Yo! Make STOPS for sharpening knives!!! They're easy and sell to a niche market ... especially if you go on forums and tell us about them. And you know ... once people like your stuff, they'll buy your other stuff.
Loved every pair of jungle boots i had from 1999 until 2008 after retiring from being severely wounded in combat from an IED. I still have every pair I wore. I started in the bdu traditional camo uniform, dessert, acu and all the boots to match. Plus jump boots too. Good memories.. have u covered the jump boots before? Love those too. They spit shine easily. But the spit shine ended with the tan style jungle boots.
Watching some of the clips on your video from British Pathe, seeing images from the Malayan Emergency. If possible, I would like to get your take on the British "jungle boot" .
My dad served in Vietnam from 67-69. He came back with 2 pairs of those boots and I remember once were we went to a Army surplus store in the early 80's and he bought another pair. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and wore those boots all the time. To his work and in the woods. When he died I found a brand new pair and 4 worn out pairs in his closet. The new boots fit my brother so now he uses them as his hunting boots.
they were my favorite during my service (87-07) comfort, style, grip, cleaning, and most of all. Best Shine. No they didnt last as long as rgular boots, but if you cared about inspection, it was a must to replace them every 2 or 3 years
Well whoever the contractor was he'd found a lifetime customer! I was only Air Force, they issued me steel toed because I was in a missile repair shop. They were not particularly comfortable but they lasted 5 years. Uncle Sam does issue a lot of really good footwear, not surprised your dad kept buying them forever, but I am surprised he knew how to find the original good bootmaker and not get taken in by the mail order or surplus store cheap, crappy, fake Chinese knock-offs that looked exactly the same as original government issue, but were garbage quality and disintegrated on your feet!
I also served in Vietnam with the army in 1969 and I remember the soles of my boots being like jungle boot 2. I got wounded by rocket fire and medevacked out of the jungle, so everything was left in my duffel bag. The boots I had on were cut off because of shrapnel wounds so they were gone for good.
@@TRS-80Fanclub i still have my army boots that i got in 2011. the tan no-shine boots were MUCH more durable. dnc in the military is nonsense. nobody gives a shit about military formations. the north koreans, chinese and russians look stupid parading their troops up and down their regions/ cities. drill and ceremony is a waste of time and makes no military matter or impressive
@@broke_dongle I don't think I've ever been so tired in my entire life, and I was in my early 20's. "Jungles" were not authorized in Korea in the 1990's, so we had to do swim qual in regular GI LPC's.
Best combat boot the government ever made. My first pair issued to me in Khe Sanh in January 1967 lasted until the end of August 1967. Wore the boots everyday through sand, mud, streams, rivers, rice paddies, and in the mountains of “I” Corps. The second pair came home with me and I wore them for years after I got out. I went back into the Marine reserves and wore them at the Army Jungle War School in Panama for two weeks without any problems. The boots were 13 years old by that time and held up as if they were brand new. I still own a couple of pairs of jungle boots that I still use to knock around in. Just a great boot!
How well did they drain in your experience? It always seemed to be that the vents were too high above the inner sole to effectively drain in an environment where the entire foot may be submerged.
@@majorhicksusmc I appreciate you sharing your experience, and thank you for your service. I’ve got nothing but respect for the infantry that had to trudge through the muck and jungles of Vietnam on foot.
Thank you for your service sir and insite. I'm a 25 yr veteran fireman. Wouldn't it be great..... if the desk sitters asked the people on the ground what they need😂😂😂😂
I was an infantryman in Vietnam 1969 to 1970 ,we only had the v2 version ,don't remember seeing the v3. The boot held up fairly well in harsh mountainous conditions.
I wonder if the Viet Nams had a favorite brand of tire they cut their cong flap sandals out of, and did they argue the merits of Michelins over Dunlaps over the rice fire lol
I was on a US Army long range surveillance team from ‘91-‘93. Most of the guys on my team modified one pair of jungle boots specifically for road marches (we were required to conduct 12 mile marches with full gear in under 3 hrs. several times a year). We removed the leather footbeds and spike-protective plates, installed insoles of our choice, then had them resoled with either Vibram ripple or 2021 wedge soles. I chose the 2021s. They wore very quickly, but they were super-light and bouncy. It was like marching in sneakers.
Almost every single person I talk to who did a lot of marching has customized their shoes lol. People dont realize how bad your feet can feel if the shoes dont fit well.
I liked those soles... but dame they wear out fast on the gravel roads. It's super comfortable but expensive as hell, considering how short of a life they have.
It’s shocking how heavy modern combat boots are. I wore Korean made jungle boot knockoffs all through the 70’s when I was a motorcycle mechanic. They were light but wore out fast. 6 months was the norm
Did you ever try the shark tooth ripple sole? Incredibly soft - like walking on pillows but they wore out super quick. My go to boot was the V3 jungle boot then was forced to switch to the new desert boot.
I'm a vet. I used to love those boots. Then, my military job shifted to a LOT of UH-1 ("Huey") flying time. I was shown some pictures of what happens when there's a fire and those boots get hit with the heat. The nylon melts! It melts right into your skin and you lose that skin when the surgeons cut the boots off your feet and legs. I only wore leather combat boots and Nomex flight clothing after seeing that.
Saran Insole: I expected the hard plastic to be uncomfortable. Instead, they let air circulate under the foot and prove quite comfortable. Panama Lug Sole: Smooth flats gave good grip on pavement and dry metal. Big clearances led to your picking up tons of mud, yet the same clearances let that mud fall off in large slabs. Wear with thick wool socks and these boots worked well to surprisingly cool temperatures. I think the steel spike plate was what limited cold weather performance. Heat transmission led to these boots not working well in Desert Storm.
With a pair of Sealskinz Gore-Tex socks worn under the wool socks they were pretty warm down to around 20F in Germany. IIRC they weren’t authorized for wear from Nov 1 to May 1, but what happens in Graf stays in Graf.
I wonder if they could have rectified the thermal issue by embedding a steel mesh in the rubber instead of a metal plate sandwiched between leather. It would be a little more expensive, due to a multi stage process instead of a straight pour (don't want exposed steel), but it would impart at least some additional puncture resistance while keeping it away from the feet.
This is the first time I learned of the special pumping insoles. (Very interesting, but makes sense, to clearly stamp "DO NOT BOIL".) Hearing your experience for me in a strictly civilian sense it sounds like that type of sole would be great in hot work environments. Wondering if that sort of product is commercially available. I've spent a lot of hours stuck in boiling shoes idly thinking of what could circulate air through the soles, but this would solve it in a very simple, functional manner.
I was stationed in Panama from '91 to '96. Some time around '93 they starts changing from the green upper to the black upper jungle boot. I loved the greens. The black had speed laces which was nice but the inserts changed and felt like you were walking on knife edges. The black uppers also had a tendency to rip along the back.
I hope you can test the full leather combat boots from the 1980s. They are called "Combat Boots, Mildew & Water Resistant, Direct Molded Sole (DMS)" . This military boot was paired with BDU in the 1980s.
Ro Search is the name of the company, I believe. Hands down the most comfortable pair of boots I was ever issued. I should have had them resoled 😔. Closest I could find online was a pair from Altama.
@@williamwilliamson1096 in the chilean army during the 2000's we wore a mix of those and the jungle boots, they had the sole of the dms boots and the shaft was in nylon like the jungle onesadn they were sand brown colored , they sucked on sand ngl
Those were terrible on the feet. I have fallen arches from them. No thanks. 28yrs in the Army, infantry. I was happy when the better versions of the desert boots came along. My feet will never be the same.
Great video but as a footwear specialist you really need to understand and explain Trench Foot better. Trench Foot is a "Non-freezing cold weather injury". It occurs in cold weather conditions between 32'F and 60.8'F. The damage is mainly caused by prolonged constriction of blood vessels in the feet leading to painful soft tissue, nerve & vascular damage. This occurs from a combination of cold weather, poor circulation, and is typically associated with prolonged immersion or wet footwear. Other contributing factors are tight boots, standing still for long periods & malnutrition . Trench foot is not the skin "rotting" because of moisture and bacteria, although once Trench Foot occurs the skin can become badly macerated, blistered & infected. Jungle boots were not designed to prevent Trench Foot because that's a condition of cold weather. Instead Jungle boots are designed to reduce problems caused by having wet feet in hot humid conditions These conditions are poorly defined but have been variously called "jungle-rot" "paddy-field foot" or "Tropical Foot Immersion", and are characterised by mild to severe fungal infections, skin maceration and painful foot swelling.
Still my favorite military boot! Recently purchased a new pair manufactured in 1968. Great for almost all weather conditions, except cold and snow…. Thanks for the cool video!
I was a delivery driver of building materials in Georgia for about a decade and wore these jungle boots exclusively, and for the very reason they did in Vietnam. It lets the thick Georgia clay fall free relatively easily. I can dispel the "myth" that the soles wear out more quickly, but that's from walking on the concrete of our warehouse, not from carrying heavy sh*t through the mud and clay. I quickly learned to replace the boots when worn out with cheap knockoffs you can still find around for $30-40, rather than the $80 the real deal might cost. I've long since given up such endeavors as delivering windows, doors, siding, and roofing, etc... but still always have a pair of these in my closet all the same. Great vid! Thanks for sharing!
