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"The more you know, the less you need."
Last chance to tell me why I should give you a free pair of Patagonia's Rover approach shoes. Just tell me why they should go to you in the comments to have a chance at them.
Been wearing mine over a month now and everything the video says/implies here is spot on. Nice shoe. Wish I'd had them mid summer for some alpine rock.
I'll announce the winner on Monday morning, Nov 4th 2013 by noon PST announced here with a edit to this post. Edit will name the winner by their comment's author name. Anon will not work and I'll have to have a real name as well to publish here. You'll then need to send me your shipping info and shoe size to get the Rovers mailed out. First guy or girl that gets me to laughing and spit my coffee on the key board Monday morning ('ll wait till then to read the responses.) gets a new pair of shoes. Bonus points if the coffee goes up and out my nose. Tears a bonus but not required. Enter as many times as you think required to do get the job done.
More here:
http://coldthistle.blogspot.com/2013/09/patagonia-rover-approach-shoe-give-away.html
Only 12 people have responded to date but well over 2500 views of the thread.....crazy. $125.00 shoe for FREE past 5 mintues or less to write a funny story of some sort...and no tax or shipping.
All were good entries..I gave up trying to choose and we did a simple random draw. #17 won.
Andy Watterson won the shoes.
17 comments:
Dane, I'll be painfully blunt with you, I need a pair of shoes to pick up girls at night clubs. You must be thinking "This is madness" but bear with me on this one. This is my plan - I go to a club wearing those bad boys, introduce myself to as many hotties as possible, they check me out head to toe and 99% of them will reject the guy in weird shoes. But one of them, just one, will say "How did you get the Rovers before official release , are you a hardcore climber?" Bam, future wife right there, curtains close. By giving me these shoes you will give me at least a new climbing partner and possibly the love of my life, but no pressure, I'll survive (if you can call eternal solitude life) without them.
Why do I deserve the Patagonia approach shoes? Because I’m their target demographic, of course! If they want to sell niche items to people who place a high value on performance and are willing to pay for that value, then I’m their man. I wear an R1 pullover around town. I wear nice shoes in the rock gym. I have a couple of dyneema packs that seem to get used more for traveling as they do for getting outside. I spend way too much time reading on the internet about climbing. I can talk the talk (write the write?) about climbing, and most folks would never suspect how truly modest lead abilities are. I’m truly the anti-dirtbag climber. Put these shoes on my feet for a few laps at the local crag, visits to the local gym, and a Crossfit sesh or two and it’ll turn the heads of my fellow conspicuous consumers. And that’s what swag to industry folk is all about, right? To get buzz? Cold Thistle could personally take credit for the explosion of these shoes.
The best part? There’s a lot of folks out there like me. We’re the ones who keep companies like Patagonia in business. Reading gear reviews, poring over blogs, trying to figure out what perfect piece of gear to add to the quiver. Guys and gals with families, full time jobs, and way too many obligations to climb frequently but tend to have nice little “gear caves” in their basements or closets.
So hook me up. I’ll style these around, and send a route or two in them.
PS Interested in the Baruntses you have for sale.
I want these shoes.
... and I should get 'em because after the number of shoes I have to buy for my wife and two daughters, I hardly have enough cash to buy pop tarts. And these shoes will go with my outfit. and because having 3 fashion-conscious girls in the family that don't like climbing, I get out rarely, but when I do, I need to go light so I can keep up with partners and then get back quickly to keep an eye on the credit card balance. And lastly, I aspire to be that stereotype: the middle-aged, barely-competent climber, who has all of the best gear. I'm 2 for 3 now, having just turned 40. This will get me one step closer to that dream. Share the love!
Work sent me to Europe a few years ago for 8 months and I was able to take only 2 suit cases with me so I packed the most versatile shoes I had at the time, a pair of 5.10 approach shoes. After a couple of weeks there I felt like I stuck out but wasn't sure what the trademark sign of an American was so I asked a couple of Dutch colleagues and they told me that it was the shoes. They weren't fashionably pointy. They turned the question to themselves and asked if I saw them walking down the sidewalk dressed as they were in a purple cardigan, Sesame Street t-shirt, skinny jeans, and pointy shoes if I would think that they were...
I expected "European" and was ready to blurt out "Yes, of course!" when he finished his sentance with a totally straight face and serious... "gay?"
It was myself and my sister (also on assignment over there) and two Dutch colleagues, all engineers. I had to stop and think about it and finally admitted that yes, they made a great couple.
