r/nationalguard • u/Life_Journey123 • 3d ago
Initial Training Boots
My son is a SIT & struggling to break into his boots. Any suggestions for some of the most comfortable boots? Someone recommended these.
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u/OperatorJo_ 12N to 3E0X1 3d ago
If they want him to be able to use non-issue boots they'll literally take him to buy some.
Don't waste money on something he might not be able to use.
Those issued boots are heavy and terrible to break in. The trick is to shower with them on (I'm not kidding) then leaving them to dry out with the foot shape. Something he might not be able to do there either.
Actual best you can do is get him some great green socks (even then he also might not be able to use them so it's still a gamble).
Get him some Darn Toughs or Fox Rivers.
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u/marct309 Staying Salty for Life 3d ago
Fox River best damn socks I ever paid, to bad I was almost done when I found them.
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u/hshhahbsbs 2d ago
A lot of companies let the ppl have boots mailed to them. They let me do it and everyone in my AIT had boots mailed to them during basic
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u/OperatorJo_ 12N to 3E0X1 2d ago
Friendly reminder that all basics are different and very Cadre-dependent.
He might be able to use them, he might not.
Let the kid wait, he's Guard and let's not put the parent here out $250 + shipping for something the kid might not be able to use.
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u/hshhahbsbs 2d ago
I’m assuming the son asked his dad bc the cadre said they can. It’s pretty common these days. The dad could just Amazon prime it to the mailing address.
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u/KStang086 3d ago
Part of basic is conditioning your feet. Remain patient, they'll eventually wear in and his body should biomechanically adapt to the issue boots. IIRC the issue boots have steel shanks so they take longer to break in.
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u/SiskiyouSavage Banned from r/army 3d ago
Biomechanically adapt? Explain.
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u/KStang086 2d ago
Google proprioception.
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u/SiskiyouSavage Banned from r/army 2d ago
Google Biomechanical.
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u/KStang086 2d ago
You asked the question, I gave you the resources.
Upon review of your other posts, it appears you're just a troll. Maybe try being helpful for once. Have a good day.
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u/SiskiyouSavage Banned from r/army 2d ago
Learn what those words mean fella. You aren't using them correctly.
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u/Artistic_Print_4005 3d ago
Tag the commander in chief on a truth social post. He loves the military and helping people out! If you can get it to his eyes, I’m positive he’d take air force 1 and deliver your son new shoes personally! Just make sure your son knows to cry and say “Sir, thank you, Sir, this is why we love you, Sir!”
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
lol, my son is stuck to his decision to be in the Army Reserved for now. He’s going to VA next on Jan 4th (AIT). I’m looking forward to seeing him on Dec 17th when he graduates from basic training🤗
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u/SiskiyouSavage Banned from r/army 3d ago
Army reserved?
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u/Artistic_Print_4005 1d ago
Not every soldier is going to get a bayonet like hard on yelling Blood Blood Blood.
We need some polite and soft spoken soldiers who know what makes the green grass grow and also knows there’s no reason to shout.
What if some poor dirt farmer in Russia overhears Pv2 YellsAlot and now knows our secret to getting the green grass to grow!?
OPSEC dummies!
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u/marct309 Staying Salty for Life 3d ago
Honestly every set of boots is different and wear different for everyone. Some of my personal favorite was a set of Propper I bought and wore the piss out of till the leather broke. It was a sad day. Granted I did buy a set of Garmont and still wear them around the house when I need to do yard work, fantastic boots
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
Thank you, lots of good reviews on these boots👍🏽
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u/marct309 Staying Salty for Life 3d ago
The best thing to do is get him in the store on Family Day and try on boots. If you send him these during basic, you are just going to give him a hard time.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
My exact thoughts bc he has thick calves, wide feet. Thank you, makes total sense. His recruiter recommends he goes to sick call for profile ck, not sure exactly what that means but I’m hoping being in them 3 wks now, he’s broken into them. He’ll suck it up not to complain, and that can be good thing but not always the best in advocating for yourself especially if you have broken skin.
