Foot Wear

Shoes , boots , moccasins eventually wear out . After a few years into the collapse " teotwawki " foot wear could be a serious issue . In Vietnam the people used old car tires to make sandals , but how they got those rounded tires to lay flat to make a sole for those sandals " I have no idea " . Taking a page from Native Americans and wearing moccasins might work but surely in rocky terrain " such as I have " they would last but only a short time . What plan do you have to cover footwear ?

 

I've had pairs of boots last for over a decade. I did my part in cleaning and waxing them.

I have tennis shoes that have leather sections, therefore I wax my tennis shoes. Leather will dry-out and die if you don't take care of it. Without wax, leather can get wet and rot. Wax, oils, rather important.

What was the bane of soldiers during WWI? Trench-foot. Proper socks, taking care of your footwear, and simple hygiene will protect your feet. What constitute the contact point between you and the planet upon which you are standing? Your feet.

 

My prepping outreach extends about 100 years as I prep for my kids , grandkids and the yet unborn of my clan . I was looking at some ho chi minh sandals on e bay and noted the construction . They were cut out of a tire with the feet pointing across the width of the tire . This left a somewhat rounded sides to each side of the foot . For someone with a big foot this would call for a tire wider than their foot is long . Cutting a tire up and into slightly larger than needed pieces so as to be ahead in the footwear preparations I will take into consideration . I doubt anyone would ever wear out a car tire sole . Any suggestions on how to cut a car tire up would be welcomed . --- Moccasins look better though and I don't like the idea of climbing through mountains and brush with just sandals on . Perhaps moccasins with car tire soles would be the answer . ---- After looking at the length of my foot , have come to the conclusion , finding a car tire wider than my foot is long would be challenging . --- Perhaps just putting up some good shoe sole material would be more practical .

 

After looking at the price of shoe soles " about $ 19.00 a set " . I am now thinking of just saving all wore out footwear around here and if nothing else can salvage the soles for creating a regenerated footwear using the salvaged soles and perhaps tanned deer skins . I may need to fortify my sewing awl supply for creating footwear .

 

Before me, both my mother and father's sides of the family lived in grinding poverty. Subsistence farming/hunting and working the mines. Nothing of any value whatsoever was thrown away.

It is so difficult to find boots that can have the soles replaced. But one should. Buy quality boots. I've located a boot repair store in my area (in a town 30 mile drive).

Why not just store boots? Put them in a sealed container and keep them oiled. Check on them when checking on other stored materials.

Some older shoes should be tossed, especially if they are deformed. Shoes that do not fit can injure your feet. In youth, I had friends who were through-trail hikers on the Appalachian Trail. I've hiked and climbed with them, but I was never in their sort of athletic condition. My strength has always been in the burst of energy area, NOT endurance games such as soccer or cross-country running -- never had that (not enough myoglobin). One of my friends destroyed the bones in one of his feet on a weeks-long trek (doing the length of the AppyTrail).

I like protective boots and buy steel toed boots with steel shank. I once had a hemlock log set down on my foot, but I didn't even feel it thanks to the steel toed boot. "Uh ..., hey guys, I'm kind'a trapped here." I didn't even know the huge log had me until I attempted to turn and leave. Four of us were carrying that dang log with two two-man grip tongs (we were building a bridge across a mountain stream).

The tongs we were using were a whole lot bigger than the ones shown in this photo:

 

Speaking of boots, it's a good thing having boots tall enough and thick enough to hold your ankle bones/ligaments/tendons together. Spraining an ankle in a survival situation is BAD news.

When working, use a back-stabilizing waist/pelvis/hips strap. Can't be hurting your back when your survival depends upon you still going on. I ALWAYS use my back-straps when doing any lifting. When my back bothers me, I wear a back-strap / brace constantly. Knee problems, keep and use knee braces.

We are only human. If you get it into your head that you are some monster creature, then you ARE going to get injured. I had a monster great uncle. He was huge and super-human strong, worked the iron mines. He liked to ride the rails, illegally so. Two railroad bulls managed to knock him out, dragged his huge body such as to lay his neck across the railroad track, and let the train cut his head off. (His brother, my pap, simply used his revolver on mean men; traumatic lead poisoning will get the better of any man.)

