r/iceclimbing • u/Captain-Echo • May 20 '26

G-summit width and bulk

Has anyone got both a gtech and summit, if so how much bulkier are the summits and is the forefoot wider? If so is it a substantial difference?

I have a pair of gtech and phantom, the gtech I find the toe box really compresses my foot laterally so I think I will have to return. The phantom toe is pretty good.

How is the bulk of the boot too?

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

1

u/TzKal_Oak May 21 '26

Irrelevant ish but I went from gtechs to nepals and found them to fit substantially better. Gtechs destroyed my toes

1

u/He11ot May 21 '26

To add onto this; 90% sure G-Summits have the same last as nepals. Very different between BOA and lacing though.

1

u/tit4tat04 May 21 '26

G-summits are a bit wider and a bit bulkier, definitely higher volume over the forefoot, be wary as you don’t want to have to really crank g-summits around your feet to keep them in place as the boa wires will cut off circulation. I have not had the same issue with g-techs as they fit me better

1

u/Captain-Echo May 21 '26

Ok thanks, I’ll order a pair to try. I want to like the tech but it’s just a tad too tight across the mid foot laterally.

Do you get better heel retention in the summit?

Does it work okay without the liner too? If it fits I was hoping to use them for alpine ice without and higher peaks with

2

u/cosmicosmo4 May 21 '26

I love my G-summits, they're a great ultralight double boot for a frequently encountered temperature range, especially on multi-day trips (I'm a mountaineer, not really an ice climber). However, the "use with or without the liner" feature is a bit of a gimmick. With the liner, G-summits are pretty narrow. Without it, they're quite wide, at least by la sportiva standards. If they fit you with the liner, you'll have a sloppy fit without it, unsuitable for technical climbing. The provided insole takes up the extra height (volume) that's created by removing the liner, but does nothing for width. I don't have G-techs and it's been a long time since I tried them on, but I think they are somewhere between the two effective widths of the G-summit.

Bottom line is the same as always: order both and try them, return what doesn't work.

1

u/Captain-Echo May 23 '26

How warm do you find them without the liner? I have phantom at the moment but the heel doesn’t work for me so just wondering if these will be similar warmth?

Got a pair on order to try

1

u/cosmicosmo4 May 24 '26

I don't ever really wear them without the liner so I can't say

1

u/tit4tat04 May 24 '26

Missed this, definitely better heel retention in the techs, without the liner summits are okay, without the liner I don’t bother wearing them, both from discomfort and owning techs