The Adventurer's Gear Thread

[Mrs. Merl]

Sadly I often run into problems because I have teeny little feet that are thin. The thin part is usually the biggest problem. I liked a lot of what I saw at Motorcowboy - but the $. Oh, well - I am on the path of saving my dollars and just getting something custom - if I don't magically find something perfect! Thanks for the ideas though!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

See the Patton Boots at What Price Glory.

Or Motorcowboy.

i would avoid motor cowboy like the plague. i bought a pair of batman begins boots there a few years back. the soles wore out in six weeks & the parts that were leather started flaking apart...

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Well, it seemed that they mostly intend them as costume boots. Not that it excuses the poor quality - but that was the impression I got.

 

[Egerland]

Sundance mens catalog

Recently arrived among the mass of holiday catalogs, lots of good stuff.

Some vintage looking boots made with Horween (non-shell) leather in contrasting colors caught my eye.

Leather jackets, officers shirts, and accessories also looked good.

 

[Mike K.]

try CABoots custom

Full grain cow hide or mule hide, your choice of color, leather or rubber sole, choice of height, lots of other options too. Here's something close to what I am going for...

 

[Mrs. Merl]

That is definitely an acceptable boot for what I would be looking for. Full grain leather would be ideal obviously (well after they were broken in...) I would actually like to beat the heck out of my boots - and have them look awesome too. I would ultimately like ones with laces at least at the ankle - if not all the way up. But I would love this style too. You can't have too many boots I think. We looked at riding places - but you really are hard pressed to find boots without zips these days. I have a pair of sort of knock-offs with laces, buckles (like jump boots) with zips. But I tell you I think they would be a lot easier to put on without the darn zips. :rage:

 

[John in Covina]

Tall and Lace up Boots = Lineman Boots

Here is a site with some lineman boots, the brown ones look pretty good.
http://www.hallssafety.com/catalog_boots/page10.htm

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I looked at lineman boots - they were not totally my aesthetic - but I really thought they would wear particularly well. Problem is from what I found they don't make narrow. I have small - super thin feet. Some options don't even get small enough. And pretty much all do not get thin enough. I have the same problem with all leather hiking boots. Though at least there a boot sock helps. The only place I get lucky is in modern downhill skiing boots.

 

[John in Covina]

If you pair some type of aftermarket insoles with some hiking boots it might help.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I appreciate the suggestion. I do already always wear semi-custom foot beds. No real medical reason, but I have extremely high arches and it helps with my back and such. The problem is that often this does not help the width issue - but can cause my foot to be pressed mercilessly to the top of the shoe (part of the need/wish for laces,) to the point one prays that your feet will either fall off or the boot will explode off of your foot with the rising pressure in your foot. Yeah, I should probably stop talking about boots - my feet are really ridiculously stupid. I know. I had a podiatrist say that they had never seen feet quite like mine. Though I do not believe they are particularly unsightly - just odd to fit - which usually leads to excruciating pain!

I have also had difficulties with some styles of boots coming with insoles that one could not remove and replace with an insole of your choice. Not a good selling point for me. :rage:

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I apologize if it sounds like I am just putting everyone's suggestions down. I do really very much appreciate all the suggestions and resources. It's just that I really have searched almost to the ends of the internet and the greater front range area with much fervor and to no avail. Really - thank you everyone who has made suggestions.

 

[John in Covina]

Sounds like you need to have your important shoes custom made by a shoemaker to accomodate the specialized shape for fit and comfort.

While it's a big outlay the fit and comfort will be a blessing and they should last a long time again being able to replace soles and heels to extend the life.

The cost over the life of such a shoe should be considered and may bring it into a more realsitic view.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I agree with you completely and one-hundred percent. See that is where I got to before. In an earlier post I said that the conclusion I had come to was to get custom made boots. My husband and I through our searching found several very pricey options (that may have worked very well) but at the price decided it would be just a little more to have custom boots made and they would be fit well and exactly what I want. I had just commented on the fact that ironically Nicole Kidman has just the boots I had been looking for (hers were probably custom too ) in "Australia". That is the point at which I jacked the thread unintentionally (sorry guys.) So you have just made me realize that my original decision was the right one - now just to save my pennies and nickles (and twenties and fifities and...) Okay, back to your regularly scheduled programing...

 

[Creeping Past]

Mrs Merl, you're making a lot of sense.

I've been thinking about getting custom boots for a long time.

I should've bought a pair of Limmer hiking boots when the $ was low against our £. But I didn't. And now...

I've bought two pairs of boots and one pair of shoes in the past year, none of which fit me as well as I'd like. But still, I'd have to pay the same again, at least, to get a custom pair of boots made in the UK.

I just want to be comfortable. And stylish. Both at the same time. [huh]

Edit: I've just found a link to some fantastic bespoke hiking boots made in the UK. The cost? Way north of £1,500. But you get a £200 reduction on subsequent pairs!

Perhaps north American and European FL members could take advantage of the current wretched exchange rate and enjoy some quality footwear at knock-down prices, and keep our footwear business in business until I've saved the readies...

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Style and comfort! :eusa_clap

 

[Bruce Wayne]

mrs. merl, if i may ask, where did you get your custom boots made?

 

[Mrs. Merl]

I haven't yet. I am afraid all I am saving right now is pennies...literally. And they aren't adding fast.

 

[Mrs. Merl]

Oooh! I like those Creeping Past! They even look like they would fit me well. I have absorbed so much information on shoes - I pretty much can look at something and say if it will feel okay on my foot or not. Sad really. But that price tag makes my heart pause...makes the price of the leather Asolo's I have my eye on look very cheap though.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Mrs Merl, you're absolutely right to be choosy! Everyone's got to make their own decisions on things like that. I, personally, obsess over the perfect rusksack for fieldwork. I have yet to find it, and i have bought (and returned) a couple hundred by now!

A note on lineman's boots, if anyone is considering them. They are meant for maximum support while wearing gaffs for climbing poles. As such, they are very stiff in the sole (for balancing on the peg on the gaffs) and very stiff in terms of ankle support. Really great if you spend 8 hours a day climbing poles, but really awful for walking around.

 

[Sachet]

I posted a few photos in the Steamer Trunk about my trip as well, but I thought that I would post here about the kit that I took. I rode a motorcycle from Delhi to close to the furthest point that I could -as a foreigner- go in Northern Ladakh.

Fascinating account of an incredible trip, Copper. I am so glad you shared it with us. I learned a lot and enjoyed every second.

....Sachet