Guidance Notes

Boots, Gaiters, Crampons, Rock Shoes and Insurance

BOOTS

The type of course you are doing with us in Scotland will affect your boot choice. In all cases it is important that your boots are comfortable, worn in and water resistant. For those of you coming on snow courses and mountaineering, it is important that your boots are in good condition, water proofed and keep your feet warm. Boots are basically in four categories and examples are:

B0: Unsuitable for crampons. Most walking boots are designed to flex for comfort and do not have sufficient lateral and longitudinal rigidity in their midsole. Additionally the upper is often made of soft calf leather or a combination of suede/fabric which compresses easily under crampon straps causing discomfort and cold feet.

B1: Suitable for the easiest snow and ice conditions found when hill walking, using crampons more for emergency or for crossing a short patch of snow or ice, rather than setting initially fitted for a full day's walk. They have a reasonably stiff flexing sole and the uppers provide enough ankle and foot support for traversing relatively steep slopes.

B2: A stiff flex boot with the equivalent of a three quarter or full shank midsole and a supportive upper made from high quality leather (probably over 3mm thick). These boots designed for four season mountaineering, can be used all day with crampons, whilst easy Alpine terrain and easy Scottish snow and ice climbs can also be covered.

B3: A technical boot regarded as “rigid” both in midsole and upper. Used for mountaineering and ice climbing. For technical Alpine climbing a B3 boot is most suitable, as its rigid sole will give support especially when front pointing with crampons. These tend to be heavier boots and many have a “thinsulate” liner, which makes them warmer, and are therefore suitable for Mont Blanc ascents. Many of our guides use these all the time, rather than buying and
having to travel with several different pairs of boots. A typical example is Sportiva Nepal Extreme. They come in ladies model (green colour) and a mans model (yellow colour). For pure ice climbing in cold conditions plastic boots are more waterproof and tend to be warmer and slightly clumsier to walk/climb in. So for summer most people seem to prefer the leather boots.

For cold or wet winter conditions the plastic versions are warmer and less likely to let water in. For High altitude conditions LA Sportiva Olympus Mons or equivalent makes are suitable. For summer skills and classic Alpine climbing a B2 boot is OK. They are more comfortable and lighter and sturdy enough, but if you feel that you want to go higher or climb more technical mountaineering routes then a B3 would be a better buy. For walks such as a summer a B2 boot is OK or even a top quality B1 boot (which tends to be lighter, cooler and more comfortable). But if you intend to progress to more technical climbing then a B2 or B3 boot would be a good investment.

The condition of the soles of your boots is important, a good edge on the sole of the boot helps in securing a good foot placement in the snow. The traditional Vibram pattern sole is an advantage on colder snow covered areas where extra warmth is required. A good edge on the sole also assists in rock climbing. B3 boots are ideal for C3 crampons and will also take C2 and C1 crampons. While a B1 boot will only accept a C1 crampon

Gaiters

Gaiters are incredibly important, they come in various sizes, and the basic idea is to stop small bits of debris such as snow, chips of ice, heather and small stones from falling inside your boots, they also assist in keeping out water and also cover the laces hence reducing tripping hazards. They do protect the boot somewhat and a good well - fitting gaiter can also add warmth. Non-breathable fabric types can build up perspiration. The longer gaiters are good in deep snow and where there are no trails to follow. For Alpine summer the shorter ones are more commonly used. Even when over- trousers have built in gaiter type designs it is always a good idea to wear a short gaiter, unless, you have the most modern boots which have gaiters as an integral part of the design.

Crampons

When choosing crampons it is important to get a crampon which will fit your boot. If possible take your boots to the shop and ensure they are compatible. Ideally the downward facing spikes should match the sole of your boot. The front points should protrude around 3cms from the toe of your boot. Again there have been some innovative design advances in crampons however generally a 12-point mountaineering crampon is the most versatile for mountaineering and climbing (recommend Petzl). Most of our clients soon progress beyond ten point crampons. For technical ice climbing (ice falls) a rigid crampon is useful. But they are specific to purpose and not really suitable for mountaineering. Mono points are increasing in popularity and are handy for extreme icefall climbing and very hard mixed climbing/dry tooling. Light weight and 10 point crampons are use full for ski-touring and for routes where you take crampon just in case but are really un-likely to use them. The lightweight alloy crampons do not penetrate hard ice very well as they blunt very quickly. Also the spikes and points break quite easily.

Anti-balling plates:
These rubber or plasticised plates fit on to the underside of your crampons and they are an aid to preventing snow from sticking to your crampon. The snow can build up to large ball or chunk, which prevents the spikes from penetrating the ice. This trapped ball of consolidated snow can cause sliding and tripping. It’s really annoying and potentially dangerous when this happens, so anti balling plates are a sensible and prudent purchase.

Rock shoes

These are special smooth rubber soled shoes designed for technical rock climbing outdoors and for indoor climbing walls. They are essential for technical courses and if you own a pair you should bring them along for any of our climbing courses. When purchasing a pair they should be reasonably comfortable, snug fitting with a very thin sock. The comfort factor is critical on longer rock climbs. Meaning that rock boots, which are to small can, restrict your movement and circulation, which often leads to pain and discomfort and potentially damaging foot problems. If the shoes are too big, they may roll off small footholds making the climb feel harder and may also cause heel blisters.

Insurance

Although Trekking Encounters has full comprehensive insurance covering all activities within our Winter and Summer Courses you are strongly advised to take out your own insurance which covers the activities you will be taking part in with Trekking Encounters Ltd. This should at the very least cover mountain rescue and medical costs. Having cancellation, emergency evacuation and repatriation cover is also prudent. For mountaineering activities outside the UK, (Europe, i.e. France, Switzerland Italy etc and further a field) you must have insurance cover. This cover is not usually included in normal holiday travel insurance. Full mountaineering cover is available from organisations such as:

British Mountaineering Council (BMC):
Telephone: +44(0)161 445 4747. www.thebmc.co.uk

Snowcard:
Telephone: +44(0)161445 4747 www.snowcard.co.uk

WorldNomads - travel insurance available to people in over 150 countries
http://www.worldnomads.com/

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