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guido
Trad climber
Santa Cruz/New Zealand/South Pacific
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Mar 20, 2013 - 11:04pm PT
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From the Archives of Antiquity. Many of us on ST worked at the Hut at one time or another. I worked there from 1958-1963. The Golden Years in Hutology, when Steck was my boss. Someday, when I have nothing else to do, I will scan the entire series.
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can't say
Social climber
Pasadena CA
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Mar 21, 2013 - 12:10pm PT
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When I was first exposed to climbing in 1971, the sexiest things going were high quality mountain boots. As I was coming from an intrepid backpacker culture this was a natural progression of technology. Regardless of what sport I indulge myself in, I always by the best sh#t on the market. So after being tempted in mountain porn mags I was convinced I needed these 5 lbs rigs. Talk about resistance training.
I saved enough on a PFC's wage until I could buy a pair of Super Guides, I was stoked to say the least. But one of their design failings was from a soft toe box and crampon straps that would inevitable crush it. So Galibier came out with the Super Pro, which was basically the Super Guide with a PVC toe cap. After many years of use the toe caps were gone. Nice boots none the less.
Another shoe that promised good things but didn't live up to RR's was the Vasque Ascender. It had a nice stiff shank;) and tried to be the next blue suede shoe but it never really matched the RRs for standing in slings. It is stiff as heck so standing on edges is about it's main forte. When I first gave them a shake down run I noticed the toe rand wore thru in about 3 pitches of aiding and jugging. The sole sucked for any kind of free climbing, so I had them resoled by the Rubber Room with C4. Unfortunately my life took me in a direction at this time where I didn't need them, so in a way they are still virgin.
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LongAgo
Trad climber
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Mar 21, 2013 - 07:08pm PT
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I used Kronhofers from 60's through 70's for all face climbing. With the help of Bruce Cooke, I learned to resole with smooth neoprene for super edging. I also added epoxy around the welt to minimize any bending, covered with rubber glue gunk. Really a mess come to think of it, and pretty poor on friction. These shoes were good in Tuolumne IF you mainly edged, but friction on glassy knobs was far from secure. Had to really keep your butt out. On Glacier Point Apron, Ks demanded even finer edging. For my crack climbing phase in Yosemite, I used EBs.
I seem to recall partner Bob Kamp liked Cortinas early on, even with no customized sole. Imagine doing hard 5.10 and 5.11 edging in vibrum soles on those shoes!
By the 80's, we finally moved on to "modern" shoes where, thankfully, edging and friction power were pretty well combined.
Tom Higgins
LongAgo
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Blakey
Trad climber
Sierra Vista
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Nov 12, 2013 - 01:37pm PT
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Bump
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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Nov 12, 2013 - 02:53pm PT
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I remember Rosholt doing Kloberdanz in Addidas, I also remember falling (sliding) right off of Moby Dick Center in RR's.
I still love Kronhoffers, you can do an alpine approach and climb with the same shoe. I had a larger pair for wearing thick wool socks when doing alpine rock routes in the cooler seasons.
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Curt
climber
Gold Canyon, AZ
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Nov 12, 2013 - 04:33pm PT
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Shounards came out after PA's and even EB's, I think. My buddy bought PA's and I bought Shoenards as our first shoes in 77 or so. Shoenards sucked at anything but mixed aid/easy free.
It's a good thing nobody ever informed Steve Wunsch of that before he freed Supercrack in the Gunks wearing them.
Curt
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Curt
climber
Gold Canyon, AZ
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Nov 12, 2013 - 04:37pm PT
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Those were made by San Marco, Rich.
Curt
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Nov 12, 2013 - 04:39pm PT
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There was a climb in Eldo I could only lead in my Shoenards. C'est La Vie edging up that crux dihedral. Ironically they were only needed for one foot and one move, and on the next move (smearing) I wished I could magically change shoes.
I'm sure better climbers have done both moves barefoot.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Nov 12, 2013 - 06:01pm PT
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Top roping on a roadcut between Long Lake and Tupper Lake on a drizzly day in the Adirondacks around 1974.
Climbing in Fabianos. Obviously I devolved since I didn't get to Josh 'till '82...
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Curt
climber
Gold Canyon, AZ
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Nov 13, 2013 - 12:36am PT
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The classic shot on Diamond Dogs. Very nice.
Curt
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fitzgeraldo
climber
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Jun 15, 2014 - 01:59am PT
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rgold asked "Yellow and Black ???"
these were from "san marco", italy. came out at the beginning of the 80'.
as i remember somehow patrick berhault was involved, wether seeing him climbing in this shoes and/or putting his name on it.
pretty comfortable but the rand didn't hold up well.
bought it in the lacedelli store in cortina.
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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Sep 30, 2014 - 08:37am PT
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rbolton
Social climber
The home for...
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Sep 30, 2014 - 12:38pm PT
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nutstory
climber
Ajaccio, Corsica, France
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storer
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Happy to see that Zillertals get mentioned. Available from Ski Hut as mentioned. The seam on the forefoot blew out almost immediately as you'd expect. Then holes would develop at the big toes which would then stick out unceremoniously. These shoes made the apron a worthy climbing destination.
Below is a picture of Jack Rankin (the guy who taught Harding to climb) from Sacramento wearing Zillertals while practicing a dynamic hip belay down on the Sacramento river bottoms, probably 1961. Of course, in those days, "the leader must not fall."
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Happy to see that Zillertals get mentioned. Available from Ski Hut as mentioned. The seam on the forefoot blew out almost immediately as you'd expect. Then holes would develop at the big toes which would then stick out unceremoniously
I reinforced the toe on mine with a scrap of fiberglass cloth and some resin. It worked pretty well.
Can't remember who came up with that idea. It wasn't original.
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jgill
Boulder climber
Colorado
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probably 1961. Of course, in those days, "the leader must not fall."
This is a joke, right?
Those shoes seem to have a rubber rand (or is it mud?), so maybe not Zillertals? I smeared epoxy glue on the toe area of mine to counteract the abrasion.
Georgia, 1954. JC Higgins work boots with attached lug rubber soles. Hemp rope. Match that, youngsters!
Zillertals early 1960s
PAs ca1959. Excellent shoes, but no sticky rubber.
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storer
Trad climber
Golden, Colorado
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Yes, moisture/mud from tramping around on the Sacramento river bottom during belay practice.
Jack had a funky car, with a 2-stroke engine, help me here, please, with make those who may know. Maybe a Panhard? He attached a washing machine agitator (the central agitating tower) to a rear drive wheel. A couple of loops around it with a Columbia white nylon rope attached to a 200 lb concrete block lifted it up into a huge cottonwood. A manila rope served as the belay line which had been given the requested slack. when it dropped smoke would emanate from the leather butt patch. Jack here has buffered his patch with his leather jacket in an attempt to lessen the heat load on his posterior. Harding joined in the fun a few times too.
As I recall the Sierra Club RCS manual from that era contained the credo "the leader must not fall". After requesting 20 feet of slack we young initiates would take that to heart.
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ß Î Ø T Ç H
Boulder climber
extraordinaire
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Shoenards sucked at anything but mixed aid/easy free. They were uncanny for standing on dime edges.
Sadly, I traded mine for some Redken bars of soap, and shampoo.
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