Urban prepping FOOTWEAR?

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Silent Earth

A True Doomsday Prepper
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Urban prepping FOOTWEAR?



We are all more than well aware of the need for suitable footwear for survival after an event, for

bugging out with and for getting around with in the countryside after TSHTF, but consider the

implications for the URBAN prepper.

He has not got overgrown paths, nettles, brambles, mud and cow crap to contend with, The Urban

prepper has unmaintained sole (not soul) destroying concrete and tarmac surfaces to contend

with. These hard unforgiving surfaces are likely to also be heavily debris strewn with such things

as

Untreated sewage from blocked or collapsed drains

Broken glass both ordinary domestic window glass fragments but hard lethal toughened glass

shards from shops, offices and high rise buildings

Possibly LIVE fallen power cables

Broken pieces of discarded metal from food tins to bits of Rebar to metal pieces blown from

building facias

He faces walking through puddles that may be more industrial waste than water, leaks of acids,

alkaline’s, mineral oils, cancer causing PCPs in solution form.

Fractured, collapsed and displaced drain and gully covers waiting to slash the exposed ankle

Instead of dense leaf mold he may face walking through piles of shattered sharp piles of fallen

concrete roof tiles as well as glass.

Don’t forget the power, phone, and other cables strung normally well overhead that may be now

buried in debris just waiting to rip into the foot of a foraging survivalist.

Wellies and trainers are simply not going to cut the mustard, nor do I believe the urban prepper will

be able to rely on only one type of footwear. The lightly equipped prepper on a recce or recovery

journey around his city may still have to contend with violent gangs and displaced peoples so his

parkour skills are going to be as important as his navigation and hunting skills. In that light role he

may find his footwear needs to be lightweight flexible grippy semi sportswear like all leather or

synthetic CONVERSE type ankle boots that allow for extreme athletic activity if required.

Whether the footwear be boost or shoes is for the individual to choose from, but I would suggest

whilst in the early part of a crisis when debris strewn streets have not yet become the norm that

quality suitable SHOES will suffice comfortably , especially in the initial Bug Out / Get Home role.

But as time goes by and as debris, litter and rubble becomes the default urban road surface I think

the risk of debilitating injury to our urban preppers ankles is simply too great a risk and ankle boots

will be the best choice.

I find the younger (and more “it won’t happen to me”) types prefer lighter more relaxed footwear,

but the older guys prefer something slightly more supportive. I guess the older dudes won’t be

doing much parkour type leaping around !!!

Converse soft leather baseball type boot, very

supple, very grippy but low protection rating but great for the more athletic among us

Converse soft leather low boot, very comfy and easy to put on or take off

But for longer distance foraging and patrolling something with a stronger more protective upper,

greater resistance to abrasion or corrosive chemicals then perhaps something from the AirWare

Dr Martens stable may be more to your liking. The only vulnerability coming from the inevitable

puncture you will get in the sole (easily fixed with hot knife)

Myself being an itinerant old soldier like the more substantial footwear such as civilian

APPROACH shoes like supplied by Merrill and Salomon for EDC duty and initial post collapse

footwear when driving is still viable as well as walking

Let us be clear about this WE ARE NOT SOLDIERS, we are civilians so apart from the good old

pair of Combat High boots you have been using for years (cos they are so broken in they are

nearly worn out) we in general we don’t need huge great heavy high leg combat boots. But of

course if you like Combat boots or have been wearing them for years as a soldier then stick with

what suits you.

But as our soldiers learned in Ulster in the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s big bloody heavy boots can be a

pain for patrolling for hours in URBAN areas. That is why the very advanced lightweight patrol

breathable boot became so popular.

The original and still massively popular black all leather Magnum high boot reigned supreme for

years. In time leather / cordura and other materials were developed to lighten the boot, make it

cooler, more water proof, warmer for certain deployments, more protective if you stood on an IED

etc. Lightweight boots became de rigueur for pavement pounding cops, troops, medics, fire

fighters, public sector workers across the world and I think they have a lot to offer the discerning

urban prepper.

No boot or shoe will protect you if you don’t look after it as well, so plenty of cleaning, polishing

and destoning must be given to to your footwear if you want the best out of it.

It is often prudent to invest in a set or two of high quality insoles for boots, many sports shops with

measure your feet and work out a proper prescription for orthopaedic insoles which can make like

much sweeter when walking long distances.

Don’t forget plenty of foot care products to stop / prevent athelites foot etc, and NEVER force dry

your footwear if soaked through, always let them dry out naturally at room temperature.

Leather boots will require treatment on occasion from dubbin or similar products to keep the

leather both supple and waterproof.
 
I find it very strange that people are ready to pay huge amount of money for boots but are not ready to invest a few coins in a good brush,cloth and some grease and polish to take care of the footwear??
for seriously hard to reach places,use an old toothbrush to get the dirt away..
 
