The boot testers in action in the Mer de Glace. Photo: Dan Milner

Outdoor retailers joined climbing club members to test a new mountaineering boot in an innovative venture organised by The North Face.

Twenty people made the trip to the Mer de Glace in Chamonix to put the company’s new Verto S4K crampon-compatible boot to the test.

The group included two members from Ellis Brigham, Cotswold Outdoor, Outside in Hathersage and Nevisport, along with two each from local mountaineering clubs and two journalists in the test over three days last month.

The boot has been designed for a range of activities up to 4,000m including trekking, ice-climbing and via ferrata.

Alex Beasley, UK country manager for The North Face said: “This is the first step in an initiative to connect our retailers with the end consumer.

“The event was about receiving feedback from the end consumer, retailer and journalist, a cross section of people from the outdoor industry. The feedback we received was very positive and we feel the event was a great success.”

The company said the Verto S4K is the first lightweight mountaineering, crampon-compatible boot that it has produced and is a precursor to the Verto S6K and S8K.

“The feedback we have received will now be passed onto the product department and will help with the final developments of the aforementioned boots,” it said, adding: “Everyone commented on how lightweight, superbly comfortable and versatile the boots were. Out of 20 people only one or two had light hot spots after a full day out having worn the boots straight from the box.”