Coming from a cold and wet country IMO the best boot for cold wet weather is full grain leather. The fatal flaw with gore-tex is that once it gets wet from the inside either from sweat or from outside moisture it's very difficult to dry out in the field. If you're out for more than a few days it's pretty much guaranteed that your boots will get wet at some point. Quality full grain leather is waterproof on it's own and boots like that are often built to retain pretty much no moisture (like Altbergs) meaning you swap out your socks and wipe the inside with a rag and your feet are dry again. Gore-tex is pretty nice until you accidentally step on ground that wasn't solid and get your feet soaked to the knees. Then it's going to be very bad for a very long time.
Goretex layers in general don't tend to work in the real cold. For it to actually be breathable it requires moisture to stay at the vapor stage to pass through the membrane. This requires it be at a certain temperature which, once the vapor has passed beyond your insulation layers, it generally won't and by that point is no better than wearing a tarp when it comes to preventing condensation.
THIS HAS COME A LONG WAY! Boots especially, authorized boots are way better than the issued crap in the past year! My experience from 30 years ago was even worse for my dad 30 years before me! Great video!
You can't stress this enough. The amount of dudes that just wear the trash PX socks or will just wear whatever personal socks they already own is insane. Wool socks were one of the best investments I made when I was in and I never had to worry about my feet. People throw a lot of hate at RATS but it took two work-ups and two deployments to finish off one of my pairs, and even then they are still mostly functional, just missing most of the tread and a small hole in the side of each foot. One thing I did with all my boots is when I got them I'd lace them up and then I would put the laces through a cord lock (the spring loaded things you cinch down cords with on packs and such) and then I'd tie a knot into the end of each lace. So now instead of having to take the time to tie your boots, you just cinch it down with the lock and then wrap the laces around the top of your boot, and then pass the lace under and around the start of the wrap and double-back and tuck it into your boot then pull your blousing down over it. It lets you get your boots on lightning fast and I never had a problem with them feeling loose or coming undone.
Hello from Victoria BC Canada 🇨🇦! Ex-Canadian Forces Paratrooper and light Infanteer. Watched all your videos and I'd like to compliment you on excellent work. Well done and informative. Thanks mate, keep it up, and I hope your superiors take note. Thanks again-JHW
Irish setter wingshooters-heavy. Rocky SV2- mids Nike-lights Merrels- days when i want to feel bouncy, LoL With merino wool socks all year round. Cotton kills!
In addition to leather oil/conditioner/etc there is also dubbin which contains wax and protects the leather from the elements. A shoe tree is also good for when you're drying the boots, they help it keep its shape + absorb the moisture left inside by your feet.
@@dogevanzandt2889 yeah that's true and with lawsuits for cancer caused from talc, I would have to say climbing or lifting chalk might be a good alternative.
Some things i wanted to say about the rat boot: 1. The good year welt. It provides a wider outsole which i love for its stability. It also allows for a cobler to resole the boys so you can extend the lifetime of the boots. 2. The lace to toss design gets a much better fit to my foot. 3. They sink. These are the only usmc boots I've seen Sink like an iron duck. Ifk if the meb boots do too but i know all rats sink. Since I'm amphibious and don't want the weight baring down on me in the water, i put a cutout of an isomat underneath my laces. This provides buoyancy so they don't end up at the bottom of the pool. This also allows the boot to be tighter to my foot when i need it. I love my rats for many the same reasons as you. They're too good.
I'm going to age myself here. I was getting out of the Marine Corps when the suede boot's started coming in. The Marpat uniform had gaitors that went with it. It actually looked super sharp with black leather boots. You missed out on Super Salty M81's that were faded out. And covers you had to shape. 😂 I was issued Altama jungle boots and those all leathers made by Altama as well. I have high arches so those boots killed me. My saving grace was one weekend I had went out to Morongo with some buddies and I won $3,300 bucks on a slot. No bullsh*t second pull of the handle. Bought two pair of Danner Acadia's. And a pair of Bates Lights to wear in the boats. I later on bought a pair of all leather Matterhorns. As garrison boots. I bought the Danner Acadia's in 1994. I had sent them to Danner twice to be redone. After the third time they sent me two new pairs. That was in 2018. I have 4 pair of Danners. I had bought a pair of the RAT boots cause I think they looked sick. But as you have stated. They are hell to break in. Especially if you aren't doing grunt sh*t. The boots I wear the most are Bates lace to toe black leathers. With the Durashock sole. They seem to hold up. I wouldn't put money on them to last like Danners. Black leather is more labor intensive. You have to break them down. Remove polish and re-dye them. But I think will outlast the suede boots. I saddle soap the sh*t out of them after I break them down. It rehydrates the leather. Buffing wheel, Kiwi parade gloss and a spray bottle of water on mist. Make boots look like glass. 😏
The polished black leather era was a weird blip in the longer history of military footwear. Late 19th century onward it was all rough out/suede until the cold war. Now we're back to it. Suede's easy enough to take care of make and nice again. Very different from taking care of smooth sided leather though. Took me a while to figure it out. It's all brushes (brass, crepe, and bristle) and scrubbing with a minority in liquid conditioners. One thing I will say is suede is actually much more abrasion resistant than smooth leather. Doesn't scratch nearly as easily. Where they'll inevitably fall apart is either in the stitching or the outsole, but that's a consequence of construction methods and planned obsolescence.
