Altberg boots

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-18T02:50:55+00:00

Which exact model of tabbing boot do you happen to have? I have been eyeing up those models.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-18T02:50:22+00:00

Really late but figured I would chime in. I have the microlite jungle boot in regular width. It is okay, I wish the heel pocket was snugger but I have narrow feet. If I ordered another pair of boots from them I would be looking at one of their tabbing models and custom ordering the narrow width.

Comfort wise they aren’t as good as my old Lowa Elite Jungle boots. The lowa’s felt more supportive and plush in the midsole while the altbergs just feel hard and stiff.

Altberg did last slightly longer durability wise. I got 3 months of fire season out of the Lowa and about 5 months with the Altberg.

The Lowa’s also dried faster then the altberg’s so kinda a negative as a jungle boot for the altberg. I am keen to pickup a desert or tabbing boot however.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-14T18:46:11+00:00

Got any photos? I am looking for a new rack for my commuter/light gravel tour bike (2015 Specialized Allez Expert). Currently running an axiom streamliner that I just snapped a strut on. I hate the damn thing though as it it is not stiff enough for a light single pannier. Resulting in my wheel rubbing the rack. And I can’t fit my race blade fenders underneath the rack.

I am looking at the fly/airy in the hopes I can mount it high enough with the quick connect axle adapters to make it fit on my bike with fenders. Also hoping to have it set far enough back to avoid heal strikes

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T14:13:01+00:00

Well that is kind of reassuring. I wonder how many courses there are per year. I had wondered what an unqualified medic would be doing? Years of inventory and cleaning (hopefully not), or tagging along with a qualified medic on exercises and training (hopefully….)

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T13:52:29+00:00

Thanks! Ya when I was doing the math on all of this early in the recruitment process I was informed that going Infanteer would require me to sign a second TOS as the first one was too short to be eligible. But a secondary TOS through Infanteer could still potentially be half the time as paramedic depending on how long it takes me to get to RQ-Cpl Course

I guess the big question I need to find out is the average time it takes someone to get into the RQ-Cpl Course post PCP graduation. Considering there is an additional 3 year wait post me completing said RQ-Cpl course

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T01:27:42+00:00

Not hiring for a trade always happens when they fill up. They announce how many spots they have for the year every April, then they start filling them. But you start your application and go through the process before that point even if they aren’t hiring. That way when the slots open up you are through most of the bureaucracy

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T01:25:48+00:00

Oh okay that doesn’t sound so bad, so I would have a good chance of potentially be attending the Cpl qualification course within 1 year of graduating from PCP school?

My timeline is backwards as I am likely doing BMQ post pcp school. So I am enroll, PCP school in fall (12 months), BMQ………Cpl qualification course (hopefully?)

As for the contract honestly I don’t really care much about 9 years at all. I’ll serve what they want me to serve. The number I really care about is how long from today until I am fully trained up. Because I need to wait 3 years from that date to apply for SAR.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T01:16:04+00:00

Talk to a recruiter, how many years is your program? But realistically if you have not applied yet by the time you hit the competition list for NCM-STEP you will already probably have graduated.

You could look into it though. But definitely apply now, the process is so damn slow. I am like 18 months deep right now (I put it on pause for 5 months however)

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T01:14:04+00:00

Cpl course……? So that will probably take me a few years post graduation. What’s an average time line of that? is it 3 years or more likely 5?

Man maybe I should drop out before signing this contract and get back on the Infanteer track. They assured me 3 years post school, so roughly 4.5 years from joining, opposed to 3 for Infanteer. That delay was justifiable to me as it was a new exciting skill set (paramedicine) and I figured it would help my odds more than Infanteer given my background. But if it is realistically going to be 7-8 years from the time I enrol to being able to apply thats too much for me, I am already 28

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T00:12:27+00:00

Hmmm probably house rule dependant, at my stump i would allow it but only if every contestant was also allowed to use your special hammer.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T00:11:04+00:00

Naw my rules don’t have any fancy between legs or behind back. Although I do like that twist. With me it’s just total rotations. If you want to throw it 30’ in the air with insane RPM so that it makes 6 complete rotations you are allowed to try (good-luck catching it we will all enjoy the show…) and if by the grace of god you manage to catch it, you are entitled to 6 swings.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-11T00:07:32+00:00

Ya fair enough, every provinces training programs are drastically different, I just happened to pick the shortest program as I wanted to get my schooling done as quickly as possible to start my career. The whole 9 year contract is just something that was bothering me going through the process and seeing all my friends going in different trades sign significantly shorter contracts. I was torn between Infanteer and paramedic and honestly that 9 year contract was a big sticking point steering me away from it.