We can all be defeated.
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A large enough pair of tin snips should do it. Don't know if the rubber would damage them but it shouldn't.

 

Thank you for this thread, footwear is a concern of mine as I do not have enough stored to last a lifetime. It is an expensive endeavor to buy that many of good quality. The car tire and leather homemade combination is one I have thought of as well. In places like Mozambique they too use car tires to make sandals. The draw back is that I doubt boots made this way will ever be called comfortable and probably could not be worn on a long trek. Which is ok because I seriously doubt I will be making long treks once we are so far into things that I have used up what shoes I have stored. In dry conditions rawhide may be an idea. No good for the snow though unless well water proofed so for me this wouldn't work.

 

I agree with the storing boots idea , especially if the prepping is focused on one or two people . In my case I am presently looking at the well being of 13 people with talk of that possibly expanding over the next few weeks by 3 or four more people . A woman wants to move to our retreat along with her kids . She is actually kin . If the expansion transpires I would be looking at least 16 people with quite a few of the 16 being children with growing feet . All living on our survival retreat . Food , water , shelter , defenses , we have a good handle on . Footwear I could see being a problem .

 

Here are some videos concerning the making of your own sandals:







After finishing the sandals, you may wish to affix arch-supports to the top layer. This may just keep your feet from sliding around on the leather. Maybe these would help keep your feet located properly (?). If you use thick leather or a layer of cork, you could take a big rounded hammer face as a shaping tool to put a heel indent in the shoe material that matches your heel's size and shape. Put the hammer, or whatever piece of rounded metal on the leather and drive it with a HEAVY hammer. The same could be done for the comfort of the balls of your foot. This could help to properly align your feet onto the sandals -- otherwise it will have to be the tension of the straps to hold your foot in proper alignment. You want something very ergonomic for comfort's sake. This, especially for the ladies out there.

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I have often pondered about footwear and the solutions.

I was thinking about this pattern in teh following vid. And then some type of sandal to go with it for a sole.

Shoes a Simple Improvised Pattern - YouTube

 

some other thoughts ... The dutch make their shoes from wood. To be honest that don't even sound comfortable.
for sandals maybe thick cast off web belting, like for a conveyer. I've seen some a half inch thick. It can be cut , as well as a tire with a jig saw.. Treads can be scored into one side. I wonder if that thick belting could be sewn to old boot tops. Some of that belting is thick enough caulks could probably be installed . Such as short shank zip screws, better make sure they are short enough though.

 

Enjoyed the video . It appears some of our forum members including myself are thinking along the same lines in the aspect of survival and footwear , as the video producer . This is a video all serious and particularly long range preppers should watch .

 

for socks there are portyankis. A russian foot wrap. Also used by eastern europeans, probably others as well. I'm not saying portyankis are better than socks but are a option.

Portyanki: awesomely awkward Russian footwraps – Snarky Nomad

 

there are also hoop looms for knitting socks. Here's a vid.

How to Loom Knit Socks (DIY Tutorial) - YouTube

 

When you peal the tread off of tires it is pretty flat. Stop on the highway some time and look at the tread that the trucks throw off all the time. during the warm months, I always went barefoot until I was about 30. I only wore shoes or boots for work or to go someplace. In the winter I wear mostly boots if I am in the woods. I will probably make moccasins when the shoes and boots are all gone.

I spent a lot of time wading in the water and shoes would get stuck in the mud and get pulled off. My favorite shoes were the least that I could find so I generally wore track shoes which were a thin piece of flat rubber about a quarter of an inch thick with a minimal canvass to and laces. My feet were not really made for shoes!! There was no such thing as EEE width tennis shoes. With my big old clodhoppers breaking in a new pair of shoes was a misery!

Those shoes were also expensive so my dad didn't say much about me not wearing shoes. The very first footwear that actually fit me and what I wore for about 30 or 40 years was Tony Lama Cowboy boots. Man, they were Cadillacs for the feet. They were a hundred dollars a pair 40 years ago and worth every penny. For work, I wore and wear Redwings. I went decades without owning a single pair of shoes.