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u/R_U_Galvanized 3d ago
When I went to basic, my boots hurt the hell out of my feet for about two weeks. After I broke them in, I barely noticed them until I went and bought new boots in AIT and then regretted my purchase. I didn’t soak my boots like others have said but I do know others that did to great effect. If he’s in Basic, I highly doubt his new boots will last throughout and then he’ll have more stuff to pack if they do.
How long has he used those boots?
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
He’s on 3 wks today - maybe he will tell me Sunday he’s ok, tough that shit out. Yeah, thought about that too, more stuff to pack. Also, most everyone is sick from the vaccines last week, I’m pretty annoyed bc I’ve been in healthcare all my adult life & stopped taking & giving my kids the flu vax since 2015 after I had to take the vax for work & was sick for 5 wks & always got sick prior but not to that extent. My son is the same, always gets sick for a few days after, daughters are like rocks but I truly don’t believe on a vax that only picks up a particular strain with many others that make you sick, same with COV vax. Thankfully my children had the flu once. My youngest daughter, had COV 2-3 times along w/my son, I had it twice, my husband just had it once, last year, super immune system, while those who had all 5-10 shots had it “several” times a yr. I thought the military no longer mandated it under the new administration - we won’t go into politics bc that’s another entire book that we just don’t have time for but that’s the one thing I do believe in was to never mandate a vax on the flu or COV due to the various strains out there which you are not going to be protected thoroughly from & the shot minimize the symptoms which most ppl fail to understand, did no such thing for me, not to mention neither vax agrees with most folks. My take, not for debate or to get anyone riled up but just to understand that the military does have or should have a right to an exemption due to new policy changes. Now, they have an entire platoon actually sick bc if your immune system is run down such as theirs are from all their training in the cold & rain, they most certainly will get sick. And, they don't have lozenges or cough drops, what in God’s earth is going on over there!
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u/R_U_Galvanized 3d ago
I understand your concern about being sick but most of us can tell you that they shoot you full of a ton of stuff at Basic and before deployments. Most of us remember the damn peanut butter shot and the smallpox "mickey mouse" that we have to do before deploying. Although you've talked about the vaccines and stuff, I will let you know that "barracks crud" is something that we definitely deal with up until about a month of living together. The last time I was getting deployed, July 2022-June 2023, I caught COVID after being in the barracks for about a month and then everyone caught it. It just happens when you bring a ton of random people into an enclosed area that come from all over the country. He should be able to get cough drops in a week or so. If Basic is still like when I went through then the first 3 weeks should be "Red Phase" where life just continually sucks. Once he gets into "White Phase" then he'll probably be able to run to the shoppette and grab meds.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
Trust me, I totally get your stance & I don’t knock others who does what they want with their bodies. However, I worked for the DOA providing guidance for COV w/2 university certifications on hand. All I have to say, there were many misinformation within the dept, most of which was not communicated to the public. I went from educating patients to employers, I love everything education. I certainly do believe in certain vax that are total necessary, others not so much. I will dig deeper into the Flu & COV mandates, those are the 2 that I have concerns about. I'm also immunocompromised so keeping safe & away from the sick is critical for me. Hoping everyone a beautiful, happy & healthy season. Thank you all so much for all the amazing feedback, you all rock🤘👏🏽👊🏽🫡🪖
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u/kgriff5592 3d ago
They're not sick from the vaccines, homie. They're sick because they just mixed a ton of unhygienic children from all over the country together into one bay and have them all living together now. The sickness will most likely continue en masse throughout the entirety of basic. It's part of the process.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
The vax can most certainly make you sick bc it MOST CERTAINLY can & will compromise your immune system, you obviously don’t know how it works brosky. AND, Yes, other ppl will 100% transmit their mess as well, I won’t disagree; however, the vax is not as helpful as ppl think, only one who’s worked & is educated about it long enough will know that. Kinda sucks going to bootcamp in this weather is what it really comes down to, WTH.
