La Sportiva Nepal Cube GTX Boots: Lighter and more versatile than ever

When I put on the Nepal Cubes the next morning, the boots were surprisingly comfortable despite them sitting in a freezing tent vestibule all night. My fellow guides in three-season boots complained bitterly all morning as their feet slowly warmed. We tackled Joffre's "S. Ridge" route and I found my Cubes to jam and edge easily as we moved up some 5.8 pitches where, again, the lighter weight was notable. I was very pleased with the Cube's ability to transition from rock, to ice, to snow, and perform well regardless of the material underfoot. A crisp, new sole doesn't hurt, either, of course. The only situations I felt insecure in the Cubes were on delicate or very smooth rock slabs where these boots were completely unable to smear because of their honeycomb carbon fiber insole (read: very stiff). But that stiff construction is what enables Sportiva to make a lighter and more insulated boot, and those features easily compensated for the momentary struggles.