 

Good morning Poltiregist,

Ref the Viet Cong combat boots;

There was a display cabinet at one of my vet organizations. I believe the 2 sandles were made from one horizontally sliced off section of a tire. That is, take a truck tire and cut off a section of ~ a foot. This will provide for 2 sandles. At least that's what I thought of when viewing the display cabinet.

 

"My feet were not really made for shoes!! There was no such thing as EEE width tennis shoes. With my big old clodhoppers breaking in a new pair of shoes was a misery!" - TexDanM

Seems you're not alone.

One can buy a 9E online.

Tennis shoes to boots, 44 mega-wide products from this particular online crew. Six shoe products in 9E.

https://www.innovateistore.com/men-s-wide-boots.aspx

 

Poor kids don't have shoes. My mom as child likely had a pair of church-going shoes.

As a kid, my mom was always skinny -- intestinal parasites.

 

Came across a couple books with shoe making chapters.
Clothing made in the wilderness by michael ager, availabe from dixie gun works and pilgrims journey by mark baker.

Both have details on making shoepacs and moccasins

 

Lack of footwear could cause many after teotwawki to perish . Ask a diabetic how does it feel to walk on rocks barefoot . A large portion of the population are diabetic . For this portion of the population thin bottomed footwear is a serious issue .

 

Scratching my head trying to figure out how I missed this post.

On the OP. We used to make something similar to Tevas when I was over seas by usually taking tire retreads that had came off and a belt sander and the inside smooth and level. usually the tread side was fairly smooth. If not we sanded that down. We took Shoe Goo glue and glued on a piece of inner tube then glued on the nylon webbing (3/4 ") strapping for attaching to the foot. Then cut to fit another piece of inner tube and glued it down. Then we glued down a piece of old neoprene wet suit and cut to fit. There we had it. Poor mans Alps/Tevas. We repurposed a few brass slides and boom...shoes. Every bodies were slightly different but they were a nice change in the jungle from boots 24/7. The Army bought Shoe Goo for gear repairs and making ghillie suits.

Boots can also be made like these.



or these,



Whatever works for your location.

Dale

 

Speaking of moccasins, pilgrims journry has much info on wearing moccasins.

Also hoods woods has a video about making hard soled plains moccasins. The guy used a piece of string to find measurements to create a pattern. Those hard soles can be replaced and the tops reusef

 

I have enough footwear to last my lifetime, and probably one more. It is one of the things in my preps I do not even think about. I have purchased and stored good footwear for many years. I think I have three pairs of hiking boots, and at least one pair of cowboy boots, sitting in boxes that have never been worn. The ones I do wear have lasted for over ten years. The footwear I own right now will last far longer than I will. It is something we almost never throw out.

I have never tried to make any type of footwear, but IMHO it would be easier to start with something rather than creating an entire shoe. Either repair what you have, or save the good parts i.e. the soles, and use them with new materials.

This is a good thread, and something that should be factored into your preps.

 

the fella that wrote Pilgrims Journey, Mark Baker also has some videos available. I have one coming, part of it is a tutorial on making shoe pacs. All of Mark's info is based on the American longhunter , but to me knowledge is knowledge.

 

i've tried real hard over the last few year to condition my feet for NO shoes, i try and go barefoot outside as much as possible
over 2020/2021 i have slacked off on that a bit i need to renew my commitment for that. in case the impossible happens...i'd love to learn how to make moccasins....

 

I've got five pairs of shoes, three pairs of trainers, three pairs assault shoes, two pairs squash shoes and far too many pairs of boots but if I had to live with just one type it would be ............ Crocs. Light but pretty hardwearing, dry instantly, very very comfortable and perfect for trail (flat) hikes and around camp/home/garden/supermarket. Love all my Crocs, one of the best inventions to come out of the USA (and recommended for diabetics)

 

Tins of shoe polish/wax if properly sealed last for years. I know this because I have some old tins that have very little wax left in them yet the wax hasn't dried-out, it's still oily.

