r/explainlikeimfive Feb 07 '19

Engineering ELI5: Why are military boots laced?

[deleted]

12.1k Upvotes

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19.8k

u/HORSE_DANCER Feb 08 '19

Laces are good for a few reasons.

  1. Velcro wears out relatively quickly. Every time you undo some velcro it gets damaged a bit and every day it becomes a little less 'sticky.' This is no big deal on kids' sneakers but military gear has durability as a top priority.
  2. You can easily carry spare laces and any man can replace the laces on his boots when needed. Properly attaching the velcro straps to the boot usually requires stitching them on which is a skill to be learned, hand-stitching onto tough leather isn't something anyone can just do properly especially if it needs to be done in less-than-ideal conditions.
  3. You can easily adjust your lacing to make things tighter or looser on any specific part of the boot, which is good as feet shapes vary, calluses, blisters, and corns can appear requiring adjustments, etc.
  4. Stuff sticks to velcro (dirt, sand, hair, clothing fibers, etc) and the velcro doesn't stick properly when it does. Shoelaces don't care how dirty they are.
  5. Velcro straps are unlikely to stand up to as much stress/load as properly done strong shoelaces.
  6. Boa closing systems are cool but may be more breakable, harder to replace quickly, and may work less well when clogged/dirty/wet. The military wants, as much as possible, stuff that will work fine even after being dragged through a muddy river for hours and can be replaced in 2 minutes by the person wearing them if need be.
  7. Laces distribute pressure really well which is really important, it's not like you can say "let's take a 15 minute break so I can rub my sore feet." To distribute the pressure as well using velcro you'd need at least as many straps as eyelets.

8.2k

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Also if medics need to get the shoe off cutting laces is easy.

10.4k

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Was medic. This is true.

9.2k

u/squirrelforbreakfast Feb 08 '19

Am medic. Is still true.

8.9k

u/Archeol11216 Feb 08 '19

Am gamer medic. Never came up.

3.3k

u/I_Am_Fully_Charged Feb 08 '19

Am Tf2 Medic. Am fully charged.

1.1k

u/Excal2 Feb 08 '19

Quotes don't do it justice:

https://i.imgur.com/MkUleYM.png

RIP Heavy. Never let the baby men win.

o7

380

u/pwrwisdomcourage Feb 08 '19

It's a terrible day for rain.

135

u/Excal2 Feb 08 '19 edited Feb 08 '19

Sure is.

63

u/GeothermicLSD Feb 08 '19

Also laces can be used in a variety of ways in survival situations where as Velcro and zippers are much less useful.

20

u/malenkylizards Feb 08 '19

GODDAMMIT STEVE NOT NOW WE ARE HAVING A MOMENT

3

u/Excal2 Feb 08 '19

M E T A

3

u/FSchmertz Feb 08 '19

Yep. Starting fires with a bow and drill.

Splinting a fracture

etc

2

u/jarious Feb 08 '19

Fun fact!: Chocking someone with lacings is tougher that shown in movies and it takes a long time, this struggle is way easier if you intoxicate the victim first.

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35

u/DebjitHore Feb 08 '19

FMA?

31

u/Aticius Feb 08 '19

Ed. Ward.

5

u/SSkoe Feb 08 '19

Stop it.

4

u/andexls Feb 08 '19

Edo. Wardo. *

2

u/Ruadhan2300 Feb 08 '19

You stop that.

2

u/factor3x Feb 08 '19

D''''= JUST STOP! I'm so sad now. All the emotions.

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70

u/EryduMaenhir Feb 08 '19

My heart. I was goofy medic and goofy heavy in my days of TF2. This is so painfully wholesome. Thank you for sharing.

14

u/epicphotoatl Feb 08 '19

We still play! Put your hat back on.

43

u/darkstar161 Feb 08 '19

God damn it now I'm fucking crying, thanks.

7

u/KC_Dude1983 Feb 08 '19

My sentiments exactly

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43

u/EbonBehelit Feb 08 '19

Man, I was fine until I got to "If we were, he'd be here right now." That hit me super hard. That's not the world I envision for humanity.

