Shoes...what kind do you wear....foot care

[Echo2]

Probably been brought up before a multitude of times....but as important as it is....I don't see an issue with bringing it up. Seeing as in a post event world, we tend to think that other than pedal power, or feet will be our main source of transportation. Bearing that in mind, we probably will not be burdened by fashion....or stopping to change footwear as some folks do now.

I personally own about 17 pr of shoes. One pair of "dress" shoes (black plain hikers with black laces), a couple pair of Teva sandals, one pair of Crocs (for the campsites and shower shoes)....and about 12 pair of my everyday shoes.

Which are these...

https://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/31sz14_lg.jpg

Wolverine Spencers..

I found them many years back, and have been wearing them ever since. Once I begin to see moderate wear, I take them to a local cobbler, and have him do a tune up. This basically consist of new insoles, new felt, repair any stitching, and seal them. I'll put in new paracord laces....then store them in the box the new ones come out of. I now have shoes dispersed around my AO.

2 new pr at the house....always
2 to 3 kick around "active use" pair....at all exits of the house.
2 pr used but in box....broke in and refurbished
1 pr new and 3 pr of refurbs at BOL
1 pr at dads house
1 pr at my buddies house where we cut wood.

This alots me options....I started doing this after a freind of the family...had his house burn down in winter....and he didn't have time to grab kids and boots.....kids won out. He wears a 14.5 WW....so replacement quickly was not an option. Big eyeopener for me...and the Scout mantra took over...thus shoes everywhere.

I just remembered the pr in the back of the car...and the old...old pr here at the shop....go figure.

What it boils down to....is if I want...I can leave the house and run around in comfy shoes.....but will always have a pair in the event I have to hoof it.

Now we speak of socks. In summer....I use your basic cushion sole athletic socks...reinforced toe and heel. I'm not really that choosey on brands as long as they feel comparable in the pack. Each pair of shoes I have...other than daily wearers....have a brand new pair of socks in each boot...so 2 pr per box. Socks are cheap....and you can double up if necessary. I'm always wearing cargo pockets....so if I need to stash an extra pair of socks....no problem.

In winter.....I have too many to name.....but I dig wool.....even wet they will help keep feet warm, and they are fairly durable. Even in winter....while in camp I'll wear socks and Crocs...and have my boots drying for the next day. Not to mention the crocks don't tear up the ground with cleats (makes mud)...and they go on and off coming in and out of the tent easily.....Crocs weigh nothing.....and they hook to the exterior of my pack with a carabiner.

First aid....that's a whole different ball of wax. If you remember dry feet are happy feet....you'll be doing good. Other things you may want to have on hand is some "Mole Skin".....foot powder.....a good....let me repeat...a GOOD pair of nail clippers.....with a ingrown nail kit.

This is just a few of my tricks and habits that have developed over the last...well um....few years. What do you keep on hand? Do you keep extra footwear?.....broke in footwear? Foot first aid?

[mitunnelrat]

I'm in awe... I have a few pair scattered around here and there, but nothing like that. I have...
16 sets of footwear in 5 different types, most of which are activity dependent:

Sandals/ flip flops (shower shoes)
Dress shoes
Casual/ gym shoes
Boots - hunting, hiking, utility
Rubber boots/ overboots

My sisters have a fun with this. One had the gall to call me a metrosexual, another told me I'm just like a girl...

Anyway, I made the switch to sandals for warm weather last year, and my feet have been thanking me ever since - at least they do if I don't walk too far, too fast in them. Otherwise what I have on my feet depends on what I'm doing/ wearing at any given moment.

I keep a pair of insulated boots in my car in the winter, and I had an overnight bag with an old pair of crosstrainers in there too. I need to get that back in there, so thank you for the reminder.

The overnight bag is as much for fire response as it is anything else, and its the only place I have any extra socks. A glaring oversight there. Thanks for that thought too.