I really want to see Nick's boots make a combat boot that has their Munson toe last, Panama sole, rubber midsole with no stitches through the sole, side vents, and a 1000D Cordura upper with a padded collar. I think the simple fact that it would be rebuildable and made of high quality materials would make it the best combat boot.
Loved my Rats, when I was a PFC only guys who went to Afghan had them, later on they started issuing them to recruits at boot camp and my new Marines hated them (???), bought 2 brand new pairs of temperates off them for nothing. I've had four pairs over the years, just phenomenal boots. The old Danner USMCs were similar to the MEBs, had two pairs of those as well. I want to try the meb but I am long since out of uniform. My feet don't sweat/sweat doesn't bother me so I always wear cold weather boots. Civ side I wear Quest 4Ds. I've tried on cheaper boots but they all suck balls honestly. Any boots with mesh uppers will take on sand/dust and self destruct IMO
Leather tanning also will effect the end use properties. Veg tan leather will breath fairly well, chromexel or a similar wax tanned leather will repel water moderately well, silicon tanned will work essentially like rubber boots but be flexible and sturdy like any other leather boot. I would not recommend goretex personally, it works, somewhat, until you get a tear in the material and you will tear the material at the heel. For silicon or wax tanned boots I would recommend a liner, it will help wick the sweat out of your boot and act like a second sock that has more structure to it than a sock. The more leather you have at the midsole/insole, the longer a boot will take to break in, however, as stated in the video, the more comfortable long term they will be. Leather treatments can also modify your boots, leather oil will help repel water, SnoSeal will add wax to your boots and will make them significantly more water resistant. I agree with the critique of tall boots and weak ankles only to the degree that if you don’t train for ankle instability- lots of exercises (one legged rdl, one legged squat, one legged…) can be used to train ankle strength and you probably only need to throw one or two in to training in a week. Combine that with a leather vamp boot and you will have bomb proof ankles while rucking.
I love my rat boots other than the stupid ass plastic heel cup. It’s the one part of the boot that they cut corners on and when the plastic cracks it turns into shards that can cut your Achilles up. Thanks for another banger video and what you’re doing documenting your knowledge and passing it onto the newer guys
After three years of French issue Goretex boots (Haix and Mendls), I've shifted over to the old jungle boots for the field: far lighter, no rubber toe caps peeling off and I'm not getting jungle rot in 110 degrees wearing Goretex.
I think it’s user preference for high ankle boots versus the low top shoes. I always felt those boots helping me with heavy packs and being able to blouse my boots was pretty nice in the desert to block out all the insects and random debris. Also those nasty weeds with spikes and shit have a hard time penetrating boots
My rat boots and merrel moab’s are both my go to boots. If i’m planning on going through rough patches with thorns and crap or need more sturdy boots i go with the rats. However if it’s extremely hot and humid and going through known paths or casually hiking then moab’s are nice.
I've found wearing dress socks under whatever socks really helped with blisters. I sweat a lot, I've noticed wearing the dress socks keeps my feet from moving around which reduces friction and blisters. Great stuff here.
