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takeit4granite
Dec 2, 2002, 4:10 PM
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Registered: May 31, 2002
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I recently watched the Banff Film Festival movies on Mixed climbing and was checking out the funky integrated crampon / boots the climbers were using.
A buddy of mine took a belt sander to his boots to remove the tread and bolted the front section of an old crampon to the boot. He then modified a hockey skate blade and bolted it to the heel to make a huge heel spur he can actually hang from!!
Has anyone else out there played the modification game with ice footwear?
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jughead
Dec 2, 2002, 4:33 PM
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why make your own climbing gear? (harnesses, nuts, cams, boots, etc.) its unsafe cheap and pointless I read somewhere on this site about someone who made his harness out of rope EH!? he said it worked pretty well, a harness is only working when you fall if you can think what it would be like falling with bit bit of rope wrapped around you (broken back springs to mind) he has obviously never fallen with it. climbing with what youve got is part of the challenge if everyone made their own gear it would be much easyer and not much fun, thats why I see little point in "aid" climbing (using cams etc. to aid climbing) why dont you just drill a ladder in as you go up!!! it would be the same thing or better still just fly up in a helicopter!!
climbing is about you fingers and feet pulling you up the impossible not jamming something in the rock thats meant to hold a fall and pulling yourself up that!!!
I've just used this post as an example I think that bolting the crampons in SECURLY would be quite good if there better than anything you can buy. (although the ice skate attachment is a bit much!!)
[ This Message was edited by: jughead on 2002-12-02 08:36 ]
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sauron
Dec 2, 2002, 4:38 PM
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Registered: Oct 15, 2001
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Jughead,
Go troll somewhere else.
Oh, and get a clue.
- d.
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pbjosh
Dec 2, 2002, 4:41 PM
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From jughead's personal description:
Quote:
Personal description: I'm 15 I've been climbing for a year I lead sport climbs and do a lot of indoor training
Right then, until you know what you're talking about, shut the f*ck up. You're a novice climber with little experience and don't know jack about ice, so you don't have much of a quantified opinion to offer.
Back to the original topic:
Making tricked out ice boots is something I've been contemplating as well. Last winter I went to the Canmore Ice Fest and partook in the awesome mixed clinic from Will Gadd, Bruce Hendricks and Sean Isaac who were all sporting tricked out gear of various sorts and I got their inside scoop on modifying tools and boots. Here's the really slick way that they did it (although to some degree w/ help from Black Diamond) - The first trick is to start with a much lighter boot. Various choices include some new Kayland boots that are out and lightweight x-country ski boots. Strip off anything unnecessary, remove the tread and remove the insole on the inside but don't discard it. You now have a floppy little ballet-slipper thing. Now get something really stiff (carbon fiber, aluminum, fiberglass, etc) and construct a new midsole that'll go in under the insole. Drill it for the holes that'll hold the crampon bits on and countersink t-nuts to bolt the crampon bits on with so that when you put the insole back in you won't have nut heads or bolts or anything poking you in the bottom of the foot. In terms of what to put on crampon wise, they all went with the front 5 points from a mono-point crampon and an extra mono-point mounted upside down as a heel hook. In any case you get a super lightweight, super stiff but still flexible in the ankle boot that's great to climb in but you can't wear for approaches... in short, looked awesome!
josh
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takeit4granite
Dec 2, 2002, 6:57 PM
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Wow that is great input. Thanks Josh.
I know there are a few companies making these type of boots but at close to $1000 bucks I am willing to try out some of these other ideas!
Another guy told me he retro-fitted a velcro strap system off an old snowboard boot designed to prevent heel lift, in order to keep from pulling the boots off when you heel hook.
Hey Josh what type of mods have they done to their tool? Leashless and hand matching specials with two grips?
As for the comment on buying gear... how do you think most new gear inovations came about? Climbers have always modified other gear and designed their own inovative new products. It is when these products catch on and have mainstream demand that manufacturers start producing them in bulk and for a cheaper price!
[ This Message was edited by: takeit4granite on 2002-12-02 11:05 ]
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ontario_guide
Dec 3, 2002, 2:08 AM
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Dude don't listen to people putting down your ideas. You're right about innovation! I'm sure the first person that said they were going to go climb got laughed at and look at where we are today. Good luck and post a photo of the finished copy.
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