British Army Boots, same problem with 3 pairs!

[roguekiller23231]

i've had 3 pairs of these, new, not army issued or second hand, all 3 have had the exact same issue.

after a year or 2 of wearing them, the whole of the bottom just falls off.

2 pairs have just partially come apart, leaving chunks of shoe where ever i walk, but 1 pair the whole of the bottom just fell off leaving a slick rubber surface.

went camping with them once, and someone else had a second hand pair from a army surplus shop, at the exact same time, both of our pairs just fell apart in the exact same way.

i try to keep them in the best possible condition, so the leather is is excellent condition, so i still have these pairs that have fallen apart in the loft.

anyone know why this happens? or if i can get a new rubber tread/sole applied to them?? or even some better quality army boots?

 

[Wildgoose]

The soles on the newer boots have a shelf life of 5 years. After which they crumble and fall to bits! Most of the boots released to surplus channels are past the five year life, so brand new boots crumble quickly.
Try to get some of the older DMS boots, I had a pair dated 1976 still going in 1997 and they went on to have a life when I'd outgrown them.

When I say newer boots I mean the mid 90s to present black high leg boots with the half speed lacing and commando sole. Too many left/right/about turns whilst static ripped the tread off in huge rubber chunks!

 

[wingstoo]

Any more details of make/model, there are so many types of "Army" boots available these days, I have used them for years without problem, but that was the old pattern ankle boot and the old NI boot, then the early hi-top boot, and now I wear Han-wags... Never had a sole come adrift, but swmbo had a pair of the hi-tops (about 12 years ago) but took many years before they had anything go wrong with the soles.

Good selection...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_o...s&_nkw=DMS+Ankle+boots&_sacat=13956&_from=R40

 

[Dave-the-rave]

Yup I've heard about the 5 year shelf life too. Have a look at these boots...http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRITTON-ASSAULT-BOOTS-WITH-DMS-SOLES-BLACK-/350771707778?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&var=&hash=item51ab9f7f82

Now they resemble the first ''Boots Combat High'' which were first issued around 1984 but I believe they are after market copies so I can't vouch for them. They may be good boots though.

Here they are again. The seller states clearly they are not the issued boots, which would be 20 odd years old by now anyway. May be worth considering though...http://www.denbigharmysurplus.co.uk/army-stores/British-Army-Assault-Boots.html

I've also got a pair of the first issue Pro boot with red linings. I bought them new last year but they must be well over 5 years old and they're still going strong so longevity seems to be luck of the draw.

 

[Clouston98]

I hear "Magnum" boots are good quality, never had any my self though.

 

[wingstoo]

I hear "Magnum" boots are good quality, never had any my self though.

A lot of people will tend to disagree though.

 

[hiho]

one of my pairs has started to melt/drop apart in bits

 

[Clouston98]

A lot of people will tend to disagree though.

Fair enough, I've never really been a fan of military boots my self.

 

[Macaroon]

I've had Magnum ice lollies that last longer and felt better on the feet than Magnum boots....................The boots, however, tasted a whole lot better.

 

[santaman2000]

I hear "Magnum" boots are good quality, never had any my self though.

I had good luck with them years ago when they were the issue boot. Haven't worn them in years though any given company's quality isn't necessarily static.

 

[Clouston98]

Seems my advice was a little off. Although I am sure I read a good review on them somewhere?

 

[wingstoo]

Some are better than others, I wore Boots, Ankle, DMS from a young age, my Dad wore them for years before me, but he had extension tops of 4"/100mm added to them, to save wearing Puttees.

They have come a long way over the years, not always for the better though, A lot of soldiers in the Falklands conflict wore their own privately purchased boots because the quality was better.

 

[Clouston98]

I suppose its really about how toughly they get used, as in a weekend stroll with the dog or more serious walking? Most will list a short walk now and then but not mountaineering etc?

 

[Norton]

British military kit is made to fulfil a purpose at the cheapest possible price, you get what you pay for. Generally lads and lasses in the military aren't overly comfortable in their issued kit and wonder why anyone would buy it to wear over the much better selection out there.

 

[Clouston98]

you get what you pay for.

Now that is the truth, in all my experiences anyway.

 

[roguekiller23231]

the first pair of British army boots i had were actually the most comfortable boots i ever had. probably because i soaked them for a day and molded them to fit my feet better, use a huge amount of polish to make the leather much softer and the sole became very cushoney and soft.

don't know what the army do to them, because when i saw surplus one's they were awful, the leather was dried out and felt like card board, and the sole was as hard as a brick.

my boots dont see much use, i'm always in the house except for the odd occasion that i have to go out or when i go scotland, so it was surprising that they fell apart with such little use, i guess the 5 year life span of the sole is to do with it. i'll probably not be getting another pair.

 

[Will_]

It's a common problem with those boots. I had a pair perfectly broken in, but only a couple of months old. Stashed them away for years (about 8 years) as the training team said we could buy Lowas, went to put them on this Summer and they were leaving oily boot prints! Then I took one off and to my horror was able to press my thumb through the heel and start tearing chunks out of the soles! After your weapon, your boots are probably your most important bit of kit! Can't believe the army don't take boots more seriously. At least they get fairly decent stuff for the lads who are deploying now.

 

[Norton]

Will, the Army don't have the same boots for 5 years. The guys probably have 2 pairs they alternate between and they'll be lucky to get 2 years out of them. Remember they are expected to change them as soon as they start looking a little tatty. Usually about the same time the rest of us think they're just getting comfortable.

 

[John Fenna]

Seems my advice was a little off. Although I am sure I read a good review on them somewhere?

I like various models of Magnums for Bushcraft and have used them on expeds but I do not think that they are the hardest wearing of boots. I am prepared to suffer having to replace a pair of boots after a year and have the comfort I get from Magnums while they last.
Those MOD boots don't seem to have lasted much longer than my Magnums do!

 

[The Lord Poncho]

The Combat assault boots are well known for crumbling soles. Now no longer issued (except to use up stocks). Some of the new issue boots are already suffering sole problems though - with some of the soles on the YDS boots detaching completely.