The Brinker Kinexxion

The following Deed Record was found on June 7, .. at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. It was the occasion of an extremely happy “Happy Dance” for me, as reported by Carol several days later. You see, it had been many, many years since I've been able to add a new ancestor to my pedigree chart.



I was ecstatic, to put it mildly. I had finally found the maiden name (as well as the actual first name) of the mother of Elizabeth (Switzer) Yarian – Catharine Brinker – and the name of Catharine's father, Andrew!



Not only had I added a new ancestor, but, I didn't know it at the time, I would have the Brinker lineage several generations back to the early 1700s in Switzerland. It seems that extensive research has been done on the Brinker family by two ladies who have documented Andrew's parents and grandparents!



In addition, at least one book has been published on the Leatherman/Lederman family – the wife of Andrew Brinker was Barbara Leatherman.



Yes, those last two days before I left Salt Lake City on June 9th were filled with amazing revelations and I was busy gathering as much information as possible, barely even reading most of it at the time!



And this document, a Quit Claim Deed dated the 11th of August in 1849 was the catalyst for that research frenzy... the heirs of Catharine Sweitzer were “selling” 213 acres in section 12 Fairfield Township, Columbiana County, Ohio to Thomas McCoy for which he gave one dollar to each of them. I've added emphasis on specific "important" portions...

Daniel Deemer, etal to Thomas McCoy.

Know all men by these presents the we Daniel Deemer and Susan Deemer his wife, of the county of Columbiana, Jacob Mondwick and Barbara Mondwick his wife of the County of Portage, Peter Bubecker & Rebecca Bubecker his wife of the County of Mahoning, Jacob Yarian & Elizabeth Yarian his wife of the County of Portage for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar each to us severally in hand paid by Thomas McCoy of the county of Columbiana the receipt whereof is hereby Acknowledged, have remised, released, and forever quit claimed... all our right, title and interest both legal and equitable in and to the following described premises, situate in the county of Columbiana and state of Ohio, and being the South East corner or part of section number twelve, in township number twelve, in range number two in the district of land offered for sale at Steubenville. Beginning at the South East corner of said section then on West with the line of the same thirty chains and seventy five links to a post, thence North fifteen degrees West fifty chains and fifty nine links to a post on Peter Firestones line thence East thirteen chains & twenty five links to a post, thence North ten chains and eighty seven links to a post, thence East thirty chains to a post, on the Eastern boundary line, thence South with the section line fifty nine chains and seventy four links to the place of beginning. Containing two hundred & thirteen acres and forty two hundredths, be the same more or less. It being the tract or parcel of land willed & devised by Andrew Brinker late of Columbiana County, deced, to his daughter Catharine Switzer & her heirs & deeded by the executors of said Andrew to said Catharine. To have and to hold the aforesaid described premises with all the privileges and appurtenances unto the said Thomas McCoy his heirs and assigns forever, so that neither we the aforesaid grantors above named nor our heirs nor any other person or persons claiming by through or under us shall at any time hereafter by any ways or means have claim or demand any right or title to the aforesaid premises or appurtenance or any part thereof. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this eleventh day of August A. D. 1849.

Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of us

Samuel Entrilkin

George W. Entrilkin

The deed was signed by Dr Daniel Deemer, Susannah Deemer, Jacob Morndick, Barbary Morndick, Peter Buckecker, Rebecca Buckecker, Jacob Yarian, and Elizabeth Yarian.



Received for record January 30th, 1850. And recorded on the second day of February following.

=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=

But there was one thing that really, really puzzled me about this transaction. Did you notice that I put the word selling in quotes in the paragraph prior to the deed transcription?



Why was the land sold to Thomas McCoy for so little – just one dollar paid to each of the heirs?



It seems I had overlooked another earlier deed recorded in volume 41, page 818. I had made note of it but not the name of the purchaser and I hadn't taken the time to view it while in Salt Lake City – I was concentrating on deeds that included “etal” with the grantors name! On my visit to Columbiana County I looked up the record and found that Jacob and Catherine had actually sold the land for $5,000 to Thomas McCoy. However, I neglected to write down the month and day of the transaction (I got in a hurry because the Recorders Office was extremely busy). The year was 1849. Most likely earlier than August 11th since it was recorded in an earlier volume than the other deed.