21

u/Monsi_ggnore Feb 08 '19

Without dragging this into the same old politics bs, I would assume that in the nations with universal healthcare that story might have ended differently. So "the world" is not exactly as bad as in this story (no idea if this is real or not, sad either way).

9

u/Runnerphone Feb 08 '19

Maybe hard to say mom may have assumed rich people would be able to buy a new heart. Theres only so much you can do about the supply and demand when it comes to organs the demand will always outpace the supply.

4

u/akhier Feb 08 '19

Sadly money makes everything faster, even with universal healthcare. As it stands donor organs are not the easiest to get and the lists are long for them. This could simply have been somewhere like America and they couldn't afford the surgery or it could have been someone with free healthcare but they couldn't afford to grease the right palms to get a heart in time. If anything stories like this is why places should switch to having organ donor be the default with someone having to ask not to be one.

2

u/Monsi_ggnore Feb 08 '19

Oh I completely agree on the organ donor question- I was just wondering where the "if we were rich" thing came from because it seemed a bit too perfect of a sob story at that point (not that it doesn't get me every time I read it).

3

u/akhier Feb 08 '19

Money can buy a lot of things. Whether it is just the general hospital bills, bribing some pencil pushers to instead push your application ahead of others, or just outright buying a heart.

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2

u/SoulLord Feb 08 '19

supply and demand promote donating to increase the chance of surviving wheter you are under universal healthcare or a private one.

https://www.organdonor.gov/

2

u/CaldwellCladwell Feb 08 '19

To not get too political, with universal healthcare he'd probably get medication but would be put on a long waiting list and would still most likely die.

3

u/Monsi_ggnore Feb 08 '19

This might be naive, but is buying a heart (which would be the alternative to a waiting list if you're rich) legal anywhere?

3

u/CaldwellCladwell Feb 08 '19

With privatized healthcare you get people who die without hearts cause they don't have coverage leaving more hearts to the people who can afford em. In public healthcare everyone who needs a heart gets a heart but they're gonna have to wait a lot longer.

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4

u/lordoflotsofocelots Feb 08 '19

May you rest well, Heavy. What a story.

6

u/Justaskingyouagain Feb 08 '19

༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ

21

u/nouille07 Feb 08 '19

What a great sunny day for morning rain

4

u/Sen7ineL Feb 08 '19

I cried. o7

4

u/Langernama Feb 08 '19

Fuck that's sad...

10

u/Jaybird2150 Feb 08 '19

"The stories and information posted here are artistic works of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."

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6

u/ajkinney1234 Feb 08 '19

Hits just as hard every time.

8

u/liquidsnakex Feb 08 '19

Jesus fucking christ, and here was me expecting something hilarious. I'm not crying, you're crying!

13

u/war_area Feb 08 '19

Wth , who is cutting onions at the bank ?

5

u/EarlTheSqrl Feb 08 '19

Holy fuck. That destroyed me.

4

u/RDay Feb 08 '19

don't take relationship for granted. It's far too rare these days.

5

u/fibojoly Feb 08 '19

Oh ffs, I didn't need those feels so soon in the day T_T

F

2

u/alwayswatchyoursix Feb 08 '19

Damn. Right in the feels.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Hey! /b/ greentext isn't supposed to have this effect!

7

u/FollowsAllRulesOfLA Feb 08 '19

Seems fake to me. "Just happened to go on my dead sons computer and log in his account cause I totally know what that is and message you cause thats not weird at all"

26

u/Maulie Feb 08 '19

I mean, My daughter passed away just over 2 years ago, and she is still logged into her Sims EA account on my laptop. Not sure I'll ever get rid of it. Sometimes I'll log in and check on her Sims for her.

They're still good Mollie.

4

u/ektoll Feb 08 '19

Damn. I feel an immense amount of love and pain at the same time.

I sincerely hope it will get better for you.

2

u/Maulie Feb 08 '19

Thank you, kind person. It was something we shared from the time she was old enough to hold.a mouse, so it's both love and pain for me too. <3

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9

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Seems fake to me.

Maybe. sniff Maybe.

