Ripcord Adventure Gear Guide #1

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Flashback: Mountaineering Boots
The Development of High-Altitude Expedition Boots
were sealed with latex, it created a kind of inner boot, which
worked as vapour barrier. This innovation prevented the insulation
being dampened by sweaty feet, which could have adversely
affected its efficacy. Wet feet would not be a problem so long as they
were kept warm, and so the climbers’ feet were further protected
against the cold by adding a 10mm high-grade felt under sole and an
outsole of the same thickness. The outsole was made from a microcellular
resin rubber with hand-cut lugs.
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To offer additional protection against the snow, the boots supplied
with removable rubberised stockinettes. However, they weren’t
strong enough for the task. As expedition member Charles Wylie
wrote, “The thin outer covers proved too weak over this period, and
developed tears and holes through which snow entered and wet the
boot. The Swiss system of a detachable gaiter, as worn by Tenzing…
would be better”. Nevertheless, both the climbing and the highaltitude
boots were designed with a low cut, as this would make it
easier to slip your foot into a frozen boot. Even the lacing holes
were eliminated in favour of ‘D’ rings, as it would make the
tightening of laces easier with frozen fingers.
The boot tests were conducted in the Swiss Alps during December
1952. With a total weight of 1.9 kg, they were a kilo lighter than the
boots used by the Swiss on earlier expeditions. The innovative
design of the SATRA boots not only helped the mountaineers to
conquer Everest, but also saved them from getting frostbite.
Conquering K2 in Deer Fur
A year later, in 1954, the mountaineering world was a witness to yet
another incredible achievement: the ascent of K2 by an Italian team.
The summiteers, Compagnoni and Lacedelli, wore Dolomite kneelength,
high-altitude boots that were made from deer fur with
opossum liners. Equipped with Vibram soles, the boots gave them a
better grip on icy and mixed state surfaces.
Just as the history of mountaineering is full of fascinating stories, so
too is the development of the gear which aided climbers in their
pursuit of the world’s mountain summits. And the development of