Old Plastic Boots – a thought for all you old timers out there!

Posted on January 4, 2015 by heavywhalley.MBE
Plastic boots

Plastic boots

EQUIPMENT WARNING – OLD PLASTIC BOOTS
Andy Sallabank, Mountain Instructor, was working with a couple of students in the Cairngorms when the old plastic boots of one of his students literally cracked and fell apart This not the first time I’ve heard of this happening. If you have any doubts about the age or quality of your plastic boots, Andy advises they are put in the freezer overnight and then hit with a hammer the next morning! It’s got to be better than them cracking and falling apart on the back doorstep than half way up the Ben.

Scottish Mountaineering Heritage Collection

Scottish Mountaineering Heritage Collection

From the Scottish Mountaineering Heritage website http://www.smhc.co.uk/

About heavywhalley.MBE

Mountain Rescue Specialist. Environmentalist. Spent 37 years with RAF Mountain Rescue and 3 years with a civilian Team . Still an active Mountaineer when body slows, loves the wild places.
This entry was posted in Ice climbing Canada, mountain safety, Mountaineering, Views Mountaineering. Bookmark the permalink.

13 Responses to Old Plastic Boots – a thought for all you old timers out there!

  1. Terry says:
    January 4, 2015 at 11:48 am

    Yes, I had that problem several years when one boot fell apart while descending the Mer de Glacé. Followed shortly after the other one. Both went in the bin at Montenvers.

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  2. Ian Rideout says:
    January 4, 2015 at 12:22 pm

    I had, (indeed still have) a pair of Koflach Viva Soft boots which I just loved and although no longer serviceable I cannot part with them. After 10 years of regular wear in North Wales the Austrian Alps and here in Scotland, they eventually split whilst on rescue, the plastic had become brittle over time. They saw me through some great trans-alpine expeditions and many epics days across all seasons. Brilliant for travelling from hut to hut in the Alps as you could leave the outer shells in the outside porch area and continue to wear the inner boot around the huts. Such a joy after years of the thick reverse leather alpine boots which had to be left in the porch and just froze solid. There was a traditional way of defrosting these old boots which probably never did the stitching much good!!?

    Good advice from Andy if anyone still uses old plastic boots.

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  3. Dick Dorling says:
    January 4, 2015 at 7:08 pm

    Yes, I was lining up for a lift ticket on Cypress Bowl above Vancouver when slowly both boots started to disintigrate.
    Was checking out my left knee prior to getting a knew one 10 days later.
    That was about 10 years ago with new knee going strong still.

    Come to think of it there is plenty of plastic in there too.

    BTW Whistler apparently are offering season’s passes for 75 year olds—$124.00!!! (day tickets $100)

    Come on over.

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  4. Dick Dorling says:
    January 5, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    Hi Heavy, Good Luck with your “OP”
    Be sure and let us know if you get out to the Coast. It would be great to introduce you to our hills and good friends.
    Do you or Ray know if Dan is still with us?
    All the best for 2015

    Dick

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  5. Jimbo Rintoul says:
    January 6, 2015 at 1:51 am

    Heavy, same goes for ski or ski mountaineering boots. Good luck on the “Op”

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