[Icelander]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Then (unless he was a complete idiot) Everett probably had at least one pair of riding cowboy boots, so they'd have a nice grippy sole and decent foot protection.

So if Everatt's style is being mimicked then they'd have picked up Taylor a pair.

Yes, I believe so.

Originally Posted by evileeyore

I recommend these, they're pretty swank and look pretty durable.

These are very nice. They look exactly like what I'd have pictured.

Would these give a penalty to Climbing or Stealth?

Compared to, say, combat boots?

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Alternately these are damned swank (maybe too swank) but they don't look as durable to my untrained eye (I have no idea if snake skin is more or less durable than cowhide).

While a priori, I would have applauded the idea of snakeskin boots, I don't like the pattern on these. That is, I don't like the large white circle with the tree picture, which I suppose is the Los Altos signature. Looking over the site, it seems that this signature does not need to be white and it is much preferable when it isn't.

Originally Posted by evileeyore

I have no idea about that. I'd just do a google search and see what pops up.

There is a wealth of cowboy boots on the Internet, but I don't know what kind of sole or other features they need to have to justify a lack of penalties to Acrobatics, Climbing and Stealth.

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Usually you suck it up and either get expensive custom made or make do with a lacking in one area or the other.

Well, to fit into the cover identity, Taylor is prepared to do without a steel-toed boot and the safety (and offensive) benefits those would come with. But given how likely it is that he'll have to use Acrobatics, Climbing and Stealth while wearing the same footwear as when on a motorcycle, he really ought to avoid penalties to those skills.

Hiking is less important, hopefully. If he has to leave his bike and walk somewhere, he'll hopefully have time to change footwear.

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Though I will note, High-Tech does not put any penalties on combat boots. So it's likely that there really shouldn't be any.

I only mention possible penalties as I've climbed (and snuck) in combat boots, and there is a distinct difference between climbing in combat boots and climbing in sneakers... and a difference I feel is greater than 1.

A -1 penalty or +1 bonus is meant to be a pretty big difference, which it is when skill levels are low, such as when using default Stealth.

But I'd certainly agree that footwear should give more than +/-1 on certain surfaces, where using Stealth at all is very dependent on being able to put something soft in contact with the hard surface.

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Unlikely. Someone would have had to introduce the idea to him.

As noted, huaraches are a much more appropriate idea.