When I first arrived in Vietnam in 1966, I had been issued standard Marine Corps lace up boots. I think that they were made of horsehide. Anyway, they were totally unsuited for jungle combat. Not only would the leather get wet and not dry but, the soles and heels were relatively smooth. A jungle environment can become a very slippery terrain. Rotting vegetation makes walking quite difficult and I found myself falling quite often on the Deckhouse Three operation - in the IV Corps area. This was inland from Vung Tau in very heavy jungle. We were following V.C. trails which often seemed as slippery as ice. A bit. later on, I was issued the Jungle Combat boot and it was night and day better.
I wore those with BDUs whilst in the Coast Guard in the mid-1990s. They were super comfortable and those saran insoles were wonderful in hot weather. The only "breaking in" that they needed was for the leather strips used for the eyelets -- the stiffest part of the boot above the ankle. A couple days with thicker socks and those boots were good to go.
I wore Vapor Barrier (Bunny) boots in extreme cold (Alaska Infantry) for years. Water getting inside the boot doesn't matter. Still warm. Water getting between outer and inner layer, defeats the vapor barrier quickly. They are always warm. In the kind of temperature these boots are intended, there is no water, all ice. I have left them outside my tent, open end up, overnight in the snow. Moisture from foot sweat frozen inside. Put my bare feet in them in the morning . Warm in seconds! Then I took my feet out and quickly dried the inside, which I should have done the night before. These boots kept me alive in subzero weather. Carry two pairs of dry socks. Switch them out to reduce perspiration moisture.
Ft Greeley/Black Rapids alumni here. Deployed there for training with the 101st way back when. First time I ever saw a hot cup of coffee get tossed into the air, turn to powder and blow away!
I wore the Jungle Boot in the mid-late 1980s and during Desert Shield/Storm. Gotta say, one of the most comfortable, durable, and functionable boots I'd ever worn. I still have a pair that I wear only in the summertime.
I was with XVIII Corps Arty in DS/DS, also wore the jungle boots from 86 on. Still have them and still wear them on snowy, shitty days. Best boots I’ve ever owned. (miss my buddies from Bragg and Saudi so much). Nuff said.
Awesome boots, I live in one of the wettest places in North America, and there are no other boots that compare to them. The insole’s really do work to pump the water out, I usually wear them without socks on long treks through the rainforest, crossing creeks etc. Having suffered from wearing gumboots, which always seem to pull your socks down to your heels, and just develop leaks, anyway, or leather boots that become un breathable and invariably develop leaks no matter how much you waterproof them…. I started wearing the jungle boots about 15 years ago and have worn out several pairs now. You can cross creeks, have your boots filled completely, and your feet are dry in about 10 minutes of walking.
I was issued the last version of the Jungle Boot stationed in Panama 89-90. I was a Paratrooper in an Airborne battalion, but everyone was issued this boot being stationed there. I loved the boot because even in state side units didn't like the boots because of uniformity. During the Summer the all leather boots suck because the sweat would pool up inside the boot during road marches and field exercises. During a state side rotation at NTC in the Mojave Desert I brought along a couple pairs of G.I. issue jungle boots out to the desert and it worked okay. The black leather absorbed heat and the steel plate sometimes got hot on the bottom. Otherwise my feet could breathe and keep my feet dry as long as I had done my part to bring plenty of socks to change. But in tropical climates It was great, if you were an infantryman it can last you 6 months and trade them in at CIF where it was standard issue. In the 90s the design stayed the same except for the nylon uppers became black in color until phased out by the Infantry Boot in the early 2000s till 2005. The Infantry Boot was an improved design used by the Navy SEALs back then but became Army issue until that time, now it's hard to find and rare. Yes I loved the jungle boot and the Desert Storm Version which was still issued till 2007.
@@reddevilparatrooper I was stationed in Panama from '91 to '96. Some time around '93 they started changing from the green upper to the black upper jungle boot. I loved the greens. The black had speed laces which was nice but the inserts changed and felt like you were walking on knife edges. The black uppers also had a tendency to separate along the back.
@@MN-Hillbilly You are right. I had to replace mines twice in Hawaii humping East Range. I had one pair that the back of my right heel totally rubbed raw and bloody. Lucky I keep my other pair of boots in my ruck. Yes they were pieces of shit for boots.
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Those are fiberglass armor insoles to protect from punji sticks. Dad gave me his. worn nay many pairs out riding motorcycls. Perfect.
Hey Rose Anvil! Love your channel! I'm a soldier from half a world away and I can affirm the sturdiness, functionality and durability of the V3 boot. Locally we have a licensed manufacturer of the V3 named GIBSONS Philippines Inc, and they have a long history here of making that boot in particular. Got my first pair way back in 2013, I was still a cadet in the ROTC, and now as full pledged soldier, it's still alive and well, ten years and counting, conquering several mud trails and mountain ranges locally through storms and droughts. I can attest that it is indeed the definition of functional reform. It only cost us some $27.00 to buy (converted). The government still procures these boots for new recruits today where we're from. Thanks and More power!
@@williamwilliamson1096 Sure thing! They are located at Marikina City, near the Capital in the Philippines. They have a very traditional business model in a sense, which may explain why we couldn't find a website. Been to their main store/factory just last year to buy my second pair of jungle /combat boots. They do produce a whole lot more models than just the V3, all in line with other military or police functions, including dress shoes.
@@williamwilliamson1096 Sure thing! They are located at Marikina City, near the Capital in the Philippines. They have a very traditional business model in a sense, which may explain why we couldn't find a website. Been to their main store/factory just last year to buy my second pair of jungle /combat boots. They do produce a whole lot more models than just the V3, all in line with other military or police functions, including dress shoes.
I wore jungle boots through many road marches (humping) and training. One thing I liked about Jungle Boots was how quickly it dried after getting wet. It was fairly comfortable also until Bated Boots came out! The other thing I liked about jungle boots was the matching green color looked great with Cammie pants. Honestly, the new boots are much better, and avoid these. New boots are going to be good for your body imo.
@@Plague_Doc22 It was so good that we could/would play soccer and ride skateboards, and our mini bikes 🚲 in these boots. Never wore out a pair just outgrew them... 👍🏻
You missed a whole black leather boot issued through the 60's. Army personel not sent to SE Asia still wore the black leather boot until I left the Army in 1970. When I spent the last year of my enlistment in Korea 1969- 1970 we all wore the black leather boot.
I would really enjoy if you cut in half the modern US Navy “Safety Boot” It has a very similar construction to most modern issue combat boots, however it sports an odd sole design, steel toe, all leather upper and lower, and a fire resistant nomex lining. It would be interesting to see how safe my feet really are when im aboard a ship!
Steel toe is a death sentence in cold weather even a little snow and you will get frost bite and die in a survival situation. A buddy and I hiked six miles to get help in the high Sierra in N Cali in the early 80's it was bad for both of us....freak snow storm in March. FYI all the P-3 Navy ever got were standard steel toes. And yes we were working the Sea's of Alaska. So much for the navy caring...
Oh I know all about it having come from doing a lot of hiking and such to here. Don’t forget to take in account that if a steel gets crushed, theres no getting your toes out, even if you get whatever heavy thing crushed it off, say by to your toes. Composite would be much better but big navy would probably say “something something melt” despite having rubber vibrams…
interestingly, the platicy meshy insole looks like the same type that the late 1980s British Combat High has but that boot had no holes to pumo the water out - the insole had a very rough side and a smooth side and you were supposed to have the rough side down but I wore it up because it gripped my socks and reduced movement/chafing/foot blisters
My older Brother was Infantry at Fort Campbell KY and he bought me a pair of green Jungle boots for Xmas while I was still in Army AIT in 1996. They didn't sell them at Redstone Arsenal where I was doing my training, they only sold the all black version. I was the only one that had the green ones and I felt cool AF.
Having just spent an arm and half a leg on a new pair of boots today, I can speak with over a half century of experience that there are few pleasures (NECESSITIES ) in life that are more important to your physical and mental health as a well made pair of boots...Good boots = good ankles,good knees, good hips, good back, good attitude!...Just sayin... Great video. Thank you!
My platoon sergeant was a Vietnam combat veteran, he always wore jungle boots in the field, and thus, so did we (buying our own). We had a sergeant major that hated them but we only broke them out in the field. After we deployed to the jungle (x2) we were officially issued jungle boots. Best combat boot in the inventory. Even in the cantonement area, we loved them because they were lighter and easier to maintain (half the shining, hehe). Also the cloth upper allowed for some hidden customization. Lastly, they compacted down for travel much better than regular combat or jump boots.
As of 10 years ago. These were "required" equipment canoeing around northern Minnesota. Getting in and out of the canoe multiple times a day and wading through ankle deep water. Nothing worked better.
I had a pair of these that were hand me downs from my brother. I asked my drill sergeants in AIT if I could wear them. They said yes and I loved them. They polished up like you wouldn’t believe. Great shoes.
