for Ruth and Lorene...

Springfield, Missouri ~ November 4, ..
A visit to a cemetery, the name of which I know not, to view the fall foliage. Most of the trees were way past their prime. Except for this one marvelous specimen. A beautiful day!

Orchids & Kitties

These are some photos of the orchids I bought the other day. They had been $12 and marked down to $3 because they didn't have the sence to water them and they had wilted badly. I was surprised at how well they came back. some of the blossoms were all dried up and fell of but the ones that were just kind of limp opened back up once they had some water.



















Cassie



Twinkie

Angie, Angela

The beach closest to the house is a small and rocky one that
all but disappears at high tide. But I know a spot - behind all the rocks,
in a little hollowed out nook in the side of the cliff - where I can sit on the
wet dark sand, hidden, reading. Well I
call it reading. Only half the time I am lying face down, my cheek pressed into
the open pages of the book.




Once in a while a noise prompts me to look up. Few people come here, most preferring the main beach down the road. But
now I hear the unmistakable sounds of flip-flops.




There are three of them, making their way along rocks
half-submerged in water. The man is athletic and agile, with a deep tan and
spiky brown hair. Close behind is an equally lean and tanned woman, blond ponytail
swinging as she hops from rock to rock. The couple moves with the lightness of teenagers, and only when I catch a glimpse of their faces do
I see they must be in their early 50s. They could be professional athletes. Runners
maybe.




As I contemplate this, they pause, waiting for the person some
distance behind to catch up. It is an elderly female form: soft, hunched-over
body, sagging chest, thinning hair, unsteady mincing gait. The mother or aunt of one of
them, I decide, and go back to my book.




Then I hear the blond woman’s voice and look up again. “Come
on honey,” she says - in the sort of firm but gentle tone used to encourage children. “Come on honey, give mommy your hand.”




I see now that she is a girl of around 14, though it is difficult to tell for sure. She stands awkwardly on the uneven rock, her shoulders hunched forward stiffly, hands at her sides, fingers fanned out, slack mouth
emitting a low pitched moan.




I feel a jolt to my system that I am instantly ashamed of. But it is the unexpectedness, the contrast of it. The couple'seffortless movements and theirbeautiful, youthful bodies, each stretching out a perfectly formed hand toward their child.






“Angie! Angela” says the man now, trying to get her to
look at him rather than down at the water. There is a big gap between the rock
she stands on and the next one, and she is terrified to cross. Her moans grow louder. “Angie! Angela.” The man’s tone is even, patient but not
exaggeratedly so, almost matter of fact.




When she still does not respond, both the man and woman step down into
the water and, in what has the look of a practiced maneuver, pick her up by the upper arms and swiftly move her to the next rock. She is large, and at once so limp and so stiff, it is as if they move a life-sized ragdoll. And then they go on with their trek.




Soon they are gone from my field of vision, but I continue
to think of them. Their light, graceful limbs and her heavy, awkward ones, the sun lighting up her sparse wisps of hair.




In my younger years, I could dwell on such a scene indefinitely,
crying over it without really knowing
why. But now I am better at willing myself to forget, at
removing thoughts and images from my mind, almost surgically. Eventually I go back to my book - reading it, then lying face down on it again.




It is not until three days later that I see her. A girl in
a halter dress, riding her bike along the tiny main street.Her left foot is missing a sandal.And she is coasting, round shoulders relaxed, head tilted back, short sandy hair ruffled by the breeze. She is squinting into the sun and
smiling so broadly, I cannot help but grin back reflexively.



In that moment I
recognise her. I look around for the tanned athletic couple, half
expecting them to be following on bikes or watching from the sidewalk. I don't see them. But the girl is unmistakably her. The face, the body, the hair, the
way her clothing does not sit quite right.It is all there and it is all
perfect, in the utter abandon of her posture and smile.

