D'Sup shoes were made by Richard Pontvert in France
D'Sup is: "Difficulty Superior"
Circa 1977
D'Sup is: "Difficulty Superior"
Circa 1977
Shoes donated by Art McCarthy
|
- Info from Stephane Pennequin
|
"Hi!
Saw your photo of the Richard Pontvert orange D-sups here on Mountain Project.
I'm just going through my diary from climbing at Frog Buttress in Queensland, Australia in August 1976, and have noted there that Rick White, who had a climbing shop in Brisbane, showed me an early pair of orange D-sup shoes:
"Rick White arrived. We talked gear — and looked at his new Galibier friction boots — softer rubber, almost as good as EBs, leather and canvas uppers like PAs, but grey with orange canvas. Narrower than PAs, with a toe even more pointed than EBs (or new EBs at least). Thicker sole. They're called D Sups. I might buy a pair when they come on the market — a reasonable copy of EBs, with better uppers. That may remove the paranoia about EB going out of business — there is now something to cover the loss. The whereabouts of EB is a closely-guarded secret — Rick White and one other in Oz know where they are made. Only 4,000 pairs are made each year. USA could easily soak up that many if they were allowed to." (8 August 1976)
Hope that's of interest.
Regards,
Rick McGregor
Mountain Project email from Rick 4/7/2021
Saw your photo of the Richard Pontvert orange D-sups here on Mountain Project.
I'm just going through my diary from climbing at Frog Buttress in Queensland, Australia in August 1976, and have noted there that Rick White, who had a climbing shop in Brisbane, showed me an early pair of orange D-sup shoes:
"Rick White arrived. We talked gear — and looked at his new Galibier friction boots — softer rubber, almost as good as EBs, leather and canvas uppers like PAs, but grey with orange canvas. Narrower than PAs, with a toe even more pointed than EBs (or new EBs at least). Thicker sole. They're called D Sups. I might buy a pair when they come on the market — a reasonable copy of EBs, with better uppers. That may remove the paranoia about EB going out of business — there is now something to cover the loss. The whereabouts of EB is a closely-guarded secret — Rick White and one other in Oz know where they are made. Only 4,000 pairs are made each year. USA could easily soak up that many if they were allowed to." (8 August 1976)
Hope that's of interest.
Regards,
Rick McGregor
Mountain Project email from Rick 4/7/2021