Once your socks are dry and you are folding them up, fold a half a dryer sheet into it. Learned in wrestling and boxing that dryer sheets are the W for gloves, shoes, wraps anything that gets sweaty more often than clean. Idk if they will have an identifiable scent in the field, so maybe only use half a sheet in a pair of socks. All my boots have half a sheet in them when theyre sitting in the shoe rack, draws the moisture out and kills the stink
Leukotape (a brand of kinesthetic athletic tape) makes for better moleskin than any actual moleskin I've ever worn. Doesn't roll up and fall off inside my shoe. The glue doesn't make my skin all soft and trenchfoot-esque from holding in moisture. 60% merino wool or more is my minimum for socks. Prefer closer to 70-75%. If you go up higher like as not you'll start to lose out on durability. Lower and you're getting ripped off. Insoles and boots are separate purchase considerations IMO. Find an insole you like (I like Sole brand) and then when you get boots make sure they're sized to fit with them. My go-to for duty boots have been Belleville C320s. Best balance I've found of being real boots some actual support and durability vs being light and flexible with a wide toe box. Only complaint is how fast the tread wears out. I don't like Goretex sewn into footwear. Goretex jackets and the like you can clean and maintain to keep the membrane breathable. You can't do that with a liner sewn into your boots and eventually it ends up being no better than just wearing trash bags over your socks. If it's pissing rain use waterproof socks over your regular socks (I like sealskinz) and change your insoles when you're done or go straight for rubber over boots or something if you're stuck working in the muck and piss. For those in betweens where the ground's just generally wet or there's a lot of half melted snow still out you have to walk through a DWRish spray treatment works fine so long as it's maintained. Best I've found so far has been this stuff called Tarrago Nano Protector. Avoid silicone treatments; it clogs up what breathability you have and will eventually cause the leather to dry out and crack.
@@luckyomen Compromises. There's no way to keep your feet dry forever when it's pissing rain except to not go outside. Either soaked through in seconds from water or soaked through in a couple hours from sweat.
Great video. Been waiting for this one since you started this channel. Any thoughts on Salomons? Darn Tough socks are the only ones to buy! Will last a lifetime.
The 1st Gen RAT boots were trash. The ones that were issued in '12-'13 (Gen2?) were MUCH better. Those 1st gens (didn't have drain holes) were about the worst boot I've ever been issued- and that's including the old black leather boots back in the 90's.
Could you give your perspective on some weapons considerations? Specifically, do you think LPVOs are the right optic for every single infantryman to be issued (as opposed to a fixed power or Red dot and magnifier) and do you see barrel lengths such as 13.7 as good enough for general issue. Obviously the USMC thinks the VCOG is adequate alone but the Royal Marines just adopted a 1-10 with top mounted ACRO on a suppressed 13.7, seem like a significantly better option. Also, the Army is preparing to issue out the NGSW's Super Scope in the same manner as the USMC's VCOG, doesn't this seem like a loss of flexibility? Also information overload as every soldier can mark targets for every other soldier. If I had it my (a civilian nerd's) way Squad and Team leaders would have the LPVOs, Rifleman would have reddot+magnifier, and automatic rifleman would have Elcan 1-4s or reddot+magnifiers. It seems like only having LPVOs really sacrifices the close fight.
As infantrymen, we never really know what exactly we’re getting into. So we need to have a rifle and optic combination that can do just about everything well. The LPVO is a 1-8 power optic. So we have the capability to do no magnification, if necessary, as well as really zoomed in to observe or take further shots which I like a lot. As far as barrel length, we also need a blend. We need some thing that will be accurate out to about 500 m and carry decent velocity. But it also needs to be short enough to be maneuverable in a more urban cramped environment. I think 16” is a good spot for that. We choose for all the members of the squad to have the same optic because it makes it significantly easier to do talk on’s. Imagine you, with an 8 power optic, trying to talk your guys on to a Target thats 600 m away, and they all have eotechs and 3x magnifiers. Even if you can talk them on, it’s gonna be very difficult for them to make shots at that distance. We also need a rifle that is capable of mounting a bayonet. I do definitely agree with you about the information overload thing though, I’m curious to see how that whole system it’s gonna play out. Thanks for watching!
I use 100℅ nylon socks for summer and 90℅ mongolian camel wool socks for late autumn, winter and early spring. The best boots i ever wore on this war so far are lowas g-6 with out membrane with no name spongy insole. Also there iis a russian footwear company named faradei they making mod. 443 and mod. 766 both are have thick leather, toughest boots i ve ever seen, copy of a german combat boot.
I max out on mids for the most part. I have (real )heavies but even down in the teens if I'm active they make my feet sweat too much. I'll use them to sleep in but not much else.
From a camping/hiking perspective, I get only hiking weight (mid weight) Darn Toughs. They're great for all weather, from hiking in the dead of summer, all the way down to single digit hiking in the snow.
