Shoes or Boots

What brand and type of foot wear do you buy so you can walk comfortably for long hours without harming your feet.

It depends on the terrain and season of course, but for most hiking I use a classic pair of Corcoran paratrooper boots. The Munson last is about the finest for natural foot alignment short of a custom fitted boot. I dislike aggressive lug patterns, as they tear up the environment. For snow I use Steger Mukluks, mud and rain classic Wellington rubber boots, hot desert lightweight running shoes.

hey chris do you have any foot problems like flat feet?
just wondering how those boots would preform for someone with flat feet like myself.

Chris, Thank you for your reply.

The Munson Last is new to me. where do you go for purchase? What casual foot wear would you wear for every day use. I am retireing from the northwest plateau, four corners of New Mexico, to a place 90 miles east of Dallas.

I will be about fishing and float trips and just being about town. Is there an an kind of all around kind of footwear I should be considering?

For here where I live now I'm good for footwear. But retirement is new territory. I will enjoy meeting new people
but I want to be prepared for the unexpected. Especially with the new threats to our society and living down wind from what must be a tempting target city.

Shoes are important - there are deck shoes, Construction boots, steel toed a**-kickers and stilettos in my closet.

I find that for the most part, I dress my feet for the situation, but it is the socks that are the most important - great shoes will turn your feet to chopped meat in no time if the socks you have are not appropritae.

My favorite deep woods hiking/camping 'shoe' is either nothing (I am crazy, I know), or regular athletic shoes. Athletics are easily taken off, can be expanded to accomodate a little swelling and can be washed.

If I know I am going to be dealing with cutting and forming wood, I wear the steel toed boots. I do not find that they are good for long term wearing, no matter what I do to 'break them in'.

But then again, I am female with a women's 11 wide foot. In men's that is about a 9, but then again, sometimes it is a 10 - and still wide. It is hard to find shoes for any occation that fit.

Just like back-packs, if I find one that fits, I buy any shoe that fits. A look into the closet will tell you a lot about someone!

Sorry for the ramble...

Rena

Socks - ah, socks. MOST people wonder why my everyday carry bag had a nice pair of boot socks in there. Then you have the folks who have hiked/spent all day on their feet - THEY smile when they see it. I can't tell you the number of times I've gotten stuck in the office/on a call out over night, and you change your undies, your socks, wash your face, brush your teeth - your good to go for another few hours.

Another trick - I'm sitting at my desk, and I'm NOT likely to have to get up for the next 2-3 hours, except to walk 1-2 steps to my file cabinet - guess what? The shoes (boots) are OFF - let my feet air out

Rena, and journeyman thank you for your imput. I will put an extra couple of pair in my evolving BOB.

I too will usually slip off my shoes when I am home.. My wife says she gets embarrased when I do it without thinking and we are in church.

I usually wear nike trail runners but somtime also wear redhead gortex hiking boots. Sometimes I even go with regular old running shoes or super thick super insulated full height timberland boots. Like Chris said, it really depends on the climate and terrain. Over all I think my trail runners get the most use just because of where I usually hike/camp and what the weather is usually like.

Thank you Ryan for your reply.

I just retired on the 5th. We are relocating to a town ninety miles east of Dallas. Lots of lakes and private ponds. Texas also has a lot of flat water rivers some of which I plan to float.
I will probably be alone on my float trips no one to invite. I will mostly float on week days because there will be less boat traffic and camp on sand bars and such like. Those trail shoes sound good.
There are over twenty million people in Texas, I think so many new friends.

Lacrosse waterpoof lace-up boots. Got them on Sportsmansguide.com best boots i ever owned.

Welcome to TX! The only state allowed to fly its flag at the same height as the US flag! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Don't waterproof boots tend to cause excessive perspiration?

I had a pair of top of the calf high all rubber boots, but they were just for doing the job at hand and then back to what I was wearing.

Bountyhunter

Rena, if you are looking for steel toe boots that are comfortable try these,

http://www.redwingshoe.com/shoe-zoom.cfm?style=2263

You can get sizes to fit your foot, you can also get a higher boot if you want more ankle support protection. But these are the most comfortable boots by far that i have ever worn, and i stand on concrete 10 hours a day at my job. The down side is that these will set your wallet back by $230.

If you have trouble finding shoes that fit Red Wing also has more resonable prices on other types of shoes, i wear a 91/2 B and they keep them in stock so i don't think that you would have any trouble. Of course they don't have any stilettos so that may be a problem.

the lacrosse boots i have are gore-tex lines - sweat goes out, water stays out. I stay cool and comfortable.

<img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />
I actually have some 4" heeled construction type boots... With extra arch support and steel toe half rounds in the toes...

Not that it would be usefull in most survival situations...

Those are great looking boots in the link- I did not know you could get anything in a EEEE!

Rena

OK, Rena--I'll bite...4" heels on a pair of "work" boots? <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

You got a picture of those? <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Utility in a survival situation? Depends on what you're trying to survive!

David

Red Wing does a lot of things that you would not find in other shoes. EEEE would not be in stock at most stores but could be ordered. A friend of mine has one leg that is about an inch shorter than the other one, and Red Wing custom fabricates his shoes with lift in one shoe. So if you really want those steel toe stilettos.

Man, I had forgotten about Corcorans. Had a pair when I was in the Air Farce and loved them. Kept them when I got out and wore them 'til they fell off of my feet. I wasn't really wild about the slick sole, but could probably live with it. They are kinda clunky looking with the capped toe, but I might get a new pair anyway...