That said, I'd rather stand out as an American in approach shoes than an ambiguous Dutch couple in pointy shoes. I've worn holes in my current Evolv Cruisers from having too much fun on late spring ski approaches and mid summer alpine climbs so I'm due for another pair of approach shoes.
Dane,
I was sitting here trying to come up with some creative comment to convince you to give me the shoes. Something funny, cute, a good story, etc. I guess I'm more of a climber than a writer, nothing good came to mind. So, I'm headed out the door to go climbing instead. That's probably why you should give me the shoes, because I'll actually use them, instead of writing about using them.
Honestly? I've been looking for a shoe to run, faspack & do easy climbes in in the Whites. 5.8; approach & descent; a 25-mi above-treeline day with alight pack- why haven't they made one yet?
I'll be living out of the back of a Volvo 240 wagon in the Sierras for a good chunk of the next year so I need dependable multifunction gear that packs well. Rovers = shoes, chair, pillow, cup holders, beer koozies, fly swatters, etc. etc.
Because I am in Nepal and have worn through my approach shoes. Plus I hear these shoes would make my calves look good. And it's all about the looks in the mountains. Rule 1: look good and stylish.
My old shoes are all ripped
and stink they quite do
So I wrote this poem
to get new ones from you
I'll use them for climbing
or running in the woods
Maybe in clubs
to get girls in sweet moods
So don't think twice
send shoes to me
it would be nice
to get them for free
Why should I get these shoes? Because I need these shoes. A lot of these stories seem nice and good uses for these shoes, picking up girls and impressing the Dutch and all, but I want to use these for what they were designed for. I am not looking to walk around town with these, I'm looking to be able to lead a 5.8 in the same shoes I walk in with. So far, that hasn't been possible. About around 7 months ago when summer rock season was rolling around, I finally decided to invest in a nice new pair of approach shoes. I ran around to every store possible that sold approach shoes, asked all the climbing deities in my area, and tried on countless shoes, but I was still unable to find something that fit my needs. All of the approach shoes that I've owned either climbed well or hiked well; none did both. From my research and videos I've seen, along with your sworn testimony, these seem like the shoes for me.
The yellow would be a great compliment to my, bare, cherry-red ass while running "minimalist" style up local ski hills while the lifts are running.
Light is right.
It's all about the up.
New'd Alpinism.
I need to win these because if I buy one more pair of shoes my wife will kill me.
I already own far more than she has ... hiking boots, ski boots, running shoes, work boots, snake boots, casual shoes, work shoes, dress shoes ...
Yeah, I buy one more pair of shoes my spouse will kill me. She just doesn't understand. And I cannot make her understand just how important THIS pair of shoes is. It's only one more pair. And I don't have a pair of real approach shoes. I'm still using sneakers and/or hiking boots! You cannot approach without real approach shoes!
She berates me bbout how I cannot possibly wear all of them, or about how I don't really need approach shoes. "You can just use the same shoes you've always used" she'll say.
She just doesn't understand.
But if I WIN a pair, well, she cannot complain, right? I didn't spend any of the kids' college funds on them! I didn't tap her vacation money! We can still pay the bills; the lights stay on, food stays in the pantry and I CAN GET NEW SHOES!
So, yes, I need to win. My whole relationship depends on this. I simply cannot approach while wearing last year's shoes and my buying them outright may* determine how the rest of my life plays out!
Thank you.
-Mike
* Most likely not, but she still does make fun of me for owning more shoes than she has. =)
William Veniez-
Like I said in my post (you can't impress the Dutch...) I've worn out my Evolv Cruzers on ski approaches and alpine climbs. I put a pair of the merino superfeet in them and have been ok carrying 35 lb plus packs (splitboard kit) up patchy logging roads and also climbing alpine rock up to about 5.8. I'm not the strongest climber so I feel better sport climbing in tight climbing shoes but the Cruzers smear better than my downturned shoes.
I thought I would wear the sole out first but it turns out that the sole is in danger of peeling off at the heel before it's worn out. Before that becomes an issue I'll have problems with the seam grip patches on the canvas where I've worn through at the hard points on the insole on rough rock in the cascades. They weigh ~1/2 pound and pack nearly flat, they can be worn like clogs with the heel folded flat or as shoes.
I've emailed Evolv and asked for a more durable version and they promised I'd be happy with what they have coming up. I wanted something built with the upper of the Defy and the last, midsole, and sole of the Cruzer. You might give them a try and see if they help you impress the Dutch, take women home from the club, or just send hard outside.
Pretty simple--I live in alpine rock heaven, aka Pinedale Wyo.
I can be a man if few words, you know SHUT UP AND JUST CLIMB! And believe you me thats what I will do.
