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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Original Post - Mar 29, 2008 - 02:16pm PT
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 02:17pm PT
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What's the defining factor?
A dual purpose compromise.
Essentially a traditional climbing boot, with ankle support and enough heel and tread combination to accommodate realistic traction.
Distinct from the technical approach shoe, because it is not based on a running shoe platform, but is instead a slightly tweaked climbing boot. The choice is largely personal. The five tenny style platform proves to climb very well and does pretty much the same thing. On course, large grain rock, such as the quartz monzonite of Joshua Tree, when sized tightly, that kind of shoe will perform well easily into the 5.10 range and even 5.11 and harder. In contrast, the Klettershoe will favor edging on the rock and traction in the turf.
From a functional technical perspective, the limitation is that you lose sensitivity when you size it large enough for substantial walking comfort. The advantage is largely aesthetic: the simplicity and elegance of the minimal approach: just you and the shoes on your feet.
For me, the idea and execution of the Klettershoe runs a wide range; from a lightweight mountain boot to a sophisticated rock boot, the latter with its minor adaption of heel and tread.
A light weight tight fitting mountain boot is my choice for a long day in the mountains, approaching long distances and soloing 5.6/5.7 rubble in the high peaks where snow travel is likely.
The middle weight, traditionally stiff Klettershoe, I like for scouting boulders out in the woods where steep grassy slopes, scree and spontaneous 5. 8 highballing are on the menu.
The lightest versions, I fit pretty much like a climbing shoe, but the heel and tread makes knocking around an easy bouldering circuit less inhibited; particularly the type situated in mountainous terrain.
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bachar
Gym climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Mar 29, 2008 - 02:46pm PT
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Green Shoenards!
Damn those were nice edging machines. Henry's favorite for a while too. Breashears used to like 'em as well....
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 02:48pm PT
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Yes John!
Remember a lot of people used to resole them with green dot rubber.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 02:52pm PT
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The Trango Extreme
Ice climbing boot? Forget that. I'm not doing any rad mixed or figure fours. I like edging around on sharp high country rock while carrying a very light pack. If I'm front pointing, I use plastic boots for ankle and calf support.
These 1990s versions were handmade Italian leather. They were much more sophisticated than the green Trango's. This boot has a better rocker, more articulated toe and a moderate asymmetrical design. I put the toes to a grinder and removed the protruding crampon catch, so they edge better when pointing a toe straight in.
I put big miles on these babies and they kick steps really nicely. It takes snow seal well and an ankle gaiter completes the package.
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Mar 29, 2008 - 02:53pm PT
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Green dot on shoenards the best until that "guy" brought in those Fire thing a magigys.....I always wanted a pair of those Kaulkulator Drus, to wear with socks on snowy climbs at the leap, but never found a pair large enough. How "Dru" you like them Tarbuster?
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WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
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Mar 29, 2008 - 02:55pm PT
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I hated it when my Marwas finally died. I hiked in them and climbed 10c friction in them.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 02:56pm PT
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I will like the Dru better after I have a proper quarter sole added up front. What I like most about them is they are fairly sophisticated in terms of the last and toe box.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 03:06pm PT
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Robbins Boot
I went through three pair of these in the 90s. I would get them used at the Boulder Sports Recycler. Before I got into the Trango Extreme, this was my all-around big day mountain boot, primarily used on long ridge traverses. Eventually the steel shank always breaks and then it sounds like you're walking around on beer cans!
All three pair got new rands and soles. Look closely at the Vibramsole style above. I really liked it; the cleats were nice and flat(broad with a low profile), with a good spacing and the rubber was on the softer side as compared other Vibram products. A really nice klettersole.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 03:26pm PT
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Garmont Vetta
I've been really happy with these. The Trango Extreme affords more toe protection for kicking steps and bouncing off of rocks on the trail. The Garmont is definitely lighter weight than the Trango Extreme, lighter than the Robbins boot and quite a bit softer than both. This is a rock boot and is hardly stiff enough for a crampon; yet the new version has rapid fix heel which is a good idea. Likely, the best crampon to mate with this boot is the Grivel aluminum. The sole pattern is pretty sophisticated too, with a good patch of flat, smooth rubber under the edging/smearing zone.