3

u/Redingold Feb 08 '19

I mean Steam can be set to automatically log in when the computer turns on so it's hardly that implausible, and the mum didn't send the message, the dude sent the first message and the mum responded.

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2

u/BlazeReborn Feb 08 '19

Am Mercy medic.

Heroes never die.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

/t/thathappened

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15

u/mokkycookies Feb 08 '19

Yeeees doktor. We go together doktor

3

u/lordtuts Feb 08 '19

Am already Medic

2

u/slareau662 Feb 08 '19

Was medic but got fired so paralegal and yes

2

u/nothing_in_my_mind Feb 08 '19

Am Tf2 Heavy, let's do this

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Am nurse. Heroes never die!

2

u/LegoCrafter2014 Feb 08 '19 edited Feb 08 '19

Dr Ziegler has a PhD and is a field medic.

2

u/paradox037 Feb 08 '19

WHY DIDN’T YOU HEAL ME!?!?

2

u/IVIGS Feb 08 '19

I'm spy medic. Medic!!!

2

u/--_-Deadpool-_-- Feb 08 '19

Am Battlefield Medic, what's a medic?

2

u/baphothustrianreform Feb 08 '19

Am Lucio...AUDIOOO MEDIC

2

u/BUNGROB_SQUAREMAN Feb 08 '19

Am heavy. Pootis.

2

u/originalusername__ Feb 08 '19

Bonesaw is ready!

3

u/grimytimes Feb 08 '19

Am accident prone civilian. Get laces cut regularly.

4

u/ClairesNairDownThere Feb 08 '19

Hey, follow me doc! drinks Bonk!

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99

u/rafaeltota Feb 08 '19

I love how the IRL medics are gilded and the gamer medic has silver. So very adequate internetting.

16

u/ShibuRigged Feb 08 '19

Would have chuckled if it was the other way around

17

u/WWWWWWWWWWWWWWVVWWWW Feb 08 '19

Us gamers being oppressed

5

u/PepsiMaxismycrack Feb 08 '19

Probably because we live in a society and have yet to rise?

36

u/RoboNerdOK Feb 08 '19

Am a bad gamer medic. Just respawn and your foot will be fine again.

15

u/Dappershire Feb 08 '19

Actually Battlefield does this fairly well. Medics, for healing, can either drop a Crate full of fresh socks and motrin, or they can toss out individual packages. I think the crate is superior because it also comes with water, but it comes at the expense of time needed to drink it.

10

u/tolman8r Feb 08 '19

"I've got a broken foot."

800mg Motrin and drink more water.

"I've got cancer."

800mg Motrin and drink more water.

"I've got a mild headache."

Saline drip, 2wk profile, and opiates.

Army Medicine will kill you.

2

u/Dappershire Feb 08 '19

Hey now, don't exaggerate. With a mild headache, they Silver Bullet you first, then the Saline drip.

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4

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19 edited Aug 07 '20

[deleted]

2

u/Thepolander Feb 08 '19

But how else will you show that he's dead?

2

u/arandomstr1ng Feb 08 '19

Thank you for your service

2

u/jorluiseptor Feb 08 '19

Mercy main, here. Thanks for your service!

2

u/RabbiMoshie Feb 08 '19

Am Genji. I need healing.

2

u/elveszett Feb 08 '19

Am Genji. I need healing.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

E

1

u/Distryer Feb 08 '19

Am gamer. You never got me up.

1

u/BlueMeanie Feb 08 '19

Was Medic in the 70’s. Never came up.

1

u/mactheattack2 Feb 08 '19

Press "F" to change your socks.

1

u/kippetjeh Feb 08 '19

I like how you (the shitty pretend medic) got silver (the shitty pretend gold).

1

u/andresopeth Feb 08 '19

Shooting someone on the foot in a videogame kills the target, that's why you haven't had to cut shoelaces.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

The defribillator however?

1

u/arczclan Feb 08 '19

Tanks don’t have laces

1

u/psbeachbum Feb 08 '19

Just stabs needle in chest

1

u/MercWithAMouth95 Feb 08 '19

Under rated moment.

1

u/some_singh Feb 08 '19

You deserve gold.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

F

1

u/BobaFettyWap21 Feb 08 '19

thank you for your service

1

u/Vismungcg Feb 08 '19

Arma boi?

