Developed in partnership with members of The North Face® alpine-climbing team, the lightweight and highly technical Summit Verto FA is a modular alpine climbing footwear system that provides four-season adaptability. The BOA® Fit System allows you to instantly adjust the fit while wearing gloves, while the two pairs of swappable DotKnit™ liners help regulate your temperature in both cold and warm environments.

 

INITIAL THOUGHTS

It feels like the Summit Verto FA came out of nowhere — no big press releases, just a potential market leader sneaking into the line-up. Unpacking the boots for the first time, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had previously owned a pair of Torre Eggers, which are brilliant technical climbing boots but not the best day-to-day option for a Scottish winter season.

Picking up the new boots, I could tell this wasn’t going to be the case. The Vertos look ready to handle everything Scotland throws at them.

PUTTING THE SUMMIT VERTO FA THROUGH THEIR PACES

I’ve used the Summit Verto FAs for nearly two months of full-time use, working and climbing in the Scottish Highlands. A few features particularly stood out to me:

Sole Unit

Chunky — in a good way! This is something I’m always happy to see when choosing a boot for winter climbing. I would always prefer this over something lighter that will wear out quickly (have you heard the stories of competitors’ boots wearing out after just 10 days of climbing on Ben Nevis?).

After two months of constant use, the soles are showing limited signs of wear. Apart from this obvious advantage, having an aggressive sole is great for cutting edges in snow on the approaches. Does this affect climbing on rock? They’re not going to feel like a B2 or the Torre Eggers, but they still perform well. I’ve climbed classics like Observatory Ridge (VD***) with no problems.

The Liners

In my opinion, the new liners are a big improvement over those in the Torre Eggers, which felt much more like a sock. These liners definitely provide the majority of the insulation for the boot.

I’ve had recurring issues with heel bunions causing blisters in almost every boot I’ve worn recently — often having to tape my heel every day to prevent them. As soon as I put these boots on, I knew this wouldn’t be the case. The thick foam padding cups your Achilles, eliminating strange pressure points while locking the heel in place and preventing heel lift during climbing.

The Outers

This is, of course, worth mentioning. I haven’t had any issues with my feet getting wet, even on the soggiest approaches. The top Velcro on the gaiter seals tightly around the calf, making it very difficult for snow to enter.

 

 

FIT

With all winter boots, it’s definitely worth trying a few pairs on. That said, the Summit Verto FA fits fairly true to size. I’m a street size 9 and ordered these in a 9, which fit well. The toe box is wide, meaning no strange pressure points, and I’ve already mentioned the secure heel fit.

There was a bit of technique required to get the Torre Eggers on; this is not the case with the new boots. The inner boot slides in easily without much effort.

FAVOURITE FEATURE

My favourite feature has to be the external BOA system. I personally like my boots loose on the walk in, then tightening them when I get to the gearing-up spot. I’ve used multiple systems before, and the external BOA is far superior to anything I’ve tried — very easy to use and never gets in the way while climbing.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The North Face has created a boot that competes easily with the biggest brands. Exceptionally comfortable and extremely durable, this boot is built for the Scottish winter.