I can vouch for the Belleville Mountain Hybrids. My Garmont Bifidas fell apart on me after about a year. I think it's because my pinky toes absolutely tear up anything thats not solid fucking leather. The only shoes ive ever had that my toes didnt destroy were dress shoes, issued boots, and my Bellevilles. Also, the Bifidas are harder to quickly put on and take off. In terms of durability i can vouch for the issued boots (Army), those things are fucking bombproof, but they're really heavy and have fuckall ankle support.
I wore Garmont Bigidias the first year of my army career. Didn't like them. Outsole was fine - good support, lots of tread - but the cloth "moisture wicking" liner wouldn't dry out for shit from a day of sweaty feet and the actual leather upper covering it is so thin mine split on the side where the ball of your foot flexes.
Try fast roping or rappeling with bates lites lmao. No more sole for you. MWTC destroyed my bates lites thankfully I had a pair of standard combat boots that I was actually my first pair from boot camp. They were perfect. I also realy like the RAT boots.
gortex is death. If you know 100% cold dry, MIGHT use GTX. but 1/2 size bigger, quality WOOL boot socks and gaters....OTBs replace the old coral boot and dive booties. run small by 1/2 size. suck for anything over the high water mark. SOCKS darn tough, smart wool, fox river. summer to winter weight. the old "cash sales" sea bag issue atleast untiol94, SUCKed
I've seen so many Bates Lights with that crack straight across the entire damn bottom. They're definitely best for office work if you're a POG like me, or CFT's. Apart from that, another thing I've found helpful is the gaiter. Outdoor Research makes a model called the Crocodile that I believe is issued to the Marines who have to do cold weather training and I think specifically that's where it shines. I've only used them for hunting, but I'm the guy who finds every puddle or nail when he takes a step, so when hunting I slap them on with a Goretex boot. It basically prevents snow from getting into your boots and also keeps it off your legs until you're knee deep. Helps keep your legs warm and you can shove hand heaters in them if you're feeling extra fancy. For rain and anything more than light amounts of water, they're pretty useless though because I find you're just going to get wet anyways. I think the Brits (Alt-Berg Boots) make a jungle boot that's loads better than the old Vietnam boots, if you absolutely need a dedicated jungle boot but I've never used one myself
I like the logic of what you present, the items, and the experience you make obvious. Would it be possible to communicate without using the f-words, or other foul language words? I'm a veteran and have also worked with construction crews---That is, I've engaged in the same type of language in the past, but for those of us that get to a point where Jesus and the Bible are primary, every f-bomb rubs us the wrong way
I wish I had NCOs like you growing up I woulda been squared away in no time and saved so much time money and painful lessons
That’s the whole goal of this channel my man, better late then never I suppose
Coming from a cold and wet country IMO the best boot for cold wet weather is full grain leather. The fatal flaw with gore-tex is that once it gets wet from the inside either from sweat or from outside moisture it's very difficult to dry out in the field. If you're out for more than a few days it's pretty much guaranteed that your boots will get wet at some point. Quality full grain leather is waterproof on it's own and boots like that are often built to retain pretty much no moisture (like Altbergs) meaning you swap out your socks and wipe the inside with a rag and your feet are dry again.
Gore-tex is pretty nice until you accidentally step on ground that wasn't solid and get your feet soaked to the knees. Then it's going to be very bad for a very long time.
100% agree
Goretex layers in general don't tend to work in the real cold. For it to actually be breathable it requires moisture to stay at the vapor stage to pass through the membrane. This requires it be at a certain temperature which, once the vapor has passed beyond your insulation layers, it generally won't and by that point is no better than wearing a tarp when it comes to preventing condensation.
THIS HAS COME A LONG WAY! Boots especially, authorized boots are way better than the issued crap in the past year! My experience from 30 years ago was even worse for my dad 30 years before me! Great video!
Thanks for the support!
You can't stress this enough. The amount of dudes that just wear the trash PX socks or will just wear whatever personal socks they already own is insane. Wool socks were one of the best investments I made when I was in and I never had to worry about my feet. People throw a lot of hate at RATS but it took two work-ups and two deployments to finish off one of my pairs, and even then they are still mostly functional, just missing most of the tread and a small hole in the side of each foot.
One thing I did with all my boots is when I got them I'd lace them up and then I would put the laces through a cord lock (the spring loaded things you cinch down cords with on packs and such) and then I'd tie a knot into the end of each lace. So now instead of having to take the time to tie your boots, you just cinch it down with the lock and then wrap the laces around the top of your boot, and then pass the lace under and around the start of the wrap and double-back and tuck it into your boot then pull your blousing down over it. It lets you get your boots on lightning fast and I never had a problem with them feeling loose or coming undone.
