History of Combat Boots And Their Role In Fashion

Combat boots have become much of a common place amongst the military organizations around the world. The first soldiers that were issued them were the foot soldiers of the Assyrians, they wore hobnail boots called caligae.

Soldiers in the English Civil war were issued 3 sets of these special footwear and would change them after every march to be sure that each was worn in evenly. Instead of laces these had buckles that were used by most armies during that period in time.

The Napoleonic wars saw the first set of lace up combat boots and were issued to replace the older buckle shoes. The first issued by the Americans were lace up ankle boots. These however had no left or right shoe. They were instead intended to shape themselves around the soldier’s feet. These boots were both uncomfortable and cause a lot of blisters.

The next official set of US boots came during WWII. They were part of the M-1943 uniform ensemble. With this issue the Americans were back to the double buckled which they would keep until 1948. During the Vietnam War the US was back to lace ups made specifically for jungle warfare.

Current United States combat boots are available in two differing styles. The first is a 2.5 lb temperate weather boot and the second is a 2 lb hot weather. Current manufacturers of United States combat boots include Altama, Bates, Belleville Shoe, McRae, Rocky, Warson, Converse and Wellco. All branches of the military use a tan rough out except the Air Force who uses a foliage green suede.

In recent history combat boots have found a new genre of people looking to buy them outside of the military. With the invasion of the goth, punk, and industrial, kids ones have become much more of a mainstream accessory. They have become a fashion statement for a large portion of the population of American youth.

Many people who choose combat boots for fashion want the real thing which creates an authentic and vintage look and feel. As a result you can buy them at pretty much any military surplus store or online at several different retailers.

Beyond fashion, some people also wear them simply because they are so durable and long lasting. They can be worn for long periods of time in any conditions which makes them ideal for many industries even outside of the military.