By Matt R
From Downingtown, PA
Feb 8, 2013
| I bought general boots for being outside in the snow/during the winter and they're double boots. They're Therma By Weatherproof boots. Has anyone heard of them? They look like this:
They're leather on the upper half of the outer boot and I'm not sure what the lower half is. It's a harder substance. So, could you mount some form of crampons on them without making them fruit boots? | 
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By Mike Belu
From Indianapolis, IN
Feb 8, 2013
| Petzl Vasak, not the leverlock style, just the straps. I'm sure other brands have similar styles too.
Not for ice climbing though. |
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By Matt R
From Downingtown, PA
Feb 8, 2013
| Mike Belu wrote: Petzl Vasak, not the leverlock style, just the straps. I'm sure other brands have similar styles too. Not for ice climbing though.
Why not for ice climbing? |
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By Paul-B
Feb 8, 2013
| Matt R wrote: Why not for ice climbing?
Read the link I posted.
You will need strap on style crampons, those boots will not accept hybrid or step in crampons. Also, those soles will not be nearly stiff enough to climb ice with. As soon as you stick front points and started climbing the soles would flex so much the crampons would pop off. Also, they would be horribly uncomfortable/unstable to climb in. Strap on crampons would be fine for glacier travel/moderate couloir climbs.
Also... they were $32 dollars at Kohls.... |
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By Matt R
From Downingtown, PA
Feb 8, 2013
| Paul-B wrote: Read the link I posted. You will need strap on style crampons, those boots will not accept hybrid or step in crampons. Also, those soles will not be nearly stiff enough to climb ice with. As soon as you stick front points and started climbing the soles would flex so much the crampons would pop off. Also, they would be horribly uncomfortable/unstable to climb in. Strap on crampons would be fine for glacier travel/moderate couloir climbs. Also... they were $32 dollars at Kohls....
Oh, alright. Yeah. I'll have to buy better boots then! Thanks! Problem solved.
Sorry I'm new to climbing in general and was wondering if they'd pass for ice climbing. Thanks for the explanation. |
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By NorCalNomad
From San Francisco
Feb 8, 2013
| Yup about x10 the cost better boots :P |
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By Matt R
From Downingtown, PA
Feb 9, 2013
| NorCalNomad wrote: Yup about x10 the cost better boots :P
Hahaha. Yeah. I didn't think you could climb in them, because all the climbing boots are in the hundreds of dollars range, at least the ones I've found. I've not found anything cheaper. |
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By S Denny
From Carbondale, CO
Feb 9, 2013
| and you won't |
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By Matt R
From Downingtown, PA
Feb 9, 2013
| S Denny wrote: and you won't
Yeah. Thought so. Why do the boots cost so much though? |
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By NorCalNomad
From San Francisco
Feb 9, 2013
| High tec and quality materials. Along with more complicated manufacturing. If you get used ones you can get in the $150 range. |
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By NorCalNomad
From San Francisco
Feb 9, 2013
| High tec and quality materials. Along with more complicated manufacturing. If you get used ones you can get in the $150 range. |
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By Ryan Williams
Administrator
From London (sort of)
Feb 9, 2013
| Matt R wrote: Yeah. Thought so. Why do the boots cost so much though?
Go try some on. Better yet, study up on the technology that is needed to produce a quality ice climbing boot that won't fall to pieces after a few pitches. You'll see why they are so expensive.
Not a dig at the OP, but why is it so hard for people to understand the cost behind good quality gear? The R&D alone is enough to justify the cost most of the time. |
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By Matt R
From Downingtown, PA
Feb 10, 2013
| Ryan Williams wrote: Go try some on. Better yet, study up on the technology that is needed to produce a quality ice climbing boot that won't fall to pieces after a few pitches. You'll see why they are so expensive. Not a dig at the OP, but why is it so hard for people to understand the cost behind good quality gear? The R&D alone is enough to justify the cost most of the time.
Thanks. And yeah, I understand why, I just don't understand why some companies wouldn't try to have like a budget line or something. Like, a line where it's not as good, but the materials can still withstand a lesser form of a beating, does that make sense? |
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By Danomcq
Feb 10, 2013
| Budget line = used plastics |
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By Ben Beckerich
From saint helens, oregon
Feb 10, 2013
| Danomcq wrote: Budget line = used plastics
Yep.. get some used Invernos, or save up another $100 and some patience and snag a much better pair in your size when one comes up. $150 can get you a really good pair of ice boots, if you're patient and watch close.
You just can't cut corners, in this sport. It's already advanced to the point that noobs are doing routes on their first climb that the most experienced climbers in the world didn't even dream of doing, back in the days of the fathers. "They did it in work boots and used shit they found lying around along the railroad track for pro." True... and the routes they were doing were F routes by our current standards, and they died a lot. |
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By Leo Paik
Administrator
From Westminster, Colorado
Feb 10, 2013
| One old crazy thought I've had along these lines...sometimes you can find old hockey skates at thrift shops for cheap. Remove the blades, add parts from old monopoint cramps (toe & heel) that someone might not want anymore. Cheap fruit boots? |
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By Just Solo
From Colorado Springs
Feb 12, 2013
| Sunny-D wrote: Not the best boot out there but Mad Rock has two boots that are less expensive. store.madrockclimbing.com/mountaineering.aspx On sale right now.
The mountain boot would be crap for ice. No real ankle support. The alpine might work. Love my mad rock, rock shoes. Good stuff.
Kahtoola micro spices would work on the boots above for walking on icy trails, that's about it.
When it comes to buying boots, buy what fits like a tennis shoe. Otherwise you will be miserable. Spend whatever you need to to be comfortable and warm. Otherwise your early outings will not be fun, it's tough to learn if your feet hurt, or are cold or all of the above. Research boots, pros and cons to plastic doubles and leather, there are lots of boots out there, most are really good, some totally suck. Fit is everything... |
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By Matt R
From Downingtown, PA
Feb 13, 2013
| Thanks for the replies everyone. I thought this would just die out as the thread itself is pretty stupid in hindsight. I like the recommendations and all! I'll look into it. You all are really nice and helpful. |
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By Gunkiemike
Feb 13, 2013
| If they don't fit too sloppy loose, those boots could be good for snowshoeing too. |
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