"I've touched on footwear a few times, but we're about due in for another thread on the topic. To quote myself on one occasion

Thread: Basic of Basics! - post #3
"...One piece of EDC gear that most people don't think out is their shoes. Flip flops, while comfortable and light weight, provide zero support and protection, and have little to no tread on them. Sandals are slightly better, but not much. Tennis shoes often lack durability, but they're comfortable. IMO, the ultimate day-to-day shoe is the trail runners shoe or a medium weight hiking boot."

I feel EXACTLY the same on this topic as I did four-and-a-half years ago when I first joined the site. IMO, hiking shoes and medium weight hiking boots are still the best survival shoes. They're low-profile (unlike the contractor standard sand combat boots), comfortable, capable and are specifically designed for high intensity, long duration wear. It's the off-road tire of the shoe world.

If I leave the house, unless I'm A) working out; B) in a rapid emergency crisis and I'm barefoot, like today when I had to get my boy to the ER due to a terrible, concussive fall; or C) I'm just going to get the mail or take out the trash, I am wearing hiking boots. Seriously, 99% of the time I'm wearing shoes, they're hikers. I wear them out pretty quickly; a good pair lasts me about a year. I prefer to retire them before they're totally kaput (at about 25% remaining life) because I can set them aside and they're *perfectly* broken in when I need them but have enough tread to be handy, while I break in their replacements. Midlife is the ideal time to place them in your kit.

Just as important is sock selection. I like light- and medium weight wool socks, even in hot AO. The padding and wicking qualities make them far more comfortable, even if they're a tad warmer than cotton or polyester. Sock liners rock too."

"Not to get too far off topic, but another item newbie survivalists neglect/ignore are quality belts. Anyone who carries a gun knows what I'm talking about, but especially the guys who carry big handguns. A real belt is a necessity for survivalists. I like leather, but not all leather is adequate... gotta get a good belt if you want it to be durable enough. Web belts are generally good, but limited by the clasp or buckle mechanism. Get good stuff, don't skimp."