Yeah, I think McRae had the original contract, and they dusted off the old foots molds and started making the originals again around 2016 or '17. Not sure if they still do.
I lived in the jungle for months at a time during monsoon season. Everyone who ever "upgraded" the saran innersole's with more comfortable types ended up with immersion foot . Those saran innersoles are the best feature of the boot. Us oldtimers would wear the boot without socks. We had some calloused ugly feet but no foot trouble.
Great video. I retired to rural Brazil in 2021 and brought my jungle boots I had when in the 82nd back in 1980 when I trained in Ft. Sherman in Panama. I wore them out in Brazil. They lasted a long time and took a beating. I tried some of the spin offs like Rothco and was not happy. Basically, the other brands were a loose fit and I really liked the snug fit of the original boot. Lucklily after a lot of searching (including in many Army surpus shops) I found an almost new pair my size on eBay.I am so happy to have found them. What makes the original so unique is the very snug fit. Yes, they are a real bitch to get on but worth it as they are so stable. Also, the heel is sharp and hard. Going down a muddy hillside with my dogs I can go heel first, dig the heel in and not fall or slide. Too bad the originals are not manufactured any longer. Thanks for the background to these awesome boots!
Interesting, i figured the ankle suppirt eould be goodn gicen it is a lace up witha higg ankle. I've worn combat boots for years including the old desert boot which is quite similar and had quite the opposite experince.
Used to wear these when I was in the Guard….was still allowed to be worn into the mid 90’s. Wore them with ripstop BDU’s. We could also wear the old OD green hooded raincoats & allowed brown wool button collar sweater under BDU’s…pre-fleece days.
Loved the video, but you did miss that in today's market, jungle boots relatively are dirt cheap for how much they give you! I bought mine for about $80 and other than having to buy some extra insoles cause the ones I bought did not come with them, these boots are a killer! In terms of looks, strangley goes with a lot in my wardrobe. In terms of function, also top tier! since they're canvas, lighter wieght than other heavy duty boots and have them drain holes, they are super comftrable for a guy who has sweatty feet! I work a lot on my feet and sweat a ton but these are so nice! Also the heavy duty soes have saved my feet countless times and I've only had them for a couple months! For anyone on the fence for getting jungle boots, it's honestly a great alternative to higher end boots
I was in the US Navy from 79 to 1985 and on board destroyers from 81 to 85. When I got out to the fleet I immediately bought a set of these at the Navy Exchange and wore them continuously as footwear while wearing dungarees either in port or underway, my ship ending approving them for use in conjunction with those dreadful US Navy Boondockers! They had nice grippy traction on non-skid and if you got soaked either by rain topside or via a wave coming up on the weather deck they were quick to dry out. I still have a pair that I use when I go out for walking in the local state park.
I was issued 2 pairs of these boots when stationed at Ft. Benning (3/7th Inf.) in 1982 right before we went to the jungle warfare training school in Panama for 3 weeks. My 1st experience with them were long road marches in full gear and pack and the steel plate really did a number on my feet until I got use to them and broke them in. Very good design and functional boot and I wore them constantly even after leaving the Army and used them for work in my civilian jobs.
We had almost the same type of boots in Yugoslavian and latter in the Serbian army (although they were issued in limited quantities) as of 2004 when I left the service.
I bought a Altama PX10.5 jungle boot because of your first video on the jungle boots and I can confirm that these are absolutely amazing boots for hiking, they are very comfortable and feel just solid
I still have my pair of V2's I wore in the last 6 months of my tour in Vietnam and I still wear them today. The steel soul would stop the punji sticks but as your foot went down the sides of the trap would spring towards the ankle and cause damage to upper portions of the foot. The enemy was very clever.
I got a pair of these in the 70s as teenager. It was at a Yellowfront, definitely army surplus. the sole was very hard but somewhat flexible. They were pretty uncomfortable to wear.
I love your channel man, I saw you on Dave's garage page. I'm in the Amsoil cult and a Merchant Marine engineer. Here is the only reason why you should not prime the oil filter it happened to me, my fault. I drained the oil in my 2000 chevy express 6.5 gm diesel. I was working outside and getting dark so I let it drain overnight. I got busy and my van sat for 2 weeks draining every drop. I filled the engine and filter with 15 40. It was winter here in the New York. I started the engine and watched for my oil preasure and it didn't come up immediately like I expected. I shut of the engine and double checked my drain plug and dipstick. All good. Try it again and still no oil preasure. Shut of the engine now I suspected the gauge was bad but started it 1 more time and nothing, now the valve lash is getting loud so I know there is a problem and I'm starting to panic, wondering what I did wrong. The light bulb goes on over my head. I place a oil pan under the filter and unscrew it a couple turns, start the engine and watch. 2 seconds later the oil pours out. I shut of the engine and tighten the filter. All good now. So what happened was I let the oil drain so long that the oil pump lost its prime and with the filter perfectly full it had no where to push out the air. So now I still prefilled my filter but I leave a little room for air in there, and don't drain my oil for 2 weeks! Thanks for the knowledge bros. 😅
There was a major problem with these boots. I was stationed in CauViet during 1968-1969. This camp was on the South China Sea. Walking through the sand, that was all around the camp as well as throughout the entire AO, created significant problems. Every time you lifted your foot, the holes in the boot would suck the sand inside the holes in the boot. It only took twenty or thirty steps to build up the sand within the boot, to such an extent, that you could no longer walk because it lifted up your arch to the maximum extent of the upper boot which hurt as h..l. We all had to solder the holes to keep the sand out of the boot. Great for a jungle environment but not for sandy areas.
The Guld of Tonkin Incident you talk about at 4:42 was a false flag, it never happened, let alone "dragged the U.S. into the Vietnam War." The U.S. wanted to go to war. No one dragged it into the war.
@RoseAnvil There was also boot that was basically a middle ground between the m43 boot and the Vietnam jungle boot it was called the Okinawa boot it was basically the same design as the m43 boot but it had canvas in certain areas of the boots like the jungle boots used in Vietnam but the okinawa boots also had the double buckles like the m43 boots originally the first U.S. military officers and military advisors sent to Vietnam originally war the Okinawa boots which were the original jungle boots before there were the ones shown in this video.
We were issued the od green canvas jungle boots and the slant pocket BDU's while down in Honduras in the early 1980's they had alot of this gear left over from Vietnam and were just trying to use some of it up. the boots were great i liked them. i still have mine.
By the 1960s the British Army had a good, expendable jungle boot, which if you were on strenuous operations was exchanged for new ones every two weeks when your resupply was delivered. It had a black, rubber sole, and the rest was green canvas with lace up eyelets. Usually there was a bit more wear left in them when they were discarded, but I doubt whether they could have lasted a whole month. It was best to coat them with insect repellant to prevent leeches climbing your legs and getting onto your body. Leeches were very common. Our green cotton shirts and pants were renewed at the same time. I sometimes wondered how much protection the canvas would give against snakebite, there were plenty of snakes but I only once knew a soldier to get bitten
Great video, lots of info! I had a pair of Rotcho jungle boots a few years ago and they were so uncomfortable that I gave up on military boots. Recently found some original RO Search jungle boots and they're so much better and they barely cost more than the cheaper ones with some searching. The Panama sole is also one of the coolest and most aggressive looking soles on any shoe or boot I've ever seen.
FWIW, I found the boots worked best for me in the jungle with NO socks. Socks just retained water and the insole was perfectly comfortable without socks. Sockless, you would wade through waist-deep water and, the boots/feet would dry out within 15 minutes after leaving the water. Same is true with underwear in that environment...it just keeps you wet longer.
As an older teenager in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in the mid to late 80s, I was part of a 2 week trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) near Ely MN. Lots and lots of water, wet portages, rocky mud, and hordes of mosquitos as large as your hand. I learned quickly that I'd made a good choice for my boots, a set of "el cheapo" M1966 boots I got for $15 at the surplus store (everybody wanted the new lug outsoles even at $80, so they were closing out the slow selling M1966 with the old soles). Not sure why or how I made that excellent choice, but my foresight paid off as other guys with expensive all leather boots began developing symptoms of trench foot the first week. I'd always be the guy that went into the deep water and then plopped into the boat at the front, as all I had to do was hold my feet up outside the boat and let all the water run out...then the rest would air out while we were on the water. A great boot, and I beat them up on the rocky shores of the BWCA daily. I think the leather part of the boot finally split apart 20 years later, I had to throw them away. Wish I still had a pair, as I'm still living in a humid subtropical climate in the USA and they would be good footwear for that.
Keep up the good work guys. It’s unfortunate that TH-cam keeps jerkin yous guys around with the historic content. Also the b-roll shot with the city in the background was awesome.
I wore those during the summer months when I served in the '80s & '90s. They were comfortable and looked good with the BDUs we wore back then. Great memories. Go Army!!
Definitely high quality, and I'm glad this popped up on my suggested videos after watching through so many hat videos by @HatHistorian Thanks for teaching us about this!
