# Policy on Clickers?



## gt102 (21 Apr 2005)

Does anyone know where I can purchase a few pair of these lil' suckers (The SNCO's at my corp have been looking into getting these)


----------



## PViddy (21 Apr 2005)

I doubt you'll be allowed to keep them.  Safety hazard...and if your Officers are doing their job... cadets is all about safety.

PV


----------



## PViddy (21 Apr 2005)

As a follow up, you may be interested in this.  **Note** this is the Air CATO's however Army is more than likely the same.

http://cadets.ca/_docs/cato-oaic/5504_b.pdf

regards

PV


----------



## gt102 (21 Apr 2005)

It has already been approved by our RSM and I assume (and hope) he ran it by the CO so... *shrugs shoulders*


When I was a young(er) cadet my SNCO's had the "Clickers" and the effect was pretty impressive

edit: anyways still.. anyone know where I can purchase these?


----------



## larry Strong (21 Apr 2005)

Most shoe repair shops should be able to help you out


----------



## PViddy (21 Apr 2005)

Again, i am sure "it's done" just given you a heads up from a supervisors perspective.  I would make sure your Chief ran it by the Brass first - before you go out and drop the cash.

good luck

PV


----------



## s23256 (21 Apr 2005)

Like larry said you should be able to get them at a decent shoe repair place.  When we got ours for the RMC colour party we went to the same place I got vibrams for my combat boots.


----------



## the 48th regulator (22 Apr 2005)

PViddy said:
			
		

> Again, i am sure "it's done" just given you a heads up from a supervisors perspective.  I would make sure your Chief ran it by the Brass first - before you go out and drop the cash.
> 
> good luck
> 
> PV



sorry to interject, but what have you supervised as an officer cadet?

The clickers, have been something in use in our regiment for years.   The only restraint being, us cheap mopes who would not go out and spend our beer money on a set.

just an observation, from what I read in your profile.

dileas

tess


----------



## Fishbone Jones (22 Apr 2005)

Go to the Shoemaker and get it done. They are not illegal in the Forces, just restricted in some areas like aircraft aprons, TDM's and bulk fuel storage, etc. If your in the Army Cadets and your just using them on parades, you should be good to go. I've had them on my boots through my forty odd year carreer, from Cadets til now, and still use them.


----------



## PViddy (22 Apr 2005)

> sorry to interject, but what have you supervised as an officer cadet?
> 
> The clickers, have been something in use in our regiment for years.   The only restraint being, us cheap mopes who would not go out and spend our beer money on a set.
> 
> ...



Well, let me break it down for you.  As an Officer, albeit a subordinate one till i receive my commission, i am in a supervisory position every time i am at my LHQ with cadets.  In prior threads we have talked about how everyone has a job in the CF-that's mine.  So i guess your answer is....lot's

cheers

PV


----------



## George Wallace (22 Apr 2005)

PViddy said:
			
		

> Well, let me break it down for you.   As an Officer, albeit a subordinate one till i receive my commission, i am in a supervisory position every time i am at my LHQ with cadets.   In prior threads we have talked about how everyone has a job in the CF-that's mine.   So i guess your answer is....lot's
> 
> cheers
> 
> PV



Just reading your response above and I see you need more experience.  I hope that you have garnered some experience and knowledge from some of the responses on this topic and walk away the better.


----------



## gt102 (22 Apr 2005)

okay... so as far as it goes, most shoe repair places should do it..correct?

how much is the ballpark price of this? 20-30?


----------



## the 48th regulator (22 Apr 2005)

Cheers George,

I could not have worded it better.

dileas

tess


----------



## Michael Dorosh (22 Apr 2005)

The Crowe said:
			
		

> okay... so as far as it goes, most shoe repair places should do it..correct?
> 
> how much is the ballpark price of this? 20-30?



I would say that is accurate.  Some places still have the "horseshoe" clickers, too, but they are not as loud or distinctive as the simple taps.


----------



## gt102 (22 Apr 2005)

Michael Dorosh said:
			
		

> I would say that is accurate.   Some places still have the "horseshoe" clickers, too, but they are not as loud or distinctive as the simple taps.



thanks for the help!


Thanks to all of you


----------



## Neill McKay (22 Apr 2005)

PViddy said:
			
		

> Again, i am sure "it's done" just given you a heads up from a supervisors perspective.   I would make sure your Chief ran it by the Brass first - before you go out and drop the cash.



