[UT] Civilian Assault Boots?

[WaterAndWindSpirit]

So, by TL 9+ come Assault Boots, which I assume are military style boots. These boots give a bonus to Hiking rolls, so I assume they are comfortable to wear and reduce the pain to the feet from walking long distances.

Since anywhere but in repressive regimes, military boots are usually not regulated and are often worn by hikers and military/airsoft enthusiasts, it's not gonna be a problem for the average PC to get and wear such boots, and unless they go in a high class club, no one would give them a second look should they choose to wear them all the time. My question is purely related to world building.

Is there a civilian version of assault boots that keep that help for long distance walks but trade some DR for a cheaper price tag? Like, hiking boots, or just civilian walking shoes?

Thanks!

[PTTG]

Sounds reasonble to me. I haven't read it lately, but are you sure Ultra-tech doesn't already have an alternative for you?

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by WaterAndWindSpirit

So, by TL 9+ come Assault Boots, which I assume are military style boots.
Is there a civilian version of assault boots that keep that help for long distance walks but trade some DR for a cheaper price tag? Like, hiking boots, or just civilian walking shoes?

Thanks!

No such thing mentioned but it probbaly does exist. It won't be that much cheaper. See p. 75 for Gripboots. That's what the no expenses spared upgrade looks like.

After TL9 military surplus Assault Boots (mostly from the previous TL) should be be available for a significant but unspecified discount. I assume that those will basically replace steel-toed work boots. Even new Assualt Boots are only $150 compared to HT's steel-toes for $100.

If you go to HT to look at steel toes check out the Firefighter boots. Assault boots will almost certainly replace those too.

So assault boots will probably be very common around spaceports and industrial areas.

[PTTG]

A heavily used-future setting could get a little bit of flavor out of saying that grav-boots replaced magnetic boots a couple decades ago, so the market is flooded with cheap old mag boots people wear everywhere.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by PTTG

A heavily used-future setting could get a little bit of flavor out of saying that grav-boots replaced magnetic boots a couple decades ago, so the market is flooded with cheap old mag boots people wear everywhere.

Have you worked out whatever it was that mag boots did and grav boots do better?

I'm sure there are no grav boots in UT and there may not be any mag boots. There used to be amgnetic attachments for footware that would let you cling to the sides of ferrous spacecraft but that's kind of retrotech now.

Puttng a cherry on top is nice but you want to fill the glass before you garnish the concoction.

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

So assault boots will probably be very common around spaceports and industrial areas.

And, like today, the workers' feet will be the most armoured part of them. Assault Boots (DR12/6) for the feet, a cheap Protective Suit (DR2) over their body and limbs (with gloves and hood for times when they need a sealed suit), and an Air Mask (DR10) over their face if the air has bad things in it. $300 for the lot, probably less at TL10+ if the Assault Boots are cheap TL9 models, and also less if the employer buys everything in bulk.

[Black Leviathan]

My guess is that this new hiking technology isn't exclusive to the military. The military is usually a late adopter to anything that makes a soldier's life more comfortable. While there is probably one company that makes the best boot with this technology, every TL 9 hiking boot has some equivalent and most of them work well enough to provide some bonus to hiking. So I'd assume every decent hiking boot in the age has some bonus to the hiking skill. If I recall correctly High Tech has a cost modifier for outdoor gear. If not I'd go 1.5 times the cost of a regular boot. I would expect minimal DR for this kind of boot. 1 or 2 at the absolute highest as the boot is designed to be lightweight and flexible.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by Black Leviathan

My guess is that this new hiking technology isn't exclusive to the military.

Note tha the both the Assault Boots in the armor section and the Gripboots on p.75 of UT are LC4. Restricted to the military would be LC2 at least.

[Black Leviathan]

Yeah and the 4 specifically is very strange. It would indicate that there are segments of society that can't be trusted with assault boots, but that they aren't restricted to only military use. My assumption is that the boots in their Military form are treated not unlike how our society treats class-4 bullet proof armor. You can legally own it but it's governed by permit, or Class-3 where anyone can buy it but sellers frequently keep buyer information for their own legal protection.

[Ulzgoroth]

Originally Posted by Black Leviathan

Yeah and the 4 specifically is very strange. It would indicate that there are segments of society that can't be trusted with assault boots, but that they aren't restricted to only military use. My assumption is that the boots in their Military form are treated not unlike how our society treats class-4 bullet proof armor. You can legally own it but it's governed by permit, or Class-3 where anyone can buy it but sellers frequently keep buyer information for their own legal protection.

LC4 means no restrictions in a society below CR4, and only light restrictions at CR4. And CR4 is pretty high.