I LOVED my JB's when I was on active duty in the USMC. When they were authorized for inspections and daily wear, I bought four pairs. Two with the original tread pattern and two with the modified. God I loved those boots! Damn near indestructible, comfortable, lightweight, sturdy, breathable and to say they looked cool as hell is a gross understatement. I would use these boots to run the 3-mile PFT for training and, at times, for the real deal. First time I wore them for an inspection I got my butt chewed out until I showed them the USMC Order authorizing them. They shined up really well, and the polish (with a bit of saddle soap and wax) were damn near waterproof. Loved those boots more than I loved being in the Corps for 20+ years.
I served as a Scout Dog handler from '69 to '70, and from '70 to '72 as an instructor in country. After the first day of wearing the boots, I discarded the insole because of the way it felt. I later used boot polish to close up the little brass holes on the side. They let in too much water. I never did get boots with the Panama Sole, but I surely wanted a pair. Overall, I really liked my jungle boots. Thanks for posting this video.
Got my first pair of jungle boots when I was 13, and I lived in those things. In my unit in the army we could wear jungle boots with our BDUs, as long as they were the all black kind, and they were great for the hot steamy summers at Ft Campbell. Still have all my boots from my service, very cool to learn the history of the jungle boot. Thank you!
I absolutely love my jungle boots, both for work and personal use. I am a paramedic and have found on the rare occasions that I need to force entry, they are phenomenal door-kickers. Also keep athelete's foot at bay. Just be careful on those freshly mopped hospital floors!
That insole was fantastic in wet conditions. I wish I could find them and put them in all my boots. There's no cushioning, but they help your feet breathe like nothing else does. So, they're great even in my Danners in the freezing cold. I love the jungle boot overall, not the best for roadmarching/rucking on actual roads, but in the field conditions it was designed for; it was/is an awesome boot.
This was a very nostalgic episode for me. I was a kid in the teenager in the 70’s and my Dad was in the military. He was able to get two pairs of these for my brother and me. We thought they were the coolest boots ever!
I served in the Air Force from 75-95. We were issued the full leather combat boots back then. At some point, the jungle boots became the standard boot for all military. My first base was Minot AFB ND. We were issued the bunny/moon boots due to the cold weather. You were not issued a military drivers permit if you only had the white moon boots. If you did get a license to drive military vehicles in the winter, you were issued Muk Lucks. They had a thick rubber sole, canvas sides and reached just under your knee. They had inserts to help keep feet warm, a zipper to close them and a lace at the top to tighten them to your feet and leg. They were designed in a way to enable you to drive a vehicle and not hit the gas/brake or clutch inadvertently. To me, they were the best winter boot ever made.
My Grandpa used to take me to surplus stores when I was a kid and I would always buy a pair of Jungle boots to hike in and even wore them to school. They were absolutely awesome. Even in to high school I wore them. Those things were amazing.
In the 70s my brother, navy officer, sent me some surplus stuff. Jungle boots were part of it and thought they were cool. However, they weren't great for November michigan deer hunting.
I wear a similar boot as part of my army uniform, the sole does tend to wear out but the vents and (relatively) lightweight construction are very helpful and comfortable
I wore these boots for four and a half months roaming around the primary rainforests of the Dumoga/Bone nature reserve in Indonesia in 1985 and they're brilliant! The boots (with minimal subsequent wear) were still serviceable for several decades after I returned from the jungle. I eventually donated my boots to a local charity shop when I had no further use for them (but still had a strong emotional bond) and less room for storage.
I've worn these boots for maybe 40 of my 52 yrs and very rarely anything else. Sometime back around 1990? I seen a pair of boots in the US Calvary catalog. Black jungles with the panama sole,but it was different,they were called Megabite. The sole was the exact same design but at least twice as deep. They wanted something like $180 then so I passed on them. Forgot about them for a while and came across a new pair around late 211 or early 2012. The sporting goods store wanted $20 for them. Swooped them up without question. Wish I would have bought the other 2 pair they had left. I had to finally retire them in early 2023. I wore them probably 350 out 365 days a year for almost 12 years doing everything from going shopping to working on vehicles and wade fishing and hunting,snow (everything,actually the tread is really good in snow) till the sole came lose from the leather at the ball of the foot. The tread was still pretty decent,just about what the regular panama's come with new. I'd still wear them if they wouldn't have separated. Wish I could find at least 2 more pair of them as they quit making them for some reason a long time ago,they'd probably last the rest of my life. I looked and looked around at the new "jungle boots" and none of them have a decent tread. It's stew pid they would quit making the panama sole,there is not one out there that's better. Picked up a pair of Altama Pro X because they're Altama's and panama soled,but would still prefer to be able to wear my old ones yet. Can't remember the brand name of them,unless it was Megabite,but Belleville rings a bell for some reason.
Being from a military family with a grandfather who went to Korea, an uncle who was stationed in Alaska (where "Micky Mouse" boots were also key) and another uncle who did two tours in Vietnam, this was a very good historical telling of not only the "Jungle Boot", but their predecessors. Thank you.
I wore these in the Army until they phased them out. The sole lasted, but separated, on the edges, like string cheese in chunks. Still a very comfortable boot. Loved them.
I wore various pairs of mil-spec desert boots for years as an outdoor professional in the desert. Some of these were high-end private-make, some were disappointing low-end cardboard knock-offs. They were the only boots that gave me the support i needed and still kept my feet cool, I did always need to add professional-grade gel inserts to make them comfortable. When I moved to the PNW, I retired them. Later I found an incredible deal on brand-new Vietnam jungle boots, and figured they'd be more appropriate for my new habitat. High quality, less than $30, and size 14. Maybe the size was why they were so cheap. But I need that in the toe box because of my gel insoles. I fitted them with lace-in zippers. I've never worn them. Don't judge. Around the same time I bought a pair of dark cherry red Doc Martens. I've never worn those either. Missed Vietnam and the punk era. Go figure. Glad to have them, though.
One company still making boots with the Panama sole is Belleville. Have had several of their boots and can honestly say they are the best I've worn. Just ordered some with the Panama sole, and you can immediately feel the quality of movement the design gives.
The V2 boot had a steel insole as well. I had a pair that split in half at the ball of the foot showing the metal. That was in 1970 0r /71 as I recall.
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Loved every pair of jungle boots i had from 1999 until 2008 after retiring from being severely wounded in combat from an IED. I still have every pair I wore. I started in the bdu traditional camo uniform, dessert, acu and all the boots to match. Plus jump boots too. Good memories.. have u covered the jump boots before? Love those too. They spit shine easily. But the spit shine ended with the tan style jungle boots.
Watching some of the clips on your video from British Pathe, seeing images from the Malayan Emergency. If possible, I would like to get your take on the British "jungle boot" .
can you do the rothco jungle boots, please!
Right, having a billion subscriptions is FREE, especially with that IQ-250 YT algorithm :P
My dad served in Vietnam from 67-69. He came back with 2 pairs of those boots and I remember once were we went to a Army surplus store in the early 80's and he bought another pair. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and wore those boots all the time. To his work and in the woods. When he died I found a brand new pair and 4 worn out pairs in his closet. The new boots fit my brother so now he uses them as his hunting boots.
they were my favorite during my service (87-07) comfort, style, grip, cleaning, and most of all. Best Shine. No they didnt last as long as rgular boots, but if you cared about inspection, it was a must to replace them every 2 or 3 years
I kept mine.
Well whoever the contractor was he'd found a lifetime customer! I was only Air Force, they issued me steel toed because I was in a missile repair shop. They were not particularly comfortable but they lasted 5 years. Uncle Sam does issue a lot of really good footwear, not surprised your dad kept buying them forever, but I am surprised he knew how to find the original good bootmaker and not get taken in by the mail order or surplus store cheap, crappy, fake Chinese knock-offs that looked exactly the same as original government issue, but were garbage quality and disintegrated on your feet!
I also served in Vietnam with the army in 1969 and I remember the soles of my boots being like jungle boot 2. I got wounded by rocket fire and medevacked out of the jungle, so everything was left in my duffel bag. The boots I had on were cut off because of shrapnel wounds so they were gone for good.
@@TRS-80Fanclub i still have my army boots that i got in 2011. the tan no-shine boots were MUCH more durable. dnc in the military is nonsense. nobody gives a shit about military formations. the north koreans, chinese and russians look stupid parading their troops up and down their regions/ cities. drill and ceremony is a waste of time and makes no military matter or impressive
Having done swim qualifications in New jungles can confirm every time you take a step it pumps the water out. Best design ever made for a combat boot.
Served in Schofield Barracks and agree. During the monsoons the boots pumped water out with every step. Wonderful design.
@@broke_dongle I don't think I've ever been so tired in my entire life, and I was in my early 20's. "Jungles" were not authorized in Korea in the 1990's, so we had to do swim qual in regular GI LPC's.
@@TheCrusher72a²²1
@@TheCrusher720
Best combat boot the government ever made. My first pair issued to me in Khe Sanh in January 1967 lasted until the end of August 1967. Wore the boots everyday through sand, mud, streams, rivers, rice paddies, and in the mountains of “I” Corps. The second pair came home with me and I wore them for years after I got out. I went back into the Marine reserves and wore them at the Army Jungle War School in Panama for two weeks without any problems. The boots were 13 years old by that time and held up as if they were brand new. I still own a couple of pairs of jungle boots that I still use to knock around in. Just a great boot!
