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What no EB's? Iconic Footwear

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 Tyler 11 Dec 2003
Here is the definitive list of the boots to have through the ages, in order of influnce rather than chronological. (Is anyone else as sad as me?)


1) Hanwag Crack Specials - An attempt to mix climbing and fashion (never a good idea). Despite a studded heal and pictures of Ron wearing them they never really caught on.

2) Asolo Runout (green ones) - Ben on Agincourt, Dunne on The Groove these were the boots everyone wanted.

3) Boreal Fire's - Where it all started, gave Jerry the Edge over Ron on Masters Wall.

4) Scarpa Rock Masters - Best worn with Nike socks for full effect.

5) Sportiva Mega - You were nobody in 'Beris without a pair of these in the late 80's

6) 5.10 Verticals - The boots that launched On the Edge (and my first pair of "sticky" boots)
Yorkspud 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:

Hawkins Rockhoppers - soles like polished glass

Surprise Bestards? - Weird winkle picker boots almost a long way ahead of their time but you couldn't get your toes to the end.
Craig_M 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:

The only pair on that list that I've ever had were the Scarpa Rock Masters.

What about Sportiva Kendos? They were the dog's in the early 90's
OP Tyler 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Yorkspud:

Did you actually ever wear a pair of Batards? Never saw a pair in 'real life'!

Rockhoppers might go in the ones that got away list which at the moment consists of:

1) Croft B4 - Awful, just terrible

2) Reebok Transcenders - Even sponsoring the British team didn't help these.

3) One Sport Resin Rose - They looked very comfy but were too expensive and too crap.

4) Clog somethng or others - Looked like EBs when everyone was trying to get away from that dreary old look.

5) Clima Lynx - On the first ascent of many of the best routes in Wales in the 80's, sank without trace.
OP Tyler 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Craig_M:

I think I made a mistake with Rock Masters, are they the purple and geen ones, if so I meant the red and blue ones as worn by Andy Pollit, Gary Gibson and Martin Atkinson.
 Doug 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:
"3) Boreal Fire's - Where it all started, "

Well there were a few models prior to those

Any list of classics should also have
EBs (THE shoe for the 70's)
Asolo Canyons
Anonymous 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:

What about Klets, PA's and RD's? 1960's vintage.
Craig_M 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:

Yep, the Rock Masters were the green and purple ones. Can't remember what the red and blue ones were called though and it's going to bug me now, damn you.
OP Tyler 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Doug:

Disagree about EBs right to inclusion, they just always existed and there wasn't much choice. The others in the list were aspirational, I wanted those like youngsters these days want the latest Nike trainers.
 John Alcock 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Craig_M:
Everyone is so young.

1. Tricouni nails
2. Espadrils
3. Woolworths black daps
4. 1st vibrams
5. PAs
6. Original EBs
7. Rockhoppers?

The first pair I had were the daps. There were like a lace-up version of ninjas but with non-sticky crepe soles which shredded as you climbed. They had to be worn incredibly tight to be of any use.
 lummox 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:

Where are Kamet Joshua Trees in this list eh ? My first pair of rockboots, garish, day-glo laces- looked like summat that Van Halen would`ve worn on stage. Absolutely dreadful, aesthetically. A lass at the Leed Wall was wearing them this week- made me all nostalgic.. for 10 seconds.
Craig_M 11 Dec 2003
In reply to lummox:
> made me all nostalgic.. for 10 seconds.

Nostalgic or nauseous?
innes 11 Dec 2003
In reply to lummox:

Jeez - I had a pair of Kamet Joshua Trees. Awful boots. They stretched so much that they looked like clown shoes by the time I retired them.

Had at least two pairs of sportiva megas. They were the man. Word.

What about Boreal Ninjas? They had quite an impact, although maybe too cheap for shoe trainspotters.
 lummox 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Craig_M:
> (In reply to lummox)
> [...]
>
> Nostalgic or nauseous?

Well the nausea came after the effort of doing 3 routes at the wall. A climbing machine, that`s what I am..

 Carless 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Craig_M:

Red & blue were Superatz.

If the purple & green were Rock Masters, what were the Yellow & blue called?
Craig_M 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Carless:

They were the Rock Stars. I'll get my anorak on the way out.
philthy 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Craig_M: Rock stars were the Dog's Bollox in their time!

There was also a great boot by Galibier around the same time as Hanwags - can't remember the name tho.

I seem to remember an ad in the early magazines for a boot called Yellow Creeper too. Never actually saw a pair but they were dead cheap!
Andy Robinson 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:
> Rockhoppers might go in the ones that got away list which at the moment consists of:
>
> 1) Croft B4 - Awful, just terrible
>
You were lucky - I had a pair of Croft B3's - they were the poor relation in terms of fit and performance - I use them to hammer nails in these days.....


> 3) One Sport Resin Rose - They looked very comfy but were too expensive and too crap.
>
Do you remember a shite Jim Perrin article about climbing some obscure routelet on Tremadog with the Menstrual Master where he waxed lyrical about those boots?? Something about how 'they slipped into thin cracks like sea-shrimps' or some other perrinesque cobblers - Tyler, you're a total geek - you must remember this article?


Haven't you forgotten about those boots that JD wore on all the slate routes - can't remember what they were called, but they were bendier than Olga Korbut.......
philthy 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Andy Robinson:
> Haven't you forgotten about those boots that JD wore on all the slate routes - can't remember what they were called, but they were bendier than Olga Korbut.......