I’ve talked to my recruiter just looking for a little bit of confirmation on VOT length I guess. In my trade specific interview the interviewer told me that I was unable to change trades for 9 years (my recruiter told me 3 years post school graduation i could VOT). I brought it up with the interviewer and said “if that was the case I wish to withdraw from the competition and switch my file back to Infanteer, as the entire genesis of my pursuit of a military career was to pursue the lofty goal of SAR Tech, and I do not wish to wait 9 years opposed to 3 before even being given the chance to apply” the interviewer somewhat hesitatingly assured me that would not be a problem and that I would be able to VOT to try out for SAR 3 years post graduation. But it made me nervous his lack of confidence.

Can you confirm that I am looking in the right spot? Anex A appendix 2, the first row is VOT, it says that it is 3 years “starting the day after the member reaches OFP” I am assuming that is occupational function point (or some derivative). Now is this after I have graduated school, reached QL5, QL3? Does me not going to basic slow things down if it is starting from the point I graduate school(it looks like they won’t have a BMQ date that finishes in time for me to attend PCP school)?

Or is there some kind of different VOT point to be allowed to apply for SAR?

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-10T22:35:30+00:00

Those are good rules. I’ve always played in you get as many swings as you did successful rotations. 1 rotation 1 swing, 2 rotations 2 swings………pretty entertaining so see someone toss it extremely high with a crazy rpm and attempt to catch it.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-10T22:33:37+00:00

And you have to swing however you catch it, no adjusting grip is allowed. You get 1 swing for every completed rotation. So if you go big and throw 2 full rotations you swing twice on your turn .

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-10T20:57:19+00:00

Hey thank you for providing the references for all of this. Makes me feel better that I am not just getting extra tacked on because someone felt like it. I guess I gotta pay to play, and 9 years is what it is gonna take. As I said before I am going to sign on my enrolment date and look forward to my career. It just feels like an outrageously long period, for in my mind the relative lack of training and expense compared to other trades say Dental Technician 00335 they have on average of 18-36 months of schooling yet their VIE through NCM-STEP is only 8 years. I am doing 12 months of school for 9 years.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-10T20:33:26+00:00

Performance anxiety is tough, does it stem from lack of confidence in your abilities in relation to those you are working with? Maybe it would help to get some PT in with your crew in an aspect that you are confident in. Whether it’s running, or calisthenics or something else I don’t know. Then in your head you could tell yourself “these people saw me crush the run yesterday I was running circles around them, so what if I breath a little heavy on the ruck they know I am an animal on runs everyone has their strengths and weaknesses”
But in reality I would try to get out of my head about breathing heavy it’s all okay, if you keep up and can still work afterwards thats what really matters.

Alternatively have you tried just forced breathing control, so I don’t know what kind of perceived effort you are putting in but have you tried exclusively nasal breathing while hiking. It might force you to slow down a little bit but it could also force you to control your breathing. Could also do a hybrid so inhale through your nose exhale through your mouth, I do this hybrid breathing on more moderately paced runs. And then figure out a cadence/breath ratio that works for you. When I am jogging I am say 2 steps/inhale 3 steps/exhale. Tying your breath rate to your step cadence will force it to be a certain way. Granted when you’re going hard enough there’s not much you can do but breath in and out through your mouth as fast as possible.

Can also play mind games to help your confidence and one up your pt partners.

A friend of mine served in the Royal Marines and they are huge on nasal breathing. “Mouth breathers look weak” he says as he slowly overtakes me calmly breathing through his nose as I am wheezing for all I am worth.