So, why?. If Jacob and Catherine sold the land to Mr. McCoy earlier in 1849 then why was there the second transaction with her heirs signing off on a Quit Claim deed? Catharine was still living – she didn't die until 1852. So, why?



I don't have an answer to that question. I'm just very glad that they did, otherwise I still might not know that Catherine Brinker was the mother of Elizabeth Yarian. Nor would I now have several more generations added to my ancestral pedigree chart!





Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 42, bottom of page 596 (FHL Film 926947)



Columbiana County, Ohio Deeds Volume 42 page 597 (FHL Film 926947)

Captain Caveman M7 gets climbed

Joel Toretti made the trip into town and we spent a short day at Meadow Run. We hopped right on Captain Caveman. Joel tried first since he hadn't had a chance yet... He fell a few times, but got up through it. I got on to give it a try. I wasn't feeling too positive due to the fact that I felt pumped from my previous day attempt. Surprisingly I sent Captain Caveman first try. Joel tied back in and promptly sent in fine style. Next Joel wanted to try Anger management M6+. He tied in started up. For mental pro he got a stubbie to go in about 5 rotations till it hit rock then tied it off. Upward Joel went passing the first bolt and into the overhangs. Quickly learning that the 2nd bolt was way out of reach (now that the rodi stummp is gone), he backed off and down climbed to the ground. Having longer reach, I opted to go up and climb the route and installing a longer runner on the 2nd bolt so that Joel could make the clip. I went up to Joel's highpoint and worked into the clipping hook... What a looooong reach that clip is. Any shorter arms and I don't think I would've got it. I fired up into the ice finish, installing a near worthless screw at the lip, clipping it and gunning for the top. Seemed much harder than I remembered... Joel tied in and gave it a second go. He smoothed up through the route eventually pumping out at the lip. He hung body weight from the screw I placed and installed a 2nd (good) screw. He finished it without issue. He wanted to try again, but I had obligations and needed to leave. So we decided to leave fixed gear on the bolts for Joel when he comes back.

Bull Riding

I got some of my best photos of the bull riding. Most of the bulls were gray/white and it kind of looks like the same bull in a lot of photos but there were different ones as can be seen in the last photo of the pen of bulls. Last photo is of the area after the event.

Beef?! It’s not just for dinner anymore! Lycra clothing in the mountains.

If you were alive back in the '80s and I appreciate many who read this blog weren't you have no attachment to Lycra. Generally made fun of these days and passed off as being so dated..along with the mullet hair cut, Dachstein wool products andVaurnet sunglasses.



All the jokes are there. Made a few myself.







But if you doing almost any sporting activity, and want to compete, be it bike racing, swimming, running or ski racing Lycra is a part of your life or should be.





Lycra used to good effect throughout in a Triathlon race of any distance



I think with the right design,used in the proper context there is a place for Lycra in the mountains. One that no other fabric I have used to date can replace.







Lycra on a Winter alpine summit



I have a lot of Lycra in my gear room between running, swimming, the bike and of course climbing.



All the wild colored tights of the '80s are gone. But if I were still doing hard rock climbing I might go looking for something similar. Call it "old school".









I've never been very impressed of what others thought of my choices in clothing. I have always worn what I wanted when I wanted. That hasn't changed much since Kindergarten much to my mother's consternation.



So when Iheard Lycra comments (none of them flattering) over thelast 30 years I've just chuckled and thought..."they have no clue". Lycra, isn't a right or a privilege. It is simply a smart choice much of the time. When it comes to using well designed Lycra or any technical clothing in the outdoors, most don't much of the time. I use Lycra because it is the most effective material for my own use at times. Simple as that.