I’ve done that before too as well
Hello from Victoria BC Canada 🇨🇦! Ex-Canadian Forces Paratrooper and light Infanteer. Watched all your videos and I'd like to compliment you on excellent work. Well done and informative. Thanks mate, keep it up, and I hope your superiors take note. Thanks again-JHW
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for all the awesome content! I will look at those Darn Tough socks.
They are amazing!
Irish setter wingshooters-heavy.
Rocky SV2- mids
Nike-lights
Merrels- days when i want to feel bouncy, LoL
With merino wool socks all year round. Cotton kills!
Thanks for watching!
In addition to leather oil/conditioner/etc there is also dubbin which contains wax and protects the leather from the elements. A shoe tree is also good for when you're drying the boots, they help it keep its shape + absorb the moisture left inside by your feet.
Thanks for watching!
Best video I've seen in a while. Consider routinely spraying your feet with antiperspirant to limit sweat.
Never heard that one before, very interesting
Thats what foot powder is for.
@@DeathMond.Is current issue foot powder talc based tho? All stuff ive seen in stores is starch based and fungus thrives in starch.
@@dogevanzandt2889 yeah that's true and with lawsuits for cancer caused from talc, I would have to say climbing or lifting chalk might be a good alternative.
Some things i wanted to say about the rat boot:
1. The good year welt. It provides a wider outsole which i love for its stability. It also allows for a cobler to resole the boys so you can extend the lifetime of the boots.
2. The lace to toss design gets a much better fit to my foot.
3. They sink. These are the only usmc boots I've seen Sink like an iron duck. Ifk if the meb boots do too but i know all rats sink. Since I'm amphibious and don't want the weight baring down on me in the water, i put a cutout of an isomat underneath my laces. This provides buoyancy so they don't end up at the bottom of the pool. This also allows the boot to be tighter to my foot when i need it.
I love my rats for many the same reasons as you. They're too good.
Can’t beat them outside a few circumstances like you said
I'm going to age myself here. I was getting out of the Marine Corps when the suede boot's started coming in. The Marpat uniform had gaitors that went with it. It actually looked super sharp with black leather boots.
You missed out on Super Salty M81's that were faded out. And covers you had to shape. 😂
I was issued Altama jungle boots and those all leathers made by Altama as well. I have high arches so those boots killed me.
My saving grace was one weekend I had went out to Morongo with some buddies and I won $3,300 bucks on a slot. No bullsh*t second pull of the handle.
Bought two pair of Danner Acadia's. And a pair of Bates Lights to wear in the boats. I later on bought a pair of all leather Matterhorns. As garrison boots.
I bought the Danner Acadia's in 1994. I had sent them to Danner twice to be redone. After the third time they sent me two new pairs. That was in 2018.
I have 4 pair of Danners. I had bought a pair of the RAT boots cause I think they looked sick. But as you have stated. They are hell to break in. Especially if you aren't doing grunt sh*t.
The boots I wear the most are Bates lace to toe black leathers. With the Durashock sole. They seem to hold up. I wouldn't put money on them to last like Danners. Black leather is more labor intensive. You have to break them down. Remove polish and re-dye them. But I think will outlast the suede boots. I saddle soap the sh*t out of them after I break them down. It rehydrates the leather.
Buffing wheel, Kiwi parade gloss and a spray bottle of water on mist. Make boots look like glass. 😏
Good old jungle boots
@@TheGruntPerspective No!!! Jungle boot bad. Bad!!! 🤨 ...Ug.
The polished black leather era was a weird blip in the longer history of military footwear. Late 19th century onward it was all rough out/suede until the cold war. Now we're back to it.
Suede's easy enough to take care of make and nice again. Very different from taking care of smooth sided leather though. Took me a while to figure it out. It's all brushes (brass, crepe, and bristle) and scrubbing with a minority in liquid conditioners.
One thing I will say is suede is actually much more abrasion resistant than smooth leather. Doesn't scratch nearly as easily. Where they'll inevitably fall apart is either in the stitching or the outsole, but that's a consequence of construction methods and planned obsolescence.
I really want to see Nick's boots make a combat boot that has their Munson toe last, Panama sole, rubber midsole with no stitches through the sole, side vents, and a 1000D Cordura upper with a padded collar. I think the simple fact that it would be rebuildable and made of high quality materials would make it the best combat boot.
