Just received my Exum Guide boots and took them out for a day on the mountain. These boots are solid they have a good shank that doesn't fold on uneven ground. The boots are even stiff enough for some moderate cramponing, just be sure to water seal the boots I used snowboard boot waterproofing wax and they sealed up great. The heel cage is great as well and gives tons of support, overall a amazing boot I would recommend to anyone who plans on spending time in the hills. you can check these boots out in action on my blog as they will be my training boots for my Denali climb in the spring http://thesnowmelt.blogspot.com/