That's very good advice.  While I don't see anything in the Army Cadet dress regs against them, they are forbidden in the air cadet dress regs.  It's worth noting that the air cadet dress regs were last revised in March, and I believe the other two elements will follow shortly.  (The revision to the sea cadet dress regs is out to the regions for comments now.)  While they may be permitted today, they may not be in a matter of months, so it could be a bit of a waste of money to have them installed.


----------



## Neill McKay (22 Apr 2005)

PViddy said:
			
		

> I doubt you'll be allowed to keep them.   Safety hazard...and if your Officers are doing their job... cadets is all about safety.



Apart from sparks (and consequent fires) when working around fuel (something not usually done in one's parade boots), what is the safety hazard with these things -- slipping?


----------



## larry Strong (22 Apr 2005)

I would think that would be the big one. But they sure do sound nice when you have a big parade ;D


----------



## PViddy (22 Apr 2005)

That's what i was thinking of when i posted, a slipping hazard..."Cadet breaks hip in Santa Claus parade blah blah" LOL sparks, now that's a lot of drill, although maybe you could use magnesium...sure would look cool when marching in slow time  ;D


PV


----------



## larry Strong (22 Apr 2005)

From my experience with cleats, they don't raise a lot of sparks. They used to be standard issue in the forces at one time, if memory serves me right I had a pair of ankle boot and Oxford's that were double soled and had cleats on. After we were issued with them in Cornwallis, they were taken to the base shoe shop or farmed out and came back like that. I don't recall any fires starting or anyone falling from them.


----------



## medicineman (22 Apr 2005)

The other safety hazard that comes from clickers is when one walks in from snowy/wet ground onto very smooth concrete (ie parade squares in an armouries) or walking on vaguely slippery surfaces - I've had them on my boots for 17 odd years, and still consciously think about how I walk when I come indoors or am parading in the winter time because things tend to be REALLY slippery at first.   It really doesn't look too cool (or feel good for that matter) when you visit the floor in a head first sort of attitude.   Well, OK, it might look cool if it's someone you really don'tlike...

MM


----------



## TCBF (22 Apr 2005)

Cleated ankle boots are/were in the system, at least as auth contracted mods.

  In 1981, with Ceremonial guard, all were issued four pair of ankle boots, two normal pair, and two pair triple soled, with Howes Oak, and large fore and aft cleats.  I wore one pair of the triple soled throgh teaching at CFRS and CFLRS as well as Regimental parades.  The other pair are still brand new, unworn.

Someone who has done CG, or is in the GGHG, CGG or the GGFG may be albe to give you the NSNs.


----------



## q_1966 (22 Apr 2005)

the Blakey's, aka. Heel Clickers were issued to us in D&C 2004, Vernon   *Thank-you to all the D&C WO's for making this possible*   we had to pay $.50 per boot to have it put on. (Courtesy of our Platoon WO's and other platoon members to cover the cost of the clickers.)

If you do nail them in yourself, dont nail them into the little holes in the heel of the boot, it messes the boots up, those holes (on the heel)   are were they nail the heel into the boot.
You can pick up the nails at your hardware store, if i remember right they were about a half inch long and had a round head, like a finishing nail. not sure maybe someone can refresh my memory

as far as rules, 

Your Not allowed to wear them when traveling on an airplane, so take them of prior to going to camp or the like

goes with the bus as well, they might tolerate it at your local HQ dependin on your circumstances (ask), but they Wont tolerate it when going to and from camp

If your corps has a wooden floor for a parade square, your also not allowed to wear them as they will scuff and dent the floor, as long as its Cement or Asphault your parading on, your ok


----------



## s23256 (23 Apr 2005)

$20-$30 seems pretty extreme I think I paid $8.00 for mine.


----------



## gt102 (24 Apr 2005)

question for Hamiltonions...

Any recomended places to get this done?


----------



## pbi (24 Apr 2005)

Wow-this brings back memories! When I was in the RRegtC (1974-1982) quite a few of us got our drill boots completely hobnailled and horseshoed. It was a bit tricky on slippery surfaces, but the _sound!_ Nothing like a guard of honour crunching along the pavement, then crashing to a halt, steel on concrete!

I remember when we did Farewell to Calgary in 1PP in 1997: the sound of a battalion's worth of boots, most of them with clickers or horseshoes, echoing off the walls of the glass canyons downtown was quite impressive.

I still have the heel clickers on my present set of drill boots.

Cheers.


----------



## bossi (24 Apr 2005)

There is also a practical side to having toe/heel cleats.
As taught to me by a wonderful RCR S/M when he was RSS at my unit, they prevent leather soles/heels from wearing down so fast (i.e. especially when you've gone to the expense of having your shoes/boots double/triple-soled, which makes them wonderful for parade square bashing without breaking small bones in your feet).

