In reply to gingerkate:
Back to the beginning. I started with a pair of nailed boots from Brighams in Conran Street. Wanted a pair of Scafells, lusted after them but they would have cost three months spending money from my wages nailed up with tricounis instead of two months for the ones I got. I had them for three years, re-nailed every year with clinkers round the heels. You would go out walking and see tracks of others nails, and know some people by the pattern and nail missing marks, handy if you were meeting them.
When in the RAF I went and got a hand made pair from Robert Lawries near Marble Arch, only cost about 25% more, with vibram soles, about 1958.
Sports afternoons then was a trip on the bike to Avon Gorge, 120ft of 5/8 nylon rope, two slings and krabs and issue gym shoes that were good enough to do Piton Route and Great Central Route in, along with solos of the Arete, Dawn Walk and the slabs on the RHS where Banner and others rode bikes up on ropes for fun.
In the transition from nails to vibrams, some people had the cleats cut away and nails put round the edge of the boots for climbing. The thinking was that the rubber sole would be easier on the feet for the road walking you had to do.
Klettershue, were originally felt soled and used in the dolomites pre war but we were at the end of that era, only a few pair were sold by old Ellis Brigham, then there was a pause till Bob started having rubber soled ones made. They were suede topped, had a boxed toe cap to protect delicate toes originally. When they got wet they stretched a lot, and sustained rain would have the cardboard insoles breaking up, sometimes you frigged a new one till you could replace them.
The rock and ice lads who went to Chamonix got the first PAs from Schnells, often swapping them for nylon ropes that were not available in France then. We got them eventually from Arvons in Bethesda, he imported them first I think.
Others have mentioned most of the other copies when EBs came out, some were good and some were crap, B4s were the worst we found. The black PA was excellent, but had a short life being poor quality canvas.
I still have my EBs from 1990, fires did not fit my feet after having my Achilles repaired, along with some scarpa cragrats that may get sticky rubber on sometime. My Mythos have only been worn twice due to foot problems again.