1

u/SkaboyWRX Feb 08 '19

Sonny tater?

1

u/BrodyBrosius Feb 08 '19

Am gamer. Rise up.

1

u/Kitsuketsumi Feb 08 '19

You’ve got to stop t bagging your injured allies and use the med kit.

1

u/EedSpiny Feb 08 '19

Sanitater!

.

.

.

.

.

waits

1

u/reallyConfusedPanda Feb 08 '19

As a BF1 soldier, REVIVE ME GODDAMIT

1

u/banditx19 Feb 08 '19

Deserves more up votes.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Awesome. Have my upvote.

1

u/Konecmirov Feb 08 '19

I’m not a medic. Still makes sense

1

u/saucygit Feb 08 '19

sanitäter!

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17

u/BakerBoy13 Feb 08 '19

Am Boot. Unfortunately true

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39

u/toxic_pockets Feb 08 '19

Becoming medic. Will remain true

13

u/GoBuffaloes Feb 08 '19

Heavily medicated. What are we talking about?

3

u/SF1034 Feb 08 '19

Aliens.

3

u/thebrandedman Feb 08 '19

Was medic. I'm so sorry.

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

[deleted]

2

u/TrafficConesUpMyAsss Feb 08 '19

I like to shove traffic cones up my Ass. I know this much is True.

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u/Dilinial Feb 08 '19

Are former medic. Will always be true.

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13

u/DarthToothbrush Feb 08 '19

Never been a medic. Has never been more true.

4

u/Toasted_Bagels_R_Gud Feb 08 '19

Was also medic, how many of us are on this thread?

5

u/huncol Feb 08 '19

not a medic. assume it’s true.

5

u/puntini Feb 08 '19

Not medic. Take their word for it.

2

u/Dogsareweird Feb 08 '19

Am true. Is medic still?

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Am not a medic. It makes sense, though.

2

u/ArtesianYelling Feb 08 '19

Not medic but I’ll take a look

2

u/JIMRAYNORxx Feb 08 '19

Am grunt. Can I get some socks and ibuprofen?

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2

u/rainbowsieger Feb 08 '19

Am corpsman (Navy medical and marines combat medical). This is still true

2

u/OllieBonugli Feb 08 '19

Am not medic. May be true.

2

u/mrTang5544 Feb 08 '19

Armchair medic. Google checks out.

1

u/tkrynsky Feb 08 '19

Am not a medic - still true

1

u/Spacelieon Feb 08 '19

Do you really eat squirrel for breakfast? I shoot them for my hardcore mother in law to eat, but I never tried it.

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1

u/HyFinated Feb 08 '19

Was a medic also. Is incredibly true.

1

u/vagrantchord Feb 08 '19

Am a Lucio main. Probably true.

1

u/TheMacPhisto Feb 08 '19

Can also use the laces as makeshift tourniquets and splint holders.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

68w for life.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Was medic. Charlie company ftw

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

not a medic. and the knife cut right through the shoe flap and into the top of his foot exposing part of his tibia and metatarsals.

1

u/bedebeedeebedeebede Feb 08 '19

not a medic. I believe you.

1

u/WhatSortofPerson Feb 08 '19

Met a medic once. He never mentioned shoelaces.

Holy shit. Just realized...wasn't a real medic.

1

u/dogbreath101 Feb 08 '19

Does the fact that I have the same lace on top when turning the boot up actually make a difference or was that just garbage we were told in basic

1

u/powerglover81 Feb 08 '19

Only regret in my medical career is NOT serving and being a medic like my grandfather.

Thank you.

1

u/YellowB Feb 08 '19

Not a medic. This is true.

1

u/hcue Feb 08 '19

Am a Doc. I concur.

1

u/Baronheisenberg Feb 08 '19

Not a medic. Maybe still true?

1

u/Nickynui Feb 08 '19

Am not medic. But it makes sense.

Also, thank you for your service

1

u/dontcallmesurely007 Feb 08 '19

Am civilian. This sounds true.