Keep your boots waxed. Just a month ago bought some really good leather boots, triple-stitched and all. Before I even wore them, I put my wax on them. Also keep neatsfoot oil around if the waxing is not keeping them pliable or if the boots see a lot of outdoor water exposure. If your boots get wet a lot, then the oiling is more important than the oil that is in the polishing wax.

When leather dries out, that's when it dies. Never let leather go without oil. Remember that boot maintenance is an ongoing duty of yours. During hard times, you can't let your feet go bad on you -- they are your contact with the earth. They keep you mobile.

If your feet are exposed to a lot of water and dampness, then you must keep your feet clean. Also keep anti-fungal agents / powders. If you have callouses on your feet, then oil your feet. Don't let callouses dry out, else they will crack and bleed. There are all manner of skin oils on the market. Don't let your boots rot. Don't let your feet rot.
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Depending on terrain and where people expect to walk during the apocalypse what kind of footwear would suffice . Even under present conditions I walk places most would consider rugged , through mountainous rocky slopes , briars and fallen downed timber . Boots definitely would be my preferred choice but realize during teotwawki any kind of footwear would be crucial to have , over having nothing .

 

I like crocs.We keep a couple of pairs outside the back door for nipping out to the coal bunker,or the log store/ hanging washing etc.Like Wally (above) I try to go barefoot a lot of the time.I live in safety boots most of the time,and years ago ,my doctor told me barefoot is best,where possible,as that is how evolution built us.Fair do.

Regarding the making and repair of shoes; my wife spent ten years as a shoe maker.She still has the equipment,and more importantly,the skills for both manufacturing and repairing footwear.Mind you,she is a good seamstress all round.

 

That is a huge surge forward into survivability ,with having the tools and skills of making footwear . I have looked into purchasing footwear making equipment to add to the stash but so for have not taken that step . As far as seamstress abilities we have some experience in this field and have a supply of thread , sewing machines , sewing awls , and several bolts of cloth in the stash .

 

For those considering storing footwear , When I was working with the Forestry , I done a lot of walking . Wading swamps , creeks and such took its toll on boots . I went through about one pair of boots at a rate of one pair every three months . Even those Viet Nam style jungle boots would last only a few months . But admittedly , I always bought those cheap knock off jungle boots . I am sure the higher dollar jungle boots would have lasted much longer .

 

I took a pair to wear around camp when I did the TGO challenge in 2015
https://www.bajanthings.com/tgo-challenge-2015/

I ended up wearing them for about 20-25% of my walk and were a common site on the trail. This trip was where I noticed fewer and fewer people wearing boots, many used 'assult' shoes. If I'm in somewhere like the Brecon Beacons I don't bother with boots apart from colder months. Crocs donated thousands of free pairs to healthcare workers when covid arrived, love my crocs

https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/features/crocs-healthy-shoes-just-comfy

 

Friend of mine lives next to national forest. Was walking out back of her house about a month ago. She was wearing her flip-flops. She stepped on a copperhead. Luckily for her, the thing did not strike but slithered away rapidly.

Near mountain creeks and wilderness ponds, snakes can be plentiful.

If in known snake country and treading through the brush, wear snake-protector leggings.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=lower+leg+snake+guard&atb=v140-1&iax=images&ia=images

And carry a walking stick. I watched a video of a Texas ER doctor who'd treated over three hundred snake-bite cases. He said to always carry a walking stick and when stepping over anything -- especially logs -- put that walking stick forward beyond the log before ever stepping over the log. He also said that when climbing, NEVER just reach above without using a climbing tool first. He said that rock climbers make this mistake and can pay for the error by getting bitten. Rattlesnakes rattle, right?! He said most all of the folk bitten by rattlesnakes heard no rattling. The people disturb the snake and the snakes are as surprised to be disturbed as the people getting bitten.

I'll leave it to others to talk about water moccasins. Anywhere they've been spotted / known to gather, I avoid.

Good boots can also protect against poisonous insects, ticks, leeches, and other parasites. Many folk tie their pant-legs to the tops of their boots and treat the fabric with 100% DEET. One sure wants to avoid getting tick fever or lyme disease.

