UKH

Koflach plastic boot shattered when ice climbing

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 Dave 07 Jan 2016
Had a 24 year old Koflach plastic boot shatter when ice climbing yesterday - a boot passed on from my wife to daugher. Luckily, being ice cragging, this was very close to the car. I'd heard that this can happen with old plastic boots, Koflach in particular being susceptible I believe. It was cold, around -20, but still a good lesson on retiring old gear... the boot had been used in the Alps and Scotland over the last year or so, which with hindsight was risky. Though in comparison my even older Asolo Superlite's were in use at the same time and were fine. I think they are made of a different plastic, possibly Pebax.

http://www.ukhillwalking.com/images/dbpage.php?id=269564
 felt 07 Jan 2016
In reply to Dave:

Happened to mine a while ago, 15-yr-old Koflach Climas. Irreplaceable turquoise. Devastating.
 HeMa 07 Jan 2016
In reply to Dave:

Luckily the approach really isn't that bad for Angelniemi...

Which reminds me, did you have a look at Mr. Freeze? Was there any ice on it? And what about the right side of the "ice sector".

To stay on the topic. Also leather/fabric boots can break. My Trango's ripped the lacing strap and broke the leather. They were getting rather old, though.

So in short. If the approach is getting longer. Be sure that the boots are in adequate condition....
 d_b 07 Jan 2016
In reply to Dave:
This is a known problem with old Koflachs unfortunately. I thought they were all out of circulation by now.

On the plus side, modern plastics are a lot less prone to that sort of embrittlement.
Post edited at 09:57
OP Dave 07 Jan 2016
In reply to HeMa:

Freeze was still pretty dry, a small icicle on the overhanging crack. Looks like everything has just flash frozen and there is little drainage except at the main falls. The right side had climbable ice, possibly leadable for the braver than me.
In reply to Dave: You got off lightly

Happened to a mate of mine two weeks into a six week exped in the Pamirs in 1998.

We had an utterly epic and hilarius 3-4 day round trip hitch hiking across Kyrgyzstan to source a replacement pair!
In reply to Dave:

This is a fairly well known problem unfortunately. If you have old plastic boots we'd advice putting them in a freezer for a few days and then taking them out and hitting them with a hammer. If they break, well at least it's better than it happening on a route or in some remote part of the world.
 HeMa 07 Jan 2016
In reply to Dave:

Cheers...

It seems to be the trend. No snow insulating, so no free water flowing (expect on really "big" lines). Thus all thin-ice stuff has pretty much no ice at all and no flow either. And even some quite (normally) fat falls are not there. Eg. Haukkis looked like this last weekend:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAC4ILMGrv4/

And no water flowing at all.


Which reminds me, any idea of either of Muurla crags is in condition? What about Paimio or Kisko?
 BenTiffin 07 Jan 2016
In reply to Dave:
My Viva Softs disintegrated during a good old 'first snow for years in Swansea so must walk the dogs round the flat park in plastics' walk a few years ago. Hopefully my blue/purple Vegas will last longer!!! 15 years so far.
Post edited at 22:29
 Pay Attention 07 Jan 2016
In reply to BenTiffin:

I've known it happen with a pair of plastic ski boots. First one boot, then the other, within twenty minutes of each other.
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