Outdoor sports gear has come a long way in the past 50 years. Look at ski gear, as an example. It’s safer, more reliable, and looks a lot different than it did in the 70s. Or mountain biking, which had barely just gotten going in the 70s, and was still reliant on klunkers. Gear evolution in climbing might not look as dramatic as some other sports, but it’s there. Rope material has changed, harness designs have changed, and shoes have gotten a good bit better. Climber and YouTuber Nate Mitka got his hands on a pair of climbing shoes from the 1970s, testing them and comparing them to modern shoes.
“Ever wonder what it’s like to climb like it’s 1970? I managed to secure some classic EB Super Gratton climbing shoes for this review. Watch me go rock climbing at my local bouldering crag for this review. It was so fun to be able to test these on real rock, and I hope you’ll enjoy my review!“
The Super Gratton shoe tested in the video was made by Edmond Bourdonneau after he purchased one of the first recognizable climbing shoe businesses started by Pierre Alain. They debuted in 1968, running for 47 francs, in the Au vieux Campeur catalogue. Bourdonneau’s company, EB, continues to make climbing shoes to this day, along with other climbing gear.
