Farewell old friends :-(

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 Doug 30 Jul 2019

I've just retired and we are in the process of moving from Paris  to the Alpes. So I've spent the last few days sorting & packing ready for removal day (hopefully Friday). And this afternoon I got to the gear stored in our cellar - a mass of tents, rucksacs, ropes, skis, etc. I could justify (at least to myself, not sure my wife is convinced) that the old skis will be useful early/late season when the snow cover isn't good but I wasn't sure about my old Koflach Ultras. I bought them in the early 1980s & I'm not sure I would ever wear them again but they have sentimental value. I also remember the stories of Koflachs falling apart & the test of putting them in the freezer & was dithering about what to do with them.

Then I got them of the shelf & discovered that the inside of the liners had crumbled to dust - difficult to justify keeping them now but feel sad at the loss

In reply to Doug:

A sad loss indeed, I remember putting koflachs through the freezer test

 Carless 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

Sad indeed, but at least they didn't crack while you were walking through a stream in Cogne in February like mine did

 subtle 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

I feel your pain!

I bought a dayglo yellow pair of trezetti's in 1990, climbed a fair few routes/hills with them, then bought a new pair of koflachs to replace them in 2003 (these I'm still using) but last year found the trezettis and thought I would try them out again - but no, the outers seemed to have gone mushy/slimy  in places and were a tad deformed etc. so I had to bin them, which was a shame.

Hmm, perhaps my koflachs could do with a replacement, but they still work, hmmm - I do think Ive had my moneys worth out of them though 

Still, in case you havent binned your you could always try that well known web based selling place, see if anyone flogging a pair of inner boots your size - amazing what you can find on there.

Good luck with the move and the retirement.

 GridNorth 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

Personally I never got on with plastic boots.  Normally my feet do not smell but Koflachs made them pungent.  I also struggled to get a good fit and felt a little envious of those who did get on with them as at one time they were most definitely the "in thing"

Al

Removed User 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

Never liked Koflachs myself but I feel your anguish.

 Pedro50 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

I could offer my Galibier Makalus at a good price. 

 jon 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

You could keep the shells and fill them with soil and plant geraniums in them. Put them on the balcony... 

Funny isn't it, when I retired we moved away from the alps. A certain balance, I feel! Enjoy your retirement.

 summo 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

They'll make good novelty plant pots. 

OP Doug 30 Jul 2019
In reply to summo & Jon

Had considered keeping them for flower pots but then I remembered I would be paying to have them transported 700 km. And I have some leather XC ski boots which will probably only last another season or so & would make nice pots for some geraniums next summer.

Back to the boxes ...

pasbury 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

My Koflachs fell apart at the end of a long day on the south Kintail Ridge. A catastrophic detachment of both soles within a hundred yards. Luckily It was close enough to the Cluanie Inn to ensure my survival.

A mate had less luck when his did the same thing on top of Beinn Mor Assynt in a February blizzard. We cobbled them together, but if he’d been on his own it could have nasty.

 TobyA 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

Congrats on retiring - enjoy a well earned next stage of life!

Dave (who is currently somewhere between west Greenland and northern Labrador!) has a picture in his gallery of his 30 year old plastic boots that fell apart when his daughter was using them ice climbing in Finland. Fortunately that icefall is across a strawberry field from where you park, so the retreat wasn't too epic! Treat yourself to some new fancy warm ones for winter alpine epics above your new home!

 Timmd 30 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

This reminds me of 'the climbing cupboard' in my childhood home being demolished, it was like a random storage room at the top of the house the size of a walk in wardrobe, full of hooks and shelves and corners to store outdoor gear in, and I'd go in for something and have the smells of the gear remind me of past trips and holidays - and invariably be sidetracked while I stood and gazed about, and then my parents wanted the landing space, and it got demolished. An adjacent reality into which I could vanish was gone for good, and the contained collection of smells and memories gone with it too.

Bah humph.

Post edited at 23:30
In reply to pasbury:

> My Koflachs fell apart at the end of a long day on the south Kintail Ridge. A catastrophic detachment of both soles within a hundred yards. Luckily It was close enough to the Cluanie Inn to ensure my survival.

> A mate had less luck when his did the same thing on top of Beinn Mor Assynt in a February blizzard. We cobbled them together, but if he’d been on his own it could have nasty.

Given the number of failures, it sounds like the manufacturer should have worked out a shelf life for these and stamped it on the boot!

 Myfyr Tomos 31 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

Same here. Load of stuff I'm reluctant to get rid of but the Koflachs have gone. Had a pair of Viva Soft (soft, my a*se) and I had to tape my shins to prevent rubbing. Forgot the tape one day in the late 80s and they almost crippled me coming off the Ben. Still got the scar as a reminder on my right leg!

In reply to Myfyr Tomos:

I had problems with winter boots rubbing my shins, damn near destroying them sometimes.  In the end, I stopped taping my shins and started tying the laces differently, which to my great surprise worked a treat.

Tie as normal until the top two hooks, then loop round the top hooks first before going back to the next hooks down, and tie off there.  Had I known that some years ago, I could have saved my shins a lot of punishment.

T.

 LeeWood 31 Jul 2019
In reply to Pursued by a bear:

You would think the mfrs would have sorted that out - I remember battling with it - prob contrinuted to the death of my winter outings   A pair of Raichle plastic boots in storage  

Removed User 31 Jul 2019
In reply to Doug:

Came across my old (25 year +) Koflach ski boots in the garage last year.  I will have a good look at them after reading this warning as my sister in law has just moved to the alps so there is a chance they may be used this coming season.   As said they would make good plant pots, I always got a good smile to to myself sliding into them as they are classic "rear entry"

 mike123 01 Aug 2019
In reply to Removed UserDoug, my first pair of salomon sx 90 s are still sat in my storage unit . I have had several pairs of boots since then each of which have been sold or past on , but each time I have a clear out at the unit I mange to find a space for them .  What about taking them to the alps with you and turning them to plant pots either side of the front door ? 

Post edited at 06:44

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