The North Face has a long history in the climbing and mountaineering world. From the early days of Doug Tompkins, they were innovators, and fairly out-there innovators, for the vertical pursuits. Interestingly though, while they had a technical mountaineering boot here and there over the years, their first significant focus on them came in the last decade. In fact, up until the Torre Eiger was released, The North Face concept of a technical mountaineering boot resembled more of a classic logger-style boot – no heel or toe welts, just a stiff sole and thick rubber. How things have changed. I’ve climbed in the Torre Eigers for a couple seasons now, and the new Summit Series Verto FA boots are a material improvement.

The North Face Summit Series Verto FA Boots Features:

• IBQ Dyneema® ripstop upper with a water-repellent construction and waterproof zipper
• Double-layer, synthetic-rubber toe cap
• Molded-rubber heel and rand
• BOA® Fit System
• Two pairs of DOTKNIT™ liners, for cold and warm environments
• Secure, low-profile internal boot with an adjustable high-ankle lockdown strap
• Increased toe box volume
• PU Midsole platform places the foot closer to the ground for increased climbing precision
• Vibram® MONT rubber outsole with 5.5 mm lugs
• Pebax® heel and toe clips for fully automatic crampon compatibility
• Weight: 1,765g (as measured per pair in Size USM 11 with the warm weather liners)
• MSRP: $830

A real contender

Let me start by talking a little bit about The North Face’s prior full-shank mountaineering boot, the Torre Eiger. It was unique in its class. I used to call them the Air Jordans because of their unusually low-cut internal boot with a main strap low on the ankle. They looked awesome, but they suffered some avoidable flaws. For one, the placement of that ankle strap was insecure and had a tendency to cut off circulation when used to get a really solid fit at the heel.

For two, getting a really solid fit at the heel was virtually impossible. No matter how you tightened them, there was play, making long walking days a very painful exercise. Ask me how I know. I’ve grown more new skin on my heels on account of the Torre Eigers than probably any other shoe. Lastly, their BOA dial was inside the boot’s integrated gaiter, making it so that any adjustment required opening up the whole boot… and it was placed on top of the foot, negating the possibility of using the boots on a splitboard.

So, for as much as I loved them and their sick tiger print, the Torre Eiger had flaws that couldn’t be ignored. It came as a beautiful surprise to me that the Verto FA boots addressed all of these qualms and more. The biggest and most important of these changes is in the heel cup. Where the Torre Eiger had a broader heel and a vague fit, the Verto FA has a snug, secure heel. It doesn’t take yarding down on a strap to get a planted feel with them. As a result, they can be comfortably worn not just for the technical bits, but for all the trudging that is the backbone of mountaineering. For miles and miles of slogging across glaciers, they remain comfortable at the heel.

In fact, they’re pretty dang comfortable all around. The low-shin strap keeps the boot fitting right without cutting off blood flow or impeding range of motion at the ankle, unlike their predecessor. Coupled with the BOA system, it’s easy to get a good tight fit for sections of ice, or a more forgiving fit for the long non-technical walks. Most of the difference in those fits comes down to tightness across the foot, rather than the heel, so you can use the BOA dial for any on-the-go adjustments. Since it’s above the ankle on the outside of the foot, it’s super easy to adjust throughout the day, loosening and tightening as the situation warrants. It’s a very, very handy feature.

This past August, I took the Verto FAs up the Fischer Chimneys on Mt. Shuksan. It’s an interesting route on a stunning mountain. Beyond just being visually striking, I love the route’s mix of rock, glaciers, and, when the season is right, ice. It felt to me like a fine all-around test trip for a mountaineering boot. A good boot for the route would need to walk very comfortably, perform decently on ice, and be stable and grippy enough to scramble up rock in the low-5th neighborhood.

Being August, I opted for the white, warm-weather liners, and set off. With temperatures ranging from around 40 to 60 degrees, the white liners were the right call. They breathed well all day and had sufficient padding to stay comfortable whether I cranked down the BOA for a section of ice or scrambling, or loosened up the fit for another long walk. Even by the time I took them off to start my long hike out, they were still comfortable in every measurable way.

Their climbing ability was particularly striking. Their all-around snug fit and ability to really cinch down while remaining comfortable made them an excellent piece of gear both while toeing around in crampons on Hells Highway and while edging my way up the summit pyramid. For the rock portions, the Vibram soles supplied more than enough grip. They were great. What really stood out to me on the rock though was the low profile toe of the boot. They felt precise in a way that most mountaineering boots don’t leave room for, so to speak. The reduced bulkiness as compared to the Torre Eigers is noticeable and easy to appreciate.

So, what’s wrong with them? Well, not much. They’re a pretty killer boot, in my eyes. That said, the zipper could be more waterproof. It’s plenty burly and its pull is easy to grab, but there are better designs for waterproof zippers out there – designs where the solution is not just to waterproof the fabric of the zipper, but to give the teeth a tighter lock which prevents water from getting through. I’ve had water penetrate with these types of zippers before, and while it’s something that a bit of bees wax can help with, it’s nice to not have to do that kind of thing.

Especially on a $830 piece of kit. These boots are high quality, but they aren’t cheap. That said, neither are the comparable alternatives. With the La Sportiva G-Techs sitting at $850 and Scarpa Phantom Techs sitting at $1,000, the $830 price tag on the Verto FAs, stunning though it is, is par for the course. I suppose there’s a world in which this could be construed as a deal or a pro. That said, I tend to think that mountaineering boots are just a bit too expensive in general. But then, I suppose we are a niche group of weirdos and there’s not enough demand to support economies of scale, so perhaps fair’s fair. $830 it is.

For that price though, you get a very solid double-boot which actually lives up to the “4-season boot” name. Most 4-season boots are really just 1-3 season boots, favoring the colder ones, according to my hot feet. These are among the few that are real year-rounders. You also get solid performance and weight numbers that fall into the same ballpark as G-Techs and Phantom Techs. In my eyes, they’re contenders in any category you might choose.

Fit: I typically wear a US Mens 11 for running shoes, hiking boots, and mountaineering boots. That’s what I tested here, and I felt their sizing was spot on. For me, I had no exceptionally tight or loose spots. Like a glove.

Buy Now: Available at The North Face