This one was just a copperhead bite, not a bad-boy rattler or moccasin (I can't post other photos because they'd be way too graphic):



Here is an article on tick-borne diseases:

https://www.prevention.com/health/a20117220/tick-borne-diseases/

"Tick-borne Illness Campaign Scotland"

http://ticscotland.org.uk/
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In December 2020 this thread was started , " right after the rigged election " and before " the razor wire was strung up " . As all preppers should try to predict the future and prepare accordingly foot-wear is one of these . Eight months later from this thread being created , I went on-line looking for a particular red wing boot . It seems nearly all outlets had sold out . After hours of searching , I finally found my target and bought the " last two pair " a major company had " midway ". High quality heavy duty leather boots are scarce and getting scarcer every day as we enter the catastrophic world the democrats here in the U.S. have created . Cheap made cloth and pretend leather boots are easy to find , but real heavy leather boots is different . --- I already have a new never worn pair of leather boots in the stash for my grandson that I am raising , that is one size larger than the identical pair he now wears . -- Everything like amo , gasoline and food will become scarcer and more expensive , foot-wear is no exception .

 

This summer I bought a pair of boots, Caterpillar. I am very pleased with them. I immediately polished them.

These boots were manufactured in Bangladesh, not China. I do my best to avoid Chinese products.

Here's one listing for boots made in the USA:

https://www.midwestboots.com/midwes...288627651947770&AdId=80539280964131&Network=s

 

I had a 5.1.1 store open up near me recently, and they have a nice selection of boots that won't break the bank. Even though I don't really need them I am very tempted. Does anybody here have experience with the 5.1.1 brand of boots? I have had good luck with other 5.1.1 products.

I would highly recommend Rockport shoes as a brand that is very comfortable, and wears like iron; extremely durable. They are credited with inventing the Walking Shoe. When I was going to the office I wore them almost every day. They were as comfortable as bedroom slippers right out of the box, and they lasted for about 15 years. I am on my second pair now.

 

It takes a really tough boot to last any length of time with me . Before I retired , I went through a pair of boots about every 3 months . Now that I have slowed down a good pair might last 2 or 3 years . Right now I am into 6 inch high lace up boots made of thick horse hide . I don't even own a pair of shoes except for a pair that I only wear to funerals and they have shrunk up to where the are not wearable . The reason of boots is I traverse through rocky mountains , briars and brush . Often I am going through places that seldom see a human so , I am following animal trails . I go with lace up boots for the same reason the military does . They clasp the ankle tighter than slip on and give ankle support which helps when stepping in holes or on rolling rocks . The horse hide boots are now coming apart at the triple stitched seams and the tough soles are frayed outward in one place but the horse hide is still solid . --- Someone wrote about going hiking in crocs . That would work around here only walking down a public trail or down a road . Feet would be torn to shreds by briars and brush in a truly remote environment . If someone is under the illusion that when S.H.T.F. they can enter the remote country and live wearing crocs or some other type of street shoes likely doesn't know what remote country is .

 

Maybe two years ago My daughter and I were canoeing down a river through mountainous gorges . We decided to leave the canoe and hiked a few miles to view a waterfall . We weren't expecting to take a hike so she was wearing whimpy footwear . When we returned to the canoe , she was barefooted . Those whimpy shoes just couldn't hold up to the terrain . My horse hide boots easily brought me back .

 

Good quality assault/trail shoes are well made, tougher than standard training shoes. I still wear boots if hill walking more rocky/rough terrain hills and mountains especially in winter and snow conditions but most of the time I'm out camping and hiking using using assault shoes and Crocs for camp use and this has become the norm in the UK the last few years. The 'twice a year' walkers still stick to boots to go with all their rarely used expensive clothing and kit, you can spot them a mile away LOL

The big fallacy with boots is the ankle support they give when in fact the majority of boots offer little real ankle support, something like high jump boots will but most standard height boots offer very little. To offer real support a boot needs to restrict ankle movement which you don't really want.