Besides my reason has no wimpy ass whining involved.
Nuff said!
Evan (posted as anonymous as I am not a google guy).
You know how much I love those days, 3am, my back has an ache, my knees are screaming, but I gotta get up high before the sun come up. I spend a lot of time looking at my feet,I've counted a lot of steps. You ask how I could possibly improve on those perfect moments? These Patagonia Rovers could do that. I'd be like "look at that shoe! Oh ya.." and time would fly
Them darn kids, they must be gettin' faster these days. Or I'm gettin' slower. Nah. It's all them dangnabbed energy-drink-thinggys theyr'e chugging. They keep comin' round here, sportin' all their new gear and trapsin' up and down 'cross my grass!
I'll show them! Yeah, they'll see me a settin' on mah porch swing, rockin' slowly in the breeze, feet up on the railin' and thems be thinkin' that they're gonna git away again. Hah! But then they'll see them shoes, ya, and they'll be all backin' off, knowin' I'mma gonna catch'em this time.
That'll be the last time they roll up, throwin' cracked carabiners and broken friends mah way. They think that just 'cause I'm old I can't catch'em. Yeah, well, I'mma gonna catch 'em all with them shoes!
They'll be laughin', tearin' up the street as they runned away, lookin' back mah way only to see mah 6'6 230lb frame a-chargin' at 'em down that thar street, a loaded 9mm static in my hand just itchin' to wrap things up! Imma be watchin' thems faces fall, like a lead who just realized that he's missed his move. Them jaws all gonna hit the floor, faces ashen, legs turned all jello-like as they try to wobble to safety!
Yup, them there shoes is the key to mah salvations, mah revenges and a darn tootin' cleaner lawn! Ya'll stay offa it, ya hear me!
Man in Black: All right. Where is the Crisco? The battle of wits has begun. It ends when you decide and we both climb, and find out who is right... and who is dead.
Vizzini: But it's so simple. All I have to do is divine from what I know of you: are you the sort of man who would put the Crisco into his own bag or his enemy's? Now, a clever man would put the Crisco into his own bag, because he would know that only a great fool would reach for what he was given. I am not a great fool, so I can clearly not choose the bag in front of you. But you must have known I was not a great fool, you would have counted on it, so I can clearly not choose the bag in front of me.
Man in Black: You've made your decision then?
Vizzini: Not remotely. Because Crisco comes from J.M Smucker, as everyone knows, and J.M Smucker is entirely peopled with food scientists, and food scientists are used to having people not trust them, as you are not trusted by me, so I can clearly not choose the bag in front of you.
Man in Black: Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.
Vizzini: Wait till I get going! Now, where was I?
Man in Black: J.M Smucker.
Vizzini: Yes, J.M Smucker. And you must have suspected I would have known the Crisco's origin, so I can clearly not choose the bag in front of me.
Man in Black: You're just stalling now.
Vizzini: You'd like to think that, wouldn't you? You've beaten the 5.12, which means you're exceptionally strong, so you could've put the Crisco in your own bag, trusting on your strength to save you, so I can clearly not choose the bag in front of you. But, you've also bested Mendel Couloir, which means you must have studied, and in studying you must have learned that man is mortal, so you would have put the Crisco as far from yourself as possible, so I can clearly not choose the wine in front of me.
Man in Black: You're trying to trick me into giving away something. It won't work.
Vizzini: IT HAS WORKED! YOU'VE GIVEN EVERYTHING AWAY! I KNOW WHERE THE CRISCO IS!
Man in Black: Then make your choice.
Vizzini: I will, and I choose - What in the world can that be?
Man in Black: [Vizzini gestures up and away from the table. Roberts looks. Vizzini swaps the bags]
Man in Black: What? Where? I don't see anything.
Vizzini: Well, I- I could have sworn I saw something. No matter. First, let's climb. Me on my rope, and you on yours.
Man in Black, Vizzini: [Vizzini and the Man in Black dips their hands into their bags and begin to climb]
Man in Black: You guessed wrong.
Vizzini: You only think I guessed wrong! That's what's so funny! I switched bag when your back was turned! Ha ha! You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - The most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia" - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go climbing against a Sicilian when death is on the line"! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha...
Vizzini: [Vizzini stops suddenly, his smile frozen on his face as he slips and falls to the ground dead]
Buttercup: And to think, all that time it was your bag that was Crisco.
Man in Black: They were both Crisco. I spent the last few years building up an immunity to slippery substances.
Buttercup: You should give his shoes to Mike.
Man in Black: Done and done.
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