Braking: Not Always Your Friend

The other day I was cycling on a busy road where the city has recently installed those raised-platform intersections to make the cars slow down before crosswalks. Ahead of me, I saw a cyclist brake just as she entered the intersection - probably hoping to reduce the impact of the bump. Watching her, I somehow knew what was going to happen next and winced. And then it happened: As her wheel hit the raised platform, her bicycle flipped over, and she with it. All this occurred at a slow enough speed, so that she wasn't hurt and was soon back on the bike. But I suspect that she has no idea why the fall happened, which means that it might happen to her again.

To me, it has always seemed self-evident that it is "bad" to brake while going over bumps, and watching the cyclist's fall confirmed that. But were there actually any facts behind this belief? I got home and looked it up, stumbling upon Sheldon Brown's explanation.

Bumpy surfaces. On rough surfaces, your wheels may actually bounce up into the air. If there is a chance of this, don't use the front brake. If you apply the front brake while the wheel is airborne, it will stop, and coming down on a stopped front wheel is a Very Bad Thing.

Okay, that makes sense. It has also since been pointed out to me that braking transfers the weight of the bicycle forward, so braking on the bump drives the front wheel right into it. Makes sense as well. So, we essentially have two forces working against us when braking over a bump.

When we find ourselves hurdling towards an obstacle n the road that we cannot avoid, naturally the reflex is to slow down. But this should be done before going over the said obstacle, not during. Braking is your friend, but only when done correctly (brake before the bump, then release before going over it). I would also venture to say that most casual cyclists who use handbrakes do not differentiate between front and rear.

Of course, this is just one more reason why I love coaster brakes for cycling in the city. If you're used to braking with a coaster brake in order to slow down, you do not rely on the front brake as much and are not likely to squeeze it while going over a bump. I know that some will not agree with me on that one, but that is how I see it, and the coaster brake has been a reliable ally for me in pothole-ridden Boston Metro.

Anti-Theft Cozy

Spotted around Harvard Square, this road bike is sporting a green knitted U-lock cover!

Knitting a "cozy" for your U-Lock is a fabulous and pretty hilarious idea. But if I think about it, there might be more to it. The hand-knitted cover humanizes the owner of the bicycle. It calls attention to the deeply personal anxieties over the safety of our cherished belongings. If cruel acts are possible because the perpetrator depersonalises the victim, then perhaps this piece of knitted handywork will disrupt that process by evoking empathy.

Edited to add: After searching for "knitted U-Lock cover" on google, I've discovered this post from Bikes and the City. Bi-coastal trend?

Phend-Fisher Family Reunion Ledger - 1909 and 1910

In Oct. 1909, the families met at the home of Christian Phend in Nappanee, Ind. to re-organize.
Meeting was called to order by Wm. Phend.
A song was rendered.
Prayer by Rev. Walmer.
Talk by Wm. Phend
Talk by Grandpa Phend
Remarks by Rev. Walmer.
The following officers were elected
Pres. - Wm. Phend
Sec'y - Ivy Wehrley
Treasurer - Christian Phend
Song "God Be With You Till we Meet Again" concluded the program.
A good dinner was served to about 40 guests.
Adjourned to meet again at John Ernests, near Dunlap on June 25, 1910.The P.M. was spent in seeing the sights about Nap[panee]




The Sec[ond] reunion of the Phend - Fisher families assembled at John Ernests, near Dunlap, June 25 - 1910.
The A. M. was spent in getting acquainted and exchanging greetings.
At noon a good dinner was served, under the large trees on the lawn. Each one bringing a filled lunch basket. About 70 partook of the bounteous feast.
At 3 o'clock the following program was rendered.
Song by all
Prayer by Geo. Walters.
Solo by Mrs. Belle Miller.
Recitation by Freddie Phend.
closing Song by All.
Adjournment.
Later it was decided to meet at the home of Frank Wehrleys in Nappanee, Ind on June - 1911.The following were from a distance - Sam'l Fisher - Kan.
Mr & Mrs Delvin Phend - Iowa
Mrs. Belle Miller - Iowa
Mr and Mrs. Jno. Ringenberger - Garret
Mr and Mrs Jacob Phend and family - Mich
Mr and Mrs Henery Phend and family - Columbia [City]
Mr and Mrs. Geo. Walters
To view all articles in this series click on the "Phend-Fisher Reunion Ledger" label at the bottom of this post.

