[TowerTalk] tower climbing shoes or boots - suggestions needed

[Ken Alker]

Thanks!

I found a shoe called a Carolina CA904 which is made specifically for 
linesman and has a "linesman" shank that "covers more area, is a heavier 
metal, is not ribbed, curls toward the ball of the foot and is anatomically 
correct" (meaning the shank is different in left shoe than right shoe due 
to curve).  It sounds like they really thought this one out well.  I am 
really drawn to it as price is reasonable ($220) and their customer service 
is great, but they are very hard to find right now and I want to climb this 
weekend.  Turns out we actually have a Redwing store here in Santa Barbara; 
I couldn't believe it; figured they were new but the salesman proudly told 
me they have been in same location for over 35 years; no ladders or 
climbing apparatus, however; very small store.  The reps in the store were 
not very helpful (green non-climbing college kids), but calling corporate 
steered me toward their Loggermax 620 for $230 which has their "linesman" 
steel shank which is "wider than a traditional shank and designed for extra 
strength and support to withstand the riggers of climbing".  I may get 
those since I can try them on and buy them locally before the weekend, and 
since there is so much sentiment toward the Redwing brand on this list.

Thanks for all the great feedback.  Keep it coming, if anyone has more 
comments!

Ken

--On Wednesday, September 22, 2021 5:47 PM -0500 towers at mhtc.net wrote:

>
> Several reasons why I don't like them for tower climbing (and I DO have
> several pairs of steel toed-shoes for operations where they are
> desirable.....chainsaw work (actually have Kevlar, steel toed boots for
> that), landscape work moving boulders that could crush your feet, etc.
>
> 1. Can put added stress on your toes, since zero flexibility there.
> 2. Suck the heat from your feet in cold wx.
> 3. Heavier
> 4. Zero "give", which sometimes you might want to have, particularly on
> the narrow tower like a Rohn 25, or even worse a Rohn 20. Same for the
> BDX and other towers with no horizontal members to stand on.
>
> 73,
> Karl 
> WD9BGA
>  
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Ken Alker (ka6ken at alker.net)
> Date: 09/22/21 16:11
> To: towertalk at contesting.com
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] tower climbing shoes or boots - suggestions
> needed
>
> Why "non-steel toed for climbing"?  Is the steel toe a detriment when
> climbing?
>
> --On Friday, September 10, 2021 8:24 PM -0500 towers at mhtc.net wrote:
>
>>
>> Ditto for Redwings.  Non-steel toed for climbing.  Vibram soles give
>> you the "gap" that Chuck referred to.  Can use them for hiking/lawn
>> mowing/you name it between tower climbs, so a good investment.
>>
>>
>> Karl
>> WD9BGA
>> EN53ba
>>  
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Chuck Dietz (w5prchuck at gmail.com)
>> Date: 09/10/21 19:21
>> To: Ken Alker (ka6ken at alker.net)
>> Cc: towertalk at contesting.com
>> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] tower climbing shoes or boots - suggestions
>> needed
>>
>> I use Redwings. They have work boots with shanks in the soles. They also
>> have soles with a small gap between the heel and the front that will keep
>> your foot from slipping off a tower rung.  They have stores all over.
>>
>> Chuck W5PR
>>
>> On Fri, Sep 10, 2021 at 7:08 PM Ken Alker <ka6ken at alker.net> wrote:
>>
>>> Can I get some suggestions for comfortable tower climbing shoes with
>>> some kind of very stiff (metal?) soles to support myself without my
>>> shoes curling around the horizontal tower members while I am stationary
>>> for long periods of time while working upon the tower?
>>>
>>> My tennis shoes barely fit between the Rohn 25 verticals, so I ASSuME
>>> boots
>>> would be too wide, although I've never seen tower climbing shoes before
>>> (vs. boots), but maybe they are made.
>>>
>>> The thought occurred to me that some simple metal plates could be
>>> strapped to the bottoms of my tennis shoes, kind of like the old metal
>>> skates I had in the early 70's, for a cheap alternative without
>>> investing in a pair of shoes that I'll use only a couple dozen times in
>>> my lifetime.  However, I've never seen such a thing on the market, but
>>> maybe they exist.
>>>
>>> Anyone selling anything used?
>>>
>>> Thanks in advance for suggestions.
>>>
>>> Ken Alker
>>> KA6KEN
>>> _______________________________________________
>>>
>>>
>>>
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