Everyday shoes/boots for SHTF readiness

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I'm going to make another comment about footware.

I listen to a friend of mine whom used to hike on the Apallachin Trail with--get this!--Converse All-Star High-Top sneakers.

His arguments were interesting, so I got a pair (I used to wear them everywhere when I was a kid), and did several day hikes in the multitude of hiking trails in my area.

I was pleasantly surprised! I'm glad I had a open mind on the subject.

The High-Tops provide good ankle support (but not as good as a combat boot . . . but let us compare apples with apples instead of apples with oranges). They are light when compared with a combat boot, they dry out very quickly (almost like a Vietnam-style jungle boot), they don't scream: "Hello, Everyone! I'm a prepper! Come rob me!," they are extremely durable (I once wore a pair for almost 3 years nonstop when I worked a more physical job in my early twenties, they can be worn on almost any informal occasion, and I believe they deserve a worthy place of honor in the prepper's storage space.

There used to be a preservative spray that one could put on sneakers (it's like a water-proof silicone coating), but I never really felt like I needed them.

I usually put Odor-Eaters in my shoes (beside the obvious reason) because it seems to help preserve the insole . . . and also seems to help prevent athlete's foot, except I may have had skewed experiences on this subject.
 
another oldie dug from the grave >>>

footwear is going to be the major downfall of the sheeple early on - one of MANY - the typical sheeple closet is one sorry azz topic these days in regard to labor and the outdoors - lucky if there's much more than leisure wear of one type or another ....

clothing unfortunately is another one of those major imports - JIT delivery and seasonal >>> if a SHTF disruption like COVID catches the retail stores wrong there won't be any proper clothing available ....

when they come for your Beenie Weenie they might be leaving with the boots off your feet ....
 
EDC, flat soled athletic-type shoes with an ability to grip concrete or granite should I need to climb. Heavier duty, I have a pair of USMC surplus boots from a military supply store which are excellent. They evidently were worn once in Afghanistan. I got them for $32.00.

Once in my 30s my wife and I hiked down Haleakala, a 14,000 ft. mountain in Hawaii. I had the latest, greatest pair of trail boots. By the time I got down to sea level I was a cripple. Make sure you know your shoes before going on a long trip.
 
EDC, flat soled athletic-type shoes with an ability to grip concrete or granite should I need to climb. Heavier duty, I have a pair of USMC surplus boots from a military supply store which are excellent. They evidently were worn once in Afghanistan. I got them for $32.00.

Once in my 30s my wife and I hiked down Haleakala, a 14,000 ft. mountain in Hawaii. I had the latest, greatest pair of trail boots. By the time I got down to sea level I was a cripple. Make sure you know your shoes before going on a long trip.
Agreed.

And boots should be broken in before going on any trip.
 
Agreed.

And boots should be broken in before going on any trip.
I’m on vacation right now and wore a new pair of sketcher tennis shoes today. Even with well sized sneakers my feet are sore right now with all the exploring I did. I never realized even sneakers need to be broken in some. Not anything like boots but still some newness to wear in.
 
I like Keen....not the high-dollar type but they work well for me. I keep a low-cut hiking shoe and a mid-cut for extra ankle support. Socks are almost always Darn Tough or Smartwool.
Excellent choices.

I'm extremely prejudiced in favor of combat boots post SHTF, as I always wore them when I worked in EMS as a paramedic . . . but I can see the logic behind your choices, and I'm sure that you're probably more manouverable with your footware than I would be with mine.
 
there was mentioned in an other thread the word socks, those tend to wear out, so as a substitute I would suggest these, made out of soft flannel cloth ;

1636925862948.png
not the quickest to get on, but when used right, warm,quite comfy and easy and fast to dry..
 
there was mentioned in an other thread the word socks, those tend to wear out, so as a substitute I would suggest these, made out of soft flannel cloth ;

View attachment 14148not the quickest to get on, but when used right, warm,quite comfy and easy and fast to dry..
I've heard of this technique being used by my relatives whom were in Nazi concentration camps and in the Warsaw ghetto (resources were--as I'm sure you can imagine--in short supply), but I have issues with this that I would like clarified.

I work in the medical field, so I'm aquainted with things like bed sores ("decubitis" in medicalese), and part of what happens when bed sores and pressure ulcers develop are bed linens and sheets that are full of wrinkles . . . as this--evidentally--interferes with skin circulation.

Wouldn't the same thing happen to your feet if we used these instead of socks?

If I'm wrong, please tell me. I think feet and mobility are crucial in a survival situation (a soldier can be court-martialed for neglecting his or her feet), so I would be concerned about foot ulcers . . . but I'm also concerned about frostbite, which can be just as bad and can happen if there are no socks.

So, can you clarify? I promise that I'm not trying to be a troll.

I have worked in disaster areas as a relief worker with the Red Cross, so I would like to understand this a little better in case I need to shell out advice for displaced people after a disaster.
 
I used these for 11 months when I did my service, guys who used socks, got on regular basis blisters on their feet, the trick is how well you wrap these on your feet, I always used wool socks to keep them in place, always had a few extra pairs of these, when in field and you can dry these in aprox 15-20 min in your tent,
these are ment to be used together with wool socks, so in that, that pic doesn't tell the whole truth, didn't spot that mistake,
in 1986, during our winter manouver the temps went on regular basis to -22F and below, I kept my feet warm,dry and I was able to bitch how frikkin cold it was ;)
one mate who used tennis socks as first layer got half of his big toes, both, amputated due to severe frostbite...

have and will keep these in my winterpreps,
always willing to explain and give my side on this.
the secret is the way you wrap them, do it good and your feet says thank you, do it bad...
 
I used these for 11 months when I did my service, guys who used socks, got on regular basis blisters on their feet, the trick is how well you wrap these on your feet, I always used wool socks to keep them in place, always had a few extra pairs of these, when in field and you can dry these in aprox 15-20 min in your tent,
these are ment to be used together with wool socks, so in that, that pic doesn't tell the whole truth, didn't spot that mistake,
in 1986, during our winter manouver the temps went on regular basis to -22F and below, I kept my feet warm,dry and I was able to bitch how frikkin cold it was ;)
one mate who used tennis socks as first layer got half of his big toes, both, amputated due to severe frostbite...

have and will keep these in my winterpreps,
always willing to explain and give my side on this.
the secret is the way you wrap them, do it good and your feet says thank you, do it bad...
Thank you very much.

I'll experiment with this idea and see how it works for me.

Thanks again.
 

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