How to Use Your Boots as a Survival Kit
Your boots are one of the most beneficial things to use for carrying a mini-survival kit or small weapon. However, a lot of people never think about taking advantage of this option. We’ve stumbled across a couple of ideas that may be worth considering if you want to turn your boots into a survival resource, and they’re pretty easy to pull off. Look at the examples below, and see how you can apply the same principles as you come up with your own ideas too.
Replacing the Laces
The first thing that you want to do is replace the boot laces with paracord. Remove the laces and lay them out on the floor. Measure their length, and then cut two pieces of paracord the same size. Take your lighter and burn off the ends each paracord lace. Once the material starts to melt, crimp it with a pair of needle nose pliers. You want them to loosely-resemble the seals that are on the ends of all laces.
It’s important to shape them so they will fit through the eyelets on your boots once you start lacing again as well. This is a step that a lot of people tend to overlook, so make sure that you take this into consideration as you are melting down the laces.
You can use the laces you’ve removed for anything you like in the future, so they’re worth holding on to. However, replacing the boots with the paracord gives you extra strength, access to material that can be broken down into small string or thread, and the ability to use it for a million and one projects that your laces can’t handle.
Adding Accessories
The next step is to think about what accessories you want to attach to the boots. There are a lot of options to consider. Some examples include knife sheaths, gun holsters, pouches and multi-purpose attachments. Some come with Velcro attachments that you can secure between laces whereas others have eyelets and are laced directly to the boot. It’s up to you to decide how you want to outfit your boots. For example, you can use a pouch to store a small survival or first aid kit. You can also add a small knife sheath over the laces on the other boot. Think about your options and choose an arrangement that’s tailored to your needs.
In our opinion, it’s more important to focus on how to attach the accessories to the boots as opposed to their function or style. You also want to think about how these attachments will impact your ability to step. Finally, you should also get items that will be easy for you to access, while also being durable enough to protect them from the elements as you hike. In other words, use accessories that will serve you best during a crisis or survival-situation.
Finally, think about what you will specifically use these accessories for. Make every inch of space count for something, and find the ones that will be the perfect match. The important thing to take away from this is how to consider using this accessible, yet under-utilized space for some additional gear. This can help to reduce the risk of losing things, having backup options in place, and having fast-access to items that you can grab and use right away.
