of ice bouldering and they were OK. The rubber toe cover of mine started to peel back after a few uses, but some rubber cement has eliminated that problem.



Very warm. Ice climb well. Always done fine in glacier travel and what rock scrambling/climbing I had to do in them. Approach as good as you could expect from any plastic. Of note is that they are lighter then Scarpa Alpha I think.

Bought a pair of Degres in the Fall & have used them a good deal so far this winter, on day-long snowshoeing trips to several extended winter camping trips. I'm very happy with them thus far, although one thing does concern me a bit: the heal of the insert boot is beginning to tear a bit from being put back into the plastic shell (with my foot in it, of course). I think part of the problem is the cold, i.e. that the material becomes more brittle when cold and is therefore more easily damaged. Needless to say, the insert is designed to come in and out of the plastic shell, so I'm a bit surprised it's beginning to show wear.

Beyond that, I am very happy with these boots. It's very reassuring to know that one's feet will stay dry no matter what happens, and although not Koflach's warmest model, I've found my Degres to be extremely warm (have never had cold feet & have been in sub zero temps). Last but not least, they are very tough & yet surprisingly lightweight.

I'd buy 'em again.

I give these boots five-stars for comfort, warmth, and durability. Plus, they're pretty cheap in relation to a lot of other boots. I've been told that they aren't warm enough for expedition use, but they seem just fine for Colorado. Put a liner in the bottom of the boot (just some cheap closed cell foam seems to work fine) to prevent heat loss through conduction. Otherwise, there a perfectly fine boot for the money. I've done some winter ascents of fourteeners, and some seriously long days in them without any problems. Not a blister yet, nor one cold toe. I use vapor barrier socks to keep the liners dry, but i doubt that this is all that necessary unless you'll be wearing them for more than a few days. Make sure you take the liners out at the end of the day to dry.

Addendum: A whole season later I still love these boots. There is one thing to worry about, however: taking the liners out often will prematurely destroy the back part of the liner. Don't remove the liners unless you have to (e.g. if you have to dry them out when winter camping). Peace.

I rented the Koflach Degre a couple of days ago when I climbed Mt Hood. It was simply a great boot. The boot itself is very comfortable and my feet never got cold. The boot is flexable and yet gives plenty of support for the ankles. For anyone staying under 14000 ft, I dont feel there is any reason to spend an extra $100 to $150 for a boot that is for Everest. Most of my climbing is in the Northwest, so this boot is perfect.

The Degre's are solid mountaineering boots - good for ice climbing, too. The Vibram soles are very solid, and they work very well on shallow snow with no crampons as well. The plastic shells seem to be durable so far, but I can see hints that the rubber toe may peel off the shell. The liners are warm and comfortable, and they easily slid in and out of the shell when the boot is unlaced. Make sure you don't lace the boots too tight. I discovered that even when I wear the boots with some extra slop to stay warm, the padded liners keep my feet free of blisters. I have yet to get a sore spot on my feet from these boots. The Degre's also work well with crampons. I use Black Diamond Sabertooths, in which they fit and work very well. I paid $280 at Denver REI for the latest model (as of fall 2004).

The Degre are great boots for use in the lower 48, even in winter. I used them in Peru at 6000m and -20f and they were toasty. These boots felt really comfortable right out of the box., I've never experienced the problems others report with ankle rubbing, careful how you tie your shoes?

They're great mountaineering boots, more comfortable than my Scarpas. The price is right too; only $25 per toe, not bad.

I wouldn't ice climb with them because they seem too flexible, but they're fine on 70 degree ice for short stretches. So comfortable, and plenty warm for lower 48.

a great choice

4 stars because I have never used other plastic boots. These boots are very comfortable. They took some slight getting used to as far as the fit (with the heel movement) but then were great. I can hike long approaches with them and have no problems. Just took them out on Whitney and loved them. I have circulation issues with my feet and have to be sure not to tie them too tight. The fit well with snow shoes and are totally waterproof. I put a piece of closed cell foam in the bottoms of both outer shell for some shock absorbsion and warmth. I also changed out the laces on the inner boot as they frayes quickly from abrasion between the outer shell. I recomend these boots for those wintering in lower 48.

Update_-_-_-_-: I just got back from Whitney. Quite a few folks were wearing the Arctis Expe model up there. Well my feet got COLD up at Iceberg Lake. I asked around and they all said their feet were freezing too. I was not even close to being 0 degrees so I am not sure what to say about this. I guess sometimes feet just get cold and we can't expect a boot to do everything.

Great pair of boots for general mountaineering and ice climbing. I agree they are a bit soft soled, but if you use the correct crampons you will have no problems. I tend to have cold feet but have had no problems, even around 0 F. I have had some problems getting the correct tightness with the laces, they always tend to be too tight for me. Now that I have leathers, they definitely seem bulky. I'll save them for the cold days though.

I was in agony using these on Mt. Rainier. It was my first experience with plastic boots. Our guides all recommended wearing it a bit loose at the top. I did that, but almost ended up taking them completely off about a half mile from the parking lot because of the pain. I do have unusual feet. I wear a size 14 and my "index" toe is longer than my big toe. I don't know how common that is, but perhaps that's what caused me so much pain. Obiviously plastic boots have their uses, but there must be better ones out there. If possible, try the boots you'll be renting on at a store before you get to the mountain. I won't be using these again.

I have used these boots extensively over the years and they have held up well, kept my feet moderately warm and are good for trudges and slogs. I find them quite heavy feeling and don't like them on rock of any kind. But for trips like Rainier - can't be beat.

I have a pair of Koflach women's size 7.5 boots for sale. Asking price is $200.00, obo. They are in perfect shape and have only been worn once. Please contact me if interested, akirsch1@gmail.com

This is my first pair of real mountaineering boots. I've been told that these are the best boots for the money by some very seasoned mountineers. So far, these are very nice boots. They are somewhat overkill for shorter climbs and hikes. Over all great boots