9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heaven after break-in, April 14, 2010
I wore out two pairs of earlier design Scarpa SL's on many peaks and winter camps even though they were only rated "three season". Those boots were the most comfortable and versatile hikers I have ever owned. Inevitable replacement needs had me look at this new model first. I was not thrilled with the elevated footbed and the fact that Scarpa apparently was falling in step with the footbed design of worthy but lesser competitors like Asolo and Vasque.
Break in was longer than anticipated; I'll attribute that to the quality and thickness of the leather. Once properly broken in a very comfy ride is yours. Owing to the extended break in required it is critical that your foot is compatible with the last in terms of width, toe box, etc. as you will not feel the true nature of these boots in a try-on session.
The biggest weakness is again the elevated footbed that reduces agility and balance over the prior design.
An excellent all-arounder boot but not as far ahead of the competition as before.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Boots, February 28, 2011
This review is from: SCARPA Men's SL M3 Backpacking Boot (Apparel)
I bought these shoes to do the Copland Pass and parts of Arthur's Pass in New Zealand but racked up a fair few miles in them in training before hand in the West Australian bush. This is a very comfortable boot that does take a little while to break in (so get the size right) and is an incredibly reliable boot. The only warning I would give is that if you love the pristine bordeaux leather look don't wear them in the mountains as they will become very scuffed and develop a lot of character.
I used mine in scree, snow, rock and numerous river crossings and they loved it. The soles are flexible enough to give you all day walking comfort fully loaded up but stiff enough to wear with crampons and climb reasonably serious rock. At one point I found myself climbing about 100 feet of extremely high angle moraine wall (don't ask) complete with the full weight of my pack and was able to trust my weight on the toes of these boots the whole time with little fatigue in my calf muscles. I'm sure there are better dedicated climbing boots out there but the SL M3s give you the comfort of a great trekking / mountaineering boot with the confidence of a well designed vibram sole and excellent geometry to get you through those situations that maybe you were not anticipating.
The SL M3 is a beautiful looking boot but the style is not there at the expense of the function, these are a very capable boot.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A quality boot but..., November 23, 2011
This review is from: SCARPA Men's SL M3 Backpacking Boot (Apparel)
I bought this a few months ago. It wasn't my number one choice for a boot, but I've got monster feet and they seemed like the best shoe I could find in my size. First, let me tell you- these things are heavy. More heavy than Asolos. More heavy than Vasques. They're the heaviest boot I've ever seen. And suuuuper inflexible. Like, mountaineering boot inflexible. When you first get them, you walk like Frankenstein 'cause the boot won't bend at all. Even now that they're broken in, I can barely bend the sole even while using both hands.
But let's get to performance. I've walked in these boots a lot. Before I ever took them out, I probably walked 50 miles in them. Then i went and hiked 30 miles in Kings Canyon National Park. Inclines hurt like hell. My heel smashes into the back of this boot every time I take a step on even the slightest incline- not just backpacking up a mountain, mind you, but the smallest tuft of dirt. At the end of the first 7 mile day, I had blisters on the back of my heels. This is with smartwool liner socks and smartwool trekking sicks, mind you, and green superfeet insoles. By the end of the second 7 mile day, the blisters were even worse. So, on the third day, I decided to hike 14 miles back.
I don't think 14 miles is a lot to walk in one day. I've done 20 in other, crappier boots (ie- dunhams), and I never had a problem. By the end of my 14 mile trek back, I had blisters all over my feet. I had them on the tops of my toes, the aforementioned heels, the sides of my feet, the balls of my feet, etc. I had two black toes even though there's plenty of room at the front for my feet. In short, my feet were destroyed.
I've only taken these boots on small hikes since and my heels still hurt going up inclines. I wondered if maybe the boots still weren't broken in, but if I can't break in boots after what I've done to them, then I don't know how to break them in. They're a very high quality boot. The leather is very fine, and they're gusseted all the way up to the top. The tongue and the ankles have the nicest padding I've ever seen on a boot. They run a bit narrow. I ordered a wide for my D sized feet, and they still feel a bit narrow. The vibram soles will serve you well on sharp pointy rocks, but they're a bit slippery on wet stuff. The boots are SUPER waterproof. There was this point on the trail, where 6 inches of snow run off ran down the trail for about 100 yards. I swear, I thought I was hiking in a creek! But my feet never got wet.
But honestly, I wish I would have returned them when I had the chance. I can see how they'd be great for most people, but I don't think they're going to get any more comfortable for me. Oh well, I guess they're going on Craigslist!
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