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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 23, 2009 - 01:25pm PT
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The "Best climbing shoe" thread got me to thinking, and then appreciating my old Super Guides. I don't know if they still make them (it's google time) but they were among the best mountain boots.
Who's with me on this?
I wish I still had them but they got lost somewhere in the moves from the US to Europe back to the US back to Europe etc etc.
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Robb
Social climber
It's like FoCo in NoCo Daddy-O!
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Jun 23, 2009 - 01:32pm PT
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I had a pair of Makalu's (sp?). They were awesome!
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rockermike
Mountain climber
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Jun 23, 2009 - 01:50pm PT
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The only time I have ever felt like a man was when I was wearing my Super-Guides. They were definitely some sh#t kicking boots. Must of weighed 7 lbs each. ha
My latest replacement (Scarpa Omegas - double plastic) weigh 4 lb 2 oz a pair. Nice for climbing but they just don't feel the same.
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TwistedCrank
climber
Ideeho-dee-do-dah-day
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Jun 23, 2009 - 01:53pm PT
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I used to jog in the Yosemite backcounty in mine.
Then I'd stop and eat some gravel for lunch and drink my urine to quench my thirst.
Man those Super Guides were it. The first sole had that "M" pattern in the middle instead of the Vibram plus.
Some real shitkickers those.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jun 23, 2009 - 01:58pm PT
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Superguides were for lightweights. Us real men wore Trappeur double boots.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 23, 2009 - 02:09pm PT
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Jeez Ghost, I had a pair of those Trappeur boots, with the little 'gaiter' top so to speak. They were very good but Super Guides were the best.
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Ain't no flatlander
climber
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Jun 23, 2009 - 02:11pm PT
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Nice until the steel shanks cracked. Just weighed mine: a pair of 10.5's weighs 5 lbs 15 oz. By comparison, a Sportiva Trango Plus is 4 lbs 3 oz. And a Lowa Cristallo is 6 lbs. 14 oz.
Yes, you can still get SG's from France.
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Ottawa Doug
Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
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Jun 23, 2009 - 02:34pm PT
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Had a pair of Super Guides in the early 80's, and a pair of Makalu's in the late 70's.
Both awesome boots.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
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Jun 23, 2009 - 02:35pm PT
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Still have my Peutereys. I preferred them to Super Guides as there was more ankle freedom for the fancy footwork I was reknowned for, lol. Still have my Makalus and my Bunny boots too.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jun 23, 2009 - 02:40pm PT
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I had a pair of those Trappeur boots, with the little 'gaiter' top so to speak. They were very good but Super Guides were the best.
Yeah, sure, if you were a girly-man whose idea of mountaineering was prancing up some peak in California.
Ha ha. Seriously though, I agree, the SG's were great boots. They didn't fit my feet, but a lot of my partners wore them and were happy.
However, when the temps dropped, none of the singles could really cut it, and double boots (like my three-hundred-pounds-per-pair Trappeurs) came into their own. The advent of plastic doubles sparked a huge revolution in winter climbing.
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JEleazarian
Trad climber
Fresno CA
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Jun 23, 2009 - 02:50pm PT
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Reilly,
I'm with you in all respects. I not only still have mine, I still use them (sometimes with the original Chouinard stiff crampons). Great mountain boots!
John
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Gene
climber
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Jun 23, 2009 - 03:56pm PT
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Puetereys - love mine. They need sole repair and weigh a ton, but have been good friends to my feet forever. Of course, it also took forever to break them in. Still love 'em. Strap on the Salewas and go.
gm
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Jun 23, 2009 - 04:22pm PT
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I had a pair of Galibier Terray boots--very similar to the super guide, but they had a fold over type of closure, where the
superguides had the different type, sort of closed on both sides. Mine were heavy duty, and eventually just wore them
out. What great boots they were.
