Climbing boots

[Steve Bullman]

Best ones were the Stein ones without the steel toe cap, shame there wasn't a big enough market for them to be viable....great boots

[Steve Bullman]

On 20/09/2024 at 20:33, kram said:

I want to get new boots. What do you use or recommend?

I'm currently wearing a pair of Andrews and while the protection is good, nothing else is, including the fit is about a size too big, but thats all they had at the time.

 

Main annoyances are the lack of grip while climbing and the toe box is huge, often my foot wont fit in the gap between branches. Its like wearing a brick!

 

No boots really going to have great grip, too much of a compromise on wear. I once had a pair of Meindl resoled and the guy put on a softer tackier sole. The difference in grip when climbing was astonishing, but wore them down in about 3 months.

[butters]

I swear by haix timber pros and get 18 months out of them. 
 

really comfy boots on hard standing also and not a bad price compared to others. 
 

if on spikes 90% of the time I’d look at pfanner zermatts as they are a really wide boot but terrible for reductions. 

[rapalaman]

Haix protector pro here - but I don’t climb much these days leaving that to the younger fitter guys. 

[peds]

7 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

All chainsaw boots are shite to climb in unless you’re on spikes all day, and are overpriced crap where the sole falls off within a year.

 

Now, I've tec7'd the soles on a few pairs of trainers before... it's actually an upgrade... would you do it on chainsaw boots?

[Mark Bolam]

Hell yes.

 

I’d try anything to try and get my £300’s worth.

Gorilla glue, Stormsure, Araldite.

 

You’re still just waiting for that moment when the sole starts flapping again.

[Mark J]

When I was climbing I'd wear Salewa rapace GTX boots and take care to avoid cutting my feet. They're a good boot for climbing in. 

Edited September 22, 2024 by Mark J

[Mark Bolam]

I’m in Salewas most of the time Mark, apart from chunky takedowns on spikes.

 

For normal climbing they are far better.

If I was ever stupid enough to cut my own foot I would shoot myself anyway.

[manco]

2 hours ago, kram said:

@manco@pedsr

@rapalaman

What do you use?

ive had all sorts. everyone will swear by their own opinion.

the best boots ever are haix protector forest. and protector pro. and meindl woodwalker. and zamberlan. and pfanner... etc. you get the idea.

very few of us have jumped around different boots i think

pfanner zermatts are ok but expensive

haix timber were supposed to be designed specifically as a climbing boot

the original protector pro are belter, once theyrre worn in. theyre what i favour, or the new timber which ive not tried yet.

[peds]

Djaknow how you can get chainsaw chaps to put over regular trousers...

 

...and you can wear gaiters on your lower legs and boot tops to keep rain, mud, grit, and everything out...

 

Wait, wait, just hear me out here...

 

...could you wear kevlar gaiters, maybe jonky home-made ones from an old pair of chaps, I don't know... to give a little bit of protection over your nice comfortable climbing crocs, or whatever you choose to wear?

 

It'd work, right?

 

Or, yeah, just try really hard not to tickle your toes with your nose.