Boots Are More Important Than Cameras
Published July 08, 2024 · 9:59 · 190,060 views
About This Video
Van started wearing boots after September 11, 2001. Before that, flip-flops in New York. He bought Swiss Army surplus boots. Probably from the 1970s or '80s, stamped with the word Minerva, goddess of wisdom and the crafts. Red laces because Max Fischer wore red laces in his Rod Labers. He's had three pairs, alternating them for 16 years, resoling and restitching until the perforations from the sewing needle ground the leather into pulp.
Now it's time to retire them and start from scratch. Van flies to a boot shop: a perfect shop with names and sizes on every pair, even the used ones. They size him the old way, with a piece of cowhide. The video's thesis is in the title: boots are more important than cameras. Longevity, durability, repair: the boots outlasted every camera Van owned during those 17 years. The tool you wear on your feet matters more than the tool you hold in your hands.
Transcript
this episode is about longevity and durability and thank you betterhelp for sponsoring this episode I've found that
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month of therapy and the link is in the description thank you better
help I used to wear flipflops in New York until September 11th
2001 then I started wearing boots and I'm pretty sure I bought these
boots for the respectability tour it says 2006 on the van and this is
the earliest record I have of these boots December 2006 I've had them for over 17 years
now they're Swiss Army Surplus boots and you can still find them I believe
they're from the 70s or 80s and they're an insanely good value one of the boots has the word
minurva stamped into it and minurva was the goddess of wisdom and the
crafts I have three pairs red laces because Max fiser wore red laces in his Rod
labers here are the originals with the original Souls a guy in the East Village tried to
buy them off my feet once and he was incensed when I refused even though I told him where he could buy
some these other two pairs I resold multiple times and I've been alternating
them for probably the last 15 or 16 years when people ask me why do I always wear boots I say you never know when you
have to kick in a door in 2011 I got the electricians union I logo
lasered into the ankle at the Nike headquarters of all
places in their design kitchen I'm not in the electricians union but I like their
logo I've resold and repaired them many many times in New York in Mexico in Los
Angeles 17 or so years of repairs [Music] focus [Music] focus they've been restitched so many times now that the perforations from the sewing needle have basically ground the
leather into pulp making the boots practically [Music] irreparable and now alas it's time to retire my Swiss
boots and start from scratch great little chur they take
their Steeples seriously out here yeah your destination is on the left oh my God look at how old this facility is and
there's nobody here I was expecting lines out the door and like a special like they get you have to get a ticket
and everything what do you think that big it says carbon dioxide Refrigeration liquid I can honestly say I came from
California to get a pair of boots here this is a perfect shop look at all the
boots have the names and sizes on them even the used ones are
is this goat skin uh that's cide okay all of it is C it's just one big piece y
wow show you so we take it and these two holes overlap like so oh and that's the boot God that's amazing this is how they used to size
you in boot and shoe I don't know if they still do this cuz I haven't bought boots in 16 years let get it how long is
the waiting list usually for these or for custom for the for custom it's about three years right now you're on the list
got on it this year right I put it on like two months ago or so yeah
so these boots here for 3 to four months okay a whole 30 times as expensive as the Swiss boots they'll replace and
these are the cheap ones I am on the waiting list for the custom made in Intervale New Hampshire Peter limmer and
Suns hiking boots the world's finest folks travel from the Bavarian Alps and
the French Alps and the Swiss Alps to New Hampshire to buy themselves a a pair
of limmer boots and when I reach the front of the waiting list I will need to return to Intervale New Hampshire to get
custom lasts made lasts are like foot molds Peter limmer and Sons will then
make a custom pair of hiking boots that they tell me will resemble my naked feet
the waiting list is 3 years long two years left for me did switch
for these non-custom boots the fast and cheap limmer boots I've got to wait 3 to four months while they're made to order
in Germany that's right the cheap ones are made in Germany they're just using those boots to size me I ain't walking out of
there with those on my feet they look cool they're really great yeah yeah so I guess we go with this the off shelves
okay so now I just going to give you some money I'm going buy some
socks guess what I got no yeah they made it they made it by
Christmas before Christmas oh my gosh there's like a letter that's
signed and everything thank you for your purchase of handmade Peter limmer and Sons boots and welcome to the limmer boots family
we highly suggest that you follow the guidelines and recommendations found on the limmer boot care and break-in period cards that were supplied traditional
leather boots can start stiff and feel awkward but they will soften over time and Contour to the shape of your feet
breaking in the boots is part of the process making them yours once the initial shiny finish coat has dulled we
suggest limmer boots grease boot grease to condition and waterproof the leather please stay away from wax-based waterproofing as this will stop the
leather from breathing make sure your boots are dry clean and greased before extended periods of storage we do
recommend the use of good fitting shoe trees if your boots will not be worn for long periods of time they will not be
not worn for long periods of time as this will represent present your foot in the boot and prevent shrinking make sure the shoe trees fit properly enjoy the
boots and the places they take you thank you very much Adam the limers are waterproof so we're doing a river
crossing bone dry o are we even allowed to go this way right here thank you we are allowed to
go this way there Trail let's go on this week's patreon only
video I have an iPad hooked up to a road and so how I do it is I have these downloaded like synthesizers and music
and instruments like a little I don't know I always imagine it's like a time lapse so this is the fun part where I get to title the tracks
Products & Tools Mentioned
- BetterHelp mentions — sponsor
- Swiss Army surplus boots essential — 17+ year boots being retired, Minerva stamped
- Peter Limmer and Sons hiking boots essential — new custom boots, 3-year waiting list, handmade in New Hampshire
- Nike mentions — headquarters where IBEW logo was lasered onto boots
People Referenced
Max Fischer (Rushmore character), Adam Limmer
Films & Media Referenced
- Max Fischer's red laces inspiration