@@Natemitka EBs WERE the first sticky rubber. And I can assure you that they weren't in use in Yosemite in 1970. Around 1974, as I recall. The next big shoe was the Spanish Fire (fereay) followed by the American Five Ten.
I learned to climb with these in the later parts of the 1970'ies! I did the first ascent of "Andromeda" in 1981 (putting in a couple of 1/4" bolts on lead) with these, then I fell twice on the second of those bolts while on the very steep slab part that I had to cross to link up two crack systems. I rated that route Norwegian 7 (so maybe 6b or c?), the slab part became significantly easier when the first Boreal Firé turned up around 1982. I did climb in Yosemite with EBs though, did Half Dome and Quarter Domes as well as Separate Reality, it was perfectly possible to keep them on for 5-7 hours of climbing.
The Fires hit Yosemite in the late 70s, the first really sticky rubber. But EBs were sticky rubber and within a year completely replaced the RRs, RDs, PAs and Kronhoffers that were the daily fare of the Yosemite Climber. Also the lugged sole Chouinards. I still have a pair with 5.10 rubber for the front half of the sole.
@@kid5Media I did not notice (but they could of course have been there!) any Boreal shoes in 1981, when I spent a month in Yosemite, but they did turn up in Norway a year or two later. From my own experience, Fire was the first shoe where I felt that it was significantly better than anything I had tried previously, including the EBs
@@TerjeMathisen Thanks to share your Story. I´m 54 and my first climbing shoes were some Kamet 5.12 ( a copy of a Fire Boreal) that still I keep on my own . I´ve just bought a pair of new boreal fire in Vinted app for 12 Euros (10 dollars) . Cool pieces of History to keep for the future! cheers from Spain.
I used to wear those. Top roped up to 5.12 in the late 70s. They were great. They edge much better than. modern shoes. Before EBs, we used leather climbing boots that could comfortably edge on a matchhead. Then moved to Vasque Ascender, then Fire (which had the new sticky 5.10 rubber). So, older, better at edging, newer, better friction.
@@Natemitka Yes, the old climbing boots were very rigid, like wearing a pair of crampons, and you could put the edge on almost anything and stand on it, When we went to softer shoes, you could not longer edge like that, and instead we would do what we called smearing. Don't know if they still call it that. Shoes that edge well are great on slabs, but the modern shoes are better all round.
@@Natemitka yes it's not good practice to think it's ok to fall even if you're on a rope ...that's the way we were taught back in the 68/70s....yes I'm getting on but still climbing....my brother and I did a lot of soloing...big route's ebs were great at the time...but when we bought new boots that was it no holding back ....I suppose back in 1970s we were climbing hard xs...in the UK...plus up to e3/4.... by the age of 16/17.... Did a hell of a lot of cracking route's....still dream of doing bigger routes you never loose it ....I always say to my son it's not ok to fall....learn the the physical... mental etc...keep cool... regardless of problem....the gear boots are there too keep you safe....the mind is stronger ha ha ..have fun Cheers..
You gotta find a pair with original rubber to make a fair comparison. When Fires came on the scene everyone was climbing a grade harder. Wish I still had my EB's, but I did end up with a pair years later that Yabo sold me for 20 bucks.
bro, there is nothing wrong with old shoes, I love them to be honest, just downsize properly, and they will work. obviously the downside is comfort, I agree, but they work just fine on anything from my experience. I get them on ebay as well for cheap, especially if they have good amount of rubber and use them for warm up boulders, since I don't want to spend my performance shoes rubber on warm up boulders and keep them right since amma wear them minimal time.
Curious how the EBs perform in Fontainebleau style high-volume boulder circuits! They look much better suited for walking around the forest than your laspos.
@@Natemitka Yes, we wore them so tight that your toes were jammed into a solid mass in the tip of the shoe, which allowed standing on tiny holds with the tip. And always took them off as soon as possible. Maybe it was different on big walls, but we were essentially bouldering with top ropes on 30-40 foot climbs in a river gorge. Your shoes have been resoled and have a thicker (higher) toe box. The originals were quite thin, so your toes were mashed from the top as well. I had a pair resoled once, and they were more comfortable, but no longer fit in the thinnest cracks.
