U.S. Military Boot Contracts
Wellco Men's 8" ST HW
Last week the U.S. Department of Defense announced five new contracts with military boots manufacturers including Belleville, Altama, Wellco and Rocky.
Belleville Shoe Manufacturing Co. picked up a $24.3 million contract for hot weather Army boots. The Illinois-based company, who has been working with the U.S. Military for nearly a century, will make the boots for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.
Altama Footwear has also been tasked to deliver hot weather boots with similar contract for a $19.8 million.
Meanwhile, Wellco Enterprises picked up two contracts at $18.2 million and $14.7 million for temperate weather Air Force boots and hot weather combat boots, respectively.
Rocky Shoes & Boots will also be making hot weather boots at the tune of $6.1 million. Last month Rocky secured another contract for $3.2 million to product 45,000 pairs of boots.
Defense Industry Daily has been tracking boot contracts since 2007, and the list includes all of the manufactures mentioned above along with McRae Industries.
Army Scopes New Mountain Boot
According to Kit Up!, the Army is testing three versions of a new mountain combat boot. The blog says that the new test boots are similar to the Danner Combat Hiker.
Pictured above is one of three versions of the boot, this one is Danner's Mt. Combat Boot. The other two are from Wellco and Belleville. We don't want to steal Christian's thunder, so head over to Kit Up! for the full story.
The new crop of boots do indeed look like Danner's Combat Hiker Military Boots. Those boots feature a tough full-grain leather and Cordura upper to guard against abrasions and tears and rubber rand for further protection. It also touts Vibram Fifida outsoles and Gore-Tex lining.
In other boot news, there was an interesting piece in The Sydney Morning Herald chronicling Australian soldiers' struggle with ill-fitting military boots. Several hundred soldiers have logged official complaints about the Terra combat boot, the newspaper reports.
''Mark 3 combat boots never seem to fit,'' one soldier wrote. ''I resize every time to show my size hasn't changed, but every pair of the same size seems to be different. It takes a good deal of my blood to soak into the leather to make them more comfortable, then by that stage the sole has worn and broken away or eyelets fallen out, meaning I must change for a new set and start again.''
The Herald even revealed that the boot, which is said to have an unstable midsole, didn't test any better than the boots it replaced in 1999.
Does anyone have experience with uncomfortable issued boots? What actions did you take to improve your footwear condition?
(Image via Kit Up!)
Jungle Boots
Wellco Hot-Weather Jungle Boot with Panama Sole
Jungle boots are exactly what they sound like: Boots you wear on missions in tropical climates. In hot and wet conditions that leave your feet sticky and soggy, jungle boots have special features like drainage vents that prevent the uncomfortable realities of your surroundings.
While jungle boots were in use long before WWII, it gained momentum during the Vietnam War, when many troops were experiencing difficulties maneuvering through thick jungles filled with booby traps. The boots were not only lighter than the standard combat boot (initial pairs weighing in at three pounds), its canvas material also dried faster.
According to Moore Militaria, there was a range of variations and improvements to jungle boots starting in the 1950s. It began with the WWII double-buckle boot, which was altered by adding canvas sections. Then a leather band was tacked on to the top around 1962, which later changed to a nylon strap in 1965. Around 1967 the Panama sole, which gave soldiers the ability to shed mud by flexing the foot, was officially tested and implemented on some boot models. While innovative, it has never received to same popularity as the traditional Vibram sole.
Two of the main manufacturers still producing modern day jungle boots include Altama Delta Corporation and Wellco Enterprises. Founded in 1969, Altama actually began as a children's shoe plant but transitioned into green jungle boot manufacturing to meet the needs of the Vietnam War. Wellco entered the jungle boot market during that same period with its patented Wellco-Ro-Search technology. Wellco says its technology -- including molds and presses -- was used by three other manufacturers to make jungle boots at the time and plays a role in many military boots today.
Learn all about Altima desert jungle boots with a 10-minute, in-depth review (below).
7 Ways to Make Your Boots Last Longer, Look Sexier
Combat boots are hot.
You love your boots, don't you? (Well, we certainly do since we run a blog entirely dedicated to them.) So, assuming your adoration runs as deep as ours, you should want to care for them like they were your first and only child … or something along those lines.
Here are seven tips for you, gleaned from the experts themselves -- the people who make them! (Note: Some of these tips apply to only full-grain leather, while others only to suede. Read closely for specification.)
1. Brush 'em. Just like your teeth and hair, your boots need a good bristle lashing to get their cleanest. For full-grain boots, some advise using a stiff brush to remove dust and dirt on a regular basis, while Danner and Belleville both suggest a softer brush. For suede boots, pick a metal bristle brush and lightly stroke the boot -- no heavy scrubbing! Doing so can be damaging to the leather and possibly to your boot-cleaning reputation.
2. Clean 'em. Instead of a brush, you can use a wet rag on full-grain leather boots. Danner offers its Cleaning Gel, which can remove even the tiniest particles of grime and helps with waterproofing. Apply the gel sparingly to wet leather. On the other hand, suede boots should be wiped down only on the inside with a wet, soapy cloth. If your boots have Cordura nylon fabric, that can be tidied up with warm water but NOT polish.
3. Polish 'em. Note: This only applies to certain types of full-grain leather. Utilize a polish containing silicone to keep the leather soft. Wellco suggests you use mink oil, and rub a small coat into the leather and seams with a cloth or dauber. To give them that super-glossy, rock-star look, make sure you buff 'em, too.
4. Waterproof 'em. Even if your boots are awesome enough already to have Gore-tex waterproofing, you still need to treat the leather. If you have a problem with that, consult Danner's Boot Care page, because that's what they say. Apparently water can get in between the leather and Gore-tex liner and create ugly water spots. And nobody wants that. The solution? They propose Danner Waterproofing Gel as a proper solution, which should be applied after boots are cleaned. Once you massage it onto the boot, allow some dry time and then wipe away any extra gel hanging around. However, they do warn: Do not use Danner Waterproofing Gel on nubuck, suede or rough-out leather boots. Instead, use our Danner Waterproofing Spray, which will help maintain the original texture of those products. Whatever you say!
5. Condition 'em. On this one, if you own nubuck, suede and rough-out leather boots, you're in the clear. What does that leave? Full-grain leather! If your boots are made out of full grain, condition them with a boot dressing product to prevent the leather from flaking, cracking or just from looking generally unattractive. Really work in the conditioner with all your might, and let it dry overnight. (And we promise that we didn't plan to have that rhyme. Because that would be awfully trite!)
6. Dry 'em (naturally!). Your best bet, unless you own a professional boot dryer (which, let's face it, you probably don't), is to let those puppies air dry. It will be really tempting to get out a hair dryer or head over to the nearest Wal-Mart bathroom and stick it under a hand dryer, but DON'T DO IT! All that blistering air could put your feet's best friend in critical danger. It's best that you let the sun or air at room temperature take care of it. Plus, that's less work for you, right?
7. Restore 'em. If you've been a neglectful boot parent, it's OK. We forgive you. Although your boots won't until you restore them to their original beauty. No matter how much you've mistreated them in the past, there's a way for you to get those handsome boots back -- but it will cost you. Danner's Recrafting service runs between $45 to $160 and includes repair stitching, hardware and sole replacements, new laces and, of course, a good cleaning and polishing. In the end, it will be well worth it and very "green" of you to do instead of tossing the old pair.
Now forget everything we just told you, and see how a 7-year-old (well, he's definitely young) polishes his military boots...