These boots are all i will ever buy. I,ve worn a pair every day ,nearly, since 1999. Please, don't stop producing them.

Heavy duty construction, break in not bad at all. Only bad thing is not much insole padding, don't forget the treatment for the leather.

It's the masterpiece from Italy.
non-membrane, old schooled, beautiful Full grain leather makes you satisfied whereever you go. There are few boots like this style in the market.

I have "weak" ankles, and have always used very stout backpacking boots (3lb 5oz Meindl's)(That's each boot). These Scarpa's are virtually as stout and weigh a pound less each. I normally fit a 12 which should translate to a 46. I needed a 46.5. Even then they are snug, but fit all areas very well, so the snugness provides added rigidity. Overall, an excellent boot.

I had a pair of scarpa work boots given to me almost a decade ago.. I've worn them daily for years.. I the mean time I've burned through 3 different pair of boots and numerous pairs of shoes.. but my old 2nd hand scarpas just won't die.. I'll have to pony up and buy some new ones now, but never give up my old die hards.

The M3's are some killer boots. Nothing fancy and super hi-tech, very plain, sturdy construction that can take serious abuse. As far as fit goes I got a size 13 and they feel great when you are moving around but if you are stationary for a while they begin to feel a bit narrow. Maybe they just need more time to break in. I am happy with what I got, I know these boots will last me a long time.

First time out-3 1/2 hours, medium sock, steep, hard, icey hike and they rocked! I was very confident with my footing and had a great time hauling up a winter trail. No blisters or discomfort but I can see why you may want to invest in a separate sole insert for extra cushioning. I may do that b/c these puppies will be on my feet 8 hours straight for 23 days in April but I'm sure they'll do me right. I certainly hope so. Def want to lace them up real good but I'm in a size 43 with a women's size 10-10 1/2 foot and they fit perfect. Good choice.

These replace a 7-year old pair that fit like slippers. I trust these will do the same but, stiff and beefy as they are, I'm still breaking them in. Still, they are sturdy and solidly manufactured. I'm pleased.

This is my husband's 4th pair because he loves it so much. Why 4 pairs? Not only is it great for hiking and packing, but he also uses it in his business. The boot is durable, definitely waterproof (we've gone through many streams, rivers, oceans, and in downpour) and very ankle-protective!

I personally have a pair of my own (1st pair recently rec'd as a gift) and now it's the only kind of boots I will wear. The break-in time frame was fast, it supports my feet and ankles so much so that I feel like any type of terrain can be accessed.

I had a pair of Scarpas for many years and they were great. But with worn soles and a hole in the leather of the right toe, it was time to get a new pairs. I was open minded but bought the Scarpas again as they fit my foot shape well. This time however I confidently took them on a multi-day walk with little prior acquaintance and they caused a lot of pain under my ankles despite the good fit and having put in insoles. It seems to me that the cut of the solid leather outside of the boot above the insole, is a bit too high and as a result, rubs the underside of my ankles. I compared them with my older pair and the the cut does seem marginally higher. I will just try putting in thicker insoles and this will hopefully solve the problem. If anyone has any ideas on this, I'd be happy to 'hear' from them. Thanks.

I'm a soldier stationed near the eastern border of Afghanistan. Needless to say, my daily routine includes a LOT of hiking up and down hill with a TON of weight on my back. These boots, while pricey, were perfect for the job and the local terrain. I can go from running on flat ground to jumping from one rock to another, without having to think twice about what's on my feet. I've NEVER slipped in my Scarpas, and that's saying something when we regularly cross wet, slimy boulders and climb up draws full of loose pebbles.
Prior to my Scarpas coming in the mail (believe me, it was a glorious day), I was doing most of my climbing in Danners. While they were great for just about everything, I kept clubbing my toenails on the trips back down the mountain. That problem was GONE the day I first put on the Scarpas.

Short story long: Great boots, expensive, but worth it if you plan to use them for more than an afternoon hike.

While these caused me some discomfort I know that they are just needing to be broken in. I have not had much chance to use them and thought that it would be a good idea to use them backpacking in order to break them in. I would not suggest this unless you are fine with unhappy dogs. They are one heck of a boot and I can see that they will improve in comfort when they have had the chance to break in. I would suggest an insole because there is not any cushioning. Generally I wear a size US 9 and I went with the 42.5 size and they fit good with a little wiggle room.

My husband needed a great ankle support for hiking and just walking around general use. He bought his first pair of SL M3 Backpacking Boots on his own about a year ago and just loves them! The boot was easy to break-in before we went on our backpacking/camping trip and it did its intended job for him...to support the ankle on the rough terrain!

The weekend hiking/packing trip was over 14 miles but the boots did not let us down. Toward the end of our journey, the boot was getting a bit on the heavy side, but I think that's expected when one's feet are tired by the end of a long hike.

We loved the boot so much that I bought him another pair for his birthday this year! My husband is "sold" on these boots for its durability, longevity, and successful support on the ankles.

Thanks

I just got back from a trip where I hiked 14 miles in one day - by mile 10, my feet hurt; by 12, the only reason I wasn't crying was because I didn't want to make wounded animal noises in the woods.

I bought these just before Memorial Day weekend - the salesman told me they have a 100 mile break-in, so I wasn't worried that I'd wear them in by this trip. For kicking around the barn or short dayhikes they were fine (though a bit cumbersome). For a larger backpacking trip - well, I'm still recovering. I'll sell them for the price of the Merrell's I plan to replace them with.

Pros: Solid upper, protects the ankles. Waterproof is wonderful.
Cons: Doesn't breathe. Heavy. Sole just too stiff -- like walking barefoot on hardwoods all day.

Never again!

I forked out a small fortune for a pair of these boots today. I went to buy a pair of Asolo TPS 535's, but after trying both pairs on, I can definitely say that the Scarpa SL M3's are a much better quality boot. Besides that, the Scarpa is made in Italy, the Asolo made in Romania. The fit and finish of the Scarpa is superb. I particularly like the way the lower part of the tounge is moulded from the same piece of leather that forms the rest of the boot. I cannot fault the quality I think they look great as well.

I purhcased the newer version of the M3 - the salesman showed me the old ones, and they didn't have the soft leather break around the ankles - instead, the whole boot was a single piece of leather. This make the old style boot much stiffer around the ankle than the newer style.

MIC's review is a pretty accurate description and my experience on my first use is the same. I went for a two hour walk over rough tracks just after my purchase and that was enough for one day! First impression's are that these boots are confidence inspiring - I feel like I can go pretty much anywhere accross any terrain. BUT, it's going to take a while to break these puppies in - they are very stiff. The insoles are also very hard, which confirms the feedback from MIC and eh_peaches2392680. I might need to buy some superfeet insoles to make them more comfortable.

The support around the ankle is great, but at first I didn't have the laces tight enough and my foot was moving around - I got a blister on my right heel after only one hour. After tightening the laces, it was much better. I'll probably try wearing two pairs of socks to take up any additional room in future.

The toebox is nice and roomy and it was great to have the laces strapped up tight with my foot nice and secure, but still be able to move my toes around freely.

After only two hours, the soles are showing some small signs of wear - maybe that's just the skin of the mould breaking. The soles were great over large rocks, loose pebbles, mud and scrub. I didn't encounter any sand or snow, but one place they completely failed was while I was stepping on a wet log - I slipped and fell. I lost a bit of skin on my knees and elbows, but my feet and ankles were definitely safe!

I think these boots are going to take me at least a few months to break in. They are very stiff and very solid. The upside is that I'm pretty sure they will last for many, many years.