Yesterday I spent the day out on skimo gear. Part of mygear choices(andthere wasn't much gear involved) was a CAMP skimo race suit.



http://www.camp-usa.com/products/apparel/contest-ski-mountaineering-race-suit-1519.asp











Without a doubt being in the CAMPskimo suit made one of my better efforts in the mtns also one, if not THE most comfortable days in the mountains.



More to come in the next blog and acomplete review of this suit and why I think anyone into "speed touring"should at least in part be using someLycra. Till then, tell the next guy or gal that disses your Lycra to piss off. Or better yet just drop them in the ski track and the down hill!

If you can't drop them now...you might be surprised the difference some Lycra couldmake in your own performance.

It was Just a Matter of Time...

On my meandering drive through Ohio back in September .., I stopped at the Strickland Cemetery in Vermillion Township, Ashland County where Jonathan and Elizabeth Hazlett are buried. They may be my 5th great-grandparents. I haven't been able to prove the connection yet but they are really the only candidates that I've found thus far. I'll have more on them in a future post.



A previous visit to the cemetery in October 1999 had resulted in rather poor non-digital photographs of their gravestones, which appeared to be very worn and not very legible. Pouring a little water on the stones brought out the engravings somewhat – enough to verify the transcriptions that had been previously published.



Since I had been to the cemetery before, I knew that their gravestones faced west and timed my visit so that the sun would be in an advantageous position. But I got there a little too soon.





The photo above was taken at 11:39 am. The inscriptions are barely noticeable. The stone on the left is for Elizabeth and the one on the right is for Jonathan. Since time was not an issue, and it was a beautiful day, I walked around the cemetery a bit then fixed a sandwich and had lunch while waiting for the sun to move a little further west.





Taken at 12:15 pm, the inscription on Elizabeth's stone is starting to appear.



I was amazed when, 18 minutes later (at 12:33 pm) the inscriptions were completely visible and could easily be read. All it took was some time and a little patience...





ELIZABETHWife ofJONATHAN HAZLETTDIEDMarch 3, 1848Aged 86 Years



JONATHAN HAZLETTDIEDSept. 16, 1853AGED82 Ys. 1 Mo. 1 D.

Photographs were taken September 18, .. at Strickland Cemetery in Vermillion Township, Ashland County, Ohio.



Did you notice anything unusual with the inscriptions?



Elizabeth appears to have been about nine years older than Jonathan!

La Sportiva Batura

The NEW La Sportiva Batura!



It may look the same, but trust me, it aint!



Above: Jack Roberts in the 1st generation Batura climbingCurtain Call in .



La Sportiva makes two of the most popular and highly technical alpine single boots on the market, the Nepal Evo and the Trango Extreme ExLt GTX . Both are truly benchmarks in current technical alpine/ice footwear. I and many others get an exceptional fit and performance in either of these La Sportiva boots.The Batura is a bit heavier and a good bit warmer than the Trango Extreme. And now abit heavier andstill a bit warmerthan the Nepal Evo. So the Batura is in heady company here. It is easily slotted into the La Sportiva mountain boot line, between traditional single boots and heavier double boots.









La Sportiva Spantik 3#.05oz / 1362g

La La Sportiva Baruntse 3#2.5oz / 53oz 1502g

La Sportiva Batura 1st gen. 2#7oz / 39oz, 1105g

La Sportiva Batura 2nd gen 2#11/ 43oz 1219gm

La Sportiva Nepal Evo 2#10.5oz / 42.5oz/ 1205g

La Sportiva Trango Evo Extreme GTX 2#3oz (35oz) / 992g



More here on weights

http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//04/weights.html





The Batura is state of the art technology in a stiff soled, flexible upper cuff and warm mountain boot. What is not to like here?



Before I answer that question, a couple of comments before I get in tothe gist of this Batura review.



I think the Batura style boots (boot with a built in insulated gaiter) have the most potential in cold weather alpine climbing of all the boot designs currently available. The "best design" might well evolve into a super thin dbl boot or new technology (OutDry for example) might allow the single boot design to finally live up to the task of multiple days out with no worry of accumulated moisture.in the boot. I don't know. But I do think the boot manufactures are on the right track. La Sportiva, Zamberlan, Scarpa and Kayand all have similar styled boots available now.



