Those old BIG leather boots?

Greetings from "Locked Down" Corsica during these "Dark Days" of virus isolation!!!   
With the end of Supertopo, all my photographs posted on the topic “Those old BIG leather boots?” have unfortunately disappeared. So for all those who, like me, have a great interest in vintage mountaineering equipment, I have thought that it would be a good idea to continue this thread here on Mountain Project. On January 9th, 2009, RDB started with these words: “Didn't ya just love those Galibiers, Trappeurs, and the rest…?” Let’s go!

Le Trappeur advertisement in La Montagne & Alpinisme (1959)

Le Trappeur Gaston Rébuffat (early sixties)

Trappeur Rébuffat (1976)

Galibier advertisement in La Montagne & Alpinisme (1966)

RICHARD PONTVERT Galibier Super Guide (1966)

RICHARD PONTVERT Galibier Super Guide (1970)
Patent FR 2.105.325 A5

RICHARD PONTVERT Galibier Hivernale (1966)

RICHARD PONTVERT Galibier Hivernale Makalu (1975)

Trappeur Cervin (1972)


Trappeur Nanda Devi (1976) Walter Cecchinel (photo Denis Pivot)

Trappeur Nanda Devi (1978)


Trappeur Everest 78 prototype (1978)

Trappeur Everest 78 (1979)

My wife on the summit of the Grand Teton 1957 with leather boots. 

Merci bien Stephane.  Looks like my old boots are Galibier Super Guides.  Bought them second hand in the early 1980s and never knew the maker.  Need to check carefully for marks.  

Thanks a lot! I always enjoyed your posts on ST. I remember when REI actually sold all those back in the 70s--various Galibiers, Trappeurs, Lowas (including the Triplex).  My backpacking boots were Galibiers (Vercors), and later had Super Guides and Super Pros.  I remember when La Sportiva introduced the Nepal Top in the 90s, reinventing the wheel--I though "why???".  Ahhh, BITD!

PTR, ça peut aussi être ceux-là ... Skibo  RICHARD PONTVERT Galibier Super Pro (1973)  

I bought a pair of Galibiers in 1981 when I graduated from High School. Each year they get worn for a pilgrimage hike up a snow couloir with a great bum slide down another couloir.

Those look awesome! I have a pair of leather boots made by Ralph Lauren that came with red laces, all killa white supremacy style. Glad the red laces were in vogue back then.

Somewhere in my old gear stash I've got my Kastinger Superleicht boots. Probably purchased in 1977-78. As I recall their tech contribution was a fiberglass rather than steel shank of the Galibier Super Guides.

Allen Sanderson , I am not sure that your pair of mountaineering boots is Galibier. If they are still original, how are the soles?

Nutstory- great topic. Climbing granite in “Muir Pavettas” (sp).... was something I have forgotten about. I bought those in like 74 because that’s what Bob Kamps used. Today I’m so happy that I learned with boots like those, because in modern rock climbing boots- I can stand on anything! 

I had a pair of the brown leather Lionel Terray boots, and also a pair of the black Hivernal double boots.  Those were toasty, and the Terray's were the
best fitting boots I ever wore!

Trappeur Walter Cecchinel TD Sup (1977)


Trappeur Walter Cecchinel ED Sup (1977)

nutstory wrote: Allen Sanderson , I am not sure that your pair of mountaineering boots is Galibier. If they are still original, how are the soles?

Salute Stephane, je pense qu'ils sont Galibier mais ça fait longtemps. Les semelles sont d'origine et toujours en bon état` pour 40 ans.

nutstory wrote: PTR, it can also be these ones... Skibo   

RICHARD PONTVERT Galibier Super Pro (1976)

That's them.

Allen Sanderson wrote: I bought a pair of Galibiers in 1981 when I graduated from High School. Each year they get worn for a pilgrimage hike up a snow couloir with a great bum slide down another couloir.

Those look like Asolos, maybe the Yukon, popular in the early 80s.

Trappeur Walter Cecchinel Cecchinel (1976)

Walter Cecchinel's own pair of Trappeur Cecchinel & Simond prototype Makalu Rigide

RICHARD PONTVERT Galibier Georges Payot Walker (1972)

I had the super guides and the hivernals but it was my Terray’s that I liked the best for summer use,. The overlap construction was more comfortable than the gusset for my feet.
The Hivernal liners were so comfortable I used them around the house in winter.

I'm sorry Norm Larson , I do not have any Terray's in the collection...

Galibier first advertisement for Randonnée in La Montagne & Alpinisme (1968)

RICHARD PONTVERT Galibier Randonnée (1966)

Skibo wrote:

Those look like Asolos, maybe the Yukon, popular in the early 80s.

Definitely not Asolos as I later had their ski boots. Just remember them being French but it has been so long ago. But it really does not matter, I still have them and still wear them for fun.

Just a short question: please Allen Sanderson, what is written on under the soles? It could help me to identify these boots... ;-)

Do the removable linings double as rock shoes?