[TowerTalk] tower climbing shoes or boots - suggestions needed

Sun Sep 26 14:35:33 EDT 2021

I purchased the Redwing Loggermax 620.  They are taller than need be for my 
application, but worked great.  They actually fit pretty well within the 
Rohn 25G tower spacing.  I spent around 5 continuous hours on the W6RFU 
(University of Santa Barbara ham club) tower atop the 5-story engineering 
building yesterday removing a Force 12 and installing a Skyhawk DXE-3X10. 
My feet feel just fine today (although the rest of my body is not in good 
shape - my hands won't stop cramping up, my legs are dead tired, and my 
arms and shoulders feel like they got the workout of a lifetime).  Thanks 
again for all the help in finding good climbing footwear.

Ken Alker
KA6KEN

--On Wednesday, September 22, 2021 3:59 PM -0700 Ken Alker 
<ka6ken at alker.net> wrote:

> 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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>>
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