Organizing Stuff? Here's a Good Deal on Plastic Totes!

Not sure if this is just an individual store deal (Fort Wayne) or nationwide but I just got a really good deal on storage totes at Staples. They have them online at $16.49 each, however, I just purchased several of them today in-store for $7.99 each! And may purchase more when I go back to Fort Wayne on Friday. Hopefully they will still have them and at the sale price. Oddly enough, I think the "everyday" in-store price was $14.49 though I can't imagine why they would cost $2 more if purchased online.

It has slots inside, along all sides at the top, so it can hold hanging file folders. Because of the slots, the outside dimensions are a little bit bigger than the standard legal/letter cardboard "Banker's Box".

Staples Letter/Legal File Box
Snap-tight lid keeps contents secure. Space saving stackable design.
Made out of durable polypropylene. Holds both letter and legal files.
Clear with a clear lid. 10 7/8"H x 18 7/8"W x 18 1/4"D

Wordless Wednesday :: Big Sandbox

Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve
Southwest Colorado May 1979
Copyright © 1979/.. by Rebeckah R. Wiseman

Praxis Skis!

http://praxisskis.com/



One of the many fun things about writing this blog is getting to meet the great people who enjoy what I enjoy. Hard to believe from reading here and the pictures (ad nauseam) but I am not really a very social person.



So meeting folks from all over the world in weird places, be it skiing or climbing is always a thrill to me.



The blog also points me in some weird directions for gear. Which in turn I like to relate to the blogosphere.



If you haven't noticed I like bespoke clothing and boots, Randy's CCW packs made to order and gear of that quality and attention to detail. That attention to detail is what makes the best...really the BEST.



Same thing with skiing. Narrow your own focus and wants in ski gear and you run into similar minds.



Enter Keith Keith O'Meara and his company, Praxis Ski.



"Praxis Skis are “Handcrafted in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.” Our factory is located on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, where the mountains are our backyard. Our skis are constructed by inspired skiers who take pride in producing the perfect ride for a variety of individual needs and styles. By designing skis that work for you, we aim to elevate the experience of skiing by reducing fatigue and increasing the amount of time you’re on the hill."



I look at the forums and blogs as much as anyone. And the name Praxis kept/keeps coming up when you are talking skis with hard core users. Annoying at first, then enough chatterto make me look around again.












Didn't hurt that Drew Tabke won the World Freestyle Championships on "his" Praxis ski, the GPO,this year. I wasn''t the only one late to the party and now taking notice. Notes below from .



http://praxisskis.com/custom-skis/tabkes-competition-quiver-of-a-world-title-/



But seriously, I like to ski and I aint hucking *anything*. So what I am looking for may not be what Praxis is selling or what you are looking for.



Gotta love the top sheet colors though! And seemingly a model for ever use. Sound familiar?







Then the term..."TOUGH"....keeps coming up, along with "durable and incredible build quality". Come on? How long can you ignore that kind of stuff? I have a friend who destroys numerous brand name skis per season and he'd be lucky to weight in at a buck and a half soaking wet! He too now wants to get on Praxis.



"As some of you have already heard, Praxis has decided to offer incredible customization options to our entire - lineup. In our continual pursuit to progress the sport of free skiing by providing the most progressive and well-built, handcrafted skis out there, we want to offer folks a custom ski experience like no other."



*Ok, that got my attention!*



http://praxisskis.com/custom-skis/praxis-customization/



"A Guide to Praxis Customization:

*** The ski specifics shown and references to weight and flex are for the standard “stock” models. Depending on chosen custom options, specifics may change.

How to Order your Praxis Custom Skis:

Step 1: Choose your model and length. Please feel free to contact us with any question or for advice on what model is best for you.

Step 2:Decide what topsheet option you would like. We have 4 options available.

A) You can order the ski as shown on the website

B) You can pick any graphic from our graphic library at no extra cost. Choose “graphic from library” on order form and add one of the graphic options from the library to your shopping cart. If you have more than 1 pair of skis on an order simply make a note on the order form what graphic goes with what ski.