Sounds Ike the EBs had been resoled with new rubber otherwise the difference would be much bigger. The new rubber arrived in the UK around 1980 from Spain and made all the Asolo rock shoe stock I had unsalable within days! History! EB ss we’re designed by Pierre Allain who pioneered Font. His boots were often called PAs for this reason. All is in my book on Amazon called, Invisble on Everest, the innovators and the gear makers, by Parsons , (me ) and Rose.
I think you said the EBs had been resoled. They look like it. They climb much much better as they get worn down from use like the two other shoes in the Video.
@@Natemitka I think it starts on the lower holds in the diagonal crack and keep your feet off the left wall. I've also heard a lot of people debate about if you have to exit right at the top for full value. I normally exit left like you did but still consider it closer to v3.
You need to try the shoes available before EB's to really understand how much they changed climbing. They were must have upgrades in the 70's.
Absolutely. I was there. The first revolution in footwear.
Maybe another video?
Fond memories of EBs, but still remember my first ever pair of "sticky rubber boots".
Thats awesome. Did you climb in them back in the day?
@@Natemitka EBs WERE the first sticky rubber. And I can assure you that they weren't in use in Yosemite in 1970. Around 1974, as I recall. The next big shoe was the Spanish Fire (fereay) followed by the American Five Ten.
I learned to climb with these in the later parts of the 1970'ies! I did the first ascent of "Andromeda" in 1981 (putting in a couple of 1/4" bolts on lead) with these, then I fell twice on the second of those bolts while on the very steep slab part that I had to cross to link up two crack systems. I rated that route Norwegian 7 (so maybe 6b or c?), the slab part became significantly easier when the first Boreal Firé turned up around 1982. I did climb in Yosemite with EBs though, did Half Dome and Quarter Domes as well as Separate Reality, it was perfectly possible to keep them on for 5-7 hours of climbing.
Legend!!
The Fires hit Yosemite in the late 70s, the first really sticky rubber. But EBs were sticky rubber and within a year completely replaced the RRs, RDs, PAs and Kronhoffers that were the daily fare of the Yosemite Climber. Also the lugged sole Chouinards. I still have a pair with 5.10 rubber for the front half of the sole.
@@kid5Media I did not notice (but they could of course have been there!) any Boreal shoes in 1981, when I spent a month in Yosemite, but they did turn up in Norway a year or two later.
From my own experience, Fire was the first shoe where I felt that it was significantly better than anything I had tried previously, including the EBs
@@TerjeMathisen Thanks to share your Story. I´m 54 and my first climbing shoes were some Kamet 5.12 ( a copy of a Fire Boreal) that still I keep on my own . I´ve just bought a pair of new boreal fire in Vinted app for 12 Euros (10 dollars) . Cool pieces of History to keep for the future!
cheers from Spain.
That is awesome to hear. I love to hear how much of a difference the innovation in footwear can make back in the day!
I used to wear those. Top roped up to 5.12 in the late 70s. They were great. They edge much better than. modern shoes. Before EBs, we used leather climbing boots that could comfortably edge on a matchhead. Then moved to Vasque Ascender, then Fire (which had the new sticky 5.10 rubber). So, older, better at edging, newer, better friction.
jeez a matchhead. Sounds impressive. I suppose that robust sole is good for something!
@@Natemitka Yes, the old climbing boots were very rigid, like wearing a pair of crampons, and you could put the edge on almost anything and stand on it, When we went to softer shoes, you could not longer edge like that, and instead we would do what we called smearing. Don't know if they still call it that. Shoes that edge well are great on slabs, but the modern shoes are better all round.
Happy memories... did some great routes in those....and yes no mats as the rule was don't fall off simple!!?
Love to hear that! And yeah, I should do more bouldering mat-less!