Weren't they some Kamet things?
 Michael Ryan 11 Dec 2003
Dolomite Edlingers?
OP Tyler 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Andy Robinson:
> (In reply to Tyler)
> [...]
> You were lucky - I had a pair of Croft B3's - they were the poor relation in terms of fit and performance - I use them to hammer nails in these days.....

I wondered how you developed your wonderful footwork
>
> [...]
> Do you remember a shite Jim Perrin article about climbing some obscure routelet on Tremadog with the Menstrual Master where he waxed lyrical about those boots?? Something about how 'they slipped into thin cracks like sea-shrimps' or some other perrinesque cobblers - Tyler, you're a total geek - you must remember this article?
>
I do remember JP going on about them he also did a review in the same edition of High. He also took a photo for the adevert, a pair of the boots on a window ledge with a cat! The picture of John Dunne on the Well Dunne finish would have made a much better advert.
>
> Haven't you forgotten about those boots that JD wore on all the slate routes - can't remember what they were called, but they were bendier than Olga Korbut.......

Of course I haven't forgotten! I mentioned the Calma Lynx which is probably the one you're thinking of.
OP Tyler 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA:

Quite funky but never saw them for sale here, did you have a pair? Sadly I remeber you wore the harlequin ones at the time you were tearing up Yorkshire Limestone!
 Ken McCulloch 11 Dec 2003
In reply to John Alcock:
> (In reply to Craig_M)
> Everyone is so young.
>
Aren't they just? What about Hawkins' Masters? So crap I used to leave them at home and climb in big boots. The front wore out remarkably fast too I recall.
 sutty 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Ken McCulloch:

Hawkins Masters were poor, but some people found them ok. foot shape must have suited. Croft shoes were all awful.
Those Galimier were the muts nuts for long limestone routes such as in the Dolomites, a mate still has a pair and can do 5b in them at 70.

EBs have gone through different phases as they have been taken over and different methods of manufacture got them from excellent to shit and back again, then Fires arrived and they almost died.
Chantelle Lover 11 Dec 2003
In reply to sutty: I'll add my bit:

Bestards? Yes they did exist and I had a couple of pairs. They had a metal plate at the front for incredible edging power - didn't do a lot on those critical smears though! Got mine from Stu Wilson's shed up in the Eden Valley.

Scarpa - The Rock Stars were great. I've still got a pair of Rock Masters as they are a perfect fit for a particular boulder problem at Widdop. The other advantage is that you feel no pain! The purple ones were the Cragratz and the Red/Blue ones were the Superatz, which were OK - seemed to work OK at Brownsones.

Boreal Ninja - The slipper to have at one point. Atrocious fit but felt cool to wear! Incidentally, I did have a prototype pair of sportiva slippers that just had a sole about 1mm thick, no rand. Gave a new meaning to the word sensitivity. Remember that advert for Boreal Flyers - how funny was that?

Scarpa Tao - What a great shoe! Black and did the business but not necessarily iconic.

The EB - had to buy them tight. Nothing else around at the time apart from things like Canyons and some other boot that wore out in about 5 mins.

Sportiva Mega - never had a pair myself but was all the range everywhere it seemed.

What were those things everyone wanted to wear at the time for grit? Linces or something.

Ah....nostalgia....
Li'l Zé 11 Dec 2003
In reply to lummox:
> > Where are Kamet Joshua Trees in this list eh ?

I still wear mine down the wall. Though the funny inner stiffeners broke years ago.
They replaced my first pair of boots, also by Kamet - 5.12's I think.
A mate bought a pair of Bestards cheap from a shop in Ilkley. Don't recall ever seeing him wear them on a route though.
Norrie Muir 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Ken McCulloch:

Dear Ken

I too had a pair of Hawkin's Masters. I started off with a pair of Woolworth's sannies, and when climbing in Glencoe a climber gave my friend and myself his old Masters.

They had holes at the toes and we had to share them between us, the leader wore them and when he got to the belay they were passed down the single rope for the second to use.

My current EB's are better.

Norrie
 Michael Ryan 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:
> (In reply to Mick - Rockfax USA)
>
> Sadly I remeber you wore the harlequin ones at the time you were tearing up Yorkshire Limestone!

Sadly I was. How embarrassing.

M

Andy Robinson 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Tyler:
>
> I wondered how you developed your wonderful footwork
> [...]

Ha! That was from wearing Megas when they first came out - boy could you edge in those! Interestingly (?!) I also cut out a pair of stiffeners from an old washing up bowl for my first pair of Ninjas, which kind of defeated the point somewhat......


> Of course I haven't forgotten! I mentioned the Calma Lynx which is probably the one you're thinking of.


Wasn't it a Lince or something like that, and they came in a floppy and a stiff version??
 Ken McCulloch 11 Dec 2003
In reply to Norrie Muir:
Dear Norrie
I once met you at The Slabs, you were with a Guy whose name was Stevie I think? This would have been about 1975 or so , certainly no later than 79. I don't remember what shoes you were wearing. I do remember you were climbing something much more difficult than me.

I have a pair of these modern sticky rubber shoes which I bought when I started climbing a wee bit again recently after many years away from the game. Sadly I am still pretty rubbish at climbing. They are almost like cheating and I think I could probably climb the scoop on Hammer at lot more easily than with PAs. I tried it on 3 occasions about 25 years ago and only succeded twice.

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