In reply to Ed Booth:
I thought of setting up a charity for old climbing shoes, somewhere they would be loved and could experience the luxury of carpet and perhaps velour.
It distresses me to see such poor misshapen shoes, some with untreated holes, some with unstitched splits and a few that have LITERALLY had their very substance scraped away in the service of their owners 'fun'. These poor soles can find themselves lain upside down in a bin, languishing unloved as 'spares' at the bottom of over stuffed kit bags or (you may wish to stop reading at this point) given to novice teens. To see these dignified and aged, once proud, foot wear loaded (loosely!) onto a hairy teenage foot and then battered without mercy up meaningless ascents, as if no more than scruffy nikes, well it's horrific!
Don't get me wrong, I'm no extremist, I understand that, done professionally, removing a sole and replacing it with a new one can offer years more of a full and active life - but is there really ever a need for any Tom Dick or Harry to use puncture repair kits?
I see a world where old climbing shoes are loved, where odd shoes can once again find another shoe, where children bring their 'never worn out' shoes to experience the wisdom and appreciate they were blessed to be made small.
I'm sure there are others out there who would sponsor and old shoe or two, receiving regular updates of course and perhaps for the younger, fitter shoes adoption would be an option, but ONLY after the candidate has mastered 'silent feet' and agrees to return the shoes when they need to retire.
Remember they have soles!!