That would be interesting
Loved my Rats, when I was a PFC only guys who went to Afghan had them, later on they started issuing them to recruits at boot camp and my new Marines hated them (???), bought 2 brand new pairs of temperates off them for nothing. I've had four pairs over the years, just phenomenal boots. The old Danner USMCs were similar to the MEBs, had two pairs of those as well. I want to try the meb but I am long since out of uniform. My feet don't sweat/sweat doesn't bother me so I always wear cold weather boots. Civ side I wear Quest 4Ds. I've tried on cheaper boots but they all suck balls honestly. Any boots with mesh uppers will take on sand/dust and self destruct IMO
Big leather boots guy here
Leather tanning also will effect the end use properties. Veg tan leather will breath fairly well, chromexel or a similar wax tanned leather will repel water moderately well, silicon tanned will work essentially like rubber boots but be flexible and sturdy like any other leather boot. I would not recommend goretex personally, it works, somewhat, until you get a tear in the material and you will tear the material at the heel. For silicon or wax tanned boots I would recommend a liner, it will help wick the sweat out of your boot and act like a second sock that has more structure to it than a sock. The more leather you have at the midsole/insole, the longer a boot will take to break in, however, as stated in the video, the more comfortable long term they will be. Leather treatments can also modify your boots, leather oil will help repel water, SnoSeal will add wax to your boots and will make them significantly more water resistant.
I agree with the critique of tall boots and weak ankles only to the degree that if you don’t train for ankle instability- lots of exercises (one legged rdl, one legged squat, one legged…) can be used to train ankle strength and you probably only need to throw one or two in to training in a week. Combine that with a leather vamp boot and you will have bomb proof ankles while rucking.
Thanks for watching!
I love my rat boots other than the stupid ass plastic heel cup. It’s the one part of the boot that they cut corners on and when the plastic cracks it turns into shards that can cut your Achilles up. Thanks for another banger video and what you’re doing documenting your knowledge and passing it onto the newer guys
Thanks for watching!
After three years of French issue Goretex boots (Haix and Mendls), I've shifted over to the old jungle boots for the field: far lighter, no rubber toe caps peeling off and I'm not getting jungle rot in 110 degrees wearing Goretex.
Jungle rot is a hell of a thing
I think it’s user preference for high ankle boots versus the low top shoes. I always felt those boots helping me with heavy packs and being able to blouse my boots was pretty nice in the desert to block out all the insects and random debris. Also those nasty weeds with spikes and shit have a hard time penetrating boots
I’ve also always been a fan of high ankle boots. That being said it’s all I’ve ever been allowed to use
@@TheGruntPerspective i love how much support high ankle boots provide over low top shoes
My rat boots and merrel moab’s are both my go to boots. If i’m planning on going through rough patches with thorns and crap or need more sturdy boots i go with the rats. However if it’s extremely hot and humid and going through known paths or casually hiking then moab’s are nice.
It’s nice to have options
You read my mind with this video. Great timing!
I got you
Thank you for the knowledge I learned so much.
Thanks for watching!
Bro doesn’t skip tibia day
Every day is shin day with rat boots
I've found wearing dress socks under whatever socks really helped with blisters. I sweat a lot, I've noticed wearing the dress socks keeps my feet from moving around which reduces friction and blisters. Great stuff here.
Once your socks are dry and you are folding them up, fold a half a dryer sheet into it. Learned in wrestling and boxing that dryer sheets are the W for gloves, shoes, wraps anything that gets sweaty more often than clean. Idk if they will have an identifiable scent in the field, so maybe only use half a sheet in a pair of socks. All my boots have half a sheet in them when theyre sitting in the shoe rack, draws the moisture out and kills the stink
Leukotape (a brand of kinesthetic athletic tape) makes for better moleskin than any actual moleskin I've ever worn. Doesn't roll up and fall off inside my shoe. The glue doesn't make my skin all soft and trenchfoot-esque from holding in moisture.
60% merino wool or more is my minimum for socks. Prefer closer to 70-75%. If you go up higher like as not you'll start to lose out on durability. Lower and you're getting ripped off.
Insoles and boots are separate purchase considerations IMO. Find an insole you like (I like Sole brand) and then when you get boots make sure they're sized to fit with them.
My go-to for duty boots have been Belleville C320s. Best balance I've found of being real boots some actual support and durability vs being light and flexible with a wide toe box. Only complaint is how fast the tread wears out.
