"Survival" Boot Mods


Bought a nice pair of leather boots when i was a student that had small pouches (the size of a zippo) on each of them - tried tracking the make down years later for just such an option but with no luck.

Im my local laws were less difficult i'd try that mod again maybe with a small knife in a sheath on one foot and pouch on the other
 
Corso said:
Bought a nice pair of leather boots when i was a student that had small pouches (the size of a zippo) on each of them - tried tracking the make down years later for just such an option but with no luck.

Im my local laws were less difficult i'd try that mod again maybe with a small knife in a sheath on one foot and pouch on the other
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I go to scotland every year. Never ceases to amaze me the laws you folk have to live under.

(next thing you know the peasants will be killing the king's deer...)
 
Very interesting. Love the additions and the bank line insole is a neat idea.

My experience with those boots, and I have a pair just like them, is that I would be more interesting in killing myself than wearing them for more than 8 hours and surviving. I find them the most painful boots I have ever owned after a few hours of standing or walking.
 
Friartuck said:
Very interesting. Love the additions and the bank line insole is a neat idea.

My experience with those boots, and I have a pair just like them, is that I would be more interesting in killing myself than wearing them for more than 8 hours and surviving. I find them the most painful boots I have ever owned after a few hours of standing or walking.
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New insoles, several coats of leather conditioner, and 100's of miles later, these boots are the most comfortable pair I own. Issued to me in basic training 11ish years ago, and they are still going strong. They were EXTREMELY uncomfortable when new, but I had no choice but to break them in.
 
I really like the insole idea. It has never crossed my mind about putting bank line there. I'm going to do this to my boots tonight.
 
I used two sets of bootlaces for the longest time. 550 cord is an option, but kinda stinks as a lace...it slips too much.

Two sets of laces, or bankline under the insole I feel is pretty useful. Glad I could give you some ideas bud.
 
Awesome vids brother, checkin out your youtube channel now.

I think the boot mod is a good idea, I tend to put my psk in my cargo pocket rather than in my pack or away from my person. I keep mine in an old compass pouch, mylar blanket and altoids tin psk fit inside with a bit of room on the sides. That way I can keep it in my cargo pocket or put it on my belt with alice clips.

I have not had to use it yet but it covers the basics for me; shelter, fire, water, food, signalling and navigation.

-Brandon
 
chinookpilot77 said:
New insoles, several coats of leather conditioner, and 100's of miles later, these boots are the most comfortable pair I own. Issued to me in basic training 11ish years ago, and they are still going strong. They were EXTREMELY uncomfortable when new, but I had no choice but to break them in.
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I have to agree. I was issued mine 16 years ago and I freaking love them.
 
I got my issue a 1/2 size large and put felt insoles in them* , mink oil to soften them then polished until I could read my name tags from 12 feet. That final inspection was the only time that I saw a TI smile. (he was looking at his reflection in my boots)
*trick my old forestry teacher showed us in SE Alaska , kept the feet warm in the winter and cooler in the summer as it insulates away the cold ground or hot pavement . Also pads the feet while marching on pavement.
 
Nice mods. I agree breaking those boots in where hell. But, once your feet are broke to wearing them you can't beat them. I wore my pairs out. I think I might still have a pair of H and H jump boots. I might have to look into getting a new pair of recruit boots.
 
Do you guys have any issues with the soles falling off those old jump boots?

I bought a pair and I like them, they seem very well-built except for one thing: they are very heavy, and the soles are stitched on...and the stitching is exposed on the bottoms of the foresoles! I'm afraid they will fall off if the stitching comes out, but maybe they are glued, too...

PMZ
 
chinookpilot77 said:
New insoles, several coats of leather conditioner, and 100's of miles later, these boots are the most comfortable pair I own. Issued to me in basic training 11ish years ago, and they are still going strong. They were EXTREMELY uncomfortable when new, but I had no choice but to break them in.
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When I first saw those boots on your vid Chinook a HUGE smile broke out on my face! I have two pairs of those boots and they took me everywhere, some place I wanted to go but most I HAD to go. You are exactly right, for those who don't know, once they are broke in, they will be the most comfortable pair of boots you'll own. I've had mine for 15 yrs. and change the insole once a year and a little polish, and they're good to go!
When you were issued them did your DS make you put a knot in one pair between the very first eyelets? They did us, so at morning formation they could go along and make sure we were wearing knots or no knots. That way we broke in BOTH pairs and not just one! Geniuses!
 
Trekon86 said:
Do you guys have any issues with the soles falling off those old jump boots?

I bought a pair and I like them, they seem very well-built except for one thing: they are very heavy, and the soles are stitched on...and the stitching is exposed on the bottoms of the foresoles! I'm afraid they will fall off if the stitching comes out, but maybe they are glued, too...

PMZ
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Nice addition to the boots chinookpilot77, so they rattle/make noise when you walk?

Trekon86

What you’re talking about is Goodyear Welt construction. It is thee single most indestructible form of boot/shoe making known to man. Invented in 1869, nothing has come close to it yet.

I have about a dozen pairs of boots. I much prefer the Goodyear Welt construction rather than glued on soles. As a bit of a late 70s punk rocker and 80s Goth, combat boots were then and still are the staple of my footwear. I have never had a pair of boots that were American made with a Goodyear Welt fail on me.

Once the sole is well worn down, I always take it in to be resoled. I don’t wait until it’s falling off or flapping because I don’t want to ruin the boots. If I wear a boot daily, they will need a new sole every two years through normal civilian wear in cities and suburbs. I know from my wing tips, the leather soles will wear down into the stitching, but it doesn’t affect the boot/shoe. Leather wears exponentially longer than rubber in my experience.

The jump boots, if made in America to military specifications, will have leather soles with rubber heels and another wear/traction pad, but I’m not sure if it’s rubber or leather.

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Here are my two pairs of tanker boots. One pair I bought in 2005, and the other rough looking pair were bought around 2000. The older pair have been worn considerably, and they’ve been resoled twice.

Tanker boots with stitched toes through the sole. New pair first, old pair second.

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I hope that answered your question.
Cheers,
C&S
 
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Thanks you for the reassurance, bro:D

I won't worry so much about em falling off, now!

Mine were made by Addison shoe company before they went out of business (contracted, I suppose) and aren't true jump boots, more of old-school leather PT boots with Vibram soles...they do have glued on heels though, which sorta bother me. I toyed with the idea of pulling them off but I'm not sure how that would effect how I walk in them...

PMZ
 
Wow, like the "outside of the box" thinking here! Hehehe might have to try something of the sort soon...
 
It seems like a good idea but the old adage, "A pound on the feet equals ten pounds on your back." immediately comes to mind.
 
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