[swamprat]

I have two pair of LL Bean's Maine Hunting boots (rubber soles, leather uppers) that I have wore since the early 1990's. Great boots in wet conditions and LL Beans will resole them for $35. But for everyday wear I have two pair of Redwings. The first pair of Redwings are about 15 years old and have been resoled once. The second pair of Redwings are five years old and still look new. If kept treated with leather treatment they last plenty long.

I also have a pair of Cabella's Goretex hiking boots. The Cabella's hiking boots were purchased in 1993 and have had plenty of use with no appreciable wear or damage. They are great for hiking, but are hot in the summer.

TJ is correct about socks, you can't have enough socks!

[Jedion]

Personally, My daily footwear is locally made steel toe motorcycle boots.
They are tall enough that I can walk through deep snow/mud and not get wet feet, have no laces/tounge area for water to seep in, and have a thick durable sole that will last forever.

Like cowboy boots, they are also large enough to protect me from potential snake/insect bites/stings.

The steel toe/sole could be beneficial if I have to kick in something, or have to walk over 'dangerous' areas.

[LaRemnant]

I have two pair of boots that should suffice. First I would HIGHLY recommend just about any boot that has Vibram soles. SERIOUSLY, they are good to go. I should have taken a picture of them today but I didn't but here they are:

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This is the Rocky S2V Special Ops Boot in ABU Sage. Supposedly, the S2V stands for: stealth + silence = victory. I JUST NOTICED that there are ones in Gore-Tex mossy oak camo on Amazon! WOOT. I HIGHLY recommend these! The first two weeks I wore them, I suffered sore feet and a couple blisters, but when I finally broke them in, they are the BEST boots I have ever worn! The tread looks practically brand new with the exception of a slight wear marks on both heels (because I dig my heels in when I walk I guess). I have had them about a year now, and I practically walk 4 miles almost every day going to and fro work, which is absolutely remarkable!

The second pair of boots I have, are knee high. They have a waterproof membrane, are snake bite proof and are insulated for winter weather trekking. They also have Vibram soles, and even though I hardly wear them, I didn't have to break them in because they were VERY comfortable the second I first put them on. They are made by Chippewa but when I bought them, I bought them on sale at almost 200$ and supposedly, they were going to be discontinued for some reason, so I jumped at the chance and just forked over the fiat. Here's some pics:

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You know, even though these boots are serious footwear for Armageddon type scenarios, I don't think, when I seriously consider them, to be my choice of boot for survival. Not only is the rugged quality VERY noticeable even with the pants pulled over them (making you very noticeable to would be theives who might think you have other expensive goodies in your pack), but they are slightly heavy (probably around 10 lbs together). Also, in warm weather, I don't think they are as proficient (or as LIGHT in weight ratio) as a good pair of snake bite proof gators over top a good pair of hiking boots. And let's not forget that most snake bites occur (statistically are on the lower leg in between the ankle and knee) mainly due to the hiker being foolish and not taking care to watch where their feet are going or forget to look over logs as they step over them, etc.

Concerning their waterproof ability... I guess that is a plus in myriad situations, but again, considering the weight they have, not sure if that even outweighs the pro's when you can just take care not to slip in a pond, or just carry lightweight river socks/shoes and just carry extra pair of dry socks (sealskinz?) and learn to dry those socks over an open flame, not to get too close to the flame. DUH.

Yeah, they're cool to have and brag about, but I am not sure if their pro's in benefits and rugged design outweigh their cons. Just my 2 cents.

[LaRemnant]

Well... let's see your dang footwear ladies and gentlemen. Exclude RR and CW because I hear they usually just go barefoot off into the ever yonders holding hands and singing.

[Bowman1911]

For everyday wear, say what you want, but I wear a Northface hiker. Bought 'em on discount, they've got vibram soles & lace up with a steel cable system like a ski boot. They're reliable & feel great no matter what you're doin'. When I need a little more on my feet, I wear the only steel toed hiker wolverine makes. They're very light for a steel toe, have a vibram sole, and for some reason i cannot wear them out. Trust me, I've tried for years now. Recently I bought a pair of bates std issue iraqi freedom desesrt boots at the surplus for $40 bones. They're waterproof, fit pretty well out of the bin (no box for surplus) have a little gore tex lining, & & also have a vibram sole. So far they have become my first choice for SHTF boots, but I'm still lookin' for the ultimate boot

[stairman]

I saw some boots in Sportsmans guide that has a knob on each one that you turn to tighten em up or loosen. This might be more common in the future.

[crazydave]

had matterhorns since bosnia and I love em, got a pair with broken heel cups though and dont know how to fix em.

for camp ill often wear jungle boots and goretex liners for comfort as I have a funny foot/high instep and every american boot I try all seem to be cut for flat feet. I'm a size 8 so it shouldn't be the problem that it is.

just got some aku boots which look like danners and have a leather/goretex sock which will take some getting used to as they squeak from the inside.

looking over laremnants pics and cant help wondering why the pool boy needs such big boots!!!

[LaRemnant]

Originally Posted by crazydave

looking over laremnants pics and cant help wondering why the pool boy needs such big boots!!!

SNAKES! I live in Florida! In fact I saw one slithering away two feet from me while walking to work today! Dang thing scared the crap outta me! Those things go FAST!

I need to learn how to identify them turd nuggets, cuz imagine freaking out and doing the heebee jeebee dance in front of some hot wilderness chick and she goes over and picks it up with authority and then identifies it as a garter snake! Definite detraction of cool points man! Definite detraction!

[crazydave]

pick one with thick glasses and big attributes and leave a few bits of old rope lying around to rescue her from so you can be worshipped as the hero you deserve to be

stay away from the blue oyster bar though

[LaRemnant]

Tonight, I JUST bit the bullet on a pair of these:

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Found here: Fogdog Sports - Rocky S2V w/200 Gram Thinsulate and GORE-TEX® Fabric

I have the exact same pair but in the military, sage green version, but they're not waterproof. I signed up for their newsletter to receive the extra 10% discount, and shipping was free. Hard to overlook considering Rocky makes some DANG GOOD boots! I was seriously considering getting their snakeproof Lynx boots, or even their Badger boots, but I wasn't sure how comfortable the soles were, so I opted for what I knew best and had experience with... which is Vibram! WOOT

I was really wanting a snake bite proof boot, which if I let my pants hang over the calves, they would still look like a regular ole' pair of civilian hikers, pretty inconspicuous. In the end, I decided on the lower height for comfort. I will just have to be careful walking through the bush, and look where my feet are going at all times.

Could you imagine how our country would be like if each citizen acted like a pit viper? Gives new meaning to the saying "Don't Tread On Me"!!!