I don't like Goretex sewn into footwear. Goretex jackets and the like you can clean and maintain to keep the membrane breathable. You can't do that with a liner sewn into your boots and eventually it ends up being no better than just wearing trash bags over your socks.
If it's pissing rain use waterproof socks over your regular socks (I like sealskinz) and change your insoles when you're done or go straight for rubber over boots or something if you're stuck working in the muck and piss. For those in betweens where the ground's just generally wet or there's a lot of half melted snow still out you have to walk through a DWRish spray treatment works fine so long as it's maintained. Best I've found so far has been this stuff called Tarrago Nano Protector. Avoid silicone treatments; it clogs up what breathability you have and will eventually cause the leather to dry out and crack.
WATERPROOF SOCKS!? I have to get my hands on some of those
Sweat-city, if your feet sweat alot then don't wear them for too long.@@TheGruntPerspective
@@luckyomen Compromises. There's no way to keep your feet dry forever when it's pissing rain except to not go outside. Either soaked through in seconds from water or soaked through in a couple hours from sweat.
Damn dude. You’re having a busy week. Great work.
Thank you!
Awesome videos! Enjoying the channel! 💪🏼🇺🇸💪🏼
Thanks for watching!
Great video. Been waiting for this one since you started this channel. Any thoughts on Salomons? Darn Tough socks are the only ones to buy! Will last a lifetime.
I’ve never used them but they are well renowned and very high quality
Good stuff dude. Keep it up.
Thanks for watching!
Rocky S2V
Belleville Jungle/Hot Weather’s
We were issued the old Bates RAT’s. Those things were trash. Fell apart in weeks.
These ones are going strong
Big reason for that was bates and welco getting contracts to make the RAT boots
The 1st Gen RAT boots were trash. The ones that were issued in '12-'13 (Gen2?) were MUCH better. Those 1st gens (didn't have drain holes) were about the worst boot I've ever been issued- and that's including the old black leather boots back in the 90's.
You should make that part about putting your socks over your boots into a short.
I have to step up my short game
@@TheGruntPerspective it’s crazy the amount of views and watch time you can get on those sometimes.
Could you give your perspective on some weapons considerations? Specifically, do you think LPVOs are the right optic for every single infantryman to be issued (as opposed to a fixed power or Red dot and magnifier) and do you see barrel lengths such as 13.7 as good enough for general issue. Obviously the USMC thinks the VCOG is adequate alone but the Royal Marines just adopted a 1-10 with top mounted ACRO on a suppressed 13.7, seem like a significantly better option. Also, the Army is preparing to issue out the NGSW's Super Scope in the same manner as the USMC's VCOG, doesn't this seem like a loss of flexibility? Also information overload as every soldier can mark targets for every other soldier.
If I had it my (a civilian nerd's) way Squad and Team leaders would have the LPVOs, Rifleman would have reddot+magnifier, and automatic rifleman would have Elcan 1-4s or reddot+magnifiers. It seems like only having LPVOs really sacrifices the close fight.
As infantrymen, we never really know what exactly we’re getting into. So we need to have a rifle and optic combination that can do just about everything well. The LPVO is a 1-8 power optic. So we have the capability to do no magnification, if necessary, as well as really zoomed in to observe or take further shots which I like a lot. As far as barrel length, we also need a blend. We need some thing that will be accurate out to about 500 m and carry decent velocity. But it also needs to be short enough to be maneuverable in a more urban cramped environment. I think 16” is a good spot for that. We choose for all the members of the squad to have the same optic because it makes it significantly easier to do talk on’s. Imagine you, with an 8 power optic, trying to talk your guys on to a Target thats 600 m away, and they all have eotechs and 3x magnifiers. Even if you can talk them on, it’s gonna be very difficult for them to make shots at that distance. We also need a rifle that is capable of mounting a bayonet.
I do definitely agree with you about the information overload thing though, I’m curious to see how that whole system it’s gonna play out.
Thanks for watching!
I use 100℅ nylon socks for summer and 90℅ mongolian camel wool socks for late autumn, winter and early spring. The best boots i ever wore on this war so far are lowas g-6 with out membrane with no name spongy insole. Also there iis a russian footwear company named faradei they making mod. 443 and mod. 766 both are have thick leather, toughest boots i ve ever seen, copy of a german combat boot.
Thanks for watching!
Do those boots have a gusseted tongue, otherwise I expect they will get wet regardless of Gore-Tex and they will also make your feet sweat?
thanks good stuff
Thanks for watching!