On my more expensive civvy shoes, I have *nylon* toe/heel cleats installed ... it's the frugal side of me, I know - cheaper than completely resoling shoes that still have lots of life in their uppers ... (hmmm ... we still don't have a kilted smiley face, I see ...)

And, yes - I love my hobnails, too ... but not when they've just waxed the floors ... yikes - it's worse than skating on Teflon!
Thus, I keep one pair of triple-soled pde boots for wearing with spats (which are inevitably only worn for ceremonial pdes), triple-soled brogues for parade square bashing, another pair of brogues with nylon for and aft cleats for general, gentle usage (e.g. mess kit, since Highland dance with hobnails would end up an Extreme sport on Spike TV ...).


----------



## pbi (24 Apr 2005)

> As taught to me by a wonderful RCR S/M when he was RSS at my unit



Was that Sgt Maj Boris Damjanoff?

Cheers.


----------



## bossi (24 Apr 2005)

pbi said:
			
		

> Was that Sgt Maj Boris Damjanoff?



Of course!
Funny story:  I was in the recruiting office, helping fill out some forms for the Verification of Former Service of a guy who'd been in the Cdn Guards decades before.  Suddenly, his back stiffened as he heard those distinctive shoes crossing the parade square purposefully ... and as he rose to his feet to stand ramrod straight for the greeting and inspection he knew would follow, he asked, "Do you have somebody here named Damjanoff?"


----------



## clericalchronicals (18 Feb 2012)

Question for anyone out there who knows, seems to be a slight debate on the topic, but what is the policy on having "clickers" on your parade boots?  As well, if it's permitted, is it a pan-CF thing?  Cheers!


----------



## clericalchronicals (18 Feb 2012)

And I should add the question right off the bat: scenario of a navy instructor at a school (not on ship) wearing them.


----------



## Fishbone Jones (18 Feb 2012)

There was a time, in Basic, where you got two sets of ankle boots and two sets of oxfords. One set of each, immediately went to the base shoe maker and were double soled, double heeled and cleated.

I've had a set of boots done that way from '68 til now and it's never been questioned. A number of my soldiers have also had it done.


----------



## clericalchronicals (18 Feb 2012)

Thanks for responding.  Just so happens I have a set of the old style parades (the good ones, before vibram became a food group) and they are in excellent condition, two hours and they are like glass...but I'm just wondering now, I've heard before that navy senior NCO's not posted to a ship could wear them, but I can't seem to find anything anywhere that says yes OR no. So meanwhile I'd love to have the sharp sound of the boots, I'd rather not be murdered for doing so.  Any insight here?


----------



## Fishbone Jones (18 Feb 2012)

Ask your Chief, or equivalent where you are.


----------



## clericalchronicals (18 Feb 2012)

Certainly in my plans, but before approaching the CoC on it, wanted to get some input, experience or perhaps find someone who already knows the answer.


----------



## Fishbone Jones (18 Feb 2012)

Makes sense not aboard ship. The only place we ever ran into problems was they weren't allowed on the aircraft aprons. Other than those two places, I don't forsee too much flak.


----------



## clericalchronicals (18 Feb 2012)

Yeah, I suppose I just wanted to make sure it wasn't an "army only" kind of thing. Thanks for the info!


----------



## Loachman (18 Feb 2012)

recceguy said:
			
		

> The only place we ever ran into problems was they weren't allowed on the aircraft aprons.



Or in aircraft hangars or anywhere around aircraft.


----------



## cupper (18 Feb 2012)

Also don't want to wear them in an explosive environment, due to potential spark hazard.


----------



## IntlBr (18 Feb 2012)

recceguy said:
			
		

> There was a time, in Basic, where you got two sets of ankle boots and two sets of oxfords. One set of each, immediately went to the base shoe maker and were double soled, double heeled and cleated.
> 
> I've had a set of boots done that way from '68 til now and it's never been questioned. A number of my soldiers have also had it done.



This is still done today (well.... 2008) when new Guardsmen arrive in Ottawa at "Depot" (aka, Carleton University) for the Intensive Drill Period (work-up training)!  I have my set and most recently took them to St Jean for BMOQ.  Sadly, that was probably the last time I will ever wear my beautiful boots with clickers since, "Officers don't wear boots [on parade]!" ....


----------



## TN2IC (18 Feb 2012)

I have clickers on the boots... wear them in my garage(workplace). When people question me, I just tell them I had them done on my PLQ way back. Dodge1936 should remember me there. ;D

Once time clickers were frown at, due to propane engines. But those days are long gone.