How well did they drain in your experience? It always seemed to be that the vents were too high above the inner sole to effectively drain in an environment where the entire foot may be submerged.
@@cruisinguy6024 I never had a problem with the water draining out.
@@majorhicksusmc I appreciate you sharing your experience, and thank you for your service. I’ve got nothing but respect for the infantry that had to trudge through the muck and jungles of Vietnam on foot.
Thank you for your service sir and insite. I'm a 25 yr veteran fireman. Wouldn't it be great..... if the desk sitters asked the people on the ground what they need😂😂😂😂
Thankyou for your service Major
I was an infantryman in Vietnam 1969 to 1970 ,we only had the v2 version ,don't remember seeing the v3. The boot held up fairly well in harsh mountainous conditions.
Respect
We got the V3, we called them "wide oval mud mashers", They were great,
Thank you for your service sir ❤
I wonder if the Viet Nams had a favorite brand of tire they cut their cong flap sandals out of, and did they argue the merits of Michelins over Dunlaps over the rice fire lol
Welcome home brother. I was an 11b 68-69 with B Co 3/8 4ID. All we had were the V2. But, since we were 4th ID we always got the leftovers.
I was on a US Army long range surveillance team from ‘91-‘93. Most of the guys on my team modified one pair of jungle boots specifically for road marches (we were required to conduct 12 mile marches with full gear in under 3 hrs. several times a year). We removed the leather footbeds and spike-protective plates, installed insoles of our choice, then had them resoled with either Vibram ripple or 2021 wedge soles. I chose the 2021s. They wore very quickly, but they were super-light and bouncy. It was like marching in sneakers.
Almost every single person I talk to who did a lot of marching has customized their shoes lol. People dont realize how bad your feet can feel if the shoes dont fit well.
I liked those soles... but dame they wear out fast on the gravel roads. It's super comfortable but expensive as hell, considering how short of a life they have.
It’s shocking how heavy modern combat boots are. I wore Korean made jungle boot knockoffs all through the 70’s when I was a motorcycle mechanic. They were light but wore out fast. 6 months was the norm
Wedge soles are incredibly to hump in but virtually useless as a killing implement.
Did you ever try the shark tooth ripple sole? Incredibly soft - like walking on pillows but they wore out super quick. My go to boot was the V3 jungle boot then was forced to switch to the new desert boot.
I'm a vet. I used to love those boots. Then, my military job shifted to a LOT of UH-1 ("Huey") flying time. I was shown some pictures of what happens when there's a fire and those boots get hit with the heat. The nylon melts! It melts right into your skin and you lose that skin when the surgeons cut the boots off your feet and legs. I only wore leather combat boots and Nomex flight clothing after seeing that.
Well yea nylon melts, think alot of people figured that out by being to close to a fire and the outside getting melty
I was a 67n, door gunner. Huey's are the best helicopter ever made.
Australian soldiers had GP boots all leather, I wore them when in the Australian army, they didn't stop tinea 😄
Same for sailors aboard Navy ships. They aren't authorized on US ships. They also aren't steel toed.
The originals were made out of Canvas
You cut it in half and revealed it but didn't dive very deeply into what was inside. Feel like there was more to learn on this one.
I’m fairly certain he did a previous video on these and went into more detail there
I was hoping for commentary about the waffle insole lol
@@danshakuimothat was in the previous video of jungle bootss
How wide is the steel in the sole? I’ve seen Chinese knockoffs where it was only about one inch wide.
Now we wear cheap suede boots with sneaker outsoles
I had a pair of V3's that I picked up at a surplus store back around 1999 or so. I loved those things. I wish I still had them.
McRae still makes them
Used my dad's boots for at least 15 years after he retired for hunting and work! My favorite boots!
Saran Insole: I expected the hard plastic to be uncomfortable. Instead, they let air circulate under the foot and prove quite comfortable.
Panama Lug Sole: Smooth flats gave good grip on pavement and dry metal. Big clearances led to your picking up tons of mud, yet the same clearances let that mud fall off in large slabs.
Wear with thick wool socks and these boots worked well to surprisingly cool temperatures. I think the steel spike plate was what limited cold weather performance. Heat transmission led to these boots not working well in Desert Storm.
not wrong
With a pair of Sealskinz Gore-Tex socks worn under the wool socks they were pretty warm down to around 20F in Germany. IIRC they weren’t authorized for wear from Nov 1 to May 1, but what happens in Graf stays in Graf.
I wonder if they could have rectified the thermal issue by embedding a steel mesh in the rubber instead of a metal plate sandwiched between leather. It would be a little more expensive, due to a multi stage process instead of a straight pour (don't want exposed steel), but it would impart at least some additional puncture resistance while keeping it away from the feet.
This is the first time I learned of the special pumping insoles. (Very interesting, but makes sense, to clearly stamp "DO NOT BOIL".) Hearing your experience for me in a strictly civilian sense it sounds like that type of sole would be great in hot work environments. Wondering if that sort of product is commercially available. I've spent a lot of hours stuck in boiling shoes idly thinking of what could circulate air through the soles, but this would solve it in a very simple, functional manner.
I was stationed in Panama from '91 to '96. Some time around '93 they starts changing from the green upper to the black upper jungle boot. I loved the greens. The black had speed laces which was nice but the inserts changed and felt like you were walking on knife edges. The black uppers also had a tendency to rip along the back.
I hope you can test the full leather combat boots from the 1980s. They are called "Combat Boots, Mildew & Water Resistant, Direct Molded Sole (DMS)" . This military boot was paired with BDU in the 1980s.
That's a good boot
Ro Search is the name of the company, I believe. Hands down the most comfortable pair of boots I was ever issued. I should have had them resoled 😔. Closest I could find online was a pair from Altama.
@@williamwilliamson1096 in the chilean army during the 2000's we wore a mix of those and the jungle boots, they had the sole of the dms boots and the shaft was in nylon like the jungle onesadn they were sand brown colored , they sucked on sand ngl
Those were terrible on the feet. I have fallen arches from them. No thanks. 28yrs in the Army, infantry. I was happy when the better versions of the desert boots came along. My feet will never be the same.
@@sisleymichael that's unfortunate. Infantry does deserve the best when it comes to gear.
Great video but as a footwear specialist you really need to understand and explain Trench Foot better. Trench Foot is a "Non-freezing cold weather injury". It occurs in cold weather conditions between 32'F and 60.8'F. The damage is mainly caused by prolonged constriction of blood vessels in the feet leading to painful soft tissue, nerve & vascular damage. This occurs from a combination of cold weather, poor circulation, and is typically associated with prolonged immersion or wet footwear. Other contributing factors are tight boots, standing still for long periods & malnutrition . Trench foot is not the skin "rotting" because of moisture and bacteria, although once Trench Foot occurs the skin can become badly macerated, blistered & infected. Jungle boots were not designed to prevent Trench Foot because that's a condition of cold weather. Instead Jungle boots are designed to reduce problems caused by having wet feet in hot humid conditions These conditions are poorly defined but have been variously called "jungle-rot" "paddy-field foot" or "Tropical Foot Immersion", and are characterised by mild to severe fungal infections, skin maceration and painful foot swelling.
Still my favorite military boot! Recently purchased a new pair manufactured in 1968. Great for almost all weather conditions, except cold and snow…. Thanks for the cool video!
Where did u buy them?
I was a delivery driver of building materials in Georgia for about a decade and wore these jungle boots exclusively, and for the very reason they did in Vietnam. It lets the thick Georgia clay fall free relatively easily. I can dispel the "myth" that the soles wear out more quickly, but that's from walking on the concrete of our warehouse, not from carrying heavy sh*t through the mud and clay. I quickly learned to replace the boots when worn out with cheap knockoffs you can still find around for $30-40, rather than the $80 the real deal might cost. I've long since given up such endeavors as delivering windows, doors, siding, and roofing, etc... but still always have a pair of these in my closet all the same. Great vid! Thanks for sharing!
When I first arrived in Vietnam in 1966, I had been issued standard Marine Corps lace up boots. I think that they were made of horsehide. Anyway, they were totally unsuited for jungle combat. Not only would the leather get wet and not dry but, the soles and heels were relatively smooth. A jungle environment can become a very slippery terrain. Rotting vegetation makes walking quite difficult and I found myself falling quite often on the Deckhouse Three operation - in the IV Corps area. This was inland from Vung Tau in very heavy jungle. We were following V.C. trails which often seemed as slippery as ice.
A bit. later on, I was issued the Jungle Combat boot and it was night and day better.
Same here! Semper Fi
Related on 8:02 it was known that Australian troops were willing to trade their slouch hats for American boots as theirs were mainly still leather.
I traded a picture frame for a pair of German Army field boots once
I wore those with BDUs whilst in the Coast Guard in the mid-1990s. They were super comfortable and those saran insoles were wonderful in hot weather. The only "breaking in" that they needed was for the leather strips used for the eyelets -- the stiffest part of the boot above the ankle. A couple days with thicker socks and those boots were good to go.
"they saw the writing on the wall even if they wrote it themselves" goes so hard
Spot on
Soinds cool, not accurate. But don't let facts get in the way of the rule of cool, amiright?