The new Batura



At the moment my two favorites are the current version of the La Sportiva Batura and the Scarpa Ultra. And while close to being prefect for my needs, neither are perfect,as of yet. So you are about to read a detailed and very specific commentary on my thoughts of the Batura. It was and is a very good boot. The potential is so great I think it worth the effort in being very specific in my critic and comments. Mycomments to followmight sound harsh out of context. So think about the next sentence before you decide just how good or bad the Batura is.



High praise? The Cold Thistle blog's opening picture is a pair of Batura on my feet for the2nd ascent of Blue Moon, IV WI4 R M6 5.8 At the time the climb was a good challenge for me. It was no accident I chose to climb in thethe Batura on"Blue Moon".











I started climbing in the original La Sportiva Batura in 2007. I used the same pair of boots off and on until I sold them last winter (/) while they were still in decent shape and lots of life left in them. They had held up well and no issues on the zipper or boot for that matter. But I have not been kind in my previous reviews of the Batura. All thewhile having specificallychosen the Baturafor some of my best winter climbs in the last couple of years. Some quite cold, where a double boot would have been more appropriate, And not even a hint of a cold injury in the Batura let alone cold feet.



I had hoped La Sportiva would have done it better for fit and comfort the first Batura go around. The previous Trango Ice series of boots certainly gave La Sportiva the back ground and insight to get it right on the Batura. I bet my $550 cash on La Sportiva getting it rightthe first time in fact.



I wouldn't have made the effort to get another pair of Baturas recently or do this review if La Sportiva had not chosen to make a few significant changes to the Batura Changesfor the better, imo. Having spent the last 6 months in the 3 Scarpa, Phantom series of boots,the Ultra, the Guide and the 6000, I can make some easy comparisons.



Worth stopping here for a moment I think and discussing design in general. Often times I look at several products from differing companies builtfor a singular purpose. It might be boots or crampons or ice tools for example. Three different categories of gear and all very specific and highly technical. Making direct comparisons of similar items makes it is easy to see things that get missed. Sometimes it is durability. Some times it is fit. Some times you just have to wonder why they stopped "there" instead of finishing the project. Or may be they thought the project was finished. It might bea pair of boots, a crampon design, ice tool, or a pair of pants.



Classic example? I looked at a British's climbing company's new lwt belay jacket the other day. Amazing jacket. Primaloft 1, Pertex shell, nice long arms, perfect cuffs and a generous helmet compatible hood. One internal zippered pocket and two unlined outside pockets. Unlined to be lighter and absorb less moisture. Beautiful jacket that I'll never buy. Why? No zippers and no other way to close those two outside pockets. What were they thinking?



It happens a lot on anything you want to look at and compare in detail. Even boots.



Back on task. Here are the previousBatura reviews and comments:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//04/la-sportivas-batura.html



The comparison post belowis rated 2nd for all time hits on the Cold Thistle blog! A comparisonI don't believe is valid now with the newest modelis now available.



Comparison here:



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//04/scarpa-phantom-guide-vs-la-sportiva.html



Whilestill an issue just not as much, thankfully. One way to address the soft ankle support issue.



http://coldthistle.blogspot.com//01/added-support-for-la-sportivas-soft.html



If you are buying new bootsnow, make sure you don't get just the new zipper and the old boot internally!

Which is exactly what the boots shown in the picturebelow are, a new zipper and the old boot. There is a BIG difference between that boot and what I am now reviewing.









The main reasonsI think the Batura is worth another look?

The new zipper is nice, incredibly so compared to the previousyellow YKK toothed version. This one looks to be asmall, continuous coil, YKK that hastaped seams on the inside and a decent seal on the outside. But it is only water resistant. Water proof maybe in perfect laboratory conditions where nothing flexs the zipper. No where close to being water proof once you move the zipper around a bit.. Great over size slider and pull strap though. At least the zipper moves up and down very easily. That should no longer be a zipper failure point.TheScarpa TZip is pushing the definition and seems fairly "water prof". The TZip has been whateveryone seems to havemeasuredreliability byto date.. I've never felt a zipper "ooze quality". This new zipper on the Baturadoes. It remains to be seen just how reliable it really is. The small coils worry me. But I would expect adistinct improvement on durability and water resistance over the original YKK. Why La Sportiva didn't just buy the T Zip for this project still baffles me. But that isn't the reason, thezipper is trivial in my mind. I didn't have anyissue with the first one but almost everyone else certainly seemed to.



