<p>I have a problem. I have a defective boot. I went to the April 10th Orientation got my boots, started running in them and the seem popped. A local boot repair shop said there was really nothing they could do. SO i called the boot issue guy at the academy and he says they can’t ship me knew ones even if i paid for postage… This is a problem because i want to break them in before I-day. Basically the guy at the academy told me that the best they can do is switch them out for me on I-day (thus defeating the purpose of getting them issued early). Long story short, I went to batesfootwear.com (just a list of local retailers) and after about an hour spent with a local army navy supply guy and his catalog (and dialouge with the Bates people) we discovered that they are ONLY issued to the Academy. I really need these boots I was wondering if a cadet might purchase them for me and ship them out to me (i live in New Jersey and can’t exactly make the commute)? Obviously I would pay for EVERYTHING. If anyone has any suggestions what so ever please private message me, or respond on this thread-- any advice is greatly appreciated as I-day is only 2 months 10 days away. Thanks, Ben</p>
<p>Send me a message if no one else has volunteered. I can get them for you and we can work out the financial aspect of it.</p>
<p>You can also buy them online here: </p>
<p>That's what I did, and I think it would be much easier for you to do this. It may just be my baseless opinion, but I think it's a higher quality brand than the issued brand, especially since I'm sure USAFA tries to get everything as cheap as they can. :) If you buy them there, they can only be BLACK with NO STEEL TOE.</p>
<p>alright great.... i found a place online and the ACADEMY called me back and cooperated said if i send them a box etc. they'll do it but to keep it on the DL cuz its not really allowed. So i think i'll be fine. phew, thanks anyway guys</p>
<p>How does the sizing work for boots? I'll probably buy a pair (do we need 2 pairs??) from that website. I'm normally size 11.5 in regular sneakers.</p>
<p>Get them like a half size bigger, because the boot socks you'll be issued take up a lot of room.</p>
<p>So we're issued boot socks when we get there? Should I also just buy a pair of boot socks now so that I can get used to the feel of them in there. Also, I may not be remembering correctly, but I thought I remembered something about getting 2 pairs...do we need 2 or just 1?</p>
<p>I found one thing odd about the boot size. I have narrow feet, I had to get wide size. I thought that was REALLY strange. I got 10.5 wides.</p>
<p>"So we're issued boot socks when we get there?"</p>
<p>You'll be issued more socks here (including boot socks) than you'll know wht to do with (literally).</p>
<p>"Should I also just buy a pair of boot socks now so that I can get used to the feel of them in there."</p>
<p>Yes, that is a good idea.</p>
<p>"Also, I may not be remembering correctly, but I thought I remembered something about getting 2 pairs...do we need 2 or just 1?"</p>
<p>Two pairs of boots? Definitely not. Later on in your cadet career if you decide to buy new boots you can, but there is no need for you to buy more than one now.</p>
<p>"I thought that was REALLY strange."</p>
<p>Maybe the boots are fine and it's just YOU that's strange - ever considered that? Hmm... ;)</p>
<p>OK, thanks.</p>
<p>So...considering what you guys have said with the boot socks and since I also have to put inserts in mine...if they feel a tad loose right now, thats ok?</p>
<p>Yes, they may feel a "tad" loose now but not too loose. I would highly recommend getting some boot socks so you know how they feel with them.</p>
<p>Shines</p>
<p>-The boots that were on sale at USAFA were the belleville ones. </p>
<p>I wear an 11 in normal shoes and had to go 11.5 wide in the boots.</p>
<p>My son had the same experience on the width. He has narrow feet, but needed a wide size for his boots.</p>
<p>Hmm, I'm wondering if maybe I should just order wide boots just in case, and if they're too wide, just send them back for normal width.</p>
<p>Shines, would you happen to know what the Widths are on the website you provided (N width, R Width, W Width, XW Width). I'm assuming that they stand for Narrow, Regular, Wide and Extra Wide, but it may be some crazy things that I don't know about.</p>
<p>If you think you have wide feet, then go for it. I wouldn't really bother if shoes normally fit you easily.</p>