These days, a new pair of quality senior boots and accompanying saber cost Aggie cadets about $1,700. For cadets who struggle with the cost of tuition, that kind of price tag can be staggering.

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Not sure your numbers are correct, unless the price of boots has gone up $400 in the last couple of years.

Yeah, that seems a little steep. Also, how many Zips really need sabers?

Yeah, we don't even play SMU anymore.

I have an official USAF sword I am happy to donate. I would prefer it be passed down to a deserving financially-challenged cadet each year, though.

I dont doubt the cost. What I wouldnt mind seeing is the cost to make a pair vs. the cost to buy a pair....i bet the markup is outrageous. Send someone through the corps and there isnt a price most won't pay....like selling water in the desert.

The leather isn't the expensive part. Knowing how to cut the leather, sew the leather and bend the leather takes experience.

Maybe the cadets should learn to make their own boots.

According to the Corps of Cadets, the boots for the class of 2011 have been quoted from Holik's at $1,082.50 with tax, and the sabers at $536 with tax. For a total of $1,618.34. Looks like we were a little off.

Thanks for the catch!

bootmaking and sabre forging 101.... could that fall under the college of liberal arts?

Is that saber made of gold? I seem to remember a price that was slightly less.

Mine were $996.66 in 2002, including boots, bags, spurs, butterflies and sales tax.

A new saber runs about $250-300 today.



[This message has been edited by Ryan the Temp (edited 11/30/2009 2:20p).]

How much is the Sam Browne going for these days?

Should be $111 for c/o 2011 and $112 for c/o 2012, etc.

So is this an endowed gift or a donation each year? If this is endowed how much is required? Just curious.

I couldn't afford boots and ended up borrowing a pair from the Corps Center. Old Ags pass away and their families don't know what to do with their boots so they donate them. They easily have several dozen pairs. If you can find a pair that fits you can borrow them for the year. I was happy to have this option but I think this Foundation program is great so cadets can actually have a pair of their own.

I get the idea it is per year, not endowed. it costs $25,000 to endow a $500 scholarship, from what I understand, so that makes it about $85,000 to endow an award.

When my father was in the Corps a large number of cadets didn't keep their boots. Many of them were sold to Juniors at the end of the year. He bought his boots from a senior in another outfit (obviously someone with the same size foot & calf) then sold them again after his senior year. He specifically recalls seeing numorous seniors during the second pass @ final review in low quarters sinch they'd just sold their boots.

Endowments through the Texas A&M Foundation start at $25,000. You can also choose to fund an annual gift to support a cadet like Claudia and Fred Jackson '68.

To fund your own Boots and Saber Award or provide other support for deserving members of Texas A&M’s Corps of Cadets, contact Brian Bishop ‘91 with the Texas A&M Foundation at (979) 862-4085 or bishop@tamu.edu.

Boots = MUST

Sabre = LUXURY

You would be much better off taking the money for 2-3 sabres and buying a pair of boots for someone.

Sabres and Sam Browne belts should be passed down...no need to buy those new every year.

I know plenty of NROTC Marine Option Cadets who never bought boots because of the large cost of all of the Marine uniforms they would be paying.
Boots are not a must, when Marine Mameluke and the 8-10 grand in uniforms after graduation are the uniform that will be worn for atleast the next 4 years.

Good grief - I had no idea these were so expensive.

My guess is that we could have both manufactured in China and have boots + sabre for under $100.


/I keed, I keed... but seriously, no reason they should cost that much.

Let's pretend: You are in the Corp (D&C or Contract no matter) and you are going to want a pair of Boots. That means as a fish I need to save a meager amount per day (someone do the math please, am sure its under $5 a day) and before it's time to buy them you will have the funds. I know, I know denying yourself something and perhaps working part time is a totally foreign and novel idea. BUT what an idea...and the best part is you did it the "Old Army" way, you earned it.

you are still spending >$500 on something you not only wont wear every day, but not more than about 6 months of that year.
they are worn nowhere else, and other than being keepsakes have no use after may.
seems like a waste.

you can rent boots for free from the corps center... they have almost 100 pairs... seriously. for years senior boots were passed down

I agree with BCOBQ98. I just borrowed my buddy's whenever I was OD. I figured I would get one later on just for decoration.

My boots mean more to me than any other possession, and it isn't close. The $700 I paid for them in 1989 is nothing compared to the symbolic and sentimental value for which they hold. I'll kick in some money to help out.

Sabers were passed down in my outfit. You'll only NEED one if you're a CO or a staff rat.

Your boots are more important than your ring?

waste of money

My boots are #2 on my list behind my Ring in importance. If you have never been in the Corps and worn Senior Boots, you will never understand. I wore mine so much I had to have them resoled before the end of my Zip year.

But your ring you wear for the rest of your life. I guess you could wear your boots but that would be a lil weird

Unless you do a lot of horseback riding.

I had to get mine resoled second semester from sliding down the ramp a few times

I bring out my boots every year for the Rodeo.

the day i got my boots was more memorable than the day i got my ring. save the money, work part time. those boots mean a lot to anyone who has worn them.

quote:

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That means as a fish I need to save a meager amount per day (someone do the math please, am sure its under $5 a day)

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I understand the idea behind this, but it doesnt always work out in reality. I had ~$25 a week for food/spending money for my first 2 years. If I had purchased a meal plan as is required in the corps, I would have had negative money. Please tell me where $1 per day comes out of that.

I am not saying that earning the money to pay for your own boots isnt best, but the "just set aside X dollars per day" example is pretty worthless for a lot of people.