Climbing shoe prices in 2004!

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climbingnoob 25 Dec 2019

Check this out guys! I found it on my computer!

https://pasteboard.co/IMRJlFi.jpg

Crazy how expensive climbing shoes have become. I remember the good old days when I picked up my first shoes for £55! Good old five ten xrays! Look how oldskool the snow and rock website used to be too!

Btw, whatever happened to red chillis? Don't think i've seen a red chilli shoe around for a while!

1
 mik82 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

That's inflation for you! 

 wintertree 25 Dec 2019
In reply to mik82:

> That's inflation for you! 

Inflation in the mid ‘90s...

youtube.com/watch?v=KJh0pDMnL8M&

1
 Luke90 25 Dec 2019
In reply to mik82:

More than just inflation, I think. When I started climbing in the early 2000s, I don't remember there being much range in the price of shoes. No expensive advanced shoes or cheap beginner shoes. They were all about 55-70 quid (barring sales). Obviously inflation has happened as well but I think the big change is the variety of prices available now.

 mark s 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

The 5.10 boots I have were bought maybe 8 or 10 years ago. I would have paid 70 quid 

I haven't climbed a lot since but looking at new boots and it has shocked me how much 5.10 shoes are now. 

I might have to get strong so I can use cheapo shoes which have no sticky rubber. 

1
 Ian Archer 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

1986 first pair of rock boots EB's. If I remember rightly about £30. 

Wild country friends at Snow n rock were £30.

 thepodge 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

2004 Five Ten Anasazi £70

2019 Five Ten Anasazi £100 (rock + run)

£70 in 2004 is £106 in 2018 so not a massive price hike really. 

In reply to climbingnoob:

I don't think it's too bad, £55 in 2004 is £84 now, can get a decent pair of shoes for that

 Top end shoes were £70 then (£108 now) 

What suprises me is how cheap ropes are now. I probably bought my first rope (45m 9mm half) 35 years ago, my recollection is that it cost me about £100, couldn't afford to have 2, so had to rely on climbing with someone else who had a rope. 

You can now get a 60m half rope for less. £100 in 1985 is £300 now.

 girlymonkey 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

I still wear red chillis!

climbingnoob 25 Dec 2019
In reply to girlymonkey:

I tried them on once but the downturned ones were too hardcore for my sensitive feet lol. 

 Baron Weasel 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

I bought some 5.10 wallmasters for £37.50 in a sale 12 months ago. A very rare occasion when size 13+ feet have been an advantage. 

 mrphilipoldham 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

I don’t think I’ve ever paid more than £65 for a pair of rock shoes.

 Donotello 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

To be honest that screenshot just looks like a Go-Outdoors catalogue as far as the prices go except there’s no top end shoes (£100+)

And as for ropes, they would have been expensive when your local climbing shop as importing 10 from Germany but when Go Outdoors or an Amazon seller is importing 10,000, and competing against each other, it’s to be expected. 

 Michael Hood 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

1975, EBs cost me £15 if I remember correctly.

Post edited at 23:29
 gethin_allen 25 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

I've recently seen some 5:10 pinks for £77, so not far off the old prices

 bouldery bits 26 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

I had Red Chilli spirits. They were weapon. Totally Mexico. 

They died in an unfortunate 'leaking engine oil all over my car boot' incident that also killed my favourite ever harness. 

 misterb 26 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

Umm pretty sure that climbing is one of the least inflated sportspastimes around

I remember paying 70quid for climbing shoes in 2003 , 40 quid for my harness, 10 quid a quick draw and 85 quid for a 50m single rope. All prices you can still find today

 afx22 26 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

As well as inflation, we also have an impact of Exchange Rates (GBP is weaker than it was) and VAT has been increased.

 MischaHY 26 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

Red Chili are now part of the Edelrid group and make some pretty sweet shoes plus old classics: 

https://www.redchiliclimbing.com/de/index.php 

The new Voltage is class, for example. 

 MischaHY 26 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

Red Chili are now part of the Edelrid group and make some pretty sweet shoes plus old classics: 

https://www.redchiliclimbing.com/de/index.php 

The new Voltage is class, for example. 

climbingnoob 28 Dec 2019
In reply to gethin_allen:

Link me please! I’m after some pinks!

climbingnoob 28 Dec 2019
In reply to MischaHY:

Oh really! That’d explain why I see a lot of edelrid and not many(any?) ref chillis! 

 C Witter 28 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

I've heard that the price of rubber has increased, but can't find a reliable source for that. Biggest problem is probably inflation against decades of wage stagnation, which has increased the relative cost of living massively. An investment crisis has led to economic stagnation, hoarding of wealth, financialisation of land and housing stock, leading to higher accommodation costs, flatlining wages, casualisation of labour, pension cuts, attacks on working conditions and growing social inequality. That's the context in which it feels harder to justify laying out for a new pair of climbing shoes...

Check back in 5 years time and we'll be trading recipes for making the best broth out of your old cheesy Scarpas... synthetic uppers will seem a real con when we're eating our shoes!

Post edited at 16:38
6
 gethin_allen 28 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

> Link me please! I’m after some pinks!

They were on sports pursuit. I was tempted myself but only recently replaced my climbing shoes and couldn't justify another pair, even if they are cheap.

 MischaHY 29 Dec 2019
In reply to climbingnoob:

> Oh really! That’d explain why I see a lot of edelrid and not many(any?) ref chillis! 

Not really actually, as they still trade under their own name. It's simply that the UK has a weird market for climbing shoes and brands that are massive in Europe are far less know in the UK. Five Ten has had a huge market dominance for years despite the European competition being superior i.e. La Sportiva and Scarpa. 

Post edited at 14:37
 Si dH 29 Dec 2019
In reply to MischaHY:

> Not really actually, as they still trade under their own name. It's simply that the UK has a weird market for climbing shoes and brands that are massive in Europe are far less know in the UK. Five Ten has had a huge market dominance for years despite the European competition being superior i.e. La Sportiva and Scarpa. 

I don't think five ten has anything like the dominance it used to. Maybe for trad, but if you are bouldering, sport climbing or at a (bouldering) wall you see more people in scarpa and la sportiva. 

 ian caton 29 Dec 2019
In reply to Michael Hood:

1972 £6.50

 wbo2 29 Dec 2019
In reply to ian caton:same price as a ford Cortina

 ian caton 29 Dec 2019
In reply to wbo2:

A 1600e cost a lot more than that 😊

 overdrawnboy 29 Dec 2019
In reply to ian caton:

> 1972 £6.50

"and try tellin' youngsters o' today that and they'll nivver b'lieve yer" ( straightens flat cap and walks into sunset kicking his whippet)

climbingnoob 01 Jan 2020
In reply to Si dH:

I wear trad shoes for everything: trad sport and bouldering! Can’t go far wrong with a pair of good old pinks!

 Si dH 01 Jan 2020
In reply to ian caton:

With inflation that's about £86 - so not far off current prices

 ian caton 01 Jan 2020
In reply to Si dH:

I always thought of them doubling every 10 years. 

 misterb 01 Jan 2020
In reply to climbingnoob:

Ha ha you can infact beat good old pinks with just about any techy shoe from 2007 onwards

climbingnoob 24 Jan 2020
In reply to misterb:

Not worth the risk. Tried a few non anasazi shoes and the fit has never been as good as with the verdes and pinks. Most recently i bought a pair of unparallel up laces and i’m really hating them so will ebay them off soon. Gonna stick to pinks and verdes for now! 


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