One thing I am working on is improving my summer EDC, since I do like wearing the sandals almost as much as I like riding my motorcycle. Those two activities, however, are mutually exclusive. I'm thinking I may get some of the cargo pants that convert to shorts, and carry the sandals in a bag while I'm riding. Changing will be easier once I get where I'm going then. I've found I make other people uncomfortable when I stay in pants and boots. Makes me laugh sometimes.

As for foot care, I have powder, moleskin, and anti-fungal cream in my kit. I saw guys with trench foot and know I don't want it. Ever.

I think that about covers it.

[Katrina]

I am behind in practical shoes, having a lot of stiletos (work shoes) and flats but with the foot surgery haven't been able to wear any of them yet. I now own three pairs of good athletic walking shoes that I rotate wearing. Have a pair of REALLY good Sorrell winter boots, Good hiking boots are on the wish list right now. Socks we got, DH wears the cotton crews all the time so that is a staple in our house, replaced regularly.

[Evolver]

For me my main go to shoe is a good supporting cross trainer like the NB


http://s7d5.scene7.com/is/image/NB/mx623wn_nb_02_i?$dw_detail_thumb$

Second are flips flops or if I'm around water Keens or Tiva's

http://s.stpost.com/eccstorefront/product_images/65647/t_65647_6.jpg

For hunting and hiking I've had Vasque, Merrel and Asolo and have liked them all.

http://www.asolo.com/_files/image.php/prod_1298299813.jpg?resize(320x400)

[Taz Baby]

Oooooooooooooo Shoes Yeah But I like boots. I have lots and lots of boots, 1 pair of walking shoes, 1 pair of water shoes, 2 pair of sandals, 1 pair of flip flops, snake proof boots, steel toed boots, High top hiking boots, riding boots, everyday boots, Indian leather boots, even my house shoe are boots. Did I say I reallly like boots?

[Kodiak]

I wear a size 15-16 depending on the brand so this is a big issue for me post shtf. One strategy that i have adopted over the years is to not throw shoes/boots/sandals away if they are still in wearable condition. I havnt taken a tally lately but i probably have 20 different pairs of footwear in the basement and several pairs upstairs that get worn depending on the occasion. I like the idea of keeping footwear at different locations and i think ill add a pair of shoes in the truck next to the ghb.

[Twitchy]

Probably been brought up before a multitude of times....but as important as it is....I don't see an issue with bringing it up. Seeing as in a post event world, we tend to think that other than pedal power, or feet will be our main source of transportation. Bearing that in mind, we probably will not be burdened by fashion....or stopping to change footwear as some folks do now.

I personally own about 17 pr of shoes. One pair of "dress" shoes (black plain hikers with black laces), a couple pair of Teva sandals, one pair of Crocs (for the campsites and shower shoes)....and about 12 pair of my everyday shoes.

Which are these...

https://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/31sz14_lg.jpg

Wolverine Spencers..

I found them many years back, and have been wearing them ever since. Once I begin to see moderate wear, I take them to a local cobbler, and have him do a tune up. This basically consist of new insoles, new felt, repair any stitching, and seal them. I'll put in new paracord laces....then store them in the box the new ones come out of. I now have shoes dispersed around my AO.

2 new pr at the house....always
2 to 3 kick around "active use" pair....at all exits of the house.
2 pr used but in box....broke in and refurbished
1 pr new and 3 pr of refurbs at BOL
1 pr at dads house
1 pr at my buddies house where we cut wood.

This alots me options....I started doing this after a freind of the family...had his house burn down in winter....and he didn't have time to grab kids and boots.....kids won out. He wears a 14.5 WW....so replacement quickly was not an option. Big eyeopener for me...and the Scout mantra took over...thus shoes everywhere.

I just remembered the pr in the back of the car...and the old...old pr here at the shop....go figure.

What it boils down to....is if I want...I can leave the house and run around in comfy shoes.....but will always have a pair in the event I have to hoof it.

