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Had never heard of that but sounds like a great thing to try. Come this winter will certainly give it a shot. Have long used those Yak-Track deals here when we get ice. They are a PITA but worked. Will try a few stainless screws next winter.Pro Tip, screw several stainless round head screws into the heal and toe part of the soles and you will never wear the soles out! Works on most every hard type sole, especially the Vibram soles, and this also really aids wet/wintery traction to the point that you don't need add on ice cleats or crampons! unless you really want them!
I find 5 screws around the edge of the toe, and 4 screws around the heel seem to work the best, just drive them in and go, when they wear out, pull them and replace with new, costs around $2.00 for a small baggy of screws at the local hardware store!Had never heard of that but sounds like a great thing to try. Come this winter will certainly give it a shot. Have long used those Yak-Track deals here when we get ice. They are a PITA but worked. Will try a few stainless screws next winter.
There are four things on your body that you are a priority to protect - in order to function halfway decently in a SHTF scenario:
1) Hands (by extension, arms)
2) Feet (by extension, legs)
3) Eyes
4) Ears
In this thread I want to share some of my thoughts and solicit some of yours of footwear.
Besides socks, shoes/boots are important. In almost any SHTF scenario, survivors need to be ambulatory (able to walk). To that end, a survivor needs footwear that will protect his/her feet, regardless of the environment (wet, cold, hot, rocky, glass and other things that might puncture footwear) and to be comfortable for long distances.
Over the decades I have tried a lot of different brands of footwear due to my jobs (manual and outdoors labor) and pastimes (hunting, hiking, etc.). I struggled with finding footwear (primarily boots) that were comfortable walking long distances and protected my feet. I tried many brands, such as Danner, etc. - typical consumer work boots. I've worn caulks (as a choker setter) and other purpose made work boots. I've worn XC ski boots, hiking boots, MX/Dual Sport boots.
I haven't worn every brand of work boots, but I have found most of what I call consumer work boots (Danner, Red Wing, etc.) to not work for me. The Danners I got were ill fitting and not waterproof as advertised. Others were made more for standing around on a work site, protecting your feet from impacts, etc., than tromping around in the woods, over rough terrain.
I found hiking boots, both domestic and foreign made to be more comfortable, usually more protective (except maybe where you needed steel toes, etc), and usually more resistant to water ingress, and warmer in the cold.
When I was younger, I seemed to have more problems with keep my feet dry and warm - primarily warm. Of course, keeping them dry helps keep your feet warm. Over the years my feet have grown from about size 10.5 in my twenties, to now (at 66) they are about 13.5-14. Not sure if that is due to weight gain or just normal or a little of both. But I have much less problems with keeping my feet warm.
Anyway, over the years I have had some boots that worked well - like Vasque and Keen. I used to be a believer in Merrell footwear, but the company was sold to Karhu and then Wolverine. Manufacturing was moved to Asia. Quality went down, and size 13 show would fit tight when a different size 13 shoe would fit loose. I discovered Keen - much of their footwear is made in Portland, OR with the materials/etc. coming from Asia. I like them, but they are not perfect.
I just got thru repairing some Merrell boots I wore while burning my slash piles; the heat from the piles melted the glue holding the sole to the upper, about a third of the sole, at the front, eventually came completely unglued - not surprising as this wasn't a work boot, more of a hiking boot. A lot of footwear today do not have soles that are stitched - instead they are glued to the upper. I bought some shoe goo and used that to reglue the soles, and to seal them up. We'll see how that works and holds up. I also used some of the Shoe Goo to try to water proof some of the boot at the front; from the outset, these "waterproof" boots were anything but waterproof. Anymore I try to not get boots that have any non-leather fabric exposed as that seems to be where water and dirt get into the boot.
I used to have a pair of Vasque Sundowner GTX boots I bought in Alaska - I loved those boots and wore them for about ten years almost every day, until they were falling apart - the last year or so held together by duct tape. I have a similar pair now.
My main complaint about these kinds of boots is that they are "mid-length" coming up to just above or even with my ankle. That is mostly ok until I get out in the grass/snow/etc. and then all kinds of crap gets into the boot at the top. Gaiters are the answer, but gaiters are inconvenient to use and while they work against snow/etc., most are not good when walking thru a creek.
Those look nice, however, as for me that height boot will rub my skin raw even when wearing soft Smartwool or other soft wool socks. Cotton socks are worthless for me as well. Have you dealt with this issue at all?I wear alpine climbing boots almost exclusively! We were issued a cross climbing boot in the service that would work as a regular service boot as well as a jump boot, as we were expected to be able to go anywhere at any time, the climbing boots made the the only solution we could come up with! Having tried them all, we settled on Salewa boots, specifically the M2 Pro Vertical series, and now that they are discontinued, the Vulture series of Vertical boots! These are very well insulated, super stiff foot bed, and water proof to the ankle cuff. They also will outlast any other boot I have ever tried! I buy them in pairs ( at around $700 for 2 pairs) but they are well worth it for the performance! They are also very well armored, with a puncture proof sole and a well protected heel and toe, and they have amazing traction in all conditions!
Pro Tip, screw several stainless round head screws into the heal and toe part of the soles and you will never wear the soles out! Works on most every hard type sole, especially the Vibram soles, and this also really aids wet/wintery traction to the point that you don't need add on ice cleats or crampons! unless you really want them! I can get around 10 years out of 2 pairs before they are too worn to wear comfortably, so, another $700 gets set aside for the next go around! Add up what you would spend every 10 years on Danners or other brand's and the cost works out less!
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+1 I have a few pair of Wesco boots and one pair of Wesco romeos. Best stuff you can buy and made here in Oregon USA!You could always try Westco boots out of Scappose, OR. A friend of mine has his made to fit. They aren't cheap, but he swears by them. They also make off the shelf boots. My Grandson worked there for a while and liked it and the boots. The boots are made like tanks, but are very comfortable. He has trouble holding on to a job for any length of time, so I never got my discounted boots.
Ya gotta look hard for boots not made in china.
U.S. made or another western country, never china for me ever again.
A lot of footwear today do not have soles that are stitched - instead they are glued to the upper. I bought some shoe goo and used that to reglue the soles, and to seal them up. We'll see how that works and holds up.