Bates Dress/Military Shoes

Anyone have any experience with these Bates Dress/Military shoes?

http://tinyurl.com/6o9m9g

The price is really good, but I'm not familiar with them.

USAF standard issue in leather. Those are the optional 'lazy airman's' plastic no-polish version that you buy at clothing sales.

They're heavy, clunky, have lousy support, they're HOT in warm weather(I'd imagine they'd be even hotter if they're plastic and don't breathe), and rather awkward looking. I wear a pair of cap-toe Penney's Stafford oxfords with my blues(yes, they're authorized according to AFI 36-2903, to cut off the wags). Much better lines on them, leather soles, much lighter and more comfortable - no need for new insoles, which was about the first thing we all bought after being issued them in basic training!

What the Wingman said. We called them corofams or something in the army. As a lazy man I had a pair for inspection but they were too hot to wear regularly. They also look very obviously like plastic and would be out of place with anything other than a dress military uniform.

...and one small brush against a rough surface and you have a permanent white scuff mark!
Go with real leather.

Rare wear

Like everyone has said, they are hot and don't breath well. They are also prone to cracking and the finish peals off of them with constant wear. If you are only going to wear them once in a while and you don't mind the plastic look, its a good deal.

Thanks everyone! You've saved me from making a bad purchase.

I can vouch for the heat sealing properties. They'll melt your feet off in the hot Alabama sun. Thanks for the heads up on the other authorized shoes – might have to pick up a set – even though I haven't worn my blues in forever.

Corofram's look like the dress shoes you rent when you rent a tux. They look good with dress uniforms, but too nice for regular service uniform, IMO. I wear Bate's Lite leathers, which we had to purchase during basic training so we could shine them on a regular basis - Corofram's were not allowed. New, they come with a coating that needs to be taken off with alcohol or edge shaving gel before they will take a shine with shoe polish. We were taught to polish with an old t-shirt (or cotton ball), wrap the shirt around your finger, put on a little wax and then rub little circles on the leather in a small area, dipping your cotton in water periodically, until the spot you are working on really starts to shine. I add another step that really helps, use a lighter to heat up the wax once it is on the leather, but before you start rubbing with the little circles. This is the only picture I could find of my shoes.



There are some good videos on youtube if you do a search for Military shine or spit shine.

Tim

I have a friend that wore that type as part of his waiter's uniform.