question: climbing/all-round footware
Jon Alexander
as well as lightweight hiking boots, and some
running shoes (e.g. NIKE 'Escape'), to be used
for climbing and scrambling/walking.
Anybody have any hints on favourite or recommended
footware? (Up 'til now, I've used running shoes
with a polyurethane-type outsole, slightly curved
up at the front.)
--
Jon 'Big J' Alexander, U. of Toronto Comp. Serv.
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA
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Eli Liang
I use Boreal Fires. These shoes were the best available for a while and
very popular among climbers. They claimed took the title away from the
EB's a couple years ago. Recently, a number of new climbing boots have
made their way to the market, many of whom are just as good, if not better
than the Fire. One draw back among climbing boots is that they aren't very
good for very much else. One manufacture of tennis shoes has come out with
a combination climbing shoe and all purpose sneaker. I forgot who it is.
Basically, you are looking at an investment of anywhere from $40 to $100
when looking for a shoe. Climbing magazines often have reviews of the
various shoes on the market.
-eli
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Eli Liang ---
University of Maryland Computer Vision Lab, (301) 454-4526
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Lowell Skoog
For the Cascades, the best all-round footwear is a pair of medium weight
climbing boots with vibram soles, 1/2 or 3/4 shank, and surdy all-leather
uppers. These will work on trail, snow, moderate rock, and moderate ice.
On some trips, however, true all-round versatility is not adequate, or
not necessary, so many people use more specialized gear.
There are two cases where all-round boots are not adequate. The first is
winter or ski mountaineering, or hard ice climbing. Here heavier, full-
shank mountain boots are needed. At the other end of the spectrum,
difficult rock climbing may require klettershue like EB's or Fires.
There are also cases where all-round boots are not necessary. For light
mountaineering with little snow or ice, light hiking boots are sufficient.
For trails or easy cross country, tennis shoes are best. Either of these
may be used as an approach shoe, depending on the nature of the approach.
Because they are light and soft, you can cram them in a pack when you
change to climbing footwear. The goal in using these is to wear the
lightest, most comfortable shoes you can get away with.
If this seems like a lot of shoes to own, it is. You have to determine
your needs and outfit yourself accordingly. I must admit that I own all
of the gear mentioned above, but I'm a wimp.
"Real men climb in R-R's" :-)
Lowell Skoog, Seattle
Stu Mcgraw
for a year and a half now but am considering getting a pair
of Sportivas. Has anyone had any experience with them? In
particular, is their performance any better than Fires (enough
to justify the $90 price tag)? Do they last any longer than
Fires (I've been going thru almost two pairs of shoes per
season)?
-- stu mcgraw
--
Stuart McGraw
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