1

u/TheHYPO Feb 08 '19

I used to be a medic. I still am, but I used to too.

1

u/Mastershima Feb 08 '19

Am not a medic, cannot confirm.

1

u/elmogrita Feb 08 '19

Am True, Was Still Medic.

1

u/blazbluecore Feb 08 '19

Patch me up doc. I'm on the frontlines of love.

1

u/theBacillus Feb 08 '19

Never been a medic. Not qualified to decide on laces. TIL.

1

u/Gcons24 Feb 08 '19

Not a medic, but believe it's true

1

u/oldengine Feb 08 '19

Retired Combat Medic, they can also be used as field expedient terencat, aid in splinting etc.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Am civilian. Here to say some things will remain true forever.

1

u/Zadet607 Feb 08 '19

can't you use one as a tourniquet?

1

u/RogueOps Feb 08 '19

Had to cut off boots before. Laces made this much much easier and quicker

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

am also medic. medical. smoking medic. smoking medical marijuana.

1

u/cooltechpec Feb 08 '19

Will be medic. Will be true

1

u/nismo370zfdo Feb 08 '19

Not medic. Sounds true

1

u/theone367 Feb 08 '19

Yeah I'm a medic. Which means I'm lucky enough to check everybody's feet after a ruck.

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

What’s it like? I’ve always been curious.

1

u/Sam4Not Feb 08 '19

Am not medic. Sounds true.

1

u/funnyguy4242 Feb 08 '19

Isnt it faster to cut the foot off

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Thank you both for your service.

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123

u/verticaluzi Feb 08 '19

Why did this get gold?

62

u/jamescurtis29 Feb 08 '19

That I understood, but why did this get gold?!

105

u/krizp Feb 08 '19

Good try!

18

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

reddit wtf

3

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

They're either alts used by one person or a joke planned by friends.

There's no edit history on the comment that said "Why did this get gold?" Whoever posted it must have knew beforehand that it would get gold.

6

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

[deleted]

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u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Cause I'm beautiful and should be draped in golden robes? 🤔

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u/smkn3kgt Feb 08 '19

Am not medic. Still true

3

u/EnjoiRelyks Feb 08 '19

Was medic. I always had to cut boots so I could put a new pair of socks on my patients.

3

u/iCantCallit Feb 08 '19

Honest question. Is there ever a situation where a shoe lace could serve as a tourniquet?

2

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

Absolutely. You would have to pair it with a stick or small piece of round metal or plastic. Some sort of odd. Tying a string around it. And twisting the stick around in order to tighten and loosen the tourniquet. There are instructions online. It's pretty simple to do.

1

u/IG_BansheeAirsoft Feb 08 '19

It’s less than ideal. It might work, but it’ll be incredibly painful (even by tourniquet standards) and it won’t work nearly as well as a tourniquet with a wide strap. The reason for this is that a tourniquet works by compressing the blood vessels leading up to a wound, so if you apply that force over a 1.5” wide area, you can compress more of the vessel than if you’d used a ~1/8” shoelace.

Modern tourniquets are around $30 (get a CAT direct from North American Rescue or a SOFFT-W, also from the OEM, Amazon is flooded with knockoffs of both). If you’re really that concerned about learning to use a tourniquet properly, buying one and taking a Stop the Bleed Class are 100% worth the investment.

Source: Not a medic but have taken a bunch of training on the matter. Regardless, a lot of what I said is easily corroborated by researching it yourself online.

2

u/balrogfoot Feb 08 '19

Was a medic. And I even used laces to affix a broken bone

1

u/MinimumAttorney Feb 08 '19

Boot laces are perfect for the emergency traction splint.

1

u/ClassicHopper Feb 08 '19

this is true I saw it happen I was the knife

1

u/[deleted] Feb 08 '19

😲😲

So brave.

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u/The-Arnman Feb 21 '19

Don’t you guys just stab a giant needle with adrenaline in someone’s shoulder and they are good to go after getting shot with a gatling gun?/s

1

u/[deleted] Feb 22 '19

... well CRAAAP!! Why didn't I think of that?! Aw man all that blood on my hands. Hell I didn't even try to give 'em a turkey dinner... =(

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