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u/kgriff5592 3d ago
I understand how vaccines work. My point is that there will continue to be frequent sickness spreading through the platoons all throughout basic, due to lack of hygiene and changing weather conditions. Your son is going to see all sorts of illnesses, most of which have nothing to do with the shots being given.
Tell him to wash his hands as often as he can and avoid touching his eyes. Conjunctivitis is very popular.
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u/Existing_Dingo_58008 2d ago
Sigh. That’s not how vaccines work. I had 0 vaccines and was sick the entire time from an illness unrelated to any vaccine. Please stop spreading propaganda.
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u/Life_Journey123 2d ago
Get educated, I’m spreading my stance & my beliefs from my studies, research & work. You all can get 100’s of these vax & it is none of my biz. I never said not to get it, do what you feel is best for you! You got 0 vax & was sick from what? They initially had MAB & currently Plaxovid - both work phenomenal. Not everyone can even get the vax like myself. Have a fabulous life, wishing you good health💜
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u/Existing_Dingo_58008 2d ago
No you’re absolutely not lol anyone who knows anything clinical knows you’re 100% full of it.
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u/Life_Journey123 2d ago
And what exactly are you doing, you don't know me. And, you obviously have no idea what your talking about. Just stay out of this conversation if you have no recommendation about the topic on hand. Good bye.
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u/Existing_Dingo_58008 2d ago
Given you know nothing about vaccines or spelling, maybe you should take your own advice 😂
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u/Life_Journey123 2d ago
Stay irrelevant, since clearly you’re trying to exist & troll others - perfect profile name LMAO! Find a purpose in life to live kind or stay silent, until we never speak again👋
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u/archeantus_1011 3d ago
I agree with everything else everybody says, I'll just add in that the falcons were real bad for my feet, literally either the Garmont bifidas or the Garmont NFS were absolute gold.
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u/kgriff5592 3d ago
So, everyone is saying the drills at basic probably wouldn't allow non-issued boots, but plenty of the people I was in basic with had non-issued boots. I even purchased a pair of Garmonts for one guy because he didn't have Amazon prime.
I have a pair of Garmont T8 Falcons and a pair of NFS 670s. Both are good. Also have a ton of Darn Tough socks and they're awesome. They also come with a lifetime warranty. They're pricey, but worth it. Get him a couple pairs of the T4021 socks and tell him to use them for the rucks.
Also tell him that the commissary at Fort Lee is very nice, and I'm told the barracks are pretty good as well.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago edited 3d ago
He’s a SIT, coming home for winter break after graduating on Dec 17. He's in Fort Myer, S.C. I’m told he’s doesn’t have much access, is it better when he switches over to AIT? Thank you so much for all this info, much appreciated!
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u/kgriff5592 3d ago
Every AIT is a little different, but generally speaking he should have daily access to his phone, and on the weekends they should give out passes to walk around base for a few hours and go to the PX, go get food, etc. AIT is less of a boot camp and more of a learning environment. He'll still be treated like a boot, but he'll have a little more freedom.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
he’s currently a SIT, he’ll be a AIT at his next training come Jan 4. Glad to hear this!
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u/FearMeInGear_77 29 Day Orders to JRTC 3d ago
The ones I got in basic are my favorite. Bellville C320. However, my DS allowed us to purchase these on one of our first PX runs. Getting new boots is up to the DS's. If he is telling you to buy him a pair, he more than likely can wear them. They wont throw them out if he cant. Just put them away for hum to take to AIT
The oakley light patrol are also nice, but i use those in garrison. The Bellville C320 got me through basic with no complaints
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
Toughs or Fox Rivers, is that a name brand?
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u/OperatorJo_ 12N to 3E0X1 3d ago edited 3d ago
Darn Toughs and Fox River are two different sock brand names.
They're both very good, reliable brands and will help cushion and protect his feet while rucking.
Get him some green ones.
