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Ski boots for ice climbing?

Original Post
Evan B. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 0

So i usually climb ice with my brother and my friend. Me and my brother both have mountaineering boots, but my friend does not, we all have ski boots however. in a pinch can ski boots be used to climb vertical ice? or is it just a bad idea all together?

P.S. i should add that we don't get to climb like every weekend (the closest waterfall is 4.5 hours) and the majority of the climbing we do is right off the road, and we usually just top rope. it would really be an improvement from last season (trading mountain boots in a snowstorm) Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me!

Robert Buswold · · Northglenn, CO · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 80

I don't ice climb (yet), but wouldn't ski boots be too stiff? I have some Nepal EVOs that are stiff, but nowhere near as stiff as my ski boots. Another problem I could see is that ski boots are angled farther forward, seems like that could be a problem climbing. It's already hard enough to walk in them.

KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60

When I first started ice climbing, I couldn't afford ice boots, so I used a pair of ski boots with Lowe Foot Fangs. They worked great. I had to use leather hiking boots for the approach.

Scott McMahon · · Boulder, CO · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 1,425
Evan B. wrote:So i usually climb ice with my brother and my friend. Me and my brother both have mountaineering boots, but my friend does not, we all have ski boots however. in a pinch can ski boots be used to climb vertical ice? or is it just a bad idea all together? P.S. i should add that we don't get to climb like every weekend (the closest waterfall is 4.5 hours) and the majority of the climbing we do is right off the road, and we usually just top rope. it would really be an improvement from last season (trading mountain boots in a snowstorm) Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me!
See this thread.

mountainproject.com/v/ice_c…
Stephen Berwanger · · Montrose, CO · Joined Jun 2007 · Points: 290

Charlie Fowler climbed with ski boots for many years.....any questions?

Jon Cheifitz · · Superior/Lafayette, Co · Joined Jun 2008 · Points: 90

Yes if you can get the crampon to fit!

I did this when I started, as did my gf when she started as do our friends when we take them out. As long as the approach is short its good, b/c walking in those suckers sucks big time as you probably are aware. Yes they are less sensitive, but for getting someone into the sport, they are warm, stiff and work well.

Have fun.
-Jon

Graham Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 0

yes you can, you (or your friend) won't realize how crappy it is until he tries real climbing boots. A word of warning - I taught a friend to climb who only had some old hand-me-down ski boots - and they cracked over the course of the day. to such a point they were unusable. I doubt that would happen in decent/modern ski boots, but if he's got old crappy ones, I'd say it's a possibility.

Oh - you didn't specifically mention tele boots - but using tele boots REALLY sucks - as the duckbill will cover much of the frontpoints. But it still can be done, and fun can be had.

Have fun.

James Arnold · · Chattanooga · Joined Dec 2008 · Points: 55
Graham Johnson wrote:yes you can, you (or your friend) won't realize how crappy it is until he tries real climbing boots. But it still can be done, and fun can be had. Have fun.
I second this post. ++ Ski boots work fine for a rec.noob...

We were in a similar situation, friend wanted to try som ice...one of the crampons was not adjusted correctly on the ski boot, so it slipped off, skerring my friend quite thoroughly (who was on tr, of course)...so...crank them on...
Evan B. · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 0

Thanks guys, theese were just the answers i was looking for. Really looking forward to gettting on some ice now.

Woodchuck ATC · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 3,280
Kevin Friesen wrote:When I first started ice climbing, I couldn't afford ice boots, so I used a pair of ski boots with Lowe Foot Fangs. They worked great. I had to use leather hiking boots for the approach.
Ditto. Old style footfangs should fit any kind of a ski boot with ease. A bit awkward, but you sure can stand with little calf strain in those stiff things. I'm assuming downhill boots?,, not XC?
Cory Harelson · · Boise, ID · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 2,410
cheifitj wrote:As long as the approach is short its good, b/c walking in those suckers sucks big time as you probably are aware.
Funny, I haven't used my AT boots on vertical ice (although the thought has occured to me), but I have yet to find a pair of technical mountaineering boots that hike as well as my AT boots . . .
Evan S · · Denver, Co · Joined Dec 2007 · Points: 510

I've tried in my 4 buckle AT boots and it SUCKS. You have very little (or no) ankle mobility. It would certainly be acceptable as part of an approach to skiing, but you will find climbing a lot more difficult, and thus much less fun. If you have a good pair of hiking boots, just waterproof those and get some strap on crampons.

KevinCO · · Loveland, CO · Joined Mar 2006 · Points: 60
Woodchuck ATC wrote: Ditto. Old style footfangs should fit any kind of a ski boot with ease. A bit awkward, but you sure can stand with little calf strain in those stiff things. I'm assuming downhill boots?,, not XC?
Correct. Now that you mention it, I was battling calf strain, but with ski boots, no problem.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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