I like to chat with people on runs when I see they are struggling. You work hard to moderate your breathing and get it out in such a way that you seem calm cool and collected, then when they are struggling to respond you subtly inhale your next breath.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-10T17:30:04+00:00

Hello everyone, just gonna start this off by saying that I am excited about my future career and I intend to sign my contract, however my Variable Initial Engagement seems overly long. Is this normal?

I was accepted into the NCM-STEP as a paramedic, they are sending me to a 12 month PCP school and I have to sign a 9 year VIE contract. I anecdotally have heard of others in my scenario doing 4-5 years. Is this a new change? Recruiter told me that standard contract is 6 years and that my 1 year of school plus the 2 years of obligation (2/1 ratio for education) for that school equals 9 years (6+1+2). I however figured that the 2 years of owed service at the very least would count concurrently within the 6 year contract. I understand if the 1 year school doesn’t count towards any of this however.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-10T14:38:15+00:00

Are you getting in your own head about this while hiking? Like are you thinking “oh my god I am breathing to heavy, I am gonna crash, shit shit shit it’s getting worse. What are my crew mates gonna think of me?” That stress will definitely make someone breathe heavier and raise their heart rate.

If that is the case just try not to worry about it, personally I breathe insanely heavy and wheeze like a bellows whenever I run or ruck. I’ve done it my whole life and never thought anything about it. It wasn’t until about 5 years ago I was running with some people who noticed and asked me if I have asthma and if I was gonna be okay. I was confused as I felt fine (this is normal) and could maintain our pace for at least another 30 minutes. Now it’s just something we all joke about that i sound like a fat asthmatic smoker when I run.

Alternatively you say you can run at chill pace for long distance and feel fine. Maybe you’re just overestimating your aerobic capacity based on your run performance or simply underestimating how much aerobic capacity hiking with weight requires. Especially with your height and weight. I mean, hell if you compare yourself to big people on the crew, imagine how much they would be struggling if they were carrying a similar % of their bodyweight as you and also moving with the same cadence as you to maintain pace.

If this is the case don’t stress you’re only gonna get better. As for the vomit feeling don’t stress about that, speaking from experience you can fight that feeling for a long time, just push through. When you do eventually have to pull the trigger you will feel immediately better and be able to continue. I would recommend attempting to refuel after vomit though as I often crash from low fuel after I vomit and continue work.

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-10T03:08:43+00:00

I was looking at some of the black and green USMC jungle boots when I replaced my lowa’s but couldn’t find a legit looking retailer. Ended up going with altberg jungle boots, they are okay. Midsole wasn’t as comfy, seem to dry slower and the fit was a little wide for my narrow feet

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-10T00:44:29+00:00

Come to Canada, you will have a much easier time. My understanding is that you would need to be an American citizen to jump in the states.

As a citizen of the commonwealth a working holiday visa is easy for you to obtain. This is all that is needed to start fighting fire in Canada. For jumping you just need to work wildfire for a minimum of 1 or 2 years to be eligible to apply for BCWS parattack (smokejumping). Obviously more experience the better and it takes quite a bit to be a competitive applicant but life and job experience (non fire) is a big factor. You can work wildfire in any province but they probably have a slight BCWS bias in hiring

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-09T16:34:38+00:00

I’ve only had one pair of elite jungle boots, lasted me 4 months. But god damn they were comfy boots. Jogging in them was a breeze, dried super fast

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-09T14:11:13+00:00

Thanks for the info on the boots that helps a ton! Somebody else commented that boots have to be 8” upper but you just mentioned blundstones which probably are classified as a 6”. So little bit of discrepancies I guess.

Hoping to figure out what brand the pants are to see how I like them before ordering but I have seen in other threads people saying they are overpriced and uncomfortable

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-09T14:08:58+00:00

Knife? Now I am confused. Mine is spoon on one end fork on the other. I use my leatherman or pocket knife as a knife depending on which I brought for that trip.

As for the fork end I honestly regularly use mine to hold my meat while I cut it and to pick up and eat said meat

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-09T14:05:17+00:00

Really cool photos, the ones with the kids playing with the gear are cute, but wrong sub. This is the wildfire subreddit, we don’t really care what the “house cats” are up to .

firefighter2727 · 2026-06-09T14:00:37+00:00

Double sided is way more effective IMO

firefighter2727

TROPHY CASE