Posted: 5/18/2009 6:42:12 PM EDT
| If SHTF or we go into a bad economic down turn what do you have on hand for extra boots or foot ware for you and the family?. |
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I think you've got the wrong sub-forum. This is the Ham Radio section. Section you're looking for is located here: http://www.ar15.com/forums/forum.html?b=10&f=18 |
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There are several ways to go about this.
Some people just buy a lot of really cheap boots but whenever I buy cheap walmart boots they fall apart well before the sole wears out. I use tennis shoes for exercising and since they recomend replacing them every so often I keep the old ones around for work shoes or creek shoes or whatever. I get a not too cheap pair of boots for work once a year but they are not really comfortable when working 2 shifts in a row so I bought my own work boots recently. The issued ones are backup boots. For heavy duty hiking boots I bought some danners that can be resoled. All the other stuff mentioned so far tends to be glued and stitched on and might not be easy to resole. The danner boots are probably glued on as well as stitched on but I messed around with an old ruined pair of boots of similar design long ago and you could get the sole off of them and if you had something to put back on you could glue and stitch it on. Some people plan to make tire sandals, run a google on it, and some just plan to use the tire for the new sole on the old leather upper. I need to buy some more quality insoles, normally I keep several pairs around. I replace insoles a whole lot more often than I replace footwear. Shoelaces can be made from whatever you have around but I plan to buy some black 550 cord and use that since I am tired of wearing out my cheapy shoelaces. I like quality socks, ever since I went to the thick wool socks my feet have done better. I wear them year round and even with my tennis shoes. Right now they are the only socks I have. Since you rarely find me in shorts that probably helps. And no I don't wear socks with my sandals, I don't own any sandals. Overall I believe in quality resolable footwear. A search will turn up threads on it or just play on the net. I used to wear redwing boots but my feet changed a few years back and danner boots fit me better these days. I do not keep boots around that don't fit. I don't care what they cost, if they don't fit they can mess your feet up and that can be very expensive. I like simple designs and resolable danner stuff these days. I generally skip the insulation on my stuff since I am either moving or somewhere warm in the cold weather and I don't go many places where it gets really cold. |
This has been a recent topic - still filed under "Huh - dunno" - in my house. My wife and I are good - buy quality, buy spares, keep them in good condition - but we have a 4-y-o and a 6-m-o. Can't exactly buy in bulk when you have no idea what their feet are going to grow into! And it would suck to take my kids elk hunting in November wearing tire sandals.... 
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This has been a recent topic - still filed under "Huh - dunno" - in my house. My wife and I are good - buy quality, buy spares, keep them in good condition - but we have a 4-y-o and a 6-m-o. Can't exactly buy in bulk when you have no idea what their feet are going to grow into! And it would suck to take my kids elk hunting in November wearing tire sandals.... aye, same issue here. i have heavy duty danners and some cowboy boots for kicking the shit around the property and the wife has a couple pair of cowboy boots and light weight hiking boots. but we have a 6 y.o., 3.5 y.o and 9 m.o. - not sure exactly what to do w/ them. the older two have cowboy boots that we bought a size large, but by the end of the year they'll be outgrown. do we buy boots in various sizes to fit the kids 'til they're adults??? |
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Everybody worries about something and, in the end, everybody always ends up dealing with other people's crap, so....
OP, sorry for the, um, sidebar. I had previously been big on the idea of buy cheap/stack deep but, all things considered, I've gone over to the idea of the best quality you can afford and, as mentioned by a previous poster, investing in quality socks as much as shoes. It's a lot easier to patch, wrap, duct tape, whatever your shoes but socks can only get darned so many times before they lose their effectiveness at cushioning and wicking. Depending on what kind of environment you're in and for how long, that can make a world of difference. |
socks-wool is what I ware year around when working out side ( mmmm all ways toasty feet) and no ' hot spots" and boots, yes, a few pairs of back up boots! try second hand shops -or even better-cobblers shops -they are all ways getting screwed on boots. people bring them in for work and never pick them up or get the call that they need more work then they want to pay-I picked up a good pair last year this way- the cobbler had a box of them that he re furbished/re soled and put them out for a 'make an offer' purchase- mine were stained with brown wood stain , but other wise were ' as new: -good deal 150$ boots for 25$
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No kidding, I have boots older than most people on this site. In fact, though very worn, both pairs of my original issue Vietnam Era combat boots.
The best approach of upping your boot count is like being a poor child growing up in poverty when you got a new pair of shoes every year just before school (and hoping you didn't grow all that fast). Keep buying different boots until you find what you like then go for variations of that boot like summer breathing to winter lined. Tj |
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I have about 5 pairs of boots do to the military and 2 pair I bought outside the military. Before a lot of guys got out they would throw away a good pair of $100+ boots I had no shame on dumpster diving and getting them or asking them for the boots. If you can get down to a military base some have resale places MCRD in CA has a great resale store there if you don't know its there you will not find it. They have Gor-tex boots that have only been worn maybe once or twice that are dirt cheap. If you have boots you like a lot like I have my Jungle boots that I love get them resoled every year or other year if you have a place near you that does that.
