Starfleet Has The Worst Footwear

[The Wormhole]

So why doesn't anyone in Starfleet wear steele-toe boots? I mean, aside from the fact that that is the most practical footwear to wear while working on a ship, one would think it would only make sense to have steele-toes on while exploring an uncharted planet. But instead, Starfleet wear ordinary boots with no protective features whatsoever.

So what gives? Is protective footwear not futuristic? Did Roddenberry feel there was no need for them in a utopian future?

In fact, the same applies to other aliens, they pretty much wear the same boots as Starfleet, just different colours. So what, did Q just decide to erase the concept of protective footwear from all the races in the universe?

For that matter the soles on the the boots have no treads whatsoever. They could potentially be slipping and sliding everywhere. Footwear in Star Trek just isn't practical in any way.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Futuristic material thats 10 times tougher than steel. Why assume that they are the same as 20/21st Century boots?

 

[The Wormhole]

Futuristic material thats 10 times tougher than steel. Why assume that they are the same as 20/21st Century boots?

Because I have a limited imagination, or because I'm choosing not to think in the interests of getting a discussion going. Take your pick.

 

[S'kai]

The TOS boots that I wore for an hour or so shooting Kitumba were the worse things I ever wore. My feet were screaming the whole time in those heels.

Admittedly, they had not been made specially to fit me, but they (as everything else is on Phase II) were pretty authentic even though they may not have been seen in the shot.

No wonder so many redshirts never came back alive.

 

[Joeman]

I just mentioned that recently myself. I wide array of really ugly boots can be spotted consistently across all the series. Sometimes I notice it almost to the point of distraction.

Someone needs to send some Timberlands (at the very least) into the future, pronto.

 

[sbk1234]

Obviously the shoes must work, since in the hundreds of hours of Trek, the only time I remember anyone complaining about shoes was when McCoy was dressed in mid-20th century Nazi garb.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Futuristic material thats 10 times tougher than steel. Why assume that they are the same as 20/21st Century boots?

Because I have a limited imagination, or because I'm choosing not to think in the interests of getting a discussion going. Take your pick.

I'll go with the former, since there's a lot of that going around lately. (Especially in the STXI forum )

 

[Nardpuncher]

I always wondered what the boots in TNG looked like.
Does anyone know where we can see photos of them? (I'll google too!)

 

[ChadHydro]

<sarcasm> I for one think they should invest in some Vibrams, could see Picard rocking these:
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_kso_trek_m.cfm </sarcasm>

 

[Green Shirt]

Starfleet wear ordinary boots with no protective features whatsoever.

So what gives? Is protective footwear not futuristic? Did Roddenberry feel there was no need for them in a utopian future?

"This is Utopia. We don't stub our toes here".

 

[M'Sharak]

Starfleet wear ordinary boots with no protective features whatsoever.

So what gives? Is protective footwear not futuristic? Did Roddenberry feel there was no need for them in a utopian future?

"This is Utopia. We don't stub our toes here".

For whatever reason, as I read the opening post, I was hearing Wesley Crusher saying "We're Starfleet -- we wear sensible shoes."

 

[C.E. Evans]

Ironically--while I actually like them--I thought the footwear in the TMP uniforms were slightly problematic because they incorporated footcoverings built into the uniform trousers themselves. Fine for wearing aboard a starship or a starbase, but on a muddy or wet planet...maybe not so much.

But I think there were might have been separate uniforms where they wore big boots with the trousers tucked in though (I know they did for the security personnel anyway).

 

[data_lover]

comfort or no, they seriously needed to look into the traction abilities. i mean, any time the bridge shakes people are thrown - you'd think with no seat belts they would at least be sure their shoes had a rubber sole or something.

 

[T.D. Possum]

I'm just aggravated that some of the women had to wear four inch heels on boots that they wore during combat. Yes, yes, I know the real reason is because the actress playing the part was shorter than her male co-stars (Kira, Janeway) or the costume looked silly with flats (Seven, Troi's catsuit), but please. Just a little thing that has always bugged me.

 

[SFRabid]

I cannot say that I remember ever looking at their feet. It is the same with real life. I never pay attention to the shoes someone wears.

 

[Nerys Myk]

I'd be more concerned about the ill fitting shirts.

 

[Sector 7]

<sarcasm> I for one think they should invest in some Vibrams, could see Picard rocking these:
http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_kso_trek_m.cfm </sarcasm>

I know they look strange, but medically those are a good idea... especially for diabetics, hammertoes, etc.

I cannot say that I remember ever looking at their feet. It is the same with real life. I never pay attention to the shoes someone wears.

+1

I also agree that in the future our steel-toe boots will seem quaint and silly compared to the materials in use by then. I have yet to find a pair of steel-toe boots which are comfortable and lightweight.

 

[Nardpuncher]

I cannot say that I remember ever looking at their feet. It is the same with real life. I never pay attention to the shoes someone wears.

Then you should never become a prison warden.

 

[Sector 7]

I cannot say that I remember ever looking at their feet. It is the same with real life. I never pay attention to the shoes someone wears.

Then you should never become a prison warden.

To be honest, there are times I notice footwear... when it does not match the outfit. The newest Hollywood trend is to wear fancy sneakers with a formal suit... yuck! Motorcycle boots with a suit is a dead giveaway that the person usually does not wear such a suit, old men wearing dress shoes with shorts, etc. Otherwise, I do not pay attention if it matches the outfit.

 

[Red Ranger]

There is no Bruno Magli in the 23rd or 24th century, unfortunately.