@@sinisterthoughts2896 I’ll never forget the day Vietnam bombed Las Vegas to start that war man, never forget
Yeah man we were totally forced to go into that war lol @@sinisterthoughts2896
@@sinisterthoughts2896 The Gulf of Tonkin was a false flag. Everybody knows that now. That's real history.
Coming from a Marine Veteran who's worn this boot, you did an outstanding job with this presentation! Well done! 👍
I wore Vapor Barrier (Bunny) boots in extreme cold (Alaska Infantry) for years. Water getting inside the boot doesn't matter. Still warm. Water getting between outer and inner layer, defeats the vapor barrier quickly. They are always warm. In the kind of temperature these boots are intended, there is no water, all ice. I have left them outside my tent, open end up, overnight in the snow. Moisture from foot sweat frozen inside. Put my bare feet in them in the morning . Warm in seconds! Then I took my feet out and quickly dried the inside, which I should have done the night before. These boots kept me alive in subzero weather. Carry two pairs of dry socks. Switch them out to reduce perspiration moisture.
Ft Greeley/Black Rapids alumni here. Deployed there for training with the 101st way back when. First time I ever saw a hot cup of coffee get tossed into the air, turn to powder and blow away!
Your feet smell like death when you take them out. I also liked the five buckle boots.
I wore the Jungle Boot in the mid-late 1980s and during Desert Shield/Storm. Gotta say, one of the most comfortable, durable, and functionable boots I'd ever worn. I still have a pair that I wear only in the summertime.
I was with XVIII Corps Arty in DS/DS, also wore the jungle boots from 86 on. Still have them and still wear them on snowy, shitty days. Best boots I’ve ever owned.
(miss my buddies from Bragg and Saudi so much). Nuff said.
@@dr.OgataSerizawa Don't your feet get cold in those? They are a tropical weather jungle boot. But to each his own
Hope you taped up or blocked the eyelets---otherwise, they'd have packed a lot of sand into those boots.
@@matthewgabbard6415 Yes, they weren't good in colder weather.
Awesome boots, I live in one of the wettest places in North America, and there are no other boots that compare to them. The insole’s really do work to pump the water out, I usually wear them without socks on long treks through the rainforest, crossing creeks etc. Having suffered from wearing gumboots, which always seem to pull your socks down to your heels, and just develop leaks, anyway, or leather boots that become un breathable and invariably develop leaks no matter how much you waterproof them…. I started wearing the jungle boots about 15 years ago and have worn out several pairs now. You can cross creeks, have your boots filled completely, and your feet are dry in about 10 minutes of walking.
I was issued the last version of the Jungle Boot stationed in Panama 89-90. I was a Paratrooper in an Airborne battalion, but everyone was issued this boot being stationed there. I loved the boot because even in state side units didn't like the boots because of uniformity. During the Summer the all leather boots suck because the sweat would pool up inside the boot during road marches and field exercises. During a state side rotation at NTC in the Mojave Desert I brought along a couple pairs of G.I. issue jungle boots out to the desert and it worked okay. The black leather absorbed heat and the steel plate sometimes got hot on the bottom. Otherwise my feet could breathe and keep my feet dry as long as I had done my part to bring plenty of socks to change. But in tropical climates It was great, if you were an infantryman it can last you 6 months and trade them in at CIF where it was standard issue. In the 90s the design stayed the same except for the nylon uppers became black in color until phased out by the Infantry Boot in the early 2000s till 2005. The Infantry Boot was an improved design used by the Navy SEALs back then but became Army issue until that time, now it's hard to find and rare. Yes I loved the jungle boot and the Desert Storm Version which was still issued till 2007.
1/508th Airborne infantry, fort Kobe Panama. Red Devils
I went to JOTC (Jungle Operations Training Center) at Camp Sherman, Panama in '84 (IIRC The 80s was a busy decade for me) LOL
@@clintonwalls3642 A co. Moatengators. 👍💪
@@reddevilparatrooper I was stationed in Panama from '91 to '96. Some time around '93 they started changing from the green upper to the black upper jungle boot. I loved the greens. The black had speed laces which was nice but the inserts changed and felt like you were walking on knife edges. The black uppers also had a tendency to separate along the back.
@@MN-Hillbilly You are right. I had to replace mines twice in Hawaii humping East Range. I had one pair that the back of my right heel totally rubbed raw and bloody. Lucky I keep my other pair of boots in my ruck. Yes they were pieces of shit for boots.
Those are fiberglass armor insoles to protect from punji sticks.
Dad gave me his.
worn nay
many pairs out riding motorcycls.
Perfect.
Hey Rose Anvil! Love your channel!
I'm a soldier from half a world away and I can affirm the sturdiness, functionality and durability of the V3 boot. Locally we have a licensed manufacturer of the V3 named GIBSONS Philippines Inc, and they have a long history here of making that boot in particular.
Got my first pair way back in 2013, I was still a cadet in the ROTC, and now as full pledged soldier, it's still alive and well, ten years and counting, conquering several mud trails and mountain ranges locally through storms and droughts. I can attest that it is indeed the definition of functional reform. It only cost us some $27.00 to buy (converted).
The government still procures these boots for new recruits today where we're from.
Thanks and More power!
@@williamwilliamson1096 Sure thing! They are located at Marikina City, near the Capital in the Philippines.
They have a very traditional business model in a sense, which may explain why we couldn't find a website.
Been to their main store/factory just last year to buy my second pair of jungle /combat boots. They do produce a whole lot more models than just the V3, all in line with other military or police functions, including dress shoes.
@@williamwilliamson1096 Sure thing! They are located at Marikina City, near the Capital in the Philippines.
They have a very traditional business model in a sense, which may explain why we couldn't find a website.
Been to their main store/factory just last year to buy my second pair of jungle /combat boots. They do produce a whole lot more models than just the V3, all in line with other military or police functions, including dress shoes.
I wore jungle boots through many road marches (humping) and training. One thing I liked about Jungle Boots was how quickly it dried after getting wet. It was fairly comfortable also until Bated Boots came out! The other thing I liked about jungle boots was the matching green color looked great with Cammie pants. Honestly, the new boots are much better, and avoid these. New boots are going to be good for your body imo.
I wore those boots in 1974 and 75, we would get them from this guy at the Orange Swap Meet in Orange Ca, as surplus...I was a teenager...😮🎉
How was the comfort?
@@Plague_Doc22 It was so good that we could/would play soccer and ride skateboards, and our mini bikes 🚲 in these boots. Never wore out a pair just outgrew them... 👍🏻
You missed a whole black leather boot issued through the 60's. Army personel not sent to SE Asia still wore the black leather boot until I left the Army in 1970. When I spent the last year of my enlistment in Korea 1969- 1970 we all wore the black leather boot.
I would really enjoy if you cut in half the modern US Navy “Safety Boot” It has a very similar construction to most modern issue combat boots, however it sports an odd sole design, steel toe, all leather upper and lower, and a fire resistant nomex lining. It would be interesting to see how safe my feet really are when im aboard a ship!
Steel toe is a death sentence in cold weather even a little snow and you will get frost bite and die in a survival situation. A buddy and I hiked six miles to get help in the high Sierra in N Cali in the early 80's it was bad for both of us....freak snow storm in March. FYI all the P-3 Navy ever got were standard steel toes. And yes we were working the Sea's of Alaska. So much for the navy caring...
Oh I know all about it having come from doing a lot of hiking and such to here. Don’t forget to take in account that if a steel gets crushed, theres no getting your toes out, even if you get whatever heavy thing crushed it off, say by to your toes. Composite would be much better but big navy would probably say “something something melt” despite having rubber vibrams…
Same reason they switched from primarily wooden rifles to metal and plastic rifles. Before that we didn’t produce synthetic materials en masse
interestingly, the platicy meshy insole looks like the same type that the late 1980s British Combat High has but that boot had no holes to pumo the water out - the insole had a very rough side and a smooth side and you were supposed to have the rough side down but I wore it up because it gripped my socks and reduced movement/chafing/foot blisters
loved the show! Great concept of cutting the boot in half, excellent dialogue and history lesson. Never saw your show before, I'm a fan now
I love videos like this. Watching Tour of Duty as a kid, me and my friends always wanted these boots and some tiger stripe fatigues.
My older Brother was Infantry at Fort Campbell KY and he bought me a pair of green Jungle boots for Xmas while I was still in Army AIT in 1996. They didn't sell them at Redstone Arsenal where I was doing my training, they only sold the all black version. I was the only one that had the green ones and I felt cool AF.
Having just spent an arm and half a leg on a new pair of boots today, I can speak with over a half century of experience that there are few pleasures (NECESSITIES ) in life that are more important to your physical and mental health as a well made pair of boots...Good boots = good ankles,good knees, good hips, good back, good attitude!...Just sayin... Great video. Thank you!
My platoon sergeant was a Vietnam combat veteran, he always wore jungle boots in the field, and thus, so did we (buying our own). We had a sergeant major that hated them but we only broke them out in the field. After we deployed to the jungle (x2) we were officially issued jungle boots. Best combat boot in the inventory. Even in the cantonement area, we loved them because they were lighter and easier to maintain (half the shining, hehe). Also the cloth upper allowed for some hidden customization. Lastly, they compacted down for travel much better than regular combat or jump boots.