C) You can create and submit a custom graphic! Give your ski a one-of-a-kind look that you created. Click here for more info on how to create a graphic to fit your ski. This option has an additional cost of $175.

D) Top your ski with a real-wood veneer. We have 2 different types of wood veneers available; Birdseye Maple and Bubinga. This option has an additional cost of $250. Testing over the past couple years with these wood veneer tops has gone really well as they are probably the most durable topskin option we have used and in our opinion look the best. To order a wood veneer topsheet select “wood veneer” from the top sheet design drop-down menu on the order form, and make a note on the order form what type of veneer you would like.

Step 3: Choose your preferred flex. Please feel free to contact us for advice on the best flex for you. You have the option from 4 different ski flexes. See below to our number flex system in reference to the soft, medium, medium/stiff, and stiff options.

Soft = 5 – 6 Medium = 6 – 7 Medium/stiff = 7 -8 Stiff = 8 +

We recently used our flex testing machine to test the flex of some common industry skis, here’s what we found."



Yep, I am a sucker for "custom" even when I don't know exactly what I do need, I often know what I don't. Add ingood customer service. And the fact that I'm very much in tune with my Scotch heritage. Praxis allows a 50% down and 30 days to settle the bill, makes buying a custom ski even easier than lay away at your local brick and mortar store. I have two pair coming. Hard to squeeze a nickle out of me. Few companies can manage that. But those that have...actually earned it.



More to come shortly on my personal choices in customPraxis skis.

Storing Water on a City Bike

Many city bikes are made without braze-ons for bottle cages on the frame. This is probably because they don't look right with roadbike-style bottle cages, and manufacturers expect that trips on these bikes will be short anyhow.But what about those of us with longer commutes, especially in the summer heat and humidity? While clamp-on bottle cages exist that can be fitted onto the frame without braze-ons, the shape of the frame can make attaching them challenging and unsightly.






With upright handlebars, it is also not exactly convenient to reach all the way down to the down tube or seat tube for the water bottle. Most seem to prefer alternative solutions.






DIY handlebar setups are popular, and above is the Co-Habitant's somewhat eccentric solution. He modified regular water bottle cages to clamp onto the bars and can have up to two water bottles at his fingertips as he rides. For him this setup works nicely, though others might find it cluttered - particularly on bikes with not a great deal of room in the "cockpit."






A more conventional solution is to install a coffee cup holder, the likes of which several manufacturers are producing now. From what I hear, the quality of these holders varies from one brand to another, and they do not fit all water bottles. But if you get one of the good ones and it does fit your bottle of choice, they can work great.






Personally, I prefer to have as few items attached to my handlebars as possible and would rather carry water in my bag or basket. When I ride a full-sized city bike, I keep a bottle of water in my pannier and keep the pannier unzipped for easy access. When I get thirsty en route, I reach for the water when stopped at a red light, drink, then put the bottle back when done. I don't need to turn around in order to do this and kind of know where it is by feel.






On the Brompton it is easier still, because the Carradice front bag has stiff rider-facing pockets that are the exact size of a small Klean Kanteen bottle. I can reach the bottle, drink from it, and put it back in the pocket without having to stop the bike.Of all the different ways I have carried water on a city bike, I think I prefer this front pocket option most of all.Not only is the water bottle close at hand, butI then easily can take it with me once off the bike without having to carry it in my hand.



Do you feel the need to carry water when riding for transportation? Do you think city bikes should come with provisions for doing so? Please share any clever systems you've come up with as well.

Ida Joslin Dressler Lewis (1863-1937)

Before posting more letters from Ida, I thought perhaps a little background information might be helpful.

Ida Blanch Joslin, the 11th child of Lysander and Lydia Robison Joslin, was born on July 11, 1863 in Whitley County, Indiana. She was three years old when the family moved to Jefferson County, Iowa. In August 1868 they returned to Whitley County then in 1877, Lysander and Lydia moved to Barton County, Kansas taking with them their four youngest children: 17 year old Andrew; Ida, 13; Della, 10; and Elmus, age 8.