Hear hear, being ex British Army Light Infantry I place a great deal in top notch foot care and foot wear, its insanity not to look after your feet and boots, I have even clashed with my son over his Doc Martens high leg boots, apparently its not cool or trendy for college kids to clean their boots ?.
 
ay,you take care of your boots,they take care of your feet and boy do we feel good.
hate dirty boots,and guys if you wanna have very shiny boots..just "borrow" a pair of nailons from your lady and give a nice rub with these..oh they shine brightly...but hide those nailons afterwards and don't take the fish nets ;)
 
this is only me,don't much like steel-toed boots, tend to be a bit chilly in the winter, reinforced is something I like,but my winters can be little on the cold side
 
We don't really have them here, hehe....but yeah, I could see that.
 
you lucky ones in the sun shine state :)
but I think I'm lucky our most poisonous snake has a venom, like a really bad bee-sting..no rattlers or kind here..or gators..
 
Well, gators mostly will stay away from people. Just don't get in the water with them. As for snakes, most common ones aren't poisonous, though we do have them. In fact, a friend's kid got bit a few weeks back, poor little girl. They got her to the ER in time though, and had taken a pic of the snake with their camera, so they could identify the venom.
 
one lucky kid,woah,yup with children even a moderately poisonous snake can be bad.
 
Whatever you do don't buy Marauders, they look cool but get soaked at the lightest rain. What I want is the nike boots, everyone I talk to says they feel like tennis shoes.
 
I normally EDC Magnum footwear such as the Midnights 3.0s in city environments cos at a push I can get away with them in a suit, but I intend to try Magnum Mach 2 5.0 ankle boots next time.
 
The best boots in the world are worthless without a good pair of socks .................. cotton for me , some argue for wool.
 
wool for me,but thin cotton socks under those...really cold I go for the old flannel cloth+wool combo I learned when 20 something.
 
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I am a firm believer in 100% wool socks....call me a traditionalist, but here are a few things I picked up while I was active duty and especially, when I knew I was going to do any serious marching or patrolling. I have at least 3 pair tucked into my ruck.

Always have a good pair of new athletic insert soles for your boots. For me, I pay the ones that my son uses in his athletic shoes and are called, you can find them online, but I went to a specialty drug/boutique store which sells the street shoe kind and had my feet measured. Of course, if you don't have that around in your local area, get online and type in Dr. Scholl's, Walmart typically the supercenter ones will have a machine that will measure your shoe and recommend the right insole. Make sure the insole is properly trimmed and fits snugly in your boot. Do not allow any wrinkling and bunching because this will cause your feet to be tore up.

Trim your toe nails and filing them down is a key.

Foot Powder, if you don't have this in your ruck, get at least two bottles of it, personally I like the Gold Bond stuff, but anything with anti-fungal is the key.

Now here is the trick, some don't care for this but, use a pair of good snug cotton socks, I get the ankle type that fit snuggly to my feet. Also if you don't mind using them a pair of ankle panty hose over the cotton ones, these help with the sliding and does support the theory of blister prevention.

Over these, I wear my wool socks. These socks keep me warm.

Change frequently and definitely after crossing any water obstacles. I know this sounds a bit little whimpy, but in a SHTF, I plan to actually take off my boots and sock, roll on a pair of water shoes to cross the obstacle. While I didn't due that on ops, I just don't think unless their is hostile contact on the other side a necessity to risk wearing them when the objective is to keep them dry. My opinion, yours to argue.

Did I say powder....well powder them again, as doc would say!

As for boots, see the early post regarding boots. I think many of us have added their opinion on them.
 
my boots fall into 2 categories.. first is summer wear steel toe boots.but then again,that's got a lot to do with my life style when it comes to me being outside.my other ones,are winter boots.in which their not steel toe.and both pairs are great for rural living..then there's urban living..i believe that skid free shoes/boots are better then any other.on account you never know when you might step on something that could cause your foot to slip.like gas and anti-freeze..

and as far as socks go..i wear cotton socks.i do have 3 or 4 pairs of wool socks.and i only wear them when my winter boots aint quiet warm enough...

foot powder is a great plus..and just like bob..i use the gold bond foot powder..
 
For you wool sock wearers and heavy sweaters or both................ Equate brand jock itch spray ....$3.37 a 4.67 ounce spray can at Walmart.....will prevent "and or cure" that itchy , allergic , aggravating ankle rash .........................a couple of anti-fungal spray cans will last a LONG , LONG bug out hike ............Keep them socks dry , dudes .
 
I Think we can all agree no one footwear is perfect for every situation. Fit with the socks we intend to wear and insoles is a must. You must find something to keep with you in buyout situations that's tough and durable. Take care of your feet and footwear, also toughen your feet as you may end up barefoot.
 

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