Lowa zephyrs are pretty good boots, but they're made in Slovakia. They come in mid and high top sizes
I’ve heard good things about lowas
What darn tough weight/cushions do you go with? Mid weights mid cushions for everything or do you beef up to the heavyweights in cold weather?
I max out on mids for the most part. I have (real )heavies but even down in the teens if I'm active they make my feet sweat too much. I'll use them to sleep in but not much else.
From a camping/hiking perspective, I get only hiking weight (mid weight) Darn Toughs. They're great for all weather, from hiking in the dead of summer, all the way down to single digit hiking in the snow.
I’m not sure what these are, they were issued to me, if I had to guess I’d say they are medium or heavy
@@TheGruntPerspective I believe the issued ones are medium
👌
First ha .really like the channel
Thanks for watching!
What about lowa zephyr?
I’ve never used them
I can vouch for the Belleville Mountain Hybrids. My Garmont Bifidas fell apart on me after about a year. I think it's because my pinky toes absolutely tear up anything thats not solid fucking leather. The only shoes ive ever had that my toes didnt destroy were dress shoes, issued boots, and my Bellevilles. Also, the Bifidas are harder to quickly put on and take off. In terms of durability i can vouch for the issued boots (Army), those things are fucking bombproof, but they're really heavy and have fuckall ankle support.
I’ve heard good things about the Bellevilles
I wore Garmont Bigidias the first year of my army career. Didn't like them. Outsole was fine - good support, lots of tread - but the cloth "moisture wicking" liner wouldn't dry out for shit from a day of sweaty feet and the actual leather upper covering it is so thin mine split on the side where the ball of your foot flexes.
@@mr.stotruppen8724 mine split on my pinky toes
You Americans should try boots from companies like, Alt-Burg, AKU, Haix, and Iturri
@@Liam1991 never heard of any of those, I’m sure they are great though
@TheGruntPerspective you should do some research then 🙂 they are some of the brands we are issued in the British military
@ I’d love to. Unfortunately were not allowed to wear boots other then issued
Try fast roping or rappeling with bates lites lmao. No more sole for you. MWTC destroyed my bates lites thankfully I had a pair of standard combat boots that I was actually my first pair from boot camp. They were perfect. I also realy like the RAT boots.
Thanks for watching!
gortex is death. If you know 100% cold dry, MIGHT use GTX. but 1/2 size bigger, quality WOOL boot socks and gaters....OTBs replace the old coral boot and dive booties. run small by 1/2 size. suck for anything over the high water mark. SOCKS darn tough, smart wool, fox river. summer to winter weight. the old "cash sales" sea bag issue atleast untiol94, SUCKed
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For jungle rot:
Take off boots and socks, roll up your pants.
Wash your feet, at least twice.
Dry your feet amap, finally spray your feet with lysol.
When you show us the NVG? 😅 Mr Thegruntperspective
I wish
I've seen so many Bates Lights with that crack straight across the entire damn bottom. They're definitely best for office work if you're a POG like me, or CFT's.
Apart from that, another thing I've found helpful is the gaiter. Outdoor Research makes a model called the Crocodile that I believe is issued to the Marines who have to do cold weather training and I think specifically that's where it shines. I've only used them for hunting, but I'm the guy who finds every puddle or nail when he takes a step, so when hunting I slap them on with a Goretex boot. It basically prevents snow from getting into your boots and also keeps it off your legs until you're knee deep. Helps keep your legs warm and you can shove hand heaters in them if you're feeling extra fancy. For rain and anything more than light amounts of water, they're pretty useless though because I find you're just going to get wet anyways. I think the Brits (Alt-Berg Boots) make a jungle boot that's loads better than the old Vietnam boots, if you absolutely need a dedicated jungle boot but I've never used one myself
I like the logic of what you present, the items, and the experience you make obvious. Would it be possible to communicate without using the f-words, or other foul language words?
I'm a veteran and have also worked with construction crews---That is, I've engaged in the same type of language in the past, but for those of us that get to a point where Jesus and the Bible are primary, every f-bomb rubs us the wrong way
I apologize for my potty mouth, but I can’t promise it’s going to change. Thank you for watching!
😂😂😂😂
Lol
Ok
Huh? I like you but… Ferris Bueller, Bueller, Bueller, Bueller, Bueller, Bueller?
What?
Rat boots are 🤢🤮
They were designed and work best in rough and rocky terrain, anywhere else they are too heavy and hot.
Rat boot supremacy