Now, a bit of a mystery develops. Among those listed in the household of Lysander in the 1880 federal census for Cheyenne township, Barton County, Kansas was a one year old son, Charles Joslin. It is not likely that Charles is actually a son of Lysander and Lydia as Lydia would have been about 54 years old when Charles was born. It is more likely that Charles was a son of their daughter Ida, who would have been about 15 years old when he was born. Charles lived with Lysander and Lydia. He is listed in the 1885 and 1895 Kansas state census records with them. There is a transcription of "Father's Bible" which lists all of the children and their dates of birth. Charles is not among those listed. We (Joslin researchers) had not had any success in locating Charles until recently.

In December I decided to check the World War I Draft Registration Cards on ancestry.com and found the record for Charley Sylvester Joslin. Dated September 12, 1918, his permanent home address was given as the National Military Home in Kansas. He was 39 years old, born March 4th 1879. But what was most interesting was the name of his nearest relative: Mrs. S. T. Lewis. The name of Ida's second husband was Sam Lewis. In the 1930 census for the National Military Home, Delaware Township, Leavenworth, Kansas (page 136) is a Charley S. Joslin, male, white, 51, single, born Kansas, parents born Indiana, no occupation, veteran of Sp [Spanish-American War].

Another researcher then found a record of burial for Charley in the Leavenworth National Cemetery, he died April 25, 1934. Next step will be to see if we can get a copy of his death record and/or obituary. I also found a military pension card for a Charley S. Joslin. The card shows he served in Co. "I" 17 Reg't U.S. Inf., Enlisted Sept. 27, 1902, Discharged Sept. 26, 1905. The dates of service don't coincide with the Spanish-American War so I'm not sure if it is worth spending $75 for a copy of his record to satisfy my curiosity to find out if this is "our" Charley.

Okay, now, back to Ida. On July 20, 1882 Ida was married to John G. Dressler at Oden, Barton County, Kansas. John was about 15 years older than Ida. In December 1883 their daughter Elnora was born, followed on February 24, 1885 by the birth of their son, Joseph. The 1900 census shows John Dressler living with his second wife. They had been married 3 years, so we know that John and Ida were divorced before 1897. Joseph was living with his father in Russell County, Kansas and Elnora was with her mother living in a boarding house on McGee Street in Kansas City, Missouri.

Ida has not been located in the 1910 census yet. But we know from the draft registration card of Charles Joslin that she was married to Sam Lewis prior to September 1918. In 1920, Sam and Ida were living on East 9th Street Kansas City, Missouri and in 1930 they were living on Wabash Street, Kansas City, Missouri.

We haven't discovered when Elnora Dressler died. She has a marker with no dates next to that of her mother and Sam Lewis in Mt. Washington Cemetery, Kansas City.

The only clue we had regarding the whereabouts of Joseph Dressler was in Ida's obituary which stated that a son, Joseph, lived in New Mexico. Once the census indexes became available online it was a relatively simple task to locate him. To make a long story short, in September .., I made contact with a grandson of Joseph Dressler. Joe had married Belva Roe about 1904 in Kansas and had three children (Arthur born 1905, Lola born 1907, and Chester born 1910) before moving to Torrance County, New Mexico sometime between 1910 and 1920. Joe didn't have any contact with his mother until after his father passed away. He did visit her several times and took care of settling her estate.

I sent the information that I had on John and Ida to Joseph's grandson along with some of the information on Lysander and Lydia. I also included some blank family group sheets, hoping he'd fill them out with the missing information, but alas, I never heard from him and having gotten off onto other things, never followed up.

Ida Joslin Dressler Lewis passed away on March 4, 1937 in Kansas City "of pneumonia which followed influenza. Mrs. Lewis and her husband were stricken with illness some weeks ago and were taken to the hospital. Mr. Lewis passed away four weeks ago. Mrs. Lewis died of shock when told of her husband's death last Friday by a friend who visited her at the hospital." She was 73 years old.

The letters from Ida being posted were written to her sister, Malissa Joslin Brubaker Bower, who passed away at the age of 88 on September 30, 1937 - just six months after Ida's death. The other two sisters mentioned in the letters were Roxie Parkison, who died March 5, 1941 aged 87 in Ottawa County, Oklahoma and Della Quillen who died February 7, 1943 in Darlington County, South Carolina, age 76.



