Boots / shoes to wear with your flight jacket s...

[B-Man2]

I took a long way around to get here but I suppose those boots were RAF issued dessert field gear back around 1964. Thanks Flak magnet , Chandler, PA12 , and rob20uk for tracking this down .

 

[Pa12]

It restarted my interest. Took my Clark’s out of the back of my closet. Gave the soles a real good scrubbing and put baby powder on the soles. No more sticky gravel magnets.

 

[Nickb123]

I have a pair of modern Clark’s Deserts somewhere. Rarely wore them - something about wearing them made me a conduit for static shock…I’d be zapped whenever I touched the sofa or a door handle.

 

[Pa12]

Interesting. They’re so soft I’m surprised they would pickup static electricity. I’ve had mine probably 15 years and only worn them 2 or 3 times. I was trying to wear out a cheap pair of Walmart ones but the damn things won’t die. I almost chucked my Clark’s because of the sticky soles. Until I saw new ones for 200 bucks.

 

[Pa12]

My mum always bought me and my 2 brothers desert boots when we were kids. I don’t know, guess she had a problem with sneakers. But I don’t remember them having crepe soles. I seem to recall leather soles.

 

[Chandler]

My mum always bought me and my 2 brothers desert boots when we were kids. I don’t know, guess she had a problem with sneakers. But I don’t remember them having crepe soles. I seem to recall leather soles.

Mine were definitely crepe soles, but I really don't recall if they were proper Clark's brand.

 

[Pa12]

Me either. They were pretty popular in the 60’s so I imagine everyone was making them. And I’m sure my mum wouldn’t have bought 3 young boys Clark’s.

 

[CombatWombat]

Clarks were the school shoes of choice for us 80's kids (black leather rather than roughout suede)

 

[CombatWombat]

But my "desert boots" as a kid were British army DMS ankle boots.... look exactly the same as the black leather ones of the 70's but in a really pale tan suede

 

[CombatWombat]

The boots I'm wearing today are a Australian work boot that looks like a US service boot

 

[Micawber]

Clarks were the school shoes of choice for us 80's kids (black leather rather than roughout suede)

Same here but many years beforehand. They were the go to place to have children's feet measured and shoes fitted. As a kid I hated the foot gauge as they insisted on ramming the damned thing hard up against your toes. I recall the X ray machines housed in a wooden cabinet where you could slip your feet in an opening at the bottom and see how your feet fitted inside your shoes. The machines were done away with years ago when it was realised repeated doses of radiation in a shop might not be a good idea. Elf n safety would not permit such things nowadays.

 

[coolhandluke]

Scored a pair of pre-owned ATF roughouts off of the marketplace on AKFiles. They were too big for the previous owner and weren't worn much. I haven't dubbed these, but I did brush a little Blackrock over the surface to artificially age them a bit.

 

[CombatWombat]

Same here but many years beforehand. They were the go to place to have children's feet measured and shoes fitted. As a kid I hated the foot gauge as they insisted on ramming the damned thing hard up against your toes. I recall the X ray machines housed in a wooden cabinet where you could slip your feet in an opening at the bottom and see how your feet fitted inside your shoes. The machines were done away with years ago when it was realised repeated doses of radiation in a shop might not be a good idea. Elf n safety would not permit such things nowadays.

Ahhh the x-ray machine I don't remember.... sounds slightly terrifying though lol
I just remember my Mum dragging me and my sister to David Jones in on Elizabeth St Sydney every Boxing Day to get them cheap

 

[Pa12]

Ahhh the x-ray machine I don't remember.... sounds slightly terrifying though lol
I just remember my Mum dragging me and my sister to David Jones in on Elizabeth St Sydney every Boxing Day to get them cheap

Another thing with desert boots. Awesome for working on a steel roof. Those sticky crepe soles stick like shit to a blanket.

 

[Chandler]

Another thing with desert boots. Awesome for working on a steel roof. Those sticky crepe soles stick like shit to a blanket.

But if they stick unexpectedly and cause you to lose your balance -- that could be disastrous!

 

[Pa12]

But if they stick unexpectedly and cause you to lose your balance -- that could be disastrous!

Make sure the laces are tight. Might have to support your weight

 

[CombatWombat]

Another thing with desert boots. Awesome for working on a steel roof. Those sticky crepe soles stick like shit to a blanket.

Lol as someone who doesn't tend to go monkeying around at heights..... I'll take your word for it

 

[Pa12]

Lol as someone who doesn't tend to go monkeying around at heights..... I'll take your word for it

I did a few years in construction before getting into aviation, so the heights never bothered me. My first job out of college was on 747’s and I had to go up on the top of the vertical stab in a cherry picker once to change the beacon. I think it was 75 or 80 ft. I couldn’t even get anyone to come for the ride up let alone climb out onto the stab. This was in the 80’s before all the harnesses and shit. It seems to change with age. If I get up over 20 or 30 ft now, I can literally feel my arsehole puckering.

 

[Flightengineer]

Veldskoen - the boots that started the history of the all desert boots.
Incredible quality and comfort, very happy with these Vellies from South Africa.
Special thanks to @Brettafett and his friend from SA for helping with sizing.

 

[Pa12]

Veldskoen - the boots that started the history of the all desert boots.
Incredible quality and comfort, very happy with these Vellies from South Africa.
Special thanks to @Brettafett and his friend from SA for helping with sizing.

What are the soles made of?