UKH

I bought a pair in 1980 from Nevissport in Glasgow, they have'nt been used much but the eyelets are starting to rust and the canvas is rotting. Am I entitled to return them and get my money back?

Back in the  early  80s I  found that I  wore out a pair of  EBs  about every 6 weeks.

You haven't  used them enough. No return or refund,  it's  your own fault.

Have you got the receipt?

If not, they may not accept that you bought them from there 😁

Sound like you got a fake pair. True EB’s each contain an original pubic hair from Pierre Alain and would have had cigarette smoke blown onto them by Edmond Bourdonneau during the manufacturer’s process thus making them immune to usual corrosion and rot.

No. You have to wear them on the 'wrong feet' for a few more years and wear the outside edges off first. It worked fine for me although my toenails all fell out.

On a properly panned in pair you can tell the colour of the wearer's socks by looking at the toes.

Socks! Socks!! Socks!!!   I could'nt get my feet in mine without trimming my nails and sanding my callouses befor hobbling to the start of the route!

No need for me. Mine were always on show red and baggy for that essential early 'Big Ron' look. Later, as styles progressed I moved on to Troll trousers. Something died for me when socks went out of fashion.

As a student I once wore EBs around the campus for a month as I didn't really have anything else and I thought they were a bit different. But after I while I realised they were too tight and sweaty for daily wear. I've still got my EBs and an old pair of PAs, which are red and black.

Did that with my first pair of Firés, toenails survived though, presumably due to the softer rubber.

Ah Feerays ..... When they arrived I could walk up walls with my hands behind my back. Or so we thought ....

I once saw a sidecar rider in a race at Cadwell wearing EBs. I wondered if they offered some sort of braking assistance.

I wonder which rock boots Robin Williams used to wear (they weren't EBs) as Mork in Mork & Mindy.

At a certain point I realized that unless you are using holds so small that they require a working knowledge of quantum mechanics then socks are fine in climbing shoes, but I also realized that it's like wearing socks with sandals...

Yes, as long as you get there by 5 PM tomorrow (read the small print)

What's wrong with that? !!

I believe Mountain Warehouse might give you a credit note for them.

I've got a perfect unused pair, white laces, edges the lot, size 8 in the loft.

Bought at Tankies (I think). They could probably re-sell them. Anyone got a phone number for 1981.

Why, nothing at all. Long socks best though

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socks_and_sandals

Skin on rubber/plastic feels claggy to me so any sort of layer preventing that interface is a boon.

Me too - the size 6s I got for my wife about a nano-second before she gave up climbing mid 80s.