A brief overview of Moccasins.

In which I talk about some of the ways that moccasins are different from modern footwear.
Link to an informative website. www.nativetech.org/clothing/mo...
I realize that I may have come across as quite negative towards them, so let me clarify. I like moccasins a lot more than modern shoes. I wear them more than modern shoes. When I say, they're a lot like being barefoot, that is a statement of the highest praise.

[@bokkenwielderful]

For me in the modern world I use water shoes, they have a soft sole and feel more or less like going bare foot. I like the point about running on toes than on the heal. I belive that is how the human foot was designed to run.

[@MalcolmPL]

Yeah, every other animal runs on their toes, why should we be any different. I’ve got a pair of minimalist office shoes, nice flexible sole, low heel. Does the trick when I have to engage with the modern world.

[@travisheldreth5021]

I remember watching Nanook of the North. One of the mother's duties was to chew the foot wear in the morning in order to re-soften them.

[@bern1228]

Interesting. Didn't know about the running difference. Along this line, I've always wondered about how snake bites were avoided. Other than the obvious, "Don't step on one." Spending teen age years in Tennessee and Missouri, I've often walked through forest areas and it always was a the back of my mind. In TN especially, around a lake I frequented, the were scores of, (ironically), moccasins. Thank you.

[@MalcolmPL]

I don't know about snake bites. Up here we've only got a couple poisonous ones, and they're really rare. I would imagine that a rattlesnake could bite through my moccasins, as they're quite thin and soft.

[@bern1228]

@@MalcolmPL Thanks!

[@mr.tiddles556]

I'm certainly no expert, but I'd imagine the answer is that it's not that big of an issue. Snakes are really solitary in my experience and mostly avoid a conflict. As someone who grew up in the woods and creeks of Mississippi, I've seen tons of snakes and not a one has tried to bite me.

[@coop5329]

@@mr.tiddles556 Rattlesnakes along the Appalachian Trail rocks are far from solitary. Copperheads, in my experience, are pretty aggressive. But this is a lot farther north than Mississippi.

[@geoffreybudge3027]

Having slept with a snake a couple of times when he got in my shirt I can tell it’s tough avoiding snakes especially the juveniles 😊

[@wolfmaan]

This was great information! Thank you for sharing!

[@magicbeetle2292]

I've worn very similar shoes and through the winter some poorly made ones had holes them and I found my socks. Would soak up the water and eventually the heat from my feet would warm up the wet socks and they would actually be pretty comfortable and warm ,well as much as wet socks could be but my feet weren't freezing

[@MalcolmPL]

Yeah, wool socks are great.

[@LadyGTarot]

very nice presentation

[@leoscheibelhut940]

Malcolm, I am thinking about trying to make winter moccasins out of a hair on-sheepskin rug since I am having trouble getting ahold of tanned deerskin. After seeing another of your moccasin videos, I am wondering how sheepskin would rate as a moccasin material and if a rug would be too dried out to make good moccasins.

[@MalcolmPL]

Sheepskin would work, it's not quite as tough as deer, so it will wear out faster, but it is fine provided the leather is in decent condition. Don't worry if the leather is a little dry and stiff, once you've got it made give the flesh side a little rub with olive oil and they'll soften up as you wear them.

[@leoscheibelhut940]

@@MalcolmPL Thank you for the good information.

[@danielashby9164]

Hey man. This was awesome. Thanks for the info

[@MalcolmPL]

Cheers.

[@Redlurk3]

From things I've read people would commonly carry an extra pair makaazinh simply because they got wet /wore out fairly quickly

[@oso8146]

It looks really comfortable to soft I don't I could wear that where I live at we bull heads cactus 🌵 and we live very rocky area ours moccasin are red on top and and white bottom sole the top part is deer the bottom part is cow hide long ago the used to use badger but after the introduction of cows some are high up to the knee decorated with silver and the women had one whole deer hide split in half and wrap around their ankle look up Navajo moccasins

[@oso8146]

I heard from grandma story is to walk in the snow they used to use fresh hide with the flesh out and fury side in side I love your videos nízhóníí yéé

[@MalcolmPL]

Yeah, we don’t have very many sharp things up here. Worst thing we have is raspberry cane. Which Doesn’t compare to cactus.

