Sabot.....the wooden shoe ??

[Teacher_of_the_Arcane]

Hi All,

A couple of years back, I was at an early (April) re-enactors' weekend at Prickett's Fort outside Fairmont, West Virginia.  It was a wet weekend, and I noticed a lot of the re-enactors were wearing sabot.....traditional wooden shoes.  So happened that one of the vendors had a selection on hand.  They made for dry feet on Sunday morning after the second pair of mocs were wet by noon Saturday.      

My question is, how authentic would this be?  How often would you have seen sabot on the 1750=1785 frontier, and where???  

[DEADDAWG]

I've seen writings of them in the late 18th century through the 19th century for German and Dutch settlers. Some even used them into the 20th century.

[dsrtfox1942]

It is completely authentic and accurate to wear these. Now, with that said, they are probably a lot more likely to have been seen on a tenderfoot than a seasoned trapper. They are also probably more widely seen in the mid to late 18th century than in the 19th. 1800's hard sole boots became more widely seen, but both of these items were more than likely lost as as possible due to weight and the room they consumed. Replaced by a hard sole pair of mocs. You could carry 5 pairs of mocs for the weight and room of 1 pair of boots or wooden shoes. So for todays reenactor, they are appropriate, and I think they do have a place in your kit, although they wouldn't be my first, or even second choice for footwear. I have been looking at getting a pair, I portray a PA dutch man who went west in search of an exciting new life, and like Deaddawg said, they were also more widely seen in certain ethnic groups than others. I do not believe it would be a wise choice for someone trying to portray a south west/Mexican trapper, or frontiersman.
Joshua

[Ranger]

We actually had this conversation Saterday night around the campfire while at Shoenbrunn. While I wouldn't consider my group of miscreants as any kind of experts on anything, lol, we came up with the same answer as Joshua did. Yes, very authentic. More of an ethnic thing though, like clogs are more of an English thing. We also thought it would be more of a settlement item as well, something not really worn by the longhunter unless he was at his actual home, be it at one of the forts or settlements or even a lone cabin in the woods.

[beowulf]

heres a site that sells em , decorated or plain , in several sizes .http://www.cloggieshop.com/

[beowulf]

this ones better !http://www.dutchvillage.com/DVShoppingfolder/dvwearablewoodshoes/dvwoodshoeshop.htm

[DEADDAWG]

The second link you posted is where I got my wooden shoes about six years ago. Nice to see he hasn't went up on his prices. If you go to his shop there in Holland, Mi., he'll take measurements of your feet and make wooden shoes custom shoes to your feet, they ran $60.00 when I got them. His advice was to wear a lite pair and heavy pair of socks when wearing wooden shoes, cotton or wool (no synthetics). They were actually quite comfortable. Unfortunately, someone decided they wanted them more than I did, they came up missing at an event a couple years ago.

[Lady of the Woods]

Hey Teacher, I was at the School of the Longhunter in April the last 2 years and I know I wore my sabots. I adore them! A good friend tricked them out for me, adding the lambs wool across the top, smoothing out the rough or sharp edges, and staining them, they are absolutely the greatest thing!

There is something about whether they have pointy toes or softly rounded toes that indicate French or Dutch, I don't know which is which, but it seems to matter to some folks.

As for me, I just know my feet stay dry and warm and that is good enough for me!
Zan
Boonesborough, 2009 or 10? high and dry outta the water!

[Sinnanatha]

I got a pair in Holland, Mi. several years ago.  I am told that the backs of them were trimmed down, so they were more slip on.  Did that, stained them, and they work well.  Need some getting used to-they tend to 'bite' the front of your foot where the front edge is.  That is the reason for the sheepskin across the front-to soften the 'bite'.  Not sure they fit into my Great Lakes Native American portrayal, but they sure make good sense in wet or dewy conditions.  Megwetch, Sinnanatha

[Hammerhead]

where could i get a pair in size 15

[Red Badger]

where could i get a pair in size 15

I can't resist.... a couple of fireplace logs and a good penknife....

sorry.....

[Hawken50]

  Listen to the Badger....experience talkin.

[Hammerhead]

its fine lol