History of Combat Boots And Their Role In Fashion

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

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

The Napoleonic wars saw the first set of lace up combat boots and were issued to replace the older buckle shoes.  The first combat boots issued by the Americans were lace up ankle boots. These boots 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 combat boots came during WWII. They were part of the M-1943 uniform ensemble. With this boot issue the Americans were back to the double buckled boot which they would keep until 1948. During the Vietnam War the US was back to lace up combat boots made specifically for jungle warfare.

Current United States combat boots are available in two styles. The first is a 2.5 lb temperate weather boot and the second is a 2 lb hot weather boot. Current manufacturer 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 combat boot except the Air Force who uses a foliage green suede boot.

In recent history combat boots have a new genre of people looking to buy the outside of the military. With the invasion of the goth, punk, and industrial kids combat boots have become much more mainstream. They have become a fashion statement for a large 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 combat boots at pretty much any military surplus store or online at several different retailers.

Beyond fashion, some people also wear combat boots 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.