[Red Rider]

This is a bonafide ramble.........you are hereby forewarned!

Back in the mid '90s - not THAT long ago - I was active duty and running around the world saving humanity by hunting humans. I was issued a new pair of standard GI black leather combat boots to help me accomplish this. Oh, I tried to upgrade to civilian stuff, but none of those wore nearly as well. So those original boots were with me during stories I could tell you about and stories I can't, and they fit my overwide-weird feet when others wouldn't. When I was in the jungle they didn't drain well enough, when I was in the desert they didn't breathe well enough, but they did something that all the other boots that I was issued didn't - they FIT.

When I retired I still wore 'em, mostly because they fit, but also cuz they were with me when I was THERE - wherever there was. And together we gained new stories and covered more miles, afoot and astride a fine motorcycle.

Sadly, the years took their toll on my boots, and the tears in the leather have become too much to ignore. So today I was forced to recognize their time had come and gone and so i went to the base and bought their replacement - these zip-sided Bates wonders that I picked up at the exchange that also FIT! Truly amazing what our troops can get today.

As I said, this is a bonafide ramble, but any real mud-clumping leach-burning sand-sucking warrior will tell you how important your boots are to ya, and some of you here are vets, so I thought I'd share. I had to put those old boots aside, and will miss them, but I like their replacements a lot.

Probably the same as the Navy felt about me when I retired. And your service will when some of you retire......

...imagine how weepy I'd get if my bike was totaled!

[cowboy]

Yep those GI Boot's got to be like old friends & yes they would leak in & not out , your feet got cold at time & hot as blazes at others but like you pointed out they always fit right , we never had the zippers back then (69-72) but still like old friends till the end

[chucktx]

i also have a new pair of the zips....and they are comfy!!!! amazing how tech. has come forward.

[FriendGregory]

Was not allowed to serve, and I really wanted to. I did have some GI boots before and you really could keep going in them. They were stolen when I left them out because they were dirty. I replaced them with department of forestry boots that were a lot newer and the technology had only made the boots better. This time steel toe instead of hardened and the hooks for the laces are like metal artwork; clean and smooth.
I like a heal on a boot to hold what your cutting or, hook a branch when climbing.

[drillsarge]

Red Rider, you should find a tree or a power line to throw 'em over, least that's what we did when we could no longer wear em'.
Appreciate ya,
Drill Sarge

[Red Rider]

Well, we do have the World Famous Shoe Tree in Middlegate - sounds like a plan.....

[FLHTbiker]

I have a pair of Corbin boots that I bought in 96 while in Sturgis. I still wear them today when riding and I do understand about comfort and fit. These boots zip up the sides and I've put a lot of miles on them. I had to resole them once and they still feel like a pair of comfortable slippers. I have bought HD boots and others but none of them can match the comfort of those Corbin's.

[voodoo1]

I wore mine year round,from the time I was issued them to the time the sole wore off. They have been in the closet since 90-92? can't seem to find the will to throw them out.I got their back up partners I use from time to time, they got a few miles on them but I am afraid how I will manage to get by if both pairs are wore out. Talk about "attachment" They are just as important to me as the craftsman ratchet that had been in Dad's toolbox longer than I had been on the planet at the time.We had to take it to Sears and felt like I was losing part of my family history. Amazing how things can become so sentimental. The ol' lady wanted me to throw them out and I told her she better not make me choose. She told me don't make(lol) her choose. So they are now hidden wayback in the closet but I know they are there.

[jnputt]

My Gov't issued leathers rotted out many years ago.
Recently picked up a pair of the new Bates Enforcers - Instant love affair.
Comfy in all but below zero temps.
Wish I could get them to shine up a bit more but in todays world nobody really cares about that anyway.
Tried many other types of boots before but nothing compares to the Bates at least for me.

[cardboard]

Originally Posted by drillsarge

Red Rider, you should find a tree or a power line to throw 'em over, least that's what we did when we could no longer wear em'.
Appreciate ya,
Drill Sarge

You realize there's a reason you see shoes tied together and thrown over power lines right ?

[drillsarge]

knew the reason when I was on AD in Germany many moons past but have since forgotten fer me it meant my time was up and that's what I meant by not wearin' 'em anymore I retired 1 DEC 2007 but I still use my boots for ridin'

[cardboard]

The gang bangers here have a different reason to throw shoes over the wires. Guess you know that one.

[drillsarge]

Originally Posted by cardboard

The gang bangers here have a different reason to throw shoes over the wires. Guess you know that one.

I have know earthly idea, we have some bangers up here but for now they keep to themselves. I always thought boots in the tree or over the wire was for guys gettin' out of the military.

[2fastnaz]

I went and got a pair of jungle boots when I was in. They beat the hell out of the boondockers I was issued. The old man didn't like em, but I kept em shined which was more than I'd do for the booners so he left me alone. He couldn't get me to wear a t-shirt or black socks either, but I was so good at what I did they all looked the other way.

USN 78-88

I loved the Navy but sure hated the military. The older I get the more I crave going back to sea.

[FlynDutchman]

We used to call em Black cadillacs...... We were issued 2 pairs: 1 for the field & 1 for garrison.....my field boots fell apart way before my EAS....those I threw over the wire....still have my garrison boots. they dont fit though...seems that even my feet got fat. back then (listen to me, the old salt right ?) in the 80's we were only allowed to have black boots...Even our jungle boots had to have black sides (remember, they were green) Now I hear they can wear pretty much whatever they want....I probably would have had a lot less blisters if that was the case in 1985.

[drillsarge]

coon skin and alligator hide.... make a pair a jump boots just the right size...
shine em up lace em up put em on ya feet... new pair a jump boots cant be beat

[chucktx]

Originally Posted by cardboard

The gang bangers here have a different reason to throw shoes over the wires. Guess you know that one.

probably from the victim that the chicken sh*t bangers ganged up on.......just a bunch of punks. have no idea what it is about!!!

[SK]

When I was stationed in Alaska, we were allowed to buy mountain boots, which were Thinsulate lined and much more comfortable and warmer than standard issue boots. My Sgt was always trying to get me to shine them up, but the standard instructions said to oil them only, to keep them waterproof..so they always had that dull look of mink oil. Damn..wish I'd bought an extra pair before I shipped out to Panama for later use. Great price, and had Vibram soles.

[FlynDutchman]

Originally Posted by SK

When I was stationed in Alaska, we were allowed to buy mountain boots, which were Thinsulate lined and much more comfortable and warmer than standard issue boots. My Sgt was always trying to get me to shine them up, but the standard instructions said to oil them only, to keep them waterproof..so they always had that dull look of mink oil. Damn..wish I'd bought an extra pair before I shipped out to Panama for later use. Great price, and had Vibram soles.

Yea....well we had a Gunny who came to us from 8th & I...this guy made us press our cammies...Used to give early liberty to the platoon that was the most squared away...USMC regs say that your cammies only have to be clean, with no holes, & boots buff shined......That never happened in my unit. Not in garrison anyway....When we went to mountain warfare training, we were supposed to be issued those mickey mouse boots like you described (we called em mickey mouse boots cause they looked like his shoes) but that never happened either...Hell the first time I ever saw a heat tab was 3 years in when I was in Korea.....used to have to eat all out meals cold.