Brogans

[7thWisconsin]

In all compassion and honesty, if you´re one of those reenactors who are just destroyed by wearing brogans - the time has come to switch them off for inconspicuous plain modern shoes. I wear black hiking boots for a parade that my unit does annually because road surfaces are hard on period footwear, and I have nothing to gain from a 5 mile walk in period footwear anymore. Unless your public lecture is about footwear, no spectator will concern themselves with what you have on your feet. I´m not talking about your white everyday New Balances, but something dark colored and inobtrusive. (I also used to talk new reenactors not to be judgmental about what people are wearing on their feet - you don´t know their circumstances.)

 

[James Brenner]

There are some truths that are universal. I learned, while on a cold, windy hill in Grafenwoer, Germany, that once your feet get cold, wet, or otherwise hurt, it's all over. So, when it came time to acquire a kit, I paid for custom brogans. Granted, with a size 7.5 3E shoe size, I had little choice, but that's not the point. The point is, if you're serious about participating in events, get brogans that fit. You can get by with cheaper uniforms and gear, but don't cheap out on shoes.

 

[Jack7171]

Allow someone who has worn out several pair of Jefferson Davis Brogans to advise you. Purchase heavy duty boot insoles. After the first weekend long without them, on Monday you will hobble painfully to a store to buy some of you don't.

Somebody is going to advise you to use neatsfoot oil on your shoes. I respectfully suggest that you consider the evidence in this link:

Why You Should Avoid Using Neatsfoot Oil on Leather

If you own leather goods, you may have heard of neatsfoot oil – and you may even be tempted to use it. But, it can actually do more harm than good to leather items. In this post, we'll explain why you should avoid using neatsfoot oil and what you should use instead.

preservation-solutions.com

Welcome to our world…

When we were in college, my roomate assembled a set of Roman armor, complete with hobnailed sandals. We were leaving for a lecture event when he stepped into the (tiled) hall and closed the door. Next came an ungodly clatter like someone dropping a load of recyclables on the floor. That was when he discovered the amazing lack of traction of hobnails on a modern surface. Heel plates are like that, too. I´ve skated through many a grocery store. You can put a little duct tape on them for better temporary traction - that seems to work.

I suffered the same fate, at a living history event, my exhibit was up a short flight of stairs on the outside of the museum. The steps were "Trex Decking", and it had drizzled an hour before. As a group of visitors wandered around, I casually and confident strolled out the door, to greet them with a confident "Welcome!!" and lead them into the exhibit,,hands in my pockets, my unlit clay pipe in my teeth,, well,,,the first step was ok,,the second step, I barely got the "Wellllco" out of my mouth when, my brogans rocketed off those steps out from under me, me feet went higher then my head, my clay pipe and forage cap took flight, and I landed all the way at the bottom, clearing all 5 remaining steps. I vaguely remember the blurred faces of the guests, all circled around me and looking down at me,,,I think one of the guests caught my forage as it came back down to earth. My clay penny pipe was complete loss. As was my pride lol.

 

[Rhea Cole]

I suffered the same fate, at a living history event, my exhibit was up a short flight of stairs on the outside of the museum. The steps were "Trex Decking", and it had drizzled an hour before. As a group of visitors wandered around, I casually and confident strolled out the door, to greet them with a confident "Welcome!!" and lead them into the exhibit,,hands in my pockets, my unlit clay pipe in my teeth,, well,,,the first step was ok,,the second step, I barely got the "Wellllco" out of my mouth when, my brogans rocketed off those steps out from under me, me feet went higher then my head, my clay pipe and forage cap took flight, and I landed all the way at the bottom, clearing all 5 remaining steps. I vaguely remember the blurred faces of the guests, all circled around me and looking down at me,,,I think one of the guests caught my forage as it came back down to earth. My clay penny pipe was complete loss. As was my pride lol.

I can't imagine walking from Chattanooga to Atlanta, Savannah & through the Carolinas to Washington in those things.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

There are some truths that are universal. I learned, while on a cold, windy hill in Grafenwoer, Germany, that once your feet get cold, wet, or otherwise hurt, it's all over. So, when it came time to acquire a kit, I paid for custom brogans. Granted, with a size 7.5 3E shoe size, I had little choice, but that's not the point. The point is, if you're serious about participating in events, get brogans that fit. You can get by with cheaper uniforms and gear, but don't cheap out on shoes.

Oooooh yeah! IMHO the most important clothing item that should be considered.

 

[James Brenner]

Oooooh yeah! IMHO the most important clothing item that should be considered.

