Merrell’s Thermo Rogue 4 Mid GTX winter boots are insulated with 200g Primaloft Gold insulation and have all of the options that veteran winter hikers search for in a cold-weather mountaineering boot. They’re suitable with snowshoes and most winter traction aids from microspikes as much as full crampons, they’ve a well-protected toe field, entrance gaiter ring, a heel ridge to safe a snowshoe heel strap, a gusseted tongue, and a shallow arch for gaiter compatibility. Merrell has been making high quality 200g winter mountaineering boots for years, and that have shines by way of on this pair of trainers.
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- Sort: Mid-height
- Gender: males’s (girls’s additionally out there)
- Insulation: 200g Primaloft Gold Eco Sequence artificial insulation, 300g Aerogel inserts in toe field and sole
- Waterproof: Gore-tex
- Materials: Ballistic mesh and TPU uppers
- Rock plate: Sure
- Match: True to dimension
- Outsole: Vibram Arctic Grip All Terrain
- Weight: 2 lbs 4.4 oz / pair (males’s US 10.5)
The Merrell MTL Thermo Rogue 4 Mid GTX is a really snug mid-height mountaineering boot that looks like a standard leather-based mountaineering boot however is far lighter and has a barely flared heel. The boots have a low arch that may maintain a gaiter strap and modest lugs for traction, given that you simply’ll in all probability be utilizing some traction or flotation help (microspikes, crampons, or snowshoes) with them anyway, for winter mountaineering.
Whereas they feel and appear “regular” make no mistake, they’re outfitted as insulated winter mountaineering boots with a Gore-tex liner, Primaloft and Aerogel insulation, a inflexible toe field, a gusseted bellow tongue, a gaiter ring, and a rear snowshoe strap ridge. With 200g insulation and 300g within the toebox, they’ll maintain your toes heat right down to about 0-10 levels (F), offering you’re energetic and never standing round. I’ve been mountaineering with them for a number of weeks now they usually’re heat as soon as your toes warmth up and reliably waterproof. And, the match is true to dimension.
Whereas they do have a flared heel, it’s nowhere as excessive because the Hoka Kaha 2 Frost GTX mids I reviewed not too long ago. The truth is, the size and width of those match with my common winter mountaineering boots, the calf-high Oboz Bridger 10″ 400g.
When evaluating insulated mountaineering footwear for winter mountaineering and snowshoeing, that you must take into account your complete winter footwear system, together with insulation, traction, and flotation. Chances are high you’ve invested a substantial sum in gaiters, microspikes, crampons, and snowshoes…or you’ll..so that you’re going to need footwear that may gracefully interoperate with these elements.
Traction Help and Snowshoe Compatibility
Traction Aids
Should you want traction on a winter hike, you’re going to be carrying and utilizing a number of of the next traction aids which might be suitable with soft-soled footwear.
How effectively does the Merrell MTL Thermo Rogue 4 play with the binding methods of those numerous traction aids?
- Hillsound Path Crampons: The pair I usually use (with Oboz Bridger 10″ boots) matches positive over the Merrell MTL Thermo Rogue 4. Equally essential, the boot’s toe field is inflexible sufficient to resist the stress exerted by the elastomer harness and doesn’t collapse.
- Hillsound Path Crampon Professional. The ratchet-style binding of those crampons works very effectively with the Merrell MTL Thermo Rogue 4’s flared heel. This may be my most popular traction gadget with these boots on heavier ice.
- Kahtoola K10 Crampon. The flared sole of the Therm Rogue 4 is suitable with the K10, however not as rock stable because the Hillsound Path Crampon Professional or the Grivels. Use additional care when strapping down the heel so it’s flush with the crampon body underneath the only real.
- Grivel G1 Crampon: The flared sole of the Therm Rogue 4 is suitable with the Grivels. The match is considerably safer than that of the K10s as a result of the again of the binding is extra pliable and taller.
Flotation
The one snowshoes I’ve available are MSR Evo Ascents with conventional 3-strap ski bindings. These are likely to work with any boot, together with mammoth mountaineering boots, they usually work notably effectively with the Merrells, which have a rear showshoe ridge to lure a snowshoe strap and stop it from slipping off. That stated, I don’t anticipate any issue with snowshoe bindings from Tubbs, MSR, and Atlas snowshoes for the reason that entrance half of the Thermo Rogue 4 is a “regular” sized boot and suitable with most snowshoe bindings.
Extra really useful winter boots
Suggestion
The Merrell MLT Thermo Rogue 4 GTX Mid is a superb 200g insulated waterproof winter mountaineering boot that’s suitable with a variety of winter traction aids regardless of having a reasonably flared sole. These boots are snug and have a stable really feel despite the fact that they’re made with mesh and TPU uppers as a substitute of leather-based. Whereas they’re a pleasure to hike in, I’ve to marvel if the flared heel provides all that a lot functionally and what they’d be like with a extra conventional heel with vertical sides. Regardless, they’re nice boots for non-technical winter mountaineering in snow or within the blended situations of autumn and spring.
To summarize: the Thermo Rogue is suitable with traction gadgets suspended from an elastomer harness…microspikes or path crampons. It’s also suitable with crampons designed with use with versatile soles. Probably the most safe of those is the ratchet-sytle Hillsound Crampon Professional, then the Grivel crampon binding, and the Kahtoola K10 Crampon, which is workable however feels much less positive. Snowshoe compatibility is sweet however must be examined additional.
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