Crockett & Jones’s replica of George Mallory’s 1924 Everest expedition climbing boots sets a new precedent for early 20th-century facsimiles
Professional explorers Hugo and Ross Turner – better known to their legions of social media followers as the Turner Twins – are embarking on the adventure of a lifetime. The brothers landed onto the infamous Tribhuvan airstrip in Kathmandu earlier this month in preparation for their momentous expedition to investigate the equipment and techniques of George Mallory’s 1924 Everest attempt.
The experiment sees the “identical adventurers” scale Nepal’s highest trekking mountain, Mera Peak (6,476m), with one twin equipped with all the necessities of modern climbing, and the other clad in meticulously designed replica clothing from Mallory’s original expedition. This includes, for the first time ever, custom-made replicas of Mallory’s boots, which were discovered (along with his body) on Everest in 1999.
Renowned Northampton-based shoemaker Crockett & Jones took on the task of recreating Mallory’s boots. Granted extensive access to the original boots by the Royal Geographical Society, the replica boots feature minute details specific to the 1924 undertaking, including a custom upper, supposedly added by Mallory himself to create additional waterproofing.
The new Everest boots by Crockett & Jones
However, despite the historical value of this recreation, Crockett & Jones acknowledges that this version is largely impractical for modern-daily life. Which is why the company has released a consumer-friendly alternative, named the Everest, that pays homage to the expedition while accounting for the comfort of its wearer.
The Everest boots are made using the same waterproof side leather, half-bellows tongue and waterproof feather-line membrane as Mallory’s. The final authentic touch is the inclusion of a yurt felt that sits between the outer leather and the tongue lining, mirroring Mallory’s original insulating layer.
Through its sensitive replication of an icon, Crockett & Jones redefines a beloved original for a new generation of intrepid explorers.
From £695: crockettandjones.com