I also had a pair of Makalu's that I learned ice climbing on
Mt Washington in. Good boots too--until I started wearing Scarpa boots, the best fit I ever had was with Galibier.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 23, 2009 - 04:29pm PT
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Tarbuster, I didn't realize that there was a similar thread.
I had a pair of Peutereys as well. Galibier made some great boots but so did Lowa, Trappeur etc.
three-hundred-pounds-per-pair Trappeurs
Jaysus, ain't that the truth. Those things weighed a ton.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Jun 23, 2009 - 04:45pm PT
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Still have both my SGs and my Trappeur single boots with that supple leather lining and the wood midsoles (more insulating than metal).
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RDB
Social climber
way out there
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Jun 23, 2009 - 05:26pm PT
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You can still buy Super Guides from Richard Pontvert in France. Prices are comparable to any quality modern mtn boot.
My old SGs, in almost new condition, size 11, weigh 2# 15.8 oz on a US postal scale. My Nepal Evos in a 45 (11.5) weigh in at 2# 10.7 oz. So not much difference really in weight. 5oz a boot...10 oz a pair.
Stiffness on the other hand...Super Guides have a very stiff ankle....which is why we lovedd them on ice and a slightly flexiable sole when you get up to my sizes. Flexible soles broke Chouinard rigids on ice. But why we loved them on rock for the close fit and lwt weight. The Nepal Evo on the other hand has a slightly more flexible ankle and a dead rigid sole and are obviously a lot warmer just by the extra volume over the SGs. Cold feet were always a possibility in SGs :)
Some really hard mixed alpine climbs even by today's standards were done in SGs and Salewa flexible crampons. Still a good combo if you look at what is being used now.
Some of the other Sportiva mountain boots like the Trango Evo will weigh in at 2# 4oz on a 45 or the Prime at 2# 3oz. All the weights are for one boot.
White Kolfachs in size 12 were 2# 10oz per boot.
Hard to place the Super Guide with the modern speciality boots these days. The Nepal Evo could easily be compared to the old Makalu/Hivernal for warmth, still stiffer in every way and almost 10oz lighter than the SG per pair. It is an improvement overall.
Love to have a boot just like the Super Guide built with modern materials but with a dead rigid sole and that same super stiff leather ankle. Nepal Evo is close but but not quite there. I might be the only one left wanting a stiffer ankle mtn boot.
All it would take is being able to sew a leather boot to a plastic mid sole.
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Jun 23, 2009 - 05:44pm PT
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My first boots were a pair of Galibier Terray's. Sort of the old school equivalent to Trangos.
Had the name of the guy that made them stitched into the label.
I went thru about eight sets of soles on those boots (mostly doing the resole jobs myself)and then turned them into home made telemark ski boots after the shank cracked and I made a replacement composite one. One final crash finally destroyed them separating the sole from the upper.
They don't make 'em like they used to.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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Jun 23, 2009 - 06:39pm PT
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I had a pair of Peutereys that are as burly as a cast iron pot. Unfortunately, they were as heavy as one too. Still sitting somewhere in the garage. I remember hiking into the Palisades with those babies and being totally baked. Definitely made for the guys with big quads and glutes, which ain't me.
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Todd Gordon
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Cal
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Jun 23, 2009 - 07:03pm PT
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I love my Super Guides;.....I felt invincible in them.....trail blazing, stomping, sh#t-kickin' post-holing, front pointing Super Guides.......I would put them on, chew on some broken glass, and then throw some raw meat on the cement porch gobble it up uncooked.......Almost everytime I wore those Super Guides,...I got laid....(Big boots......big weiner unit)...wierd that something made it FRANCE could have The Power.................
If you want a pair;...name your price, pay for shipping, and they are yours...........size 10 1/2 to 11.........
Are you man enough for the Super Guides or do you need the Lady Koflach?.....
These bad-boys have seen alot of rock/snow/ice, and are still mint...........best shoes on the planet, hands down......
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