Page 1 of 2

over the ankle boots

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:51 am
by archanis
i have a pair of hiking boots, but the area over the ankle is mostly cloth. i would imagine that as long as its not rubber for the msf course, its ok, but i dont know. i was looking at a new pair of full leather catapillar boots for this winter anyway, but if im going to pay alot for boots, im going to want them to last and work on my bike. any suggestions besides those power ranger boots ive seen?

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:55 am
by TechTMW
Military combat boots. All leather, and you can get em for cheap at a surplus store. The good quality (real military, not cheap knockoffs) last forever too. I just got rid of my first pair after 11 years of use (The leather split from the sole at the toe - and that pair WAS the cheap knockoff brand.) Good thing I have 3 more pairs of the real deal :laughing: The only boots i've ever needed :)

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:57 am
by archanis
now THAT is something i hadnt thought about. :o thanks for the idea

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:19 am
by archanis
hmm... the only thing about combat boots is the tread. i need something thats got a rough tread. we walk on ice for about 3 months, and i need something that can withstand harsh treatment. i wear out the sole as fast as i wear out the shoe itself. the combat boots are great for this, with vulcanized rubber, but the problem becomes the tread. are the shoes re-solable? every single pair that i have looked for online (for the past 15 minutes if that)have flat soles, which does not work for gripping the terain up here.

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:30 am
by TechTMW
I honestly do not know how these boots behave in the ice. I used to wear them in Pennsylvania during the winter months when there was snow on the ground, but not enough motorcycle experience up there to make a real determination. I will say that I go hiking and climbing in my GI boots and My Jungle boots and haven't had any problems with grip.

Most combat boots do not have a flat sole. They have a flat center with a ridged outer area. Some have more of a tread (Ripple pattern) The soles last a good long time, and can be resoled. Altama is a good quality maker, as is Corcoran, and I will vouch that anything MILSPEC (Actual GI boots) are very high quality.

http://www.armynavydeals.com/asp/produc ... UB=270&RC=

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 8:33 am
by TechTMW
Also, many people keep the same boots all throughout their military service. They do last, you just have to ask any veteran. In the air force, I wore my GI boots every day for 6 years. The heels wore down a bit, but nothing major. You can also tack on plastic plates about the size of a quarter to reduce wear in the heel (But that would be bad on ice, I think)

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:29 am
by archanis
thanks. that defenently looks worth looking into. ice is the same as a heavy oil slick in a parking lot without all the liquid. snow in ice is just more of a 'bend your knees and keep your weight forward' thing. if you can iceskate, you can walk on snow and ice with ease. a great idea, and an afordable one if they last as long as you say. boot polish wont be a problem, i have some 'kiwi' availiable.

best of all, they dont have that 'power ranger' look and they seem like they would last.

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:35 am
by Gadjet
Just stay away from Canadian Combat Boots. They are very comfortable, easy to find, and relatively inexpensive, but every cobbler I've been to says that they can't be re-soled, which really blows.

I may have to actually break down and spend the big bucks to order a pair of US Combat Boots from the States.

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 3:10 pm
by Ninja Geoff
Some ideas. Non power ranger-esque

Alpine Stars:
Ridge

Icon:
Super Duty 2
Motorhead
"Standard"

Joe Rocket:
Orbit
Atomic
Pheonix
Crew
Mercury

Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 7:03 pm
by archanis
i checked out the boots listed at newenough.com, and i have to say that i thought that the combat boots looked simpler. simple is essential when getting boots, because the more parts it is, the faster it breaks down. also, the combat boots apear to be what im looking for in the fact that they look ok, and i can just wear my jeans over them. they arent bulky, and looking around other forums and talking to a friend of mine in the military, they are extremly comfortable. they just require a little tlc to keep them in shape is all.

plus, i have a friend that can let me on base, and i can get them real cheap. its realy a no lose situation compaired to the unknown facor of the name brand boots. those are the same price, and im REALY hard on my shoes, so i dont know how well those would work, cause i dont just want some trophy shoe for my bike, but something i can use whenever i need to.