CLOTHING - first level of shelter

[Anonymous]

Clothing is your first level of shelter so we will start there. (as time allows I''ll work through the clothing for rest of body)

BY FAR the most important clothing item are your BOOTS. Here's what I found works and holds up.
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BOOTS:


DO NOT skimp on boots. Spend a little extra and skimp elsewhere. In the bush if your feet don't work, you don't work.

Get a spare pair, you will regret not doing so, very important.

Ever hear the saying "A good pair of boots are worth more than or horse"? Or have you ever noticed old war footage guys removing boots from dead soldiers? They are that valuable.

Good boots are hard to make on your own unlike a pair of pants if you had to.

Make sure they fit properly. If not you will pay for it later.

I've tried everything from very expensive custom hiking boots to the cheapest military surplus and everything in between and this is what I think are best choices based on A LOT of experience and wasted money.


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MULTI-SEASON OUTDOOR BOOT:

(must be high top full grain all leather upper)

#1.
Best quality for a reasonable investment is the Danner Canadian.
http://www.danner.com/product/canadian+ ... lse&page=1


#2.
 Danner Fort Lewis:
http://www.danner.com/product/fort+lewi ... lse&page=1

- they come in 200 or 600 gram insulation, depends on where you live I guess. Although I've worn the 600's in Middle East desert with heavy wool socks and was fine
- I prefer the Canadian model because of the earth tone color


#3.
Canadian military issue Gen.4 gortex lined high top leather boot.
Sorry no link but they are an excellent boot and can be found in like new condition for under $100.  
(Probably not good advice for someone on other side of world but I like to offer something of quality for people who have limited budget). You may find similar surplus in your country with a little research. Buy in best condition possible.


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COLD WEATHER BOOT:

Tried all kinds down as low as 65 below zero.

Pretty much nothing beats the US Army "Mickey Mouse" (black) and "Bunny Boot" (white). Research them and you will see why. A cross-section picture tells the story (sorry don't have a link for that but have seen it on the net somewhere)

Most clothing temp. ratings are a joke but this is one of the few items that have legit ratings.

"Mickey Mouse"  rated down to 30 below
"Bunny Boot" rated down to 50 below
- temp ratings are average, depends on activity

http://www.olive-drab.com/od_soldiers_c ... _boots.php

http://west.loadup.com/military/surplus/30201.html

(links are just examples, shop around)


As far as I know there were 3 main contractors. purchase pairs ONLY made by BATA. The other two tend to fall apart. Trust me on that advice. Look for the "BATA" label on bottom.
Try to purchase in best condition possible, ideally without cracking.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Make sure they fit well, not tight certainly but not too much extra room either. When fitting wear only ONE pair of heavy wool socks.
>> I find they tend to run one size big eg: if you wear 10 reg, 9 reg is the way to go.

Trust me, if they are slightly too big they will be the most uncomfortable boot ever, but if fit correctly they work pretty well.

Note: leave the valves closed unless your jumping out of an airplane!


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LEATHER WATERPROOFING:  (no need to explain)

#1.  OBENAUFS - best by far imo
http://www.obenaufs.com/product_info.ph ... 59fe21e2b2

#2. SNOW SEAL - very good, cheaper and more readily available

>>> rub in with your fingers. When finished heat with a hair drier to soak in
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LACES:

I change out all laces with OD GREEN  (7 strand mil-spec) 550 Paracord.
http://www.supplycaptain.com/index.cfm? ... rentCat=19

Cut to very generous length, (melt end to not fray). Think mine extend 3 feet on each side. Wrap laces around top once, uses a surgeons knot, tie TWO bows, one on top of the other. If you tie one bow they will constantly untie. Paracord is more "slippery" than typical laces. This tying method holds very well and is fairly easy to untie.

The reason for paracord is multi use. First off, its very strong. If need be the inner strands can be pulled out and used as fishing line, dental floss, suture material, thread etc. This will leave you the strong green outer "tube" for the lace.

The reason for the very generous length is to allow you to cut off 3+ feet to use for 'bow drill' friction fire starting or lashing for an emergency shelter. (many guys recommend using your laces for these uses but neglect to realize your now with out a lace). The extra length is more than worth the extra few seconds to tie up.

Also, ever notice how military guys appear to have their pants tucked into top of boots? Well, they are typically using "boot bands" on their legs above the boot.  A better method is described above. Pant leg couple inches over boot top, then tie as above. This stops debris from entering boots, helps retain/contain body heat and keeps deer-ticks and the like out while crawling on ground.



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OVER-BOOTS:

These over-boots are a decent light weight choice to have in backpack while wearing high top leather boots when you need that extra 10 degree's or so down in temp protection.

http://wiggys.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=43


Z. Sniper

[Anonymous]

Next up are SOCKS:


SOCKS:

After much experimenting with different materials HEAVY MERINO WOOL is the way to go. Have worn them in a very wide temp. range from well below freezing to 100+ degrees F.

I've tried various brands from arctic weight military issue to the majority of the commercial offerings.

The most consistent for durability has been the SMARTWOOL MOUNTAINEERING EXTRA HEAVY mid calf. 10-133
https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm#/ ... s/_/_/280/


Also purchase the SMARTWOOL HUNTING LINER 10-272
https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm#/ ... s/_/_/648/
> Only wear the liners when you need them. If the temp. really drops and your at the limit of your foot gear these liners can take you down another 5-10 degrees and that can make all the difference.


There are other quality brands like Ullfrotte and a few others. Most are of quality and may be more available in your area. I've tried most of them and they are all pretty good but so far the Smartwool seems to hold together longer.

As always be sure to purchase proper size. WHen purchasing boots be sure to fit them with very heavy socks.

Socks can make your day. When your outdoors for a long period, burnt out and feeling slimy a clean dry pair of socks can make all the difference. Carry a couple extra pairs. Your bug-out-bag should have at least 2 extra pairs of socks..
Stuff spares in your vehicle, put a pair under seat and forget they are there.

Unfortunately these socks are not cheap, however like boots this is not an area to skimp. If your budget really doesn't allow there are several brands of heavy wool socks on the market. They are typically about half the cost but are noticeably less comfortable when worn for very long periods. Also, tend not to have as good durability. Either way, have plenty of heavy wool socks on hand. 99.9% of the time I'm wearing heavy wool socks because you never know when your going to need the protection.

ZS

[Doc Holliday]

Depending where you live, one may consider the right boot for one's environment.
Areas of the Southwest can have a large population of Rattlesnakes which in a survival situation, you don't even want to take a chance on getting snake bit. If the snake bite is not a dry bite, you can be in for a lengthy stay in a hospital if you make it to one. Most rattlers are becoming multi toxic, with neurotoxic and hemotoxic venom. So what I recommend is a knee high snake proof boot, either a slip on or a lace up boot. Here is a very trusted company with the comparable at best prices on the market:

http://www.snakeboots.com/
Few examples,