I think the change making the Batura worthy ofanother look and detailed reviewis themajor redesign of the lace system, heel pocketand a totally new boot tongue. All threeof whichgreatly improve the over all fit. Heel lift is totallyeliminated now even with my funky feet and super skinny ankle volume. I had to come back and add this part becauseI hadn't yet stuck my hand inside the boot and felt around. These boots have the biggest,specifically built heel pocket I have ever seen in a mtn boot.And I have seen a lot of mtn boots! Thepronounced heel pocket is comfortable on my foot so far. No track record on the heel pocket but gotta say it sure impresses me. The fit, because of the new heel pocket, is incredible. Thetongue is noticeably thicker, better articulated at the ankle and much more comfortable. The old wear pattern on the sides of the previous boot's tongue is also reinforced now.



La Sportiva says the Batura is built on the Nepal last. It may be true but you couldn't prove it by me. I find th Batura much tighter in the heel now and much bigger in the toe box than the Nepal Evo. I found the original Batura had a bigger toe box as well. The bigger toe box makes for a warmer boot I think. I certainly have room to roll my toes and wiggle them around tokeep them warm or warm them if chilled.

More room in the toe boxis a big advantage over the Nepal Evo I think. It feels like the Batura was designed specifically for cold weather climbing......with the appropriate attention to detail and build quality.



The more I wear and use this boot the more impressed I become. I am not easily swayed because of my experience with thefirst generation of Batura.



.











The fitis really important to me. This versionof the Batura really delivers there. The Batura hasalso gained a bit of ankle support on the forward flex by adding the extra and well spaced eyelets. Which were really needed imo.



The advantages the Batura has over the Scarpa Phantom Guides/Ultra are worth listing;

Not all are obvious to first inspection let alone 1st use. It took 6 months to come to these conclusions.



Batura advantages:

Muchbettercrampon fit (and it is a biggy as almost anything snaps on perfectly)

Betterand slightly taller gaiter

More comfortabletop gaiter closure

slightly better Achilles ergonomics on the cuff design

Much stiffer midsole

Laces that stay tight first try

A strongerand reinforced toe box

Better boot/ankle protection from crampons

Slightly larger external volume should mean a warmer boot



But the Baturais at least 3oz(7.5oz on the Ultra) per boot heavier than the Guide.

And it isbuilt like a truck. It can afford to be "better".



Above: Check out the new positions of the fivecuff "eyelet"on the ankle and upper cuff compared to the previous version pictured on the right below. Basically 4 eyelets where there were only 2. before. And they are all better positioned and more comfortableon my skinny ankles and shin.





The previouspicture is the newest Batura. In thepicture above compare how thelock lace has been moved down, another lace eyelet added above it. The metal speed lace on the original Batura have been replaced with a lower profile and less intrusive fabric "eyelets". The actual lock lace eyelet is lower profile and way less likely to bite my (your?) ankle in use. As the previous one did occasionally on my foot.

You might wonder why, if I like the Scarpa Ultra and the ScarpaGuide so much, why would I bother playing the Batura again. Easy answer. The first being, crampon fit. Yes you can get a crampon to fit the Guide but it takes some effort. The Ultra and 6000 take more than a little effort and some serious desire with a bit of trickery thrown in to get a perfect fit. The Baturahas a more rigid sole that the Scarpa Phantom boots....any of the Phantom boots. Another majoradvantage on steep ice.From my experience with both brands of boots I also prefer the gaiter on the Batura. That is notan opinion easy tocome by. The Batura gaiter seems tobreath better in really cold conditions and is easier on the back of your calf and Achilles tendononce tightened.The Batura cuff is ergonomically better cut for Achilles tendon relief. Seemingly trivial but I also find the Batura gaiter easier to tuck my pants into instead of using a pant leg over them as a gaiter. Not so trivial if youwant a smallerprofile on yor lower leg. And lastly the reinforced toe box on the past Batura seems much more durable and reliable than the Scarpa toe box. The Scarpa Guide toe boxis rapidly gaining a reputation for collapsing on water icefrom the pounding they take.



