Does Indy double knot or just tie his Aldens?

[IndyMaster]

Does anybody happen to have and screengrabs indicating whether or not Indy double knots his Aldens? Because sometimes I see people with their shoes tied once (ya know, around the tree), not that their Indy...

[Indyzane]

I've been wondering this myself! Hopefully someone has a screen grab. I know tundraider has allot of info on this. Maybe he'll chime in on this one.

[binkmeisterRick]

I thought he used velcro...

[Indyzane]

I thought he used velcro...

[Michaelson]

There's OTHER side of that coin too, as Indy, as an adventurer, knows there are chances he may fall into deep water and have to swim some distance. If he can't get his heavy water filled Aldens off in time, he's going to drown. Double knot isn't the way to go in this situation.

So, as usual, it would all depend on the circumstances and where he is at any given time.

Just to clarify, this isn't one of those questions no one hasn't thought of or asked before. It just falls under the line of questions like 'which side of the bed do you think Indy gets out of every morning?' It kind of depends on where he's sleeping at the time, doesn't it, so who knows?

Regards! Michaelson

[Indyzane]

I've been wondering this myself! Hopefully someone has a screen grab. I know tundraider has allot of info on this. Maybe he'll chime in on this one.

Thanks for you vote of confidence, Zane, but I have no idea.

No worries! I like your new boots by the way! I'm very jealous! I think I'm going to "Suntan" my Aldens like you mentioned in your thread. Anyways..... back to the thread.

[afterthedog]

The IndyGear main site has some screen grabs, but they don't really show how Indy ties his boots aside from not lacing them all the way up. Personally, I find this very uncomfortable, so I just lace 'em and tie 'em. My jeans and pinks cover them up anyway.

[donovan]

if you have the'complete making of indiana jones' book theres a shot on pg227 of indy sitting on the motorbike from LC. his boots can be clearly seen and from what i can tell those laces look to me to be double knotted. i may be wrong but as he hasn't used all the lace hooks on the boot the loops of the laces look kinda short to only be tied once .

[Long John Tinfoil]

Of course, he may have replaced the original laces with something shorter.

LJ

[Indyzane]

I think like M said there is two sides to the story here. There is the movie magic version like what's mention in Donovans post. Harrison ford probably tied his aldens in a double knot to keep them under control during the production of making the movie. Then like M said there is the version of what would Indy do in real life? If he was being chased like in the begging of Raiders and his boots filled up with water I doubt he tied them with double knots. I guess it depends on what you think is best. I personally don't like double knots on my Aldens. To each his own on this one.

[Michaelson]

True, but Indy went into the water on numerous occasions and never dumped his boots. I can think of a few...swimming to Jock's plane, going over the falls, escape from fire consumed water beneath the library, swimming out to the submarine...
Losing your shoes in able to swim better has it's down side, as well; running around barefoot when you reach safety. Remember "Die Hard?"

Sorry, I was trying to state real world requirements in my reply. I also qualifed my comment 'swim any distance', not the short distance from rope to plane as seen in Raiders, which actually DID totally wear Ford out in the constant reshooting of the scene.

All of Indy's examples are fictional, so if you're talking fiction....I go with bink's reply. Velcro.

Regards! Michaelson

[Tennessee Smith]

Oops! I just remembered Indy also going overboard at the beginning of Last Crusade. Wow, this guy's taken his gear into the water A LOT!!

Michael

Yeah, he had no need to use alcohal to get the shine off his jacket!!!

As far as a double knot for his adventures, I don't see the need for it with Alden's laces and don't know why he would. I wear boots every day at my job and have for years (granted I haven't been chased by Hovitos...yet). My Alden's are the only pair I've EVER owned that didn't require a double knot. They've haven't come undone on me so far and I suspect they won't in the future.

-TS

[Michaelson]

Don't forget, Aldens has two lengths of laces, 54" and 45". I opt for 45" anytime I get a new pair, or have to replace them. That way I don't have to deal with laces 'too long'.

Regards! Michaelson

[Michaelson]

If you have to double knot them due to length, I guarantee you have the 54" versions.

Next time ask for the 45" replacements. You'll be pleased you did. I've NEVER had to double knot mine, ever, and have worn them in all types of weather and activities, and have never had them come untied.

Regards! Michaelson

[Luke Warmwater]

I read in the Making Of book (I think) that Ford actually swam from the Bantu Wind to the sub with his boots on. Any confirmation?

[Michaelson]

None that I've ever read. I'd be very surprised, though. It was one of the very first shots of the film. The last thing they wanted to do was drown their star on the very first day of filming!

Regards! Michaelson

[jnicktem]

Well I am sure if it was dangerous- they would have filmed more of the movie first.

[interbak]

As a note on swimming with your boots on. A couple of years ago I took the "offshore survival" training course down in Louisiana. This is the course everyone who works on offshore oil rigs and such has to take. Things like escaping from overturned, submerged helicopters, setting up and climbing into life rafts etc. etc. They specifically told us to keep our boots on in the water. The leather doesn't soak up water that fast, and being filled with water doesn't make any difference as long as you're still in the water, only once you get out, or try to climb into the raft. Your feet will be covered in water weather inside a boot or not, and it's better to have the protection of the boot than to go barefoot.

This according to the survival experts,

Brian

[maboot38]

There's OTHER side of that coin too, as Indy, as an adventurer, knows there are chances he may fall into deep water and have to swim some distance. If he can't get his heavy water filled Aldens off in time, he's going to drown. Double knot isn't the way to go in this situation.

Actually, I think that very thing happened in one of the MacGregor Indy books. I remember thinking it strange that Indy "kicked off his boots" in the water, knowing how much of a ##### it is to get them off sometimes.

[Michaelson]

Yep, but as interbak points out above, apparently the conventional thinking along those lines have changed, so I guess it all depends on the situation now.

The Navy and Marines used to ALWAYS teach kicking off your boots when going into the water....and yet now they're talking about training while wearing boots when running AND swimming...so I stand corrected!

Regards! Michaelson

[maboot38]

Yep, but as interbak points out above, apparently the conventional thinking along those lines have changed, so I guess it all depends on the situation now.

The Navy and Marines used to ALWAYS teach kicking off your boots when going into the water....and yet now they're talking about training while wearing boots when running AND swimming...so I stand corrected!

Regards! Michaelson

I guess it might be fair to say that before you plan on crashing into a lake, you should throw your boots in water. If they sink quickly, remember that so you can remove them in the water. If they float, keep 'em on. For example, I'm pretty sure if Gene Simmons fell into a lake, he'd take his boots off.

Either way, the double-knot vs. single debate remains open because I sure can't tell.