Ida Blanch Joslin Dressler Lewis and her husband Sam Lewis



Caption on back of the photo:
back yard under the Peach Trees the building is out in the ally
an old Garage of neighbor it spoiles the Picture he is an old ___

Upside down text was written by Malissa:
Sister Ida Lewis & hubby Sam Lewis Kansas City MO

Double boots

I have probably spent more time in plastic double boots that any other style of mountain boots. Two decades to be exact. I was climbing in leather single boots before that for the most part with the occasional foray into leather doubleboots. But the older and better double leather boots were heavy. Really heavy even compared to a good single boot and a Super Gator.



So what I ended up with was a very good pair of leather single boots (Haderer) and a custom pair of Carmen/ChouinardSuper Gaters that weremodified by addingmore insulation (synthetic pile) and a zipper down the front that was backed with flaps and Velcro.



Once I got into a pair of Kolfach Ultras (shown above) I never looked back. Even if that did require a few layers of mole skin every week during the first winter season climbing andguiding in them.



So 30 years later you might ask how did those original plastic boots compare to what we have now? A recent conversation on a Internet forum made me ask the same question myself. But this time I wanted a more complete answer. Some times we get caught up in the newest, lighter, better, warmer and eventually more expensive product and loose sight at what we once had. It is called institutional memory. This blog is one way I have tried to keep our climbing history and its institutional memory alive.



Sometimes it is not better to reinvent the wheel every few years. It might actually be better to build a better tire for that wheel and take advantage of the best technology first.



If you look at the original idea behind double boots the biggest advantage is to keep your boots (inner boot at least) unfrozen and if required dry on multi day outings. You can put the inner boot in your sleeping bag and dry it out over night or at least keep it from freezing if needed.



The disadvantage of double boots is that they add volume to your feet. Volume means extra warmth everything else being equal. But as we all know nothing is ever "equal".



So if we have a huge volume boot you have warm feet. A Sorel or other double layer cold weather bootsare a good example.









Warm butseverely lackingon most technical ground.



So what is really required is a certain level of warmth but at the same time the real key is to keep the over all volume of the boot as compact as possible so it is easier to climb technical ground in.



Make sense?



Big volume for warmth.



Small and sensitive to climb technical ground in

So some where in between we should be able to come up with a double boot that is both warm and sensitive. But it isn't as easy as you might first expect.



A multitude of materials to make a boot from these days. Plastics, fabrics and the old stand by, leather. And all have advantages and disadvantages.



So first I think to have the best boot you need to look at the last. The last describeshow the boot interior is shaped. Currently we have literally bath tube shaped lasts (some plastics) and very ergonomic shaped lasts that match the foot almost perfectly (again some plastics). And boot lasts that are every where in between.



In the old days a cobbler or boot maker would have literally hundreds of hand carved lasts. Once measured and your foot matched to a specificlast the boot fit could well be phenomenal. With the ability of good leather to mold to your feet the fit just got better with use.



With a boot built to your foot the amount of insulation added to the bestdouble boots simply made the warmer. With a generic boot last the boot just got heavier than required and may or may not have gotten warmer for your foot.



The answer for that was "give them a bath tub" and let the inner boot take up the slop. That would give you a warm boot if the inner boot and bath tub last actually fit your foot. But it was also heavier than required if the last had been done correctly to fit your foot.



It is not happen stance that the best lasts on good leather double boots like a Haderer double or a plastic boot like theDynafit TLT look like your foot.





This isthe best example I can easily show you of what I am trying to convey on boot lasts. The Koflach Arctisis over size and bath tub shaped. The TLT 5 is very anatomical lasted. Even with just a ski boot sole the TLT5 is easier to climb in for feel.



I have heard a great manycomments on how cold the TLT Series of boots is compared to other down hill ski boots. I'll challenge those comments. You really need to look at the amount of insulation before you start to make comparisons for warmth.



How do youmake a boot warmer the easy way? Add volume. This is the answer from Kolfach with two different boots, both the same marked shoe size. In this case a 11.5 US.









