The Explorers are nice boots but the Gore-Tex will restrict breathability in hot weather not enhance it. The Gore-tex is there for waterproofness not breathability. If you want good breathability in hot weather you want boots without Gore-Tex (or any other waterproof membrane or lining).

Salomon Cosmic 4 ad's are a the perfect boot for going ultralite but still maintaining a solid area of ankle support.I have been using them for a little over a year and they are all I need for ...90% of the year.I will write a gear review soon.

I've just been up Helvellyn wearing a pair of the new Salomon Wings Sky GTX. They are real light- weight, and coped with Striding Edge easily, and offered good ankle support. A bit of discomfort on the descent, on my upper/outer right foot, if you know what I mean. I'd partly put that down to the fact that I was wearing very lightly padded socks- it was real hot! Twisting your foot on narrow descending paths puts a lot of strain on that area, and of course lightweight anything involves compromise. All in all, they were very comfortable and I truly recommend them. With regards to ankle pain etc, could it be lacing pain? I mean that traditional lacing put a lot of tension on the top eyelet area of the foot. Using the box technique of lacing really helps alleviate that source of pain. Also, I didn't pay anything like the RRP for the Salomons, so shop around.

If your ankles are "bad" you need to see a podiatrist. Most boots and shoes have footbeds, and if these are not appropriate for your feet, you'll get all sorts of problems. A good podiatrist will make a cast of your feet and make orthotic supports specifically designed for you which should put an end to your problems.

I did this a while back after achilles and shin spling problems. I have removed all footbeds from my shoes and boots and use the orthotics instead - and hey - no problems. These are quirte expensive, but less so than buying one pair of boots after another to try to find ones that help. In all likelihood none of them will. This site gives info - you should be able to find a podiatric clinic somewhere near you