Cowboy Boots

Ozness · Post by **Ozness** » Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:29 pm

Hi! Flying across from Australia for BM 2015 and wanting to buy a pair of 2nd hand cowboy boots somewhere along the way. Will be flying in to LA and probably driving from there across to Reno. Can anyone recommend any good 2nd hand cowboy boot shops in either of those towns, or somewhere along that route? Cheers!

Post by **Eric** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 4:51 am

DO NOT buy new or second hand boots and wear them on the playa. Your feet will hate you, walking will be hard, and blisters hurt like hell when they have playa dust rubbing into them (and then they turn into desiccated cracked wounds that won't heal...). I did it my first year - by the end of the week I was cutting slits in the boots trying to make them less painful to wear, and only had one other pair of shoes - and they turned out to be less-than-perfect as well. Sadly ePlaya wasn't around in anything like it's current form then (2003)

Buy lightweight comfortable shoes at home, break them in, bring them to wear. You don't need fancy "look at me" shoes, you need long-wearing comfort.

Dr. Pyro · Post by **Dr. Pyro** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 7:25 am

Eric, he never said anything about wearing them on the playa, only asked where one might find them. Jumping to a conclusion; now if he plans on wearing them out there, I would agree. But maybe he just wants a pair of boots for later or even as part of an art project. That's what I got from the post. That being said, I have no idea where to get them.

Lonesomebri · Post by **Lonesomebri** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:24 am

It's like a bike. You just find a loud jamming soundcamp, look for a cowboy who is down for the count.....

Okay, sorry, no help here either.

Post by **Elderberry** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 9:46 am

There used to be a great little shop on Melrose Ave that sold used Cowboy Boots. (West Hollywood, CA) I couldn't find it on-line, so not sure if it's still open.

There's this place too http://www.bootstaronline.com/info/boot-stores (They have a West Hollywood (i.e. Los Angeles) Store)

some seeing eye · Post by **some seeing eye** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:08 am

I sent a PM.

The USA has well developed business review websites where someone can search for a business. Web and mobile. They cover restaurants, stores and services. They are ideal for someone traveling or who are in an unfamiliar town for whatever reason. Many of these websites have discussion forums to ask questions not answerable by search. Like ePlaya, people respond better on the forums if the questioner has reviewed a few businesses and used the site search function to try to answer their question. I'm not going to name sites, but a search of Wikipedia for review sites is a start.

Some of these review sites have reviews of businesses in small towns on the way to the event, written by, and useful to, burners. Writing a deserved good review of a small business is a great way to support them and help other burners find them.

I note that one such review website is starting to gather reviews of BRC camps, which brings a smile for absurdity, just as BRC is a geographic place in the giant search engine maps application.

smiffman · Post by **smiffman** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:18 am

I know of some spots in LA, West Hollywood is Rodeo $$$$ for second hand!

Some good spots are any Goodwill, Savers, and Mom & Pop thrift stores preferably out of the LA area, think the SFV or inland empire.

As for the comfort of the boots, I think some of those GEL insoles would work fine!

Hope it helps!

Simon of the Playa · Post by **Simon of the Playa** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 10:25 am

$_1.JPG

Rice · Post by **Rice** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 11:18 am

I can think of about 6 places in my city that sell Cowboy boots new, for a reasonable price. But that won't help you much - as I am 1800+ Miles north of Reno...

I agree: Any footwear the one plans to wear at Burning Man should be broken in and comfortable - also you should have at least 1 pair of backup shoes (I bring the following: 1 Rubber boots, 1 Army Boots, 1 hiking shoes (low cut), 1 slippers, and 1 pair of sandals.) - whenever I am out of my camp I usually wear the Army boots.

You would might have luck finding the boots you want in Reno. Anywhere that is close to ranches should have them. ?

(YMMV)

Post by **Savannah** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 1:59 pm

The advice about well-broken-in footwear is sound. Shoes that are too new will color every bit of your Burn for the negative. If you've always wanted some American cowboy boots, seek em out as a souvenir, but don't rely on them for your Burn necessarily.

I always have 1-2 pairs of boots, 1 pair of athletic shoes, a pair of slip-ons, and two pairs of socks per day. And gel insoles.

Clean your feet every night and lotion up.

nilasnake · Post by **nilasnake** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 2:02 pm

there are more than a dozen thrift stores in reno...which, since it is a cowboy friendly town..you might have better luck here...though they would more likely 'working boots' rather than fancy rodeo once. but i've found those too. range $25 on up. i always like savers and there are two of them in town.

Ozness · Post by **Ozness** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 2:24 pm

Thanks for all the advice. The question was a little left of centre as I had not really planned to wear them whilst at BM, but more so jump at the chance to pick up a pair since I was visiting your fair shores! I have read the various footwear posts through this forum in terms of shoes to wear whilst on the playa, and will certainly come prepared with well broken in shoes and a pair of fluffy bunny slippers!

