What kind of shoes do you wear?

[IKEA_Monkey]

I'm starting my first 705 gig after spending years flying in the bush. I've always been fairly selective with with my hiking boots, choosing utility and comfort above all else, but I'm somewhat ignorant to the world of dress shoes. What do most airline pilots wear? I find your regular old dress shoes to be uncomfortable. Is there a particular style or brand that is more popular than others? If anyone cares to share their preferences or tips that would be great!

[skypirate88]

I just get whatever I can find at Marks Work Wearhouse. Typically cost effective and usually have a good thick tread.

[Dizzy D]

Blundstones. They have a sheepskin liner that works well for winter flying. Lots of guys swear by them.

[altiplano]

"I was naughty and I clearly can't handle my liquor (12:04 am original post), but Santa still loves me."

paraphrased by Sulako. Play nice, or next time is a vacation.

[Stinky]

You need something like this. No metal, easy on and off if you ever need to for security. Feels like wearing slippers to work.

Main thing is, don't buy shoes with a metal shank and if you're especially lazy like myself, avoid laces.

[Cap'n Tripps]

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ This above, but I'll add, comfort above all else.

[complexintentions]

OMG those shoes in the pic are horrible. But there is something sorta charmingly Canadian that they would be suggested as an acceptable choice for pilot uniform footwear.

705, as in airline with a somewhat traditional uniform? Since you asked for what the traditional pilot footwear is, there's really only one answer.

Go with boots.

Not Blundstones. Those are what farmers in Australia (or Vancouver hipsters) wear. Australians are laughing up their sleeves at people who wear them for fashion, because they're what the local yokels wear into the village, covered in pig shit. They're considered bumpkin in Oz, but somehow they've managed to brand themselves as fashionable in Canada lol.

The Aussies DO make some killer boots, but they're also killer expensive. Except, they'll last you 20+ years. Hmmm. Maybe they ARE cheaper than some made-in-China crap from the local shoe chain. If the similarity to Blundstone seems obvious, well, there you are. Copy the best, make 'em in China. Marketing rules!

http://www.rmwilliams.com.au/men/footwear/boots

But, Canadians don't usually think long term. If you aren't in favour of paying for quality, at least get some proper classy boots that are similar in style from a decent store. Quite often you can find something decent in a large department store like The Bay. But well-constructed footwear ARE one consumer item where quality does rise with price. And quality costs, surprise surprise. Stitched versus glued, etc. Years and thousands of miles later you won't be sorry.

Our company-provided footwear gives the option of shoes or boots, and boots are so much more comfortable AND practical it isn't even a contest. They look amazing, feel better, and are far more practical through security than lace-up shoes. Forget the hippy slip-ons though. "Thick treads"? C'MON! What are we, 80 years old?!

And remember...the first thing that a woman judges a man by...is his shoes! I get it that not everyone has $600 to drop on boots, but don't cheap out either.

Best of luck in the new job!

[esp803]

So... not blundstones, but boots that look identical to blundstones but cost 3 times as much, but aren't hipster ? I've had mine for a couple years (blundstones), love em, no problems with em so far, and wear them pretty much every day.

E

[Stinky]

I've heard good things about Blundstones too. I tried a pair on and didn't find them comfortable though. The salesperson said they were like that, you either love them or hate them. They do look great.

I'll add to my previous post. Those shoes are great when there is no snow or ice on the ground, in the winter I switch to boots. Same rules apply, no laces, no metal. Also, don't buy something too warm. In the 705 world you might spend all of 5 minutes outside doing a walk around. Otherwise you're in an airport and walking on a bridge to a warm airplane. You din't want to have something hot, you'll regret it. I wear boots only so I don't slip and kill myself on the walk around and getting to and from my car.

[PositiveRate27]

I was talked into buying blundstones and I hate them. I find them very uncomfortable, they feel clunky and I looked like a sheep herder. I fly an airplane that is bridged 90% of the time. For the 5 mins I spend outside on the walk I bought a pair of $80 Italian dress shoes. They look the part, are comfortable as hell and are waterproof to keep the feet dry when we are on the wet coast. As long as the feets are dry you'll have a pleasant day. Your feet will only get so cold on a 5 minute walk around and then you'll be back in a toasty airplane with feet warmers hotter than the sun. From coast to coast and up to Yellowknife, I've never regretted a pair of plain old dress shoes. Don't sell the farm just buy something water proof and comfortable.

[complexintentions]

So... not blundstones, but boots that look identical to blundstones but cost 3 times as much, but aren't hipster ? I've had mine for a couple years (blundstones), love em, no problems with em so far, and wear them pretty much every day.

E

Welllll...you may find that looking like something is as far as the comparison goes. That was kinda my point. I've owned a couple pairs of Blundies (as we hipsters call them) as they're decent boots on the bike, for the price. But if you're trying to compare a pair of the RW Williams hand-made boots to something slapped together by the 12 year old child labourers in China, hmmm good luck. I concede a Ford Focus is cheaper than a Ferrari. I wasn't really dissing the Blundstones so much as the marketing nonsense around them. I certainly wouldn't wear them with a uniform. Too crude.

$80 Italian dress shoes are an awesome choice. And make sense for a 705 job. In fact that's basically what I wore for years. But since switching to the classic pilot ankle boots I found that they wear in like a pair of slippers and well, just have more attitude in an increasingly milquetoast profession. But then, I grew up reading Fate is the Hunter, not 50 Shades of Grey.

Do whatever you want friends, advice was asked for and mine has been given.

[DanWEC]

I love Clarks. Confortable, dressy, will last a long time. Can usually find them at Winners or the like and you pay half of what you would at a shoe store.

[Flying Low]

I go for the Rockport Essential Details Waterproof Cap Toe Oxfords. Good looking light weight dress shoe with rubber soles. Waterproof for those walk arounds in rain or not to deep snow. They are airport friendly and available in a wide fit.

They list on the Rockport site for $140 Canandian but I've always managed to find them on sale both at retail stores and online. Shoeme.ca has them for $100.

[razorblade]

Walmart, dress shoes for 40$. Last me a year or so. Even if you have to get new ones every year, it's pretty cheap. Not the best shoes out there for life, but they're comfy.

[rxl]

Blundstones all the way - but no sheepskin lining. I've never actually seen the lined ones.
I love them. I find them to be comfy and they keep my feet warm and dry. They are security friendly and polish up very nicely, (especially when done by the valet at the Hilton IND) not to mention the fact that they last a long, long time.

[ant_321]

Started wearing blundstones a year ago and will never wear anything else.

[Changes in Latitudes]

Did you guys try these before going to Blundstones?

[mbav8r]

I buy Nuun Bush, from Sears or The Bay, they both carry them. I forget the model or style but they say airport friendly on the tag, never have to take them off at security and my feet are always comfortable, even with multiple aircraft swaps with long hikes through the airport. You get the odd security person who wants you to take them off, I ways tell them they are airport friendly and I've never had a problem, well maybe one or two power tripping guards who have forced the issue but that's a whole other thread.
Usually grab two pair when they go on sale for around 60.00 and they last a couple years, the tread wears out before the leather does.
A bit of advice, I started stopping in at the shoe shine kiosks every so often and those guys are magic, I had a pair that I thought was looking pretty tired, 8 bucks later I had a brand new pair of shoes.

[mbav8r]

Did you guys try these before going to Blundstones?

I hope that's a joke, Velcro really, are you 5?
Seriously though, those don't look at all professional and I don't think they would pass my companies shoe policy, if I was ever seen by the uniform police

[Changes in Latitudes]

If they're serious about Blundstones, then I am serious about these.