resoling and treatment
 

@Surgicalcric: My comment regarding CIF is because I'm currently out. I intend to get an 18X contract within the year. I've been led to believe by a couple recruiters that my experience will permit me to go directly to the SFAS prep course and then SFAS, so I know that I need to solve my boot situation before I enlist (hence my pesky questioning). I do plan on the full-gut operation for at least one pair. Making them into slippers sounds like my kind of gig. At present, I do most of my training in trail runners, though I'm doing more with Vibram FiveFingers, now that I have a set with tread. At any rate, I'm hoping that one of the local cobblers will be able to handle the surgery, because postage from the Great White North to Fayetnam may come close to the cost of another pair of boots, and frankly, I'd rather spend that on IPA :D.

I saw posts from a few years ago talking about soaking boots in Neat's oil and whatnot. Considering the dates of the posts (circa 2003-2004), I figured they were in reference to black boots. My own experience with suede boots — whether cowhide, pig or sheepskin — is that oil or wax treatment of any kind will greatly alter the appearance of the boots. Is there some other magic trick you would recommend? Or are treated boots okay as long I have clean ones for garrison business before and after SFAS?

I dont know what you money situation is like but I would encourage you to bite the bullet.

I would imagine the shipping will be about $50.00 for 2 pair of boots. There are other guys here who have paid the shipping. Furthermore, if something happens to your boots Clark's will make it right (if its a workmanship or materials issue) while you are here at Bragg.

As for oil treatments, I dont have any ideas for ya; I wore black boots at SFAS.

Crip

I was the guy who commented about using the Neet's oil for a boot soak. It worked wonders with some old black Welco ripple sole jungles (took forever to get the oil out though). I haven't tried it on tan boots, nor do I intend to now that I wear Asolos in the field mostly.

Taking the toe and heel cups out is a double edged sword. On one hand, you gain ballet slipper comfort and on the other hand you lose parts of the boot's structural support. For example, when I dropped my infil ruck on my toe without toe cups and the frame smashed my big toe, the resulting trauma could have been less had I had the toe cup. . . or it might not have been. It's sooo much fun smashing one's toe to the point of rupture and eventual toenail loss just before an infil . . . effing murphy. And so it goes.

One thing I did to speed up the break in process was to fill my boots with super hot water, drain them, and then (wearing two pairs of socks to prevent blisters from the inevitable rubs) wore them dry. It will take a while. . . and the suede is a sponge unlike the smooth leather - super crappy in the jungle.

Read the book Fixing your Feet for other tips. . . Good luck.

Tuff Foot..?
 

Have any of yall tried this formula called Tuff Foot?

Just ordered this stuff online, it claims to toughen the sskin tissue on your feet and even help prevent athletes foot. Ill give my verdict on the product after using it a week, before a 10 mile ruck.

http://www.tuffoot.com/about/humans.htm

When I was in the course I had a TAC tell me that if you walk outside with out shoes it would help toughen your feet up without the blisters. You have to start three weeks or so before training but it worked for me. I earned maybe,, three blisters the entire course.

Surgical, do the modifications done by Clark's effect the boots size or fit from the original at all (ie: make them fit tighter or looser than original)?

They fit a bit looser with the heel and/or toe cups removed.

Crip

So Suede, what's the verdict?

That sounds like some stuff I used to put on my bird dogs' feet called Copper-tox. Really toughened the dogs' feet up. Never thought about putting it on my feet, but if it works as well as it does on a dog, cool.

I just ordered some too. Will post again after I recieve and use for a couple weeks.

DP out.

I used Tuff Foot and it worked all right. The problem was after so much abuse done to you feet in the SFAS you get those deep blisters which are very hard to get to. About the only thing you can do is take the pain (which you have to do anyways I guess).

Tuff foot...its alright.
 

Tuff foot is alright stuff, wouldnt go out of my way to buy it again. It has helped the skin under blisters and where past blisters were to harden up quicker than before but overall Id say the Majors foot prep guide in Get Selected is a more efficient way to have your barking dogs ready for long distance rucks.

Danner boots: Comfortable but confusing
 

I may be splitting hairs here but I'm paying close attention to detail, hah. I love me some Danner boots (they fit me perfectly, with almost no break-in time needed)...

The Danners pictured below are titled 'Danner Winter' which as far as Danner is concerned means Gore Tex + Insulation. I snagged this image from this slideshow(.ppt file) earlier in the thread. Thanks to the gentleman who posted that. The file is dated 2009 so I assume it is fairly recent.

While they no longer carry the exact boot pictured, they do carry temperate and insulated versions which meet the Army regs and, as far as I can tell, SFAS requirements as well. To be clear, both of these contain gore-tex, and I've read conflicting information about that - the Belleville marked here also has gore-tex, whereas many of the others do not. Obviously I'd love to have gore-tex in my boots, but I sure as shit don't want to be breaking in a new pair during selection because I brought the wrong ones.

Anyone have up-to-date information about this in terms of the 'allowability' of gore-tex as well as any advice on getting the insulated boots over the temperate ones? I find it strange that they list the Danner Winters seeing as insulated boots are, as far as I can tell, really meant for guys who are going to be standing in snow for a bit of time - something I can't imagine happening with regularity at selection.

Thanks a ton for any advice you might have to offer.

You do understand what an issued boot is, do you not?

Did it come from an Army CIF recently?

TR

Reaper,

I get a really great Danner discount so I figured practice-rucking in SFAS-approved gear can't hurt me.

EDIT: Your point does beget an interesting question though - any reason a guy can't have a pair of approved boots shipped to him in between OSUT and pre-selection?