Tucking your pants into the Phantom line almost guarantees wet feet as the tight elastic gaiter stops evaporation from the boots cuffs. For me the condensationand freezing only gets worse in really cold weather.







By the numbers you can see the Batura is 99g or 3.5 oz heavier per bootthan the Scarpa Guide. More than a fair trade for a slightly stiffer boot sole, toe boxand a softer cuff if they fit your feet. 3.5 oz heavier than the Scarpa Guideor 7oz heavier per pair. As I mentioned the volume is slightly larger than the Guide. And the boot is a bit heavier (115g or 4.2oz) than the 1st generation design. I would expect the Batura to be a slightly warmer bootthan the Scarpa Guide simply by volume alone.



What I am looking at is over all weight and thickness of the mid sole on theLa Sportivas as a comparison.. "MIDSOLE: 8-9mm "



By thenumbers?



TRANGO EXTREME GORETEX



WEIGHT: 35oz- 992g-Gore-Tex® Insulated Comfort Footwear INSOLE: 9mm insulating Ibi-Thermo MIDSOLE: 6-7mm HP3 SOLE: Vibram® Lavaredo (Sticky Supertrek Rubber)



NEPAL



WEIGHT: 42oz 1205g -leather with high-abrasion resistant fabric/ Vibram® rubber rands LINING: Gore-Tex® Insulated Comfort Footwear INSOLE: Insulating Ibi-Thermo 9mm MIDSOLE: 8-9mm TPU/ PU inserts/ SBR Aircushionion resistant fabric/ Vibram® rubber rands LINING: Gore-Tex® Insulated Comfort Footwear INSOLE: Insulating Ibi-Thermo 9mm MIDSOLE: 8-9mm TPU/ PU inserts/ SBR Aircushion SOLE: Vibram® with Impact Brake System



BATURA EVO



WEIGHT: 39oz 1106g-Elastic Corduraynamic™ with water repellant membrane UPPER: High tenacity nylon/ Insulated anti-dragging felt/ Insulated PE/ Insulating aluminum layer LINING: Polyamide Thermic layer/ Mesh INSOLE: Insulating Ibi-Thermo 9mm MIDSOLE: 8-9mm TPU/ PU Inserts/ SBR Aircushion SOLE: 8-9mm TPU/ PU Inserts/ SBR Aircushion





The real numbers on weight?



La Sportiva Batura original version 2#7oz / 39oz, 1105g

La Sportiva Batura 2nd gen 2#11/ 43oz 1219gm

La Sportiva Nepal Evo 2#10.5oz / 42.5oz/ 1205g

La Sportiva Trango Evo Extreme GTX 2#3oz (35oz) / 992g



SCARPA Phantom ULTRA new model 2#3.5oz (35.5oz) 1006g

SCARPA Phantom GUIDE new model 2#7.5oz (39.5oz) 1120g



The Batura is going on 5 years old this winter. That is a long time to leaveanytechnical bootin today's market place unchanged. Obviously La Sportiva has sold thousands of them world wide. That isn't luck. The Batura is a good boot...just not yet a great boot. It is a good step closer though imo. But I'm glad La Sportiva is still invested in the idea and continues to improve upon it. The technology and basic design have huge potential.



