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Not that it is going to ever happen. But I for one miss the sweat formed support and durability of a well fitted leather technical mountain boot.
Change out the steel and wooden shank/mid soles to a carbon and foam mid sole. Use that wonderful full grain leather, add a Vibram Mulaz sole. Heaven...pure Heaven imo. Too bad it will never happen.
You can still buy the original here:
$480.00
8 comments:
It would be very cool! I miss them too.
Alico New Guides at STP: $195 with coupon.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/alico-new-guide-mountaineering-hiking-boots-for-men~p~64724/
I love these boots, but figured I wouldn't wear them much.
Kia, Unknowingly you just compared a Ford truck to a Porsche GT3.
The super guides have ridiculously thick full grain leather, 3.5-3.7 mm. by comparison, the la sportiva nepal evos have 3.2 mm leather, as do the limmer standards i still hike in (mine are getting resoled currently). the limmers have a somewhat more current shank and midsole.
None of these are great in cold weather without overboots, though.
Ridiculously thick? Hummmm. Ya, not my take on it. Super Guide is just thick enough to do what is required of mtn boot technically and for long term durability. That I am even making the comparison to a 40+ year old boot to anything modern "state of the art" should tell you something. Nice as the Nepal is and likely the heir apparent to the Super Guide it is not a Super Guide. Any of us that used a Super Guide and got a good fit know that. Limmer? Not even in the same catagory/bal game as the other two. Over boot? Both the Super Guide and the Nepal, Nepal Evo have been used as single boots on technical ground in high mtn cold weather many times including Alaska and all over the Alps and NA. Limmer is a hiking boot. It was never intended as a climbing boot.
yup, i hike in the Limmers and agree they aren't for winter climbing. was commenting more on the thickness of the leather.
Re: the La Sportivas, i suppose everyone's tolerance for cold is different, and we don't all spend our winters in the same place. besides, a multitude of factors affect your feet - how you insulate your core and head, what you had to eat and drink that day, weather of course.
in the northeast US and upper NY, the small but very cold mountains i frequent, the Nepal Evo and other single wall boots aren't warm enough for many winter days. i have to plan for -25 to -35C.
in the 80s and early 90s, i wore leather boots with supergaiters. today, for those temps, I wear double plastic boots. if i were to wear a pair of super guides or any other leather mountaineering boot today in those conditions, i would have overboots too. does anyone even sell supergaiters?
I bought my Super Guides back in 1977 and they are on my feet right now. I also own a pair of La Sportiva Makalu's. There is no modern boot comparable to the Super Guides which are still available by mail order from one vendor in France today. The Galibier SG is basically the best all around mountaineering boot available today and yesterday period.BTW, I own the Galibier version of a high altitude double boot and they are equally as great as the SG.
Hi .I live in South Africa and do a lot of mountaineering ,mostly in SA but also in the alps .I have a pair of K2 La Sportiva and i love them .But i bought a pair of super guides while visiting Paris and i now have them for more than 4 years .I can tell you honestly that the quality and fit of these legendry boots is second to none .I love them. Yes they are heavy and might not have the modern technology thats behind the La Sportiva's but i still think the super guide is a superior boot in quality and workmanship. My advice ..invest in a pair and you wont be disappointed .
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