Now we speak of socks. In summer....I use your basic cushion sole athletic socks...reinforced toe and heel. I'm not really that choosey on brands as long as they feel comparable in the pack. Each pair of shoes I have...other than daily wearers....have a brand new pair of socks in each boot...so 2 pr per box. Socks are cheap....and you can double up if necessary. I'm always wearing cargo pockets....so if I need to stash an extra pair of socks....no problem.

In winter.....I have too many to name.....but I dig wool.....even wet they will help keep feet warm, and they are fairly durable. Even in winter....while in camp I'll wear socks and Crocs...and have my boots drying for the next day. Not to mention the crocks don't tear up the ground with cleats (makes mud)...and they go on and off coming in and out of the tent easily.....Crocs weigh nothing.....and they hook to the exterior of my pack with a carabiner.

First aid....that's a whole different ball of wax. If you remember dry feet are happy feet....you'll be doing good. Other things you may want to have on hand is some "Mole Skin".....foot powder.....a good....let me repeat...a GOOD pair of nail clippers.....with a ingrown nail kit.

This is just a few of my tricks and habits that have developed over the last...well um....few years. What do you keep on hand? Do you keep extra footwear?.....broke in footwear? Foot first aid?

Those look like nice quality boots... what do they cost?

[Echo2]

Those look like nice quality boots... what do they cost?

$60 to $70.....depending.

[Echo2]

A note on shoes....a fellow that was in the Marines was on a 4 mile march....with full rucks.

They went 2 miles out....the the DI instructed them to make a pile with the boot they had on their feet.....take the ones out of their ruck....and gear up for the hike back.

Over 1/2 had left the boots back at the barracks....but he had removed his boots from the pack and put in a pair of Tevas.....he was allowed to wear them back...and only had to do 1/2 the push ups.

[GunnerMax]

2 sneaker pairs
8 military issue boots
3 pairs of sandals

I am covered alright

[Gunfixr]

I think I got 4 pairs of "working" shoes, or the ones I use most regularly.
I got a pair of sandals, and a pair of some kind of tennis-type shoes. I got a pair of Belleville desert combat boots I use when it's hot out. I got a pair of Rocky Goer Tex waterproof hunting style boots, 1200 gram insulated, for when it's cold out.
I have a backup pair to the Rockys, as they were kind of hard to find, and we got them cheap. I ran across the Bellevilles cheap also, being closed out for next years models.

I still have some cowboy boots around, but had to quit wearing them a few years back, back won't take it anymore.

Mostly, my wife picks my shoes. I just tell her basically what I'm after, and she handles the rest.
She works management in a retail shoe chain. I have good shoes, at a good price.






I know, it's cheating.

[bacpacker]

I mostly wear New Balance shoes and have started trending toward the higher numbered models because the support in them seem so much better. Similar to Kodiak, I wear a 14EE and can't locate shoes just anywhere. I always save my old shoes, they go from daily wear to just fartin around the house, to mowing the yard, to muddin in the garden, to running the tiler and filling them up. I probably have 10-12 pair laying around at various stages, plus 2-3 fairly new pair. When I find a pair I like I usually get 2-3.
For boots, I keep a pair of hiking boots in each of my vehicles. I also have 3 pair of work boots that I use for cuttin trees and such. I also got a nice pair of Danner Ft. Lewis boot's that I need to get broke in. I love those boots, just haven't taken the time to break them in.
Socks on the other hand, I never seem to have enough of. I have found some Under Armour blend socks that wick moisture that I wear days to work. My feet have gotten in better shape since I went to those. Just need a lot more of them. I have several pair of hiking socks, but need to bump those way up as well. I really like the Wigwam and Thor-Lo brands. They have shown to hold up for a long time under heavy use.
I have some sandals, but don't wear them much. Aqua Socks are something I like pretty well to, nice to strap on the backpack and slip on when getting into camp.