As of 10 years ago. These were "required" equipment canoeing around northern Minnesota. Getting in and out of the canoe multiple times a day and wading through ankle deep water. Nothing worked better.
Great comment. My days in the BWCA are behind me now but I always wore my jungle boots when canoeing there. They worked great.
I had a pair of these that were hand me downs from my brother. I asked my drill sergeants in AIT if I could wear them. They said yes and I loved them. They polished up like you wouldn’t believe. Great shoes.
I still have my last pair of black ones that have the reinforced nylon upper, excellent boots for hot wet weather.
Just watched this for the second time. It may be one of your best videos. Thank you.
2005? We still can get them issued today and I have but in brown.
Yeah, I think McRae had the original contract, and they dusted off the old foots molds and started making the originals again around 2016 or '17. Not sure if they still do.
@@CaptainJacksIsland mine are wellco. Must be a British military thing with contracts and that.
Yes - U.K. - I’ve been issued in brown. They are Wellco. Not sure if any such differences to model in this video ? Doesn’t look it.
Different model from my understanding. This particular model has been replaced I believe, with a simular one.
10:34 Is that figure cumulative of all the boot videos up to this point? I can't see how one pair of boots can cost $76,447.
I lived in the jungle for months at a time during monsoon season. Everyone who ever "upgraded" the saran innersole's with more comfortable types ended up with immersion foot . Those saran innersoles are the best feature of the boot. Us oldtimers would wear the boot without socks. We had some calloused ugly feet but no foot trouble.
I forgot you could wear socks with them.....😁
Great video. I retired to rural Brazil in 2021 and brought my jungle boots I had when in the 82nd back in 1980 when I trained in Ft. Sherman in Panama. I wore them out in Brazil. They lasted a long time and took a beating. I tried some of the spin offs like Rothco and was not happy. Basically, the other brands were a loose fit and I really liked the snug fit of the original boot. Lucklily after a lot of searching (including in many Army surpus shops) I found an almost new pair my size on eBay.I am so happy to have found them. What makes the original so unique is the very snug fit. Yes, they are a real bitch to get on but worth it as they are so stable. Also, the heel is sharp and hard. Going down a muddy hillside with my dogs I can go heel first, dig the heel in and not fall or slide. Too bad the originals are not manufactured any longer. Thanks for the background to these awesome boots!
Jungle boots were light but incredibly unstable for your ankle. I stopped wearing them because of rolling my ankles so many times.
Interesting, i figured the ankle suppirt eould be goodn gicen it is a lace up witha higg ankle. I've worn combat boots for years including the old desert boot which is quite similar and had quite the opposite experince.
@@sinisterthoughts2896 totally different boot than later boots.
03:01 that was a good slide my Guy
Used to wear these when I was in the Guard….was still allowed to be worn into the mid 90’s. Wore them with ripstop BDU’s. We could also wear the old OD green hooded raincoats & allowed brown wool button collar sweater under BDU’s…pre-fleece days.
Loved the video, but you did miss that in today's market, jungle boots relatively are dirt cheap for how much they give you! I bought mine for about $80 and other than having to buy some extra insoles cause the ones I bought did not come with them, these boots are a killer! In terms of looks, strangley goes with a lot in my wardrobe. In terms of function, also top tier! since they're canvas, lighter wieght than other heavy duty boots and have them drain holes, they are super comftrable for a guy who has sweatty feet! I work a lot on my feet and sweat a ton but these are so nice! Also the heavy duty soes have saved my feet countless times and I've only had them for a couple months! For anyone on the fence for getting jungle boots, it's honestly a great alternative to higher end boots
I was in the US Navy from 79 to 1985 and on board destroyers from 81 to 85. When I got out to the fleet I immediately bought a set of these at the Navy Exchange and wore them continuously as footwear while wearing dungarees either in port or underway, my ship ending approving them for use in conjunction with those dreadful US Navy Boondockers! They had nice grippy traction on non-skid and if you got soaked either by rain topside or via a wave coming up on the weather deck they were quick to dry out. I still have a pair that I use when I go out for walking in the local state park.
I was issued 2 pairs of these boots when stationed at Ft. Benning (3/7th Inf.) in 1982 right before we went to the jungle warfare training school in Panama for 3 weeks. My 1st experience with them were long road marches in full gear and pack and the steel plate really did a number on my feet until I got use to them and broke them in. Very good design and functional boot and I wore them constantly even after leaving the Army and used them for work in my civilian jobs.
We had almost the same type of boots in Yugoslavian and latter in the Serbian army (although they were issued in limited quantities) as of 2004 when I left the service.
I bought a Altama PX10.5 jungle boot because of your first video on the jungle boots
and I can confirm that these are absolutely amazing boots for hiking, they are very comfortable and feel just solid
I still have my pair of V2's I wore in the last 6 months of my tour in Vietnam and I still wear them today. The steel soul would stop the punji sticks but as your foot went down the sides of the trap would spring towards the ankle and cause damage to upper portions of the foot. The enemy was very clever.
I got a pair of these in the 70s as teenager. It was at a Yellowfront, definitely army surplus. the sole was very hard but somewhat flexible. They were pretty uncomfortable to wear.
I truly appreciate the great RESPECT & SKILL you bring to your topics.
I love your channel man, I saw you on Dave's garage page. I'm in the Amsoil cult and a Merchant Marine engineer. Here is the only reason why you should not prime the oil filter it happened to me, my fault.
I drained the oil in my 2000 chevy express 6.5 gm diesel. I was working outside and getting dark so I let it drain overnight. I got busy and my van sat for 2 weeks draining every drop. I filled the engine and filter with 15 40. It was winter here in the New York. I started the engine and watched for my oil preasure and it didn't come up immediately like I expected. I shut of the engine and double checked my drain plug and dipstick. All good. Try it again and still no oil preasure. Shut of the engine now I suspected the gauge was bad but started it 1 more time and nothing, now the valve lash is getting loud so I know there is a problem and I'm starting to panic, wondering what I did wrong. The light bulb goes on over my head. I place a oil pan under the filter and unscrew it a couple turns, start the engine and watch. 2 seconds later the oil pours out. I shut of the engine and tighten the filter. All good now. So what happened was I let the oil drain so long that the oil pump lost its prime and with the filter perfectly full it had no where to push out the air. So now I still prefilled my filter but I leave a little room for air in there, and don't drain my oil for 2 weeks!
Thanks for the knowledge bros.
😅
The new tread was what we called tractor treads. They had good grip and didn't hold mud as bad.
There was a major problem with these boots. I was stationed in CauViet during 1968-1969. This camp was on the South China Sea. Walking through the sand, that was all around the camp as well as throughout the entire AO, created significant problems. Every time you lifted your foot, the holes in the boot would suck the sand inside the holes in the boot. It only took twenty or thirty steps to build up the sand within the boot, to such an extent, that you could no longer walk because it lifted up your arch to the maximum extent of the upper boot which hurt as h..l. We all had to solder the holes to keep the sand out of the boot. Great for a jungle environment but not for sandy areas.
Rose Anvil has 185 million views, meaning he's a multi-millionaire by doing these videos on TH-cam!
The Guld of Tonkin Incident you talk about at 4:42 was a false flag, it never happened, let alone "dragged the U.S. into the Vietnam War." The U.S. wanted to go to war. No one dragged it into the war.
@RoseAnvil
There was also boot that was basically a middle ground between the m43 boot and the Vietnam jungle boot it was called the Okinawa boot it was basically the same design as the m43 boot but it had canvas in certain areas of the boots like the jungle boots used in Vietnam but the okinawa boots also had the double buckles like the m43 boots originally the first U.S. military officers and military advisors sent to Vietnam originally war the Okinawa boots which were the original jungle boots before there were the ones shown in this video.
We were issued the od green canvas jungle boots and the slant pocket BDU's while down in Honduras in the early 1980's they had alot of this gear left over from Vietnam and were just trying to use some of it up. the boots were great i liked them. i still have mine.
I love your videos. You immortalize the engineering of all of these boots forever on video, and I learn so much. Thank you.
By the 1960s the British Army had a good, expendable jungle boot, which if you were on strenuous operations was exchanged for new ones every two weeks when your resupply was delivered. It had a black, rubber sole, and the rest was green canvas with lace up eyelets. Usually there was a bit more wear left in them when they were discarded, but I doubt whether they could have lasted a whole month. It was best to coat them with insect repellant to prevent leeches climbing your legs and getting onto your body. Leeches were very common. Our green cotton shirts and pants were renewed at the same time. I sometimes wondered how much protection the canvas would give against snakebite, there were plenty of snakes but I only once knew a soldier to get bitten
@Rose anvil there was also an arctic version of the m43 boots called most commonly referred as the 10th mountain division winter double buckle boots
Was it a version that was made with wool.
@@zombis89fisto no it was made out of felt.
