I was at a gathering of friends the other night and it occurred to me, while dodging a bazillion pairs of boots in the arctic entryway, that here in Alaska we have some funny looking footwear. Moreover, I think we're a little bit proud of it. (Although we would never come right out and say it). The old saying goes that you can learn a lot about a man by walking a mile in his shoes, well--here is what Alaskan's footwear says about us:
The XTRATUF
also goes by 'tuffs, Southest Sneakers, or just rubber boots--like, is there really another kind?
Beloved and owned by almost all Alaskans this homely brown boot comes in a few varieties: steel-toed, regular and insulated or some combination thereof. They also come in a low-top "sneaker" form. You will see the densest concentration of this footwear in Southeast Alaska, or anywhere where commercial fishing is an economic staple. That being said, I see quite a few pairs of these bad-mamajamas hangin' around in Nome. I myself own a pair of the insulated ones, they keep my feet toasty and dry all the way down to about 5 degrees, then I have to switch out for my real winter boots.
When I go to visit my family in Southeast, this is the only pair of "shoes" I pack. Seriously,
they go with everything. And, yes, it is acceptable to wear them with skirts here in Alaska. You wouldn't get a second glance...Heck, some people even wear them at their weddings.
