UKC

Hi,

I'm hoping to do Tower Ridge on Ben Nevis and was wondering what footwear people would advise. Climbing shoes, Approach shoes (E.g Scarpa Crux, La Sportiva xplorer,), or scrambling boots (Zamberland Monster etc). What recommendations do people have?

Cheers

Gavin

In reply to gavinpeach: definately no need for rock boots. Personally I'd take the scrambling boots. When I did it I wore fairly stiff walking boots but it wouldn't have been my choice of foot wear that would have prevented me getting up the ridge. Its quite a long walk in and out on fairly rough ground (but no longer boggy since the newish path has been created) which is worth bearing in mind.

In reply to CurlyStevo: Yeah, I have stiff walking boots which I'll probably end up using. I tried on a few pairs of scrambling boots but was wondering if I could truly justify spending such a huge outlay, when I already own decent boots. I was just curious what other people are using for that type of route.

In reply to gavinpeach:
if you already have stiff walking boots you are happy scrambling in take those no need to shell out more money on scrambling boots IMO. Its not a particularly technical climb, the only move vageuly warenting diff is the down climb in to tower gap and even then I've done harder moves on grade 3 scrambles. I think the rest of it is more like a grade 2 scramble.

In reply to gavinpeach:

I did it in a pair of scrapa zg65s, softish fabric boots. And at the time wasn't particularly confident on the rock.

In reply to gavinpeach: Cheers, I'll stick with the boots then. I have Altberg Tethera's which always seem sturdy enough. I'll but them to the test on tower ridge.

In reply to gavinpeach:

i've done it in soft summer boots (battered asolo fugitives), sportiva trango s evos (b1 boots) and mammut redburn goretex approach shoes.

the mammuts were the most suitable of the three for me...

In reply to gavinpeach: I don't think it massively matters I did it in the rain in white gym trainers and it was totally fine. You don't really need technical rubber or anything because there are lots of wee ledges and things...

In reply to gavinpeach: anything will do, i used b2's because thats what i had