@@Natemitka yes it's not good practice to think it's ok to fall even if you're on a rope ...that's the way we were taught back in the 68/70s....yes I'm getting on but still climbing....my brother and I did a lot of soloing...big route's ebs were great at the time...but when we bought new boots that was it no holding back ....I suppose back in 1970s we were climbing hard xs...in the UK...plus up to e3/4.... by the age of 16/17.... Did a hell of a lot of cracking route's....still dream of doing bigger routes you never loose it ....I always say to my son it's not ok to fall....learn the the physical... mental etc...keep cool... regardless of problem....the gear boots are there too keep you safe....the mind is stronger ha ha ..have fun Cheers..
I miss the days when climbing shoes were “high tops” and I wouldn’t come away from the crags with bloody, scarred ankles!
impressive quality videos, kudos man
You gotta find a pair with original rubber to make a fair comparison. When Fires came on the scene everyone was climbing a grade harder. Wish I still had my EB's, but I did end up with a pair years later that Yabo sold me for 20 bucks.
My 20 year old climbing shoes suck because the rubber aged. Rubber ages and harden after 5 years. Something to consider… great video. Thanks
bro, there is nothing wrong with old shoes, I love them to be honest, just downsize properly, and they will work. obviously the downside is comfort, I agree, but they work just fine on anything from my experience. I get them on ebay as well for cheap, especially if they have good amount of rubber and use them for warm up boulders, since I don't want to spend my performance shoes rubber on warm up boulders and keep them right since amma wear them minimal time.
Curious how the EBs perform in Fontainebleau style high-volume boulder circuits! They look much better suited for walking around the forest than your laspos.
I think this calls for a Font trip
If you sized them correctly, they were super painful, and no one would walk around in them...
@@timmeisburger3808 Didn't know that!
@@Natemitka Yes, we wore them so tight that your toes were jammed into a solid mass in the tip of the shoe, which allowed standing on tiny holds with the tip. And always took them off as soon as possible. Maybe it was different on big walls, but we were essentially bouldering with top ropes on 30-40 foot climbs in a river gorge. Your shoes have been resoled and have a thicker (higher) toe box. The originals were quite thin, so your toes were mashed from the top as well. I had a pair resoled once, and they were more comfortable, but no longer fit in the thinnest cracks.
@@timmeisburger3808 interesting! Thanks for sharing your experiences, love learning these small details.
Sounds Ike the EBs had been resoled with new rubber otherwise the difference would be much bigger. The new rubber arrived in the UK around 1980 from Spain and made all the Asolo rock shoe stock I had unsalable within days! History! EB ss we’re designed by Pierre Allain who pioneered Font. His boots were often called PAs for this reason. All is in my book on Amazon called, Invisble on Everest, the innovators and the gear makers, by Parsons , (me ) and Rose.
When we went from hard sole hiking boots to EBs they were great then
I imagine that upgrade must have felt incredible!
23k subs. Super cool
Thanks!
I think you said the EBs had been resoled. They look like it. They climb much much better as they get worn down from use like the two other shoes in the Video.
Thats really interesting. I could see that happening, as there was so much rubber on my foot it was hard to get a "feel" for the rock!
Great video. May i ask what is your regular shoe size and in what size did you get these super gratton shoes?
Thanks! I am a regular size 10.5 (EU 44) and I got the Super Gratton in size 10 (EU 44).
Missing a sexy shirtless campusing indoor boulder problem montage in these shoes though!
Haha honestly that's a good idea
Talking about real climbing/bouldering here.
Those shoes are for sure only held together by 50 years of FUNK
It's safe to say they don't even smell that bad!!
Don't want to be a hater but you totally missed the v4 part of that boulder. Fun video though.
No worries. Am I supposed to go straight up the top? Or what part did I miss?
@@Natemitka I think it starts on the lower holds in the diagonal crack and keep your feet off the left wall. I've also heard a lot of people debate about if you have to exit right at the top for full value. I normally exit left like you did but still consider it closer to v3.
@@chris93callahan Ah got it. Would love to try the scary direct top out some time but probably when I have a spotter!