[@post-monk671]

awesome thanks for the informative and concise video

[@MalcolmPL]

That’s why I’m here.

[@chicodecoster]

Thanks for sharing.

[@MalcolmPL]

You're welcome.

[@colleenbrock8513]

I usually make the soles of my moccasins with braided hemp rope and then soaked in beeswax

[@MalcolmPL]

That sounds durable, how comfortable are they?

[@josephcarter1936]

Have you tested an atlatl on your armor?

[@MalcolmPL]

No, I have not, as atlatls were not used up here. Got to go way up north or way down south for those. Hypothetically though, I would be pretty confident in the armor against an atlatl. Seeing how well it performs against arrows. Provided the javelins weren't pointed with iron.

[@terrynewsome6698]

What style hats were common to south easter iroquo people like the Cherokee?

[@MalcolmPL]

I don't know much about the Cherokee. Up here, The most common were four or six panel caps. (Similar to a viking cap but slightly different.) My brother wears a cap of historical design in my back shield video. I might wear it in some other video too, but I can't remember. If you want a historical depiction, see "illustrations of Algonquin dress." There are two, the one on the bottom is a six panel cap with a feather, the one on the top is made by sewing a tube and then cinching the top closed. To my knowledge, we also wore coonskin caps and and something similar to an ushanka. But I don't know much about those.

[@libruhmoment6387]

I find it not uncomfortable to run on my heels in normal shoes and boots. But it's always been a weird an not really natural kind of thing for me. I run on my toes in normal shoes and boots, my senior year of high school currently has me doing runs in winter boots for PE class and I'm about to transition back to shoes again, however every single season when I transition between footwear I never get rid of the toe first rather than heel first. What really was awful was trying to do a 6 minute run on the heel. It felt again, unnatural.

[@ChattanoogaDave]

Thanks for doing my video!

[@MalcolmPL]

Not a problem.

[@ChattanoogaDave]

@@MalcolmPL Thanks Malcolm. My son, who is using my account, really appreciates this. He's a moccasin man at 10. Trying to get his dad to wear some!!

[@MalcolmPL]

@@ChattanoogaDave They take some getting used to. But they're top notch. I mostly wear mocs these days. (except when I go to the city.)

[@ChattanoogaDave]

@@MalcolmPL I have 3 pairs of Baistien Industries moccacins, You should check them out!

[@MalcolmPL]

@@ChattanoogaDave Very nice. Their stuff is pretty good.

[@Alberta1stPodcast]

May i request a video on inuit kamiks?

[@MalcolmPL]

I don’t have any firsthand experience with them, and besides that, they’re not my culture.

[@robertmason9737]

Did native Americans use some sort of material similar to rubber to make their shoes more durable?

[@MalcolmPL]

I remember hearing that down in south america they used rubber, but don't quote me on that. Up in north america it was just thick leather or occasionally braided corn husks.

[@francoisgarcia3902]

très intéressent , vos vidéos sont bien faites , bravo !

[@MalcolmPL]

Merci.

[@knutzzl]

Just like medieval European shoes. Toes - heel.

[@MalcolmPL]

Exactly.

[@ChrissieBear]

Medieval Europeans also stepped on the toes instead of the heel.

[@yuranarsole9454]

I love that jacket. It looks fantastic!

[@MalcolmPL]

It does it’s job.

[@PierrePage-wj2ii]

Kwe skennen, you should receive Tobacco for all the Teachings you so generously transmit. Akwekon skennen tanon atateken

[@codewordslinkydog]

Modern shoes only last 3 months for me

[@leemason4024]

Weren't hawthorn spikes a concern with the soft moccasins? I once had a 2 or 3in hawthorn spike penetrate my trail runner "tennis shoes". It burned a lot, and I had trouble getting the shoe off because of the spike

[@MalcolmPL]

If you're used to walking barefoot you develop a great deal of sensibility with your soles, you learn to feel the ground where you step before you put weight on your foot. You learn to tread lightly and watch where you're stepping. Not infallible, but sufficient almost all of the time.

[@leemason4024]

@@MalcolmPL my father's answer at the time was much more succinct: who goes archery hunting in tennis shoes, you dope?!