UKC

Just got my winter plastics out of storage - Scarpa Omega - and discovered the plastic has cracked and degraded beyond use They have been completely dry and out of sunlight. Surely this shouldn't happen? Has anyone else had this and did they get any redress from Scarpa?

In reply to mcjennie: I had it happen with my Koflachs . Happens to most plastic boots I think

In reply to mcjennie:

Amazing as I also had an old pair of Koflachs do the same. How old are your Scarpas I wonder. My old Koflachs were about 15 years old and passed on.

In reply to mcjennie:

Take it as a hint that it's time to join the modern world.

In reply to wbo:

Hello,

Happened to my Dad's Koflachs as well. Plastic just degrades eventually. Get G5's

Col.

In reply to Col Kingshott:
Surely Omegas are much much more modern than 80s Koflachs? I'm surprised.
My early 90s Asolos are still fine.

In reply to Siward:



It may be a bit of a lottery but some Koflachs failed, but that might be because they were one of the most popular early plastic boots, not heard about other brands until this post.

This problem first came to light in the mid 90's IIRC.
The BMC did a video /factsheet on how to test them.
Leave them in the freezer overnight then hit the toe with a hammer! Brutal but representative of actual use.

The Omega's came out sometime after the Alpha's which were introduced in about 2000, I guess.
Shame if Scarpa had not learned from the earlier problems with other brands.

In reply to Rick Graham:


My recollection is that the problem was specific to certain models of Koflach; it depended on the type of plastic which was used to make the boot. The plastic used in the softer boots was prone to the problem - so, for example the 'Viva Soft's were affected, but not the 'Ultra's. (Yes - this all sounds like ancient history as I type it now ...)

I've seen pair of boots disintegrate for real on a glacier approach after a cold bivvy - fortunately before we were committed to the actual route.

As you say: the pragmatic test is to hit the boots with a hammer after a night in the freezer.

In reply to Siward:

The asolos were made of pebax which didn't suffer from this problem.

James