In these boots I was soloing a route on Crestone Peak and I chose a direct finish; opting for a span of rock which Jerry Roach said "would be very hard indeed". I found myself doing steep 5.7 toe pointing in friction pockets, on a steep north face wearing gloves. The boot translated that footwork quite well.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 03:41pm PT
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Voyager Directissima
These boots are the cornerstone of my collection. They are essentially a Vasque copy of a Kroenhoffer. They are sleek and elemental in their design and execution. I really dig the Marwa Innsbrucker Klettersohle. The cleats are low profile and the array really works on steep turf; it's a nice compromise for a fully cleated sole that works well on rock too.
They're just too hard for a lot of walking. They are best suited to scrambling and light bouldering; but, with a better fit and a resole of smooth rubber, I could climb like Higgins!
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Raydog
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Mar 29, 2008 - 03:58pm PT
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holy cow Tar, lemme eat lunch and tighten down the bolts in my neck - this should be fun.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 04:08pm PT
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Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
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Double D
climber
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Mar 29, 2008 - 04:12pm PT
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Darn Tar-baby, why do they all look so good?
That brought back many a shoe-inspired memories!
This is the start of the “Don’t Skate Mate” pitch. Notice the shoes… (Pevetta Muir Trails?) hiking boots with wood screws holding the sole on. At the time, I had worn out my wall shoes and couldn’t afford new ones so I “borrowed” my brother’s favorite pair of hiking boots and screwed on the soles to keep them together!
Just past this point I made a top-step hook placement off of a very manky alumi-head and when I got up to it, it had nearly skated off the edge it was on so I quickly top-stepped again to a blind hook placement that was worse. The basic premise of aid climbing is to do just what the Bible says, “Test all things and hold fast to what is good.” This was the only time in my life I preceded up an aid pitch without the security of testing…hence the name, "Don't Skate Mate."
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 04:19pm PT
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Vasque Shoenard
Paydirt here.
Nobody has confirmed this for me, and scuffyb is the in-house expert on this stuff, but before this was the Shoenard I swear it was called something like the Vasque Tarantola.
People climbed a lot of hardshit in these boots. I never liked them for hard rock; too clunky. The high-profile toe box doesn't fit into cracks.
A few years back I took them out for a late fall juggernaut in Rocky Mountain National Park. This involved a lot of hiking and eventually some soloing up on Arrowhead and McHenry's; the best part was being splayed out on cool stemming edges while quietly yanking down on some nice finger locks.
I used a thin insole to provide some cushion; oddly the wear point was the black ankle patch which began to dig in by the end of the day.
The tread pattern is some of the coolest I've seen. If the rubber were a tad softer that would be a winner as far as klettersole goes. Even today that would be a cutting-edge tread pattern.
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john hansen
climber
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Mar 29, 2008 - 04:22pm PT
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Yes ,, but what do you use on your left foot?
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 04:27pm PT
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Why, on that foot I use a modern downturn slipper John, to compensate for all this board lasted stiffness!
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 04:33pm PT
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Hey Double D,
Nice post!
Now that's an extreme Klettershoe story.
I think those Muir Trails made their way up onto quite a few walls.
In a way that was the boot that got me into all of this; not so much because they climb well, which they don't, but they're really well-made and I like using them for stabbing into scree on approaches.
All these shoes look pretty good because I've acquired them within the last 10 years.
By that means which people in the collection community might call a "barn/garage find", or the "closet purge".
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 04:49pm PT
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Sportiva Mega
I've had these for about 10 years. Clearly I modified with a quarter sole. Like all of these boots, they are board lasted so they are comfortable but not super precise.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 29, 2008 - 04:49pm PT
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Sportiva Dru
This is pretty close to state-of-the-art. I never had a pair of Kaukulator's, but the Dru feels very much like the slip lasted Syncro. Check out the toe box and the way the toe doesn't lift upward; not quite down turned, but aggressive. They're also narrower than the Mega, which for me translates to performance.
What I don't like about this design is the sole: the cleats are too deep and there isn't enough of an edging/smearing platform upfront, especially on the outside edge. So I'll be adding a quarter sole of modern rubber, then they will be good to go.
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