Bucket Boots, Shoes, or Sandals: Which is your favorite?

[dragongirl]

I love, love, love my rope sandals.  I ordered them from Nomadic State of Mind and I love them so much, I wear them for mudane use to!

[Ludovi]

I tend to favor Boots or Ghillies myself... though, I am desparately in the need of a new set of both. While Boots provide a certain swagger (which of course I enjoy) the Ghillies are amazingly comfortable when you're on your feet a lot of the day.

[Butch]

My personna is a 16th century mariner, not a pirate.  I wear shoes.  I have a pair of black USMC shoes that I cut lachets into, and left a single lace hole on either side.  I threaded a leather thong through the hole.

I resoled them with leather, and installed hobnails.  I weathered them with a wire brush, and coated them with mink oil.  They look great!

[Obadiah Jib]

That is a great shoe creation!  Period (GAOP or Buccaneer) shoes are very expensive and ha to come by!

[groomporter]

"Romeo" style slippers are also a great option for latchet shoes, since they already have side openings.

Simply cut out the elastic in the side openings and stitch on some pieces of leather for the latchets. On a pair I did I split the stitches in the rear of the opening that hold together the outer leather and the inner lining and inserted the base of the latchets in between them before stitching them on using the existing thread holes.

Here's a little video one converting a pair of regular shoes to latchets, although I would cut the hole a little smaller than he does.
http://www.visionforum.com/hottopics/multimedia/enn/2007/03/2344.aspx

[Lady Ann of Draycott]

I love my Son of Sandlar boots...very comfy...I wear them with everything from my pirate garb and even with court gowns (you can't see them anyway!) 

[Blackbead]

Since I am but a lowly "sailor", being forced by me poor circumstances to sell off some of the finer items I've . . . acquired in me travels around the world, I wear simple shoes in cool weather and rope sandles when its hot and nothing at all . . . on me feet! . . . when it is allowed.

Blackbead

[Just Jesse]

boots

[tiberiusflynn]

I've got a very comfortable pair of rope sandals, but my bucket boots are by far my favourite!  They've got the Wenchie Seal of Approval.  

Mine is on the right:


Blue likes them too!

Question, are those the Caboots Jack Sparrow boots?

I wear the dark brown suede sparrow boots and the KILL my feet whenever I wear them. I've thought about getting new boots but I paid a fair amount for these and love the look, any suggestions? I've tried ankle supports and adding insoles and they still hurt like the dickens...

I also seem to have worn a small hole in the achilles heel of my right boot.....and i've only had them a year.

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

They are indeed CA Boots.  I've had them for about five years, and they are the best boots of any kind I've ever worn.  The heels are just now getting to the point I should have them redone.  And yes, I've worn my share of leather boots from various vendors.  I'd buy again from them in a heartbeat.  But I've worn boots long enough in a working (equestrian) capacity that I know what I need in fit and style.  I'm terribly demanding, and I'd recommend Competitive Attitude Boots without hesitation.

[tiberiusflynn]

They are indeed CA Boots.  I've had them for about five years, and they are the best boots of any kind I've ever worn.  The heels are just now getting to the point I should have them redone.  And yes, I've worn my share of leather boots from various vendors.  I'd buy again from them in a heartbeat.

May I ask some tips on cleaning them? or possibly weatherproofing tips?

I've had mine for only a year and they are pretty dirty....that might be why they've already acquired a hole in them...

[Captain Jack Wolfe]

Improper fit has more to do with the hole than cleaning ever would.  I use a basic suede cleaner and protectant that you can buy at any western store.

[tiberiusflynn]

Improper fit has more to do with the hole than cleaning ever would.  I use a basic suede cleaner and protectant that you can buy at any western store.

Is it sad that I didn't even think about them fitting wrong? Aside from my foot pain, I thought they fit fine.....hm...oh well, too late now...and these puppies were too expensive for me to replace them anytime soon....eh.

Anyways, thanks for the tips, I'll check some of that out right away,

[dragongirl]

Oh my!!!!!!  I have so much to teach you gentlemen about proper shoe shopping.  First and this is very important, only buy shoes at the end of a day when your feet are swollen and very wide.  This will ensure that no matter what condition your feet are in the shoes will fit correctly.  You also need to wear the style of socks when you are trying on shoes that you plan to wear with the shoes to get an accuate feel for them.  This does not seem like an important thing until you go out in a pair of shoes and find that a little seam is rubbing the hell out of the side of your feet and you want to die.  When trying on shoes, you feet should be comfortable, do not assume that if they are a little tight or pinch that they will "loosen up" or need to "break in".  All you are doing is buying an ill-fitting pair of shoes and wasting money on shoes you will never want to wear.  If you try on a pair of shoes and find that you foot is slipping in the heel cup, DO NOT BUY THEM!!!!!  All you are doing is ensuring that you will have a blister farm on your feet.  Not ever style of shoe is for every foot, so try on several different styles until you get a comfortable fit.  Feet are just a unique as any other body part, if you have a large butt and big belly would you buy low ride pencil jeans with a button fly?  No, you would go find a regular or loose fit with a zipper.  Same with shoes, if you have Fred Flinstone feet that pair of 101/2 B's are not going to fit well or wear well because your feet are going to push out the leather and the uppers are going to be wearing on the ground.  Try different widths and sizes until you get that correct fit and your entire foot strike in on the soles not the sides of the shoe.  A little work up front will save you money and pain later on down the road. 

Hope this helps!     

[Betty Munro]

Boots are sexy!!!  But since I don't hike my skirts up, I wore black tennies this year.
Thanks for the link on making latchet shoes - very cool!