So let me back up a bit here.



I have summited Denali a couple of times in Koflach Ultras with foam inner boots and simple nylon knee high gaiters. I have also turned aroundat 17K on Denaliin really cold temps with the same boots and had really cold feet. But the issue wasn't that I didn't have warm enough boots. I did. The reality was the temps were too cold for me to be climbing.(no one else summited that week either btw) My feet getting cold were just the first sign of that cold. That and a thermometer that bottomed out during the night at 17K.



So when it comes to double boots I think there is a distinct disconnect between what the manufactures make us and what we really need.



La Sportiva Spantiks seem to be the most common boot for winter climbing in Chamonix by a huge margin.

Some type of double boot and generally a insulated over boot seems tobe required (or at least suggested) for Denali. More likely a Olympus Mons can be used above 14K on Denali in early spring and over kill later in the season. And a Spantik won't be enough boot for Everest or K2 or winter climbing in the Himalaya. There are and should be options forvolume and sensitivity.





Current Koflach "Guardian"But actually the last gen Ultra shell, which was/is an excellent boot.



If a 30 year old Kolflach Ultra will get you to the top ofany Alaskan peak, and keep your foot warm and dry how much more warmth do you need? My answer would be none. If I need a warmer boot I can use a Spantik or a Scarpa 6000 which both have a bigger volume. The Spantik slightly larger than the 6000 by what I can tell. And just a tiny bit warmer as well form my experience. But when you start getting cold feet in either of these bootsisn't going to be a boot issue but your hydration and food intake is my guess. The Olympus Mons and its close mates made by other brands are the next and final step up for cold feet btu the boots are huge!



So what I think is missing is a totally different boot.



One with the volume or something similar to a old Koflach Ultra or better yet the newest TLT 5s.



Modern material, fabrics, plastic, leathers,open and closed cell foam all make great materials to work with. San Marco made a single boot in the '80s that had a plastic lower and a leather upper. It would be easy enough to come up with something similar now. Think of a Nepal Evo with an anatomically cut plastic lower and leather upper and a thin, easily heat formablefoam inner boot?



It is a boot that would easily replace the Spantik everywhere but Denaliand the greater ranges. But perfect in the rest of Alaska or Mt Blanc most of the year. I suspect it would bethe boot of choice for everyone from the Canadian Rockies to Chamonix if done right.Basically a boot that we all really need but that no one has even thought about making. Might be because simply no one asked until now.



These days I don't care how good the outer boot is or how good the anatomical shape of the last is. If your inner boot isn't easily heat moldable you are behind the curve.The liner needs to be air permeable as well. We can do better than a VBL. But the innercan not retain any moisture. It is possible. But itis frustrating to see all this technology out there and no one taking advantage of it. I think it is too easy for the boot designers and manufactures to get tunnel vision. instead of going back to the basicsand requirements at thedrawing board level



A short design list for the new doubleboot I want made:



Less over all volume, more akinto a high quality technical single boot.

Double boot so you can dry the inner or keep the innerfrom freezing

simple inner boot lace system for fit

Lace system for the outer shell so it is one handed and most importantly reliable (no Velcro it wears out)

Anatomical last on both inner and outer so you use what insulation you do haveto best effect

Plastics and synthetics for the lower boot for waterresistance.

Upper of fabric or leather for a close and flexible ankle fit

Split the insulation between the inner and outer boot so the fit can be optimised in the inner but the outer offers good insulation above and below the sole

Use the smallest sole lugs and stickiest rubber technical climbing soles possible.

Honey comb carbon mid sole for rigidity long term and most importantly warmth through the sole





As much as I really like the "super gater" boots they are a design dead end. All of them. Simple reason. The newest pant fabrics allow the pants to be easily used as a breathable gaiter now. Adding a gaiter, no matter the material, slows the moisture coming out of the boot and slows theevaporation. So the attached gaiter is not a help in design as you might first think,







Our climbing clothing, from boots to hats are really now more than ever a system. Attached hoods on the base layer, help us eliminate one additional layer. Mid layers with attached hoods allow us to use a lighter mid layer for warmth.