Great video, lots of info! I had a pair of Rotcho jungle boots a few years ago and they were so uncomfortable that I gave up on military boots. Recently found some original RO Search jungle boots and they're so much better and they barely cost more than the cheaper ones with some searching. The Panama sole is also one of the coolest and most aggressive looking soles on any shoe or boot I've ever seen.
Shame TH-cam messed with the video, great work Rose!
FWIW, I found the boots worked best for me in the jungle with NO socks. Socks just retained water and the insole was perfectly comfortable without socks. Sockless, you would wade through waist-deep water and, the boots/feet would dry out within 15 minutes after leaving the water. Same is true with underwear in that environment...it just keeps you wet longer.
Well, bugger me. A video which is actually hugely informative, concise and well presented.
Well done.
As an older teenager in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) in the mid to late 80s, I was part of a 2 week trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) near Ely MN. Lots and lots of water, wet portages, rocky mud, and hordes of mosquitos as large as your hand. I learned quickly that I'd made a good choice for my boots, a set of "el cheapo" M1966 boots I got for $15 at the surplus store (everybody wanted the new lug outsoles even at $80, so they were closing out the slow selling M1966 with the old soles). Not sure why or how I made that excellent choice, but my foresight paid off as other guys with expensive all leather boots began developing symptoms of trench foot the first week. I'd always be the guy that went into the deep water and then plopped into the boat at the front, as all I had to do was hold my feet up outside the boat and let all the water run out...then the rest would air out while we were on the water. A great boot, and I beat them up on the rocky shores of the BWCA daily. I think the leather part of the boot finally split apart 20 years later, I had to throw them away. Wish I still had a pair, as I'm still living in a humid subtropical climate in the USA and they would be good footwear for that.
Great video. Loved my Junle boots. I'm getting rage bated by yout video footage of wearing boots with laces un-tucked. Tuck em in
my unit was issued these boots at one point on a deployment in the mid 80's, and I still love them to this day
Keep up the good work guys. It’s unfortunate that TH-cam keeps jerkin yous guys around with the historic content. Also the b-roll shot with the city in the background was awesome.
I wore those during the summer months when I served in the '80s & '90s. They were comfortable and looked good with the BDUs we wore back then. Great memories. Go Army!!
Definitely high quality, and I'm glad this popped up on my suggested videos after watching through so many hat videos by @HatHistorian
Thanks for teaching us about this!
As a Paramedic in Florida, I wore the "Namer" boot for most of my thirty-year career. Loved them beyond any then else on the market at that time.
This channel is such a rare, hidden gem that no one would ever expect to find.
Keep rocking it, dudes.
I LOVED my JB's when I was on active duty in the USMC. When they were authorized for inspections and daily wear, I bought four pairs. Two with the original tread pattern and two with the modified. God I loved those boots! Damn near indestructible, comfortable, lightweight, sturdy, breathable and to say they looked cool as hell is a gross understatement. I would use these boots to run the 3-mile PFT for training and, at times, for the real deal. First time I wore them for an inspection I got my butt chewed out until I showed them the USMC Order authorizing them. They shined up really well, and the polish (with a bit of saddle soap and wax) were damn near waterproof. Loved those boots more than I loved being in the Corps for 20+ years.
I served as a Scout Dog handler from '69 to '70, and from '70 to '72 as an instructor in country. After the first day of wearing the boots, I discarded the insole because of the way it felt. I later used boot polish to close up the little brass holes on the side. They let in too much water. I never did get boots with the Panama Sole, but I surely wanted a pair. Overall, I really liked my jungle boots. Thanks for posting this video.
Got my dad's old jungle boots. Loved them. And wore them out!
Got my first pair of jungle boots when I was 13, and I lived in those things. In my unit in the army we could wear jungle boots with our BDUs, as long as they were the all black kind, and they were great for the hot steamy summers at Ft Campbell. Still have all my boots from my service, very cool to learn the history of the jungle boot. Thank you!
I absolutely love my jungle boots, both for work and personal use. I am a paramedic and have found on the rare occasions that I need to force entry, they are phenomenal door-kickers. Also keep athelete's foot at bay. Just be careful on those freshly mopped hospital floors!
That insole was fantastic in wet conditions. I wish I could find them and put them in all my boots. There's no cushioning, but they help your feet breathe like nothing else does. So, they're great even in my Danners in the freezing cold. I love the jungle boot overall, not the best for roadmarching/rucking on actual roads, but in the field conditions it was designed for; it was/is an awesome boot.
This was a very nostalgic episode for me. I was a kid in the teenager in the 70’s and my Dad was in the military. He was able to get two pairs of these for my brother and me. We thought they were the coolest boots ever!
I served in the Air Force from 75-95. We were issued the full leather combat boots back then. At some point, the jungle boots became the standard boot for all military. My first base was Minot AFB ND. We were issued the bunny/moon boots due to the cold weather. You were not issued a military drivers permit if you only had the white moon boots. If you did get a license to drive military vehicles in the winter, you were issued Muk Lucks. They had a thick rubber sole, canvas sides and reached just under your knee. They had inserts to help keep feet warm, a zipper to close them and a lace at the top to tighten them to your feet and leg. They were designed in a way to enable you to drive a vehicle and not hit the gas/brake or clutch inadvertently. To me, they were the best winter boot ever made.
My Grandpa used to take me to surplus stores when I was a kid and I would always buy a pair of Jungle boots to hike in and even wore them to school. They were absolutely awesome. Even in to high school I wore them. Those things were amazing.
I have at kept least one pair of PMR soled boots, mostly desert colors, in my line up for 40+ years. ABSOLUTELY LOVE the Altama 10" versions !!
In the 70s my brother, navy officer, sent me some surplus stuff. Jungle boots were part of it and thought they were cool. However, they weren't great for November michigan deer hunting.
I wear a similar boot as part of my army uniform, the sole does tend to wear out but the vents and (relatively) lightweight construction are very helpful and comfortable
I wore these boots for four and a half months roaming around the primary rainforests of the Dumoga/Bone nature reserve in Indonesia in 1985 and they're brilliant! The boots (with minimal subsequent wear) were still serviceable for several decades after I returned from the jungle. I eventually donated my boots to a local charity shop when I had no further use for them (but still had a strong emotional bond) and less room for storage.
I've worn these boots for maybe 40 of my 52 yrs and very rarely anything else. Sometime back around 1990? I seen a pair of boots in the US Calvary catalog. Black jungles with the panama sole,but it was different,they were called Megabite. The sole was the exact same design but at least twice as deep. They wanted something like $180 then so I passed on them. Forgot about them for a while and came across a new pair around late 211 or early 2012. The sporting goods store wanted $20 for them. Swooped them up without question. Wish I would have bought the other 2 pair they had left. I had to finally retire them in early 2023. I wore them probably 350 out 365 days a year for almost 12 years doing everything from going shopping to working on vehicles and wade fishing and hunting,snow (everything,actually the tread is really good in snow) till the sole came lose from the leather at the ball of the foot. The tread was still pretty decent,just about what the regular panama's come with new. I'd still wear them if they wouldn't have separated.
Wish I could find at least 2 more pair of them as they quit making them for some reason a long time ago,they'd probably last the rest of my life.
I looked and looked around at the new "jungle boots" and none of them have a decent tread. It's stew pid they would quit making the panama sole,there is not one out there that's better. Picked up a pair of Altama Pro X because they're Altama's and panama soled,but would still prefer to be able to wear my old ones yet. Can't remember the brand name of them,unless it was Megabite,but Belleville rings a bell for some reason.
Being from a military family with a grandfather who went to Korea, an uncle who was stationed in Alaska (where "Micky Mouse" boots were also key) and another uncle who did two tours in Vietnam, this was a very good historical telling of not only the "Jungle Boot", but their predecessors. Thank you.
I wore these in the Army until they phased them out. The sole lasted, but separated, on the edges, like string cheese in chunks. Still a very comfortable boot. Loved them.
I wore various pairs of mil-spec desert boots for years as an outdoor professional in the desert. Some of these were high-end private-make, some were disappointing low-end cardboard knock-offs. They were the only boots that gave me the support i needed and still kept my feet cool, I did always need to add professional-grade gel inserts to make them comfortable. When I moved to the PNW, I retired them. Later I found an incredible deal on brand-new Vietnam jungle boots, and figured they'd be more appropriate for my new habitat. High quality, less than $30, and size 14. Maybe the size was why they were so cheap. But I need that in the toe box because of my gel insoles. I fitted them with lace-in zippers. I've never worn them.
Don't judge. Around the same time I bought a pair of dark cherry red Doc Martens. I've never worn those either. Missed Vietnam and the punk era. Go figure. Glad to have them, though.
We used these in the late 90s when we were playing paintball. That aggressive tread was great for traction when sprinting.
One company still making boots with the Panama sole is Belleville. Have had several of their boots and can honestly say they are the best I've worn. Just ordered some with the Panama sole, and you can immediately feel the quality of movement the design gives.
this episode is so nerdy, and informative; I love it!
The V2 boot had a steel insole as well. I had a pair that split in half at the ball of the foot showing the metal. That was in 1970 0r /71 as I recall.
I'd love to see a comparison between the original V3 Jungle Boots and its current reproductions/replicas.