Sealed Pattern Northern Ireland Issue Boots, Urban Patrol

[@stephenhowes7542]

I remember running after a youth in N.I and leaving most of both heels laying on the pavement. Horrible things .

[@SimonTimoney-74]

Brits out

[@gobbiner]

When I was in Belfast in 87, we had the issued Combat High, which were bad on the knees, I soon got a pair of Doc Martens sent over from home.

[@GavTatu]

wild geese specials !

[@steveh5005]

I had a pair last from 1978 to 1981. Then back to DMS & putties, Then mid 80s we had a new how high boot

[@guelahpapyrus1385]

I’ve been looking for more information on these pattern boots for some time. Thanks for sharing the original pattern examples. Always stellar content here.

[@shurdi3]

In my experience, polyurethane tends to not hold up with time. Loves splitting and breaking down after a few years.

[@neil_castell]

several batches of the cs95 assault boot had the same issue with the soles breaking down, i had some brand new still boxed and the soles had gone.

[@harry9392]

Yep I got an issue with the soles crumbled In the box

[@johnsteele2986]

Polyurethane soles are the worst! Lowa insist on still using it, my Desert Elites did this 3 days after I got them. Best $400 I ever spent! Needless to say I'll never wear Lowas again!

[@billy.g3597]

Polyurethane soles are good when they are new. But it's only a matter of time until the first split appears, then complete disintegration is only a few steps away. I've owned 3 pairs of the s95 assault boots. The first pair the heels fell off. The next two pairs the soles split right across, flaking bits off as you walked.

[@nickwilkinson5849]

Had a pair for years. Very comfy

[@GavTatu]

in about 1980, when i first joined cadets, it was DMS and puttees... i remember buying, from silvermans maybe, who knows now.... some DMS boots with an extended leather upper, sewn on, to make a high leg boot. what they were, or who issued them i don't know... but they were sexier than boots and puttees, lol !

[@themilitaryman4269]

Brilliant mate

[@faeembrugh]

I believe the preferred high leg boot of choice in NI in the 1980s were the German para boots.

[@mr.phenon536]

Do you mean the Kampfstiefel 77?

[@robertmunoz7543]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge on post war british uniform & kit. Unless ive missed it could you do a vid on camo scrim scarf origin & uses and also differences from WW2 to later versions. Jman

[@petermorffew9851]

I served in NI during 1975. We didn't see these boots, thank Christ, they look absolute rubbish and uncomfortable. I bought myself a pair of Doc Martin boots for the tour and was allowed to wear them through out the tour. Much more durable and comfortable.

[@brendanmatelan2129]

Moore, I'm sure there's information out there on the internet about these, but wanted to know what you know. Is there a reason why Polyurethane was used for the soles rather than say Rubber? Also I'd imagine that these boots were probably rushed into service and production since they were urgently need once the problem with the DMS boots were recognized.

[@RiflemanMoore]

The boots were made to be lightweight and provide good grip on paved surfaces, I've always understood that to be the reason behind the choice of material for the sole.

[@deathwarrant100]

@@RiflemanMoore Pu was used because it would be lighter weight than and more shock absorbing than PVC or Rubber.

[@richardarcher7177]

Given the comments about British army footwear I've come across on youtube and the web in general I ask this question: Did the British army ever issue a decent boot?

[@badgertheskinnycow]

DMS boots were well liked by many troops. If looked after properly they were fine although puttees were a bit of a pain. A high leg DMS would have been my ideal boot.

[@flatmoon6359]

Not till 2010 ish.

[@flatmoon6359]

DMS were hated by everyone 2 weeks out of basic training,cos they were told by mates that Bundeswehr boots were available for DM30 ,well they were in Osnabruck in 82 by the roundabout near the Bahnhof.

[@petermorffew9851]

DMS boots did a good job. The general attitude during the Cold War period was that the infantry had a life expectancy of a few minutes, if you were lucky. Tank crews a few more minutes

[@flatmoon6359]

DMS boots were rubbish,you had to do all the training and exercises in these,4 week manