UKC

For some reason I was thinking about all the pairs of climbing shoes I've had today, so in nearly 30 years of climbing I can remember 32 pairs of shoes. 

Scarpa rock masters, boreal aces ( original ones) , lasers (2 pairs) , ninjas, stingers, those black and purple velcro hobbies that boreal made about 25 years ago, katanas, mythos, dolomite slippers ( anyone remember those?) Old pinks at least 2 pairs, old anazazi velcros 2 pairs, quantum's ( old purple ones) teams, blue and black, projects, new pinks, red chili habanero , 2 pairs, dos equis 2 pairs, voodoo, x cubes, Scarpa paranoia 2 pairs, instinct Vs, la sportiva solutions, miura laces, miura velcro. 

I probably only have about 6 pairs in total now, I did try and keep them until my better half decided the spare room wasn't supposed to smell of damp parmesan and one day they all disappeared!

Anyone else as sad as me or nothing better to do??

So how long you been at it, how many you had and how many you got left?

In reply to climber34neil:

I've been climbing about 5 years now, I've got 6 pairs, after going down the all too common route of buying a pair of Decathlon cheapies for my first pair I've gone through a couple of styles of Scarpa, which I've stuck with. I'm a serial 're-soler', so the throughput of shoes has slowed down a little now.

In reply to Removed Usergilesf:

Oh yeah resoles, I've had quite a few of mine done as well, used to get the red chili ones changed to 5 10 really soon after having them as it was far better, and more recently had my instincts and solutions resoles in 5 10 onynx I think it was, again much better than the Xs grip, anyway that's a whole new thread

In reply to climber34neil:

I still have a pair of EB's in good nick!

 

In reply to climber34neil:

I can't remember how many in total, and many were resoled numerous times, but these were the types over 58 years of climbing:-

Rubber soled Army boots - they were just being introduced to replace the old hob nailed drill boots

Stubai  Leather big boots. Had a steel shank to stop them bending and enable you to stand on tiny holds.

Plimsoles 

A green fabric forerunner to Klets (forget the name)

Klets 

PAs 

Ebs

Boreal Aces (still got a pair)

Boreal Jokers (still got a pair)

In reply to Trangia:

I need to get some plimsoles !

In reply to climber34neil:

No idea how many pairs I've used over the years but it must be well over one hundred, far too many to remember individually.  I can remember certain brands that fell in and out of favour, Asolo Canyons, my first clumpy pair of rock boots rocketing me to the dizzy heights of VS, followed by the now legendary Fire Classic, the first sticky boot that revolutionised rock climbing. Then back to Asolo for La Rage and its successor the 'Run-Out', my first 'shoe' rather than boot, which were so good that went from E2 to E5 in a single year. Then came the 5.10 years, Anasasis, Pinks, Greens, Whites, T-Rocs, Teams I used them all before making a switch to Sportiva Katanas, VCS's Solutions, Otaki's, have dabbled with Scarpa but didn't fit my odd feet and whole host of odds and sods that seemed like a good idea at the time.

A special mention must go to the Boreal Ninja, it's amazing what you can actually climb in a pair of carpet slippers

In reply to GravitySucks:

I had forgotten about asolo, I has a pair of the green run outs , the coolest shoe at the time I thought!! I thought 30 + pairs was a lot, hundreds is amazing, the Emelda Marcos of ukc!

In reply to climber34neil:

'A' pair of green Run-Outs ?  I must have had at least ten pairs, they were awesome until the inevitable happened and Asolo  'improved' the design and I never bought another pair. I'll always remember that iconic picture of Ben Moon on Agincourt in Green Run-Outs, I think they were just for show as they didn't appear to actually touch the rock

In reply to GravitySucks:

Oh yeah I remember the picture, magic boots indeed! Didn't they change the colour to a fetching cat sick orange as well?

In reply to climber34neil:

Montelliana Calanques which I was conned into believing were the same as EBs 

Hanwag Crack Specials; Ron wore them so they must've been good

Original Fires, a mate brought back a load of pairs from Spain cos they were dead cheap over there, never got on with these.

Croft B4s, slightly more technical than the much more common B3s

Hueco boots by Vertical I think

Some more pink shoes by Vertical

Original Boreal Aces

Some Sportivas, can't remember the model name

 2 pairs of Boreal Diablos

Some pink Scarpas which brought my feet out in a rash

Red Chilli Phantoms

Five Ten Newtons

2 pairs Five Ten Galileos, probably the best shoes I've ever had, would  buy more if they were still made.

Currently on my second pair of Evolv Defy velcros, 1st pair were OK but this pair seem to have stretched more. Comfy as carpet slippers but perform like them too, I guess they are fine for what I climb these days though.

 

 

 

In reply to climber34neil:

Me dad's Munari of Cornuda Italian brown leather Alpine boots, Hawkins Masters, PAs, Robert Lawries, RDs, Red PAs, EBs about 5 pairs, Asolo Canyons, Hanwag Crack Specials, Cragratz, Super Cragratz, Gollies, Flys, Boreal Ballet resoled 3 times, Five10 Lynx, La Sportiva all black jobs,  Five10 Spire 3 pairs, Red Chilli Spirit, Red Chilli Tornado, Red Chilli red ones, Five10 Newton 3 pairs, Five10 mark II Newton, La Sportiva Tarantula, La Sportiva Katana 2 pairs, La Sportiva TC Pro, Five10 Anasazi Guide, + several I can't recall the names of. In 53 years of climbing.

In reply to Martin Bennett:

They were great

They were the ones where the rand wasn't wrapped under the sole but just - briefly - glued together edge to edge? I bought a second pair though, because the performance was so good while they lasted.

In reply to AlanLittle:

There is a pair on eBay at the moment!!

In reply to AlanLittle:

Sportiva "tao's"?

In reply to climber34neil:

Red chilli tornados, half trainer half climbing shoe. had 2 pairs, both resoled at some time till they fell apart. best shoes i’ve ever had

In reply to climber34neil:

what about fruit boots........do they count? ;0P

In reply to patsaunders:

Of course, how could I forget,, they are my favourite boots ever, asolo comp xt , with sequins, glitter and go faster stripes

In reply to AlanLittle:

Yeah Lynx was a favourite even tho they turned yer feet blue!

Someone else got the name of the blac Sportives - Tao. A bit painful mine were. I gave 'em to a bloke at work.

One I forgot was the black with yellow stitching original Boreal Diablo. Good but lasted no time at all.

In reply to james1978:

Thay's the one. Thanks.

In reply to climber34neil:

Oh.... do new shoes make you a better climber?  I'd better throw away my old EBs and get something new.

In reply to Rigid Raider:

Evidently not!!!!!

In reply to climber34neil:Can't believe with that list you didn't try vectors, far better than lasers. If only I could buy them now. To answer your question currently have seven pairs..... must have had 30 since I don't do resoles. First I bought were PAs ( or RDs  can't remember but they were red). Last pair I bought were Anasazi greens.

 

In reply to David Bennett:

Yeah vectors, never had a pair, ? Best shoe for slate ?

In reply to GravitySucks:

Didn't the  asolo run out come before la rage. My best leads were in run outs - bought very tight and stretched then to fit perfectly.