Thecatman · Post by **Thecatman** » Sat Apr 04, 2015 2:49 pm

Seriously, Shepplers on Plumb Ln east of Virginia St in Reno is a western wear store. There's a boot place on Kietzke Ln between Peckham Ln and Moana Ln, also in Reno.
Cal Ranch Stores on Carson St and Hot Spring Rd in Carson City as well. North side on town.
Shepplers would probably be the most $$$ pricie$t.
If you shell out $250 (USD) or more, maybe less, for a pair of boots, you're not gonna want to ruin them on the playa.

mudpuppy000 · Post by **mudpuppy000** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 3:10 pm

Elderberry wrote:There used to be a great little shop on Melrose Ave that sold used Cowboy Boots. (West Hollywood, CA) I couldn't find it on-line, so not sure if it's still open.

There's this place too http://www.bootstaronline.com/info/boot-stores (They have a West Hollywood (i.e. Los Angeles) Store)

I've seen a used boot shop at the melrose flea market also. I bought some used work boots for the playa and that was a terrible idea. I wore them for one day then switched to something more comfortable.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Mon Apr 06, 2015 7:12 pm

Eric wrote:Sadly ePlaya wasn't around in anything like it's current form then (2003)

Well, yeah it was... although very few of the same eplayans are still here. Pretty much you and me!

The Rod · Post by **The Rod** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 12:38 pm

Ozness: What size shoe do you wear?

ygmir · Post by **ygmir** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 12:42 pm

I wear 14 if anyone has extra.....

lucky420 · Post by **lucky420** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 2:35 pm

knock boots?

Post by **Eric** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 4:36 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:
Eric wrote:Sadly ePlaya wasn't around in anything like it's current form then (2003)
Well, yeah it was... although very few of the same eplayans are still here. Pretty much you and me!

I'm not even sure who else still posts from when we joined. We're definitely two of the last active members still around from the birth of this version (I think this went live right after the Burn in 2003, so either Sept 1 or 2* - I remember all the "old timers" from the previous version bitching up a storm about how awful this was).

*Edit: looking at the membership list it looks like the board opened on Aug 31, 2003.

Ozness · Post by **Ozness** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 6:32 pm

A-RockLeFrench wrote:Ozness: What size shoe do you wear?

I'm a girl's size 10.... you know what they say about big feet...... need big shoes to put them in!

Bin Noddin · Post by **Bin Noddin** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 7:40 pm

We send our old cowboy boots to Thailand (another useless wiseguy):

Boots.jpg

The Rod · Post by **The Rod** » Tue Apr 07, 2015 10:58 pm

Dang. My extra boots wont fit either of ya.

Ozness · Post by **Ozness** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 2:22 am

A-RockLeFrench wrote:Dang. My extra boots wont fit either of ya.

Not too worry! Thanks for the thought anyway! I'm sure I'll find a great pair (preferably second hand) somewhere along my journey over there....

Jackass · Post by **Jackass** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 3:50 am

In my experience, second-hand footwear = broken and or mangled feet. Especially boots (good luck,i tried). Now I just bring them to the playa, pack them with dirt, and set them up in the street as though they're crossing the road in order to slow down inbound traffic. Art happens... or some sap makes off with them and tries to wear them.

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Wed Apr 08, 2015 8:35 am

I know this won't help your search but...Does anyone remember the guy with the 'garage sale' set up next to Center camp each year. I loved him. He had a used cowboy boot store in Texas. Every year he took a cross country trip including burning man where he had the free yard sale. His trailer was full of cowboy boots going to his store. Of all the things available at his sale, gloves, tarps, ropes, goggles, lights, clothes etc...He said the most sought after item was by FAR the ceramic coffee mug. Nobody brings one and everybody misses theirs. A close second was silverware.

Regarding shopping for those boots. It's not easy to find any in 2nd hand stores, (in Northern California), and looking for a certain size makes it even less likely.

dragonpilot · Post by **dragonpilot** » Thu Apr 09, 2015 12:03 pm

Saw a great pair of cowboy boots at Value Village yesterday...10D...$10. Too small for me.

Tiahaar · Post by **Tiahaar** » Sat Apr 11, 2015 11:48 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:
Eric wrote:Sadly ePlaya wasn't around in anything like it's current form then (2003)
Well, yeah it was... although very few of the same eplayans are still here. Pretty much you and me!

14 days after ya heheheh...I miss a lot of the originals

but hey, on the boots, I second the thrift store option for getting a nice pair of broken in boots, maybe even with a riding heel.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:12 am

Thread drift warning...
Tiahaar, Eric checked and came up with TEN still-current eplayans (nine if you don't count Isotopia) who joined the first week, and you're surely close enough to add to that list.

Ratty · Post by **Ratty** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 10:09 am

In the spirit of a Sunday thread drift....My 2nd computer was a commodore 64. It was huge and the printer was as big as a washing machine. (The printer cost $500 but hey my VCR cost $800.) Anyway...I could download games through my phone line onto a cassette deck. It took forever. There was also a bulletin board where I could go to post questions and answers to this elaborate mystery game. It must have been the early or mid 80's.

Isn't it ironic...When disreputable people would buy stolen VCRs in a parking lot at night they would get home and find they had bought a box of bricks. Today when those same people buy a stolen computer they may find a VCR in the box. Haha

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