Don't go out and buy cheap boots most of the time they fall apart and hurt your feet. Buying cheap boots is not worth the money you could save a buy a pair that will last you 5 times longer. As TJ said he has boots that are about 40 years old mine are only 7 years old but spent 8 weeks in salt water for over 16+ hours a day and they still come to a shine when I need them to fact is i ware them as my interview shoes cause of the shine that's on them. |
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This has been a recent topic - still filed under "Huh - dunno" - in my house. My wife and I are good - buy quality, buy spares, keep them in good condition - but we have a 4-y-o and a 6-m-o. Can't exactly buy in bulk when you have no idea what their feet are going to grow into! And it would suck to take my kids elk hunting in November wearing tire sandals.... Yeah, it is pretty easy for me to have an extra pair of boots (or two)... And my wife... But it is another deal for your kids... Once they quit growing... I have thought about that... I have a couple brand new boots in my "go" stuff... And for my kids... Yeah, until they get grown, they will have what is on their feet, and whatever else the older kid has grown out of... In SHTF, I will be good for a couple years, the wife too... But the kids... Yeah, that is a preparedness gap in my house... AND... I am a quality VS quantity guy. I have a pair of Browning boots that I have worn all the sole down on... And got the sole replaced... And a pair of Danners that I have worn every day to work for TWO YEARS... But if you plan on doing any sort of walking, working, etc. your shoes are vitally important! You might have spent a million dollars on an armory, but if you don't have your feet taken care of... you are SOL. |
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I think you've got the wrong sub-forum. This is the Ham Radio section. Section you're looking for is located here: http://www.ar15.com/forums/forum.html?b=10&f=18 Ham geeks, love you guys but damn, you can be annoying
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This has been a recent topic - still filed under "Huh - dunno" - in my house. My wife and I are good - buy quality, buy spares, keep them in good condition - but we have a 4-y-o and a 6-m-o. Can't exactly buy in bulk when you have no idea what their feet are going to grow into! And it would suck to take my kids elk hunting in November wearing tire sandals.... aye, same issue here. i have heavy duty danners and some cowboy boots for kicking the shit around the property and the wife has a couple pair of cowboy boots and light weight hiking boots. but we have a 6 y.o., 3.5 y.o and 9 m.o. - not sure exactly what to do w/ them. the older two have cowboy boots that we bought a size large, but by the end of the year they'll be outgrown. do we buy boots in various sizes to fit the kids 'til they're adults??? Kids shoes are cheap.......and they dont have HIP, and knee problems ..(thank you uncle sam) and they groww out of them fast. Buy one of each when you find them cheap. Chances are they wont wear them out and you can give them to someone else in need. as for you, if you are blessed and can wear any cheap shoe then go to wally world and stock up......if you are like me and have "issues" buy what you know you can wear a year in advance. MHO |
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I have about 5 pairs of boots do to the military and 2 pair I bought outside the military. Before a lot of guys got out they would throw away a good pair of $100+ boots I had no shame on dumpster diving and getting them or asking them for the boots. If you can get down to a military base some have resale places MCRD in CA has a great resale store there if you don't know its there you will not find it. They have Gor-tex boots that have only been worn maybe once or twice that are dirt cheap. If you have boots you like a lot like I have my Jungle boots that I love get them resoled every year or other year if you have a place near you that does that. Don't go out and buy cheap boots most of the time they fall apart and hurt your feet. Buying cheap boots is not worth the money you could save a buy a pair that will last you 5 times longer. As TJ said he has boots that are about 40 years old mine are only 7 years old but spent 8 weeks in salt water for over 16+ hours a day and they still come to a shine when I need them to fact is i ware them as my interview shoes cause of the shine that's on them. guilty as charged !!! several pairs hanging on the power lines out side the barracks in 1990 on ft. meade when I left uncle sugars care.......im fatter now and feet are bigger.....no great loss...... man it felt great saying kiss my ass after 7 years |
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I've got a couple pairs of modern urban assualt boots and still have almost all my old issues which are in various condition. If the shit hits the fan, I'll be putting on my Altama Jungle boots and if it's cold than my best condition all leather Altama's. I really need to buy a new pair of Lowa's though and they'll probably be first choice. Altama |
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I buy all my shoes and boots "used" at flea markets and thrift stores and never have to pay more then $5-$10 and only buy good high quality ones.Oftern you can get them that show no signs of even being worn, Ive got boots that were still in the box...my trouble is I end up with too many pairs of boots' shoes because I see a great pair for $5 and can't pass them up so end up with another pair in the closet.
,,, In the past I have made good money reselling some on the Ebay too.......T |
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If SHTF or we go into a bad economic down turn what do you have on hand for extra boots or foot ware for you and the family?. Damn right. I read "The Road". I don't want to be wearing ill-fitting or no shoes at all if SHTF. John ETA: TJ and others in here are right. Buy decent boots and keep 'em around when you get a new pair. They may not look pretty, but they should be comfortable and have plenty of life left if you need it. This way you can have an extra pair under the bed, in the trunk, pre-positioned at your retreat location(s), etc. |
| I have been wearing two models of boots made by the same company for almost 20 years. They fit, and wear great, and my feet/knee's, hips, and back dont hurt becouse of them. (some boots are just hard on a man). I have several differant wieghts of insulation for differant use's. I dont buy retail anymore. I have places I can get them for half of retail, and I dont buy unless I get a good deal. Sometimes I'll buy a pair just becouse there a good deal and set them back. I'm always rotating breakin periods. |