Here is some of what I have learned in those 5 years on the Batura. The old zipper wasn't very reliable and certainly wasn't water proof. Both of those issues the new water resistant YKKzippershould havesolved. The original Batura had a reputation of "eating your feet". Foot cramps were a common complaint. I suspect that was because of the fairly rigid sole, not enough rocker (although La Sportiva did try on the rocker) and the really soft ankles. The soft ankle will let us walk a long ways in some pretty stiff soled boots. I suspect the soft ankle is making your foot do things it normally would not be doing. My theory anyway. Lots of ankle flex and a virtually rigid sole makes a great mixed boot. But if La Sportivawould only add a little additionalankle support, you would havehave a great alpine boot as well with littlelosson hard mixed.



The Batura excels in this kind of mixedterrain.

photo courtesy of Daniel Harro



If the mixed is going to be very difficult(as in modern mixed and bolts) most will have a fruit boot or a lighter pair of mtn boots like theTrango Extremeon anyway.



Durability is always an issue with fabric boots. La Sportiva 's Batura answer forcrampon durability, lots of heavy rubber reinforcement on the fabric at the instep of the boots.







For whatever reason, fourof us stopped usingthe Batura after theonset of some serious foot issues last fall. Which happened to co inside with the NA release of the new Scarpa Guides, thankfully. Used Batura were turning up in numbers on Ebay.The foot issues were not something any of ushadever experiencedbefore. Neuromas and bone spurs were common with this boot onmy and other Batura owner's feet. I have not had the same issue with the Scarpas. My foot issues have almost totally disappeared while climbing in the Scarpa Ultras. May be it is just the better insole that Scarpa provides but I would hate to think it was something that simple. Insoles are easy to replace.



I am not a biomechanical kinesiologist. But myguess is the extra flexibility of the mid sole and the added ankle support of the Scarpa Guide and Ultrais what saves your feet.Again only my guess here but something is defiantly happening with these only slightly different combos of stiffness, sole rockerand support between the Scarpa boots and the La Sportiva boots. The flex in the Scarpa sole allows your foot to more in a more natural way when walking.I suspectthe extra support in the ankle limits thestress on the foot as well. Down side to that is I would rather climb on a rigidsole forice and alpine. I don't have huge concerns on how well a climbing boot "walks". With any45/46 size bootall have a littleflex. Some just less than others.



The new Batura has substantially more rocker in the sole than the original version. I noticed it immediately in the few few steps I took once in the boots.



While my photos with the yard stick shows 1 1/8" for rocker on the Batura and 1 1/ 4"on the Scarpa Ultra, the soles are enough different that the extra 1/4" of rocker and how I measured it is questionable. But even then that is only1/16" per foot. TheBatura actually feels like it has more rocker than the Ultra. All the while the Batura is stiffer in the sole by a good bit and about the same now compared to the Scarpa Guides for ankle support.



Batura shows 1 1/8" rocker.



Ultra shows 1 1/4" rocker.









Scarpa Ultra, super thin (and light weight) lugs on the left, the Batura with full depth lugs on the right.

Scarpa Ultra's uber sticky and low profileVibram® MULAZ sole on the left. On the right the Batura'sIBS is a sole born from the collaboration between La Sportiva and Vibram. The sole presents a new treading system, the IBS or Impact Brake System which was designed by La Sportiva and developed by Vibram to reduce impact on hard terrain. I am thinking, a lwt weight and super sticky rubber may have been a better answer :)





The old plastic Kolfach Ultras double bootswere totally rigid boots with a good amount of rocker built into the sole and some reasonable ankle support front to back. Ispent some time in my old Koflachs recentlyjustas a comparison. I have walked may miles in those boots and never had foot issues. Shin bang...sure. But my feet were generally happy. The Kolflachs climbed rock and ice well enough. And we all like "happy feet".



The next couple of months of climbing should give me an idea if any of theinternal changes have made the Batura a more comfortable boot on my feet. But I already know they are a much better boot for me than the previous generation. Have to say I am pretty stoked at the end result. The test will be my opinion 90 days from now. I'll report back my findings here.. But so cool to have multiple pairs of perfectly fitting crampons again!



More details of the Batura and a Scarpa Ultras as a comparison. What you don't get from the pictures is the obvious better build quality of the La Sportiva. Which to be honest, surprised me.







The toe's sole profile is the reason crampons fit the Batura so much better than the Ultra.