Footwear for cqb.

[Dentonboy]

Nike SFB's look a good compromise and there were several pairs on eBay recently for <£60.

 

[TheFull9]

Playing devils advocate your professional sports man spends hrs training to do this kind of aggressive movement at speed and there lateral/posterior tibiofibular ligaments are ridiculously strong (I know from experience trying to plaster them !) where as ‘joe public S’ofter’ at a Sunday scurmish has tendons that usually have the tensile strength of string cheese ? ?

But do totally 100% agree on the eye pro point ! ?

Yep, there's differences, but I'd imagine the training is somewhat equalised with the huge pressure the joints etc are put under when you're talking olympic level competition and the like.  If people want to wear boots that's entirely fine but I find watching where I step works great and it's a non-issue indoors or in generally flat/smooth urban settings.  Maybe other people have done themselves in on flat surfaces, but again I think if you just pay attention to where/how you move you'll most likely be alright.  I spend all my time in issue boots just feeling restricted and over burdened by the bulk and weight and I have also come close to messing an ankle up by jogging down a rabbit hole, but obviously that was entirely concealed by grass. 

You can also migrate an injury from the ankle to a snapped shin bone with really rigid boots.  Not denying the bone might well be easier to fix long term but there's no magical solution to anything, better to just be careful in the first place and not go for a tumble, certainly when you factor in the injuries that can occur to other areas by just falling over.

 

[Druid799]

Think is mate you’ve shot down your own argument ,

“you just pay attention to where/how you move you'll most likely be alright.“ 

you’d need a 6ft flashing sign to get a lot of people to pay attention to there surrounds these days ? But even then there’s still plenty who still wouldn’t see it ! ?

 

[MisterG]

I think it depends on the individual and their level of fitness.  In my case clumsy and unfit.

I tripped over a root last weekend, just managed to stay upright, and if I wasn't wearing boots, pretty sure my ankle would have been worse for wear.

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

After breaking my foot playing I would say decent footwear is a must.

If I had been wearing my current boots I doubt my injury would have been any wear near as bad. It is not just about ankle support it is also about the structure of the whole shoe. I was wearing 5.11 boots and when my foot crumpled the sole of the boot collapsed and tore. If that hadn't occured then I probably would have got away with an owie. They did stop my ankle turning though.

If I had been wearing trainers I reckon my ankle would of broke as well as my foot.

Good solid well constructed boots can still allow you to move well you just need to pay a bit more.

 

[TheFull9]

Think is mate you’ve shot down your own argument ,

“you just pay attention to where/how you move you'll most likely be alright.“ 

you’d need a 6ft flashing sign to get a lot of people to pay attention to there surrounds these days ? But even then there’s still plenty who still wouldn’t see it ! ?

I mean.. no I haven't unless you're taking something I've said very much differently to the way I mean it, but yes I fully agree on the 2nd part.

Generally speaking, as I've said a few times now people can wear what they like and as I've done in every single gear topic I always advocate for saving up to buy good quality stuff regardless of what it is.  Reality is there are loads of other games and activities people engage in that are at least as kinetic if not more, with the same hazards and where taller boots would be of benefit, but folks don't get near so adamant about it as they do in airsoft.  I don't think the advice is defacto incorrect or irrelevant but I don't believe it to be as major of an issue as some people think either; again particularly by comparison to the cheap and poorly fitting eye pro that is absolutely everywhere.  Bust an ankle - very bad, lose an eye - different level.

 

[Druid799]

Was agreeing with you mate and commenting on the fact that society on the whole don’t see what’s in front of them at the best of times ! 

 

[Rogerborg]

Reality is there are loads of other games and activities people engage in that are at least as kinetic if not more, with the same hazards

With respect, airsoft does have a unique hazard: BBs rolling around on a hard floor.

 

[TheFull9]

I agree in a way, but in all these years I've never slipped on BBs in any significant way (maybe through good tread selection) and there are a crap ton of hobbies that involve moving around outside i.e. where there is rain and wet grass/slippy mud/smooth concrete.  Outdoor airsoft included of course.  So I don't think slippery surfaces are even close to unique to airsoft and I'd also primarily regard that as an argument for good sole pattern choice, not for large/heavy boots.  Tread prevents you falling over in the first place, the boot concept is about preventing ankle injury once you've fallen over, but as mentioned you're entirely likely to incur injury to plenty of places other than the ankle by falling over.  Again, there's good boots, not against the idea of them, but I don't find or believe they're quite as vital as some people might think that's all.

 

[Rogerborg]

I'd also primarily regard that as an argument for good sole pattern choice

I fully agree, but only you, me, and Lozart have mentioned that.  I'd rate it as the primary consideration for BBs-on-concrete boots.