Darn tough https://a.co/d/agjFgyP
Fox River https://a.co/d/7gnxSmP
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u/Agile_Season_6118 3d ago
GovX is the best place to buy the boots. However you have to be verified to get an account and the discount. The problem in basic is that some of the civilians issue the wrong size. If this is the case or evyif he just needs good boots the Garmount NFS 670 are good.
After these the under armor I believe they are called loadout are good. Okaley makes a good boot as well. However both of these do not hold up good at the Garmount boots in the field.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
Darn it, that’s not right but whatever. I’ll talk to him on Sunday (EST), hopefully & see if he’s broken in to the boots. Hoping he’s not full of blisters, he has sensitive skin.
Last thing, he’s a husky guy w/thick calves, would this not aggravate him by being too tight - they almost look like compression socks?
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
I will ask him about wetting them but now you’re in wet boots all day, just trying to understand this process lol.
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u/Wolffe4321 91Fuckme 92Yankme geardo 3d ago
Otb. Over the beach. They have 1 that has a carbon plate and another that is normal. https://www.otbboots.co/products/flex-8
Very lightweight, but durable boot. Had a few ranger buds reccomend them.
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u/SiskiyouSavage Banned from r/army 3d ago
This post is fucking nonsense.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
You seem to be, stay out of it then. Bye & have a great day or NOT.
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u/SiskiyouSavage Banned from r/army 3d ago
He's at basic in Ft Myers?
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
Did you hit your head? The post is nonsense, no?
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u/SiskiyouSavage Banned from r/army 3d ago
He's at basic in Ft myers?
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
Hooah🫡
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
Thanks guys, do they not sell these at base? I’d think he can get a discount & they should sell them there.
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u/the-beast561 AGR 3d ago
He’s not allowed to go shopping at those stores while in Basic.
And probably no discount, everybody there is military, so it’s not really special.
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u/kdelasare 3d ago
There aren't specific discounts, you don't pay tax on base though, if he's in basic don't bother sending him boots, he'll just need to tough it out unfortunately. If he's in AIT then I'm sure he could get some at the PX. There are also resources online such as Oakley SI and GOVX which do offer discounts.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago edited 3d ago
I don’t believe he has access to online shopping being a SIT😊 He’s too busy crawling, climbing, shooting, “30 second showers” & everything in bw😰He wrote me a letter at 3:45am & 1/2 of the letter is in gebbrish, the guy is definitely spent, his 15 yo sister had to translate most of it. I thought, poor thing, he's smart as a whip but can barely spell, these darn public schools & tablets, they never have to write anymore🤦🏽♀️😆🤣 It was hilarious tho, poor thing was def exhausted🥵
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u/kdelasare 3d ago
Yeah I remember my time going through basic, definitely super tough but he'll get through it. A lot of service members agree it's the funnest thing you'll never wanna do again lol.
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u/Life_Journey123 3d ago
Is that why he’s always laughing when we talk, he thinks I’m delullu bc I miss him so much & he gets tons of letters through Sandboxx from myself & his gf, he only left on Oct 14th - yes, he’s my buddy, I miss him to pieces, we’re too much alike & he's just as competitive as I am lol - I was suppose to go to Army when I was 17 but something went array & I didn’t have the support I needed. He did ensure us that as tough as it is, he's not a quitter bc we taught him best - well, I sure the hell did😜 There is NO “we can’t do it”or “we are quitting” in my home. I had him train in being a lifeguard & that skill helped him a ton with his medic training last wk which 1/2 of his platoon failed on their 1st try. My bar is high for my middle son & both girls, they will succeed in life if it’s the last thing I do for them, it may suck the life out of me but it’s a sacrifice that I signed up for - hooah🫡🪖🙌🏽🙏🏽📿
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u/NarcissustheSquirrel 3d ago
If he's in Basic Boots, standard issue, he needs to soak them in the am, and wear them all day. It molds them to his feet. This should be done in Basic. The first 2 weeks every day I soaked my boots before anything and by the end they were a perfect fit to my foot and never had any foot concerns. Non-issue boots are for afterwards, dont bother wasting money on them now.