From Chris Bagust
While empirical research into the benefits of wearing socks over shoes to increase traction may have hitherto been lacking (Feedback, 9 October), the idea itself is not new. It was standard practice in British climbing circles in the 1950s for wet conditions, before the modern developments in boot-sole technology.
In his book In High Places, renowned mountaineer Dougal Haston related advice he received in Glencoe, UK, in 1957: “If you’ve got a pair of old socks you can stick them over the gym-shoes”. And Joe Brown wrote, in his book The Hard Years, of north Wales in 1952: “…to make the slippery scramble up to the foot of the corner. We took our boots off and prepared to climb in socks.” Both climbs were completed successfully and two brilliant climbing careers followed.
Bristol, UK