Boots and the gaiters we use are a part of that system as well. As are gloves and the gauntlets on the gloves and seals on the jacket sleeves.



Gaiters on the boots aren't required and in fact lower the performance of the boots. Remember the basics..."you must stay warm to stay dry". Adding a feature that keeps you from staying dry or thatslows the drying is a feature you don't need.





double click this one to see them all



Any of the current boot makers have all the technology to make the boot I describe and market it for $700 or less than the current price tag requires on some of the boots today.





These are the two lightest true mountaineering boots available that Iknow of.



La Sportiva Trango Evo Extreme GTX 2#3oz 992g

Scarpa Phantom Ultra new model 2#3.5oz 1006g



1000g or less in a size 45 four season mtn boot is a magic number.



Here is the list and pictures of the current double boots that I can lay my hand on easily.

And a few odd ball combinations that I have used. Check out the over all weights and the inner boot weights.



I know it is possible to build a light weight technical double boot in my size (12 US/45/5 Euro) that would come in under 1000g per boot. And be the warmest and best climbing technical boot currently available. But I am shocked no one is doing it yet.







Euro size 45.5

La Sportiva Spantik 1370g

liner 252g



La Sportiva Spantik with a Baruntse liner1290g

liner 172g









La Sportiva Baruntse 3#2.5oz / 1503g

liner 172g









Euro size 46

Scarpa Phantom 6000 newmodel 1230g

liner 234g

Scarpa Phantom 6000 Baruntse liner 1200g

liner 172g









US size 11.5

Scarpa Omega 1110

liner 140g









Scarpa Inverno 1450

liner 318g









Koflach Arctis Exp 1440

liner 462











Koflach Degre 1160

liner 184g









Koflach Ultra (1980 vintage, white) 2# 10oz or 1190g total

Kastinger foam liner 234g









29.5 Mono

Dynafit TLT 5 Performance size 45.3-29.5 mono, (no tongue)1210g

TF liner 232g



TLT 5 Mountain TF 1200g (no tongue)

TF liner 232g



All the current double boots are within ounces of each other. 1110 being the lightest..the Scarpa Omega. And the Kolfach Arctis the heaviestand likely the biggest boot by volume@ 1440g. Volume wise the Arctis compares to the Spantik. And is bigger imo than the 6000.I am still impressed by the original Ultra now called the "Guardian" by Koflach. Sadly it seems to be soldover sized with the Arctis' liner. That shell, properly sized, with an Intuition liner would still be one of the best climbing boots available and around the 1100g or less instead of the 1258g Koflach lists.



More here on the Kolflachs:



http://www.koflach.com/en/parsepage.php?tpl=tpl_index



More on Scarpa's plastic boots here:



http://www.scarpa.co.uk/Products/Mountain/high/



Bottom line here? Some really good cold weather boots available today and all of them climb well on ice. The price point of the plastic boots make them a reasonablealternative if the $700+ is a little hard to swallow on the most popular models.



I have been turned around with cold feet but I have never been turned around on technical ground because of wearing plastic boots. The temps that did stop me would still do so in a Spantik or a 6000 today. I found it easier to climb 5.10 rock in a pair of the old Ultras than I do in the bigger volume Spantiks.The reason is simple..less volume means a better climbing and easier to climb in boot. Plastic boots make sense on hard technical rock or vertical ice in cold conditions if you can get a decent fit in them. If I could get my hands on a pair of the current production Koflach Guardian's easily, I'd be climbing in them this winter instead of my 6000s or Spantiks.



That doesn't say a lot for the current state of the art in double boots imo when a 30 year old boot technologyand1/2 the retail price of the upper end "state of the art models" available is thebetter option most days out today.



I'm lucky enough to have almost any double boot available to me. But if I had to choosejust one pair of mtn boots for every condition, any seasonand mtn range...it would be a rather old school pair of whiteplastics from the current Koflach production run.





If the idea of a ultra modern, super light weight and lowvolume double boot interests you, make sure to add your own comment to this blog post. More on the idea here:



http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=475986