Agreed. You essentially buy your kit to satisfy someone else. You buy brogans to take care of yourself.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

Agreed. You essentially buy your kit to satisfy someone else. You buy brogans to take care of yourself.

I am standing up my volunteer field hospital and so not regular Army. I will experiment with foot gear to be the most comfortable while I "saw"or "fish" in the guts for a musket ball. I think i need three types of foot gear.
My Bs at Cedar Creek near enough killed me.

 

[Trooper "D"]

I suffered the same fate, at a living history event, my exhibit was up a short flight of stairs on the outside of the museum. The steps were "Trex Decking", and it had drizzled an hour before. As a group of visitors wandered around, I casually and confident strolled out the door, to greet them with a confident "Welcome!!" and lead them into the exhibit,,hands in my pockets, my unlit clay pipe in my teeth,, well,,,the first step was ok,,the second step, I barely got the "Wellllco" out of my mouth when, my brogans rocketed off those steps out from under me, me feet went higher then my head, my clay pipe and forage cap took flight, and I landed all the way at the bottom, clearing all 5 remaining steps. I vaguely remember the blurred faces of the guests, all circled around me and looking down at me,,,I think one of the guests caught my forage as it came back down to earth. My clay penny pipe was complete loss. As was my pride lol.

I did something similar at For Verse, AZ. The stairs were so steep and short that my cav boot did the same thing. I butt bounced a few stairs. They were so steep that they distance I feel was short but my back hitting the edges of the steps as I went bouncing down really was the worst of it. Only a couple troopers who were with me saw it so it wasn't embarrassing. Teachable Moments we call those. HA!

 

[Doc_Ralph]

I am standing up my volunteer field hospital and so not regular Army. I will experiment with foot gear to be the most comfortable while I "saw"or "fish" in the guts for a musket ball. I think i need three types of foot gear.
My Bs at Cedar Creek near enough killed me.

Or all the cow pies…real landmarks this year

 

[Doc_Ralph]

Or all the cow pies…real landmarks this year

Or land mines as they were very tricky

 

[7thWisconsin]

Not a reenacting story but it does involve stairs and boots. I wore cowboy boots quite a lot when I was young. I (freshman)was coming out of the choir rehearsal room in college, and got the heel of one of my boots caught on the edge of one of the top stairs. I cartwheeled down the steps and was caught, literally, in the arms of a tall blonde soprano (senior) who was at the bottom. She asked ¨My God, are you alright?¨ to which I replied ¨well, I am now.¨ Then she dropped me...

 

[Trooper "D"]

Not a reenacting story but it does involve stairs and boots. I wore cowboy boots quite a lot when I was young. I (freshman)was coming out of the choir rehearsal room in college, and got the heel of one of my boots caught on the edge of one of the top stairs. I cartwheeled down the steps and was caught, literally, in the arms of a tall blonde soprano (senior) who was at the bottom. She asked ¨My God, are you alright?¨ to which I replied ¨well, I am now.¨ Then she dropped me...

Razor edge comeback there Sir. I salute you.

 

[Doc_Ralph]

Yeah? I'm ignoring him! \o/

 

[7thWisconsin]

Razor edge comeback there Sir. I salute you.

I honestly may only have been on point 2 or 3 times in my long life but that was one.

 

[Trooper "D"]

I honestly may only have been on point 2 or 3 times in my long life but that was one.

It certainly was. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers!

 

[PrivateBrooke]

In all compassion and honesty, if you´re one of those reenactors who are just destroyed by wearing brogans - the time has come to switch them off for inconspicuous plain modern shoes. I wear black hiking boots for a parade that my unit does annually because road surfaces are hard on period footwear, and I have nothing to gain from a 5 mile walk in period footwear anymore. Unless your public lecture is about footwear, no spectator will concern themselves with what you have on your feet. I´m not talking about your white everyday New Balances, but something dark colored and inobtrusive. (I also used to talk new reenactors not to be judgmental about what people are wearing on their feet - you don´t know their circumstances.)

I've seen plenty of modern black boots that look like brogans unless you look very closely. Black "desert boots" could be a good option.

 

[7thWisconsin]

40 years ago, we used to say ¨headgear and shoes make the impression. They´re among the first things you see.¨ While I will still agree with the part about headgear, shoes really aren´t that important. It´s all relative to what you´re doing. If you´re a fashion model for a talk about soldier uniforms, then yeah, wearing period footwear is part of the presentation and is going to matter. If you´re a lowly rear rank private participating in a tactical demonstration - not so much.
Don´t draw attention to them, though. Keep your trouser legs a little full. Cover them with leggings (not the buckle on kind that didn´t really exist - that makes it worse!)