----------



## Fdtrucker (19 Feb 2012)

I've had my boots double soled, had both front and heel with clickers on them for years. I had zero issues with  superiors over the years. Even had to double gun tape them to get onto aircrafts a few times. The only negative side is that I have almost landed on the backside a few times on polished hallway floors. Propane powered vehs were a non issues as I was driving smp with combat/ssf jump/garrison boots.


----------



## TN2IC (19 Feb 2012)

How did I know you were going to reply after me? =D


----------



## WEng87 (1 Dec 2018)

Hey everyone, 

Quick question, I have a pair of the old style parade boots and they have Clickers on them. What's the policy on Clickers these days? Not sure if it has changed at all.  I stopped wearing them because we weren't allowed to have them while on ship.

I know the CO wears them and some SNCOs, but we know how that old saying of "do as I say, not as I do" goes.

Thanks!


----------



## garb811 (1 Dec 2018)

I’ve worn them since the start with zero issues.


----------



## WEng87 (1 Dec 2018)

Thanks once again Garb. Double thanks if you're the one that combined my thread in with the other....  Should've done a little better homework.  Damn mobile's..


----------



## Franko (1 Dec 2018)

Worn them for the past 30 years and never had an issue.

Regards


----------



## SupersonicMax (2 Dec 2018)

Why would people want clickers??


----------



## dangerboy (2 Dec 2018)

SupersonicMax said:
			
		

> Why would people want clickers??



They are useful when you do parades, having a full BN do a march past with clickers sounds good and helps people stay in step.


----------



## brihard (2 Dec 2018)

SupersonicMax said:
			
		

> Why would people want clickers??



‘Cause they click.


----------



## mariomike (2 Dec 2018)

SupersonicMax said:
			
		

> Why would people want clickers??



I did not wear them, but have read some discussions,

Looking for Cobbler that sells clickers in Toronto  
https://army.ca/forums/threads/107044/post-1164238#msg1164238
"My God man! You'll have the safety freaks hunting you down with dull knives if you put those dastardly things on your boots!"

Member of Ceremonial Guard Wounded by Bayonet  
https://army.ca/forums/threads/106511/post-1155101.html#msg1155101
"I came back to post when I had the epiphany of the fact that it was most likely the metal "clickers" that so many put under their boots."
4 pages.

Oxfords
https://army.ca/forums/threads/37832.0
"Does anybody put "clickers" in these?"

etc...


----------



## blacktriangle (2 Dec 2018)

dangerboy said:
			
		

> They are useful when you do parades, having a full BN do a march past with clickers sounds good and helps people stay in step.



We actually have a full BN these days?


----------



## RocketRichard (2 Dec 2018)

I wore clickers on my boots back in the day and it was much easier to be in step especially when the soldiers put a bit of extra emphasis on the left foot. Always wondered if officers put them on their oxfords/shoes back then...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## brihard (2 Dec 2018)

I've still got clickers on a couple pairs of drill boots form my Ceremonial Guard days back in 2005/06. I don't know if they still get them there, I know at the time it sounded great. I also know that making everyone walk on pavement/cobbles with small metal plates on the toes and heels of their boots is really dumb, as as Mariomike mentioned, may have contributed to one troop getting a bayonet through his arm a few years ago. I've also been the tumbling part in a clicker wipeout. From an occupational health and safety standpoint it's exceptionally dumb.

They sound sharp as hell though, and for that reason, and because as soldiers we irrationally do dumb stuff sometimes, a lot of us still like to have them, myself included- for the very rare times where I'm wearing drill boots.


----------



## Kat Stevens (2 Dec 2018)

SupersonicMax said:
			
		

> Why would people want clickers??


Because hobnail boots are getting hard to find.


----------



## Journeyman (3 Dec 2018)

SupersonicMax said:
			
		

> Why would people want clickers??


Seldom talked about, but the stigma is real;  donate today to find a cure for tap-dancer envy!



			
				dangerboy said:
			
		

> They are useful when you do parades...


Ah, well then, you enjoy.  

"We can't all be heroes, because somebody has to sit on the curb and clap when they go by."
         Will Rogers (1879 - 1935)

:cheers:


----------



## dapaterson (3 Dec 2018)

Am I the only one who thinks of this every time someone says "clicker"?


----------



## Nfld Sapper (3 Dec 2018)

dapaterson said:
			
		

> Am I the only one who thinks of this every time someone says "clicker"?



That is a clacker...  ;D


----------

