LAST JANUARY 2011, DES Footwear, makers of Bamboo Military Shoes, approached me and made known their intention to test their locally-made shoes. This, they believe, would help them upgrade their product and procure the best materials that would give them better confidence to penetrate the market.
Their factory is located in Basak-Pardo, Cebu City, Philippines. Basically, their shoes are MADE IN CEBU; so very distinct from the more popular cheap shoes made in Carcar, which is also a part of Cebu. Their shoes, just like in Carcar, are hand-made and done by skilled local labor and are stitched for long wear and good shape retention.
And so, I was given a free pair of their Millennium Patrol Shoes and another free pair of their Charol Parade Shoes, both Size 10. Their parade shoes are made of shiny black leatherette uppers and locally-made rubber soles. I have worn the pair rarely and these have not seen much abuse unlike that of the patrol shoes.
The patrol shoes are made of genuine leather, dyed black, with local rubber soles. Inside are fully-padded insoles and flexible shank for extra support. It had seen constant pounding through walking and day-to-day use going to the office and on the field and holds all my weight of 95+ kilos. However, by May, the soles start to crack and, in June, water leaked inside.
In July, Bamboo Military Shoes replaced the much-abused pair with another free pair with much better rubber soles that is hard as it is oil-resistant. Aside from the walking and the constant daily use, the shoes have been used regularly to push the motorcycle stand upright which use the left foot and crank-start it with the other foot.
Likewise, the Millennium’s look and feel serve well in very official functions and setting. Although designed for rugged use, its simple design could very well complement any formal attire and the leather is very easy to buff and shine or daubed with commercial-dye solutions.
According to Mr. Fermin Uy, the bulk of their sales are from the Charol Parade Shoes which are bought and used by policemen, security guards and criminology students. Their patrol shoes have not caught on the trend yet but I can’t see any reason why these sturdy shoes would not be worn someday by civilian security forces and the military if it were advertised through conventional means.
Since DES Footwear is a small company, funds to spend for advertisement are very scarce and whatever income collected from sales are diverted instead for production expenses which are increasing every quarter due to an influx of demand. It is for this intention that DES Footwear decided to utilize this person to test and market their products.
This writer is indeed very glad to have DES Footwear as a sponsor to further his passion as an adventure-travel writer. This greatly helped me to possess a sturdy pair of shoes for my journeys which, sometimes, are a part of my day job as an officer of a reputable security company.
Another free pair of Millennium Patrol Shoes did land on my desk this January 2012 compliments of DES Footwear and I am proud to announce (as well as endorse) this in Warrior Pilgrimage. Prouder still I am, to have been given this privilege of wearing a product made by Cebuano hands.
The shoes are now available in the market and, if it interests you to own a pair, the prices are One Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (P1,500.00) for the Millennium Patrol Shoes and One Thousand Two Hundred Pesos (P1,200.00) for the Charol Parade Shoes. These are much cheaper than the cheapest competitor and a quality that is at par with established ones.
If you would like to order a pair or several pairs, I may be contacted at mobile phone number +639237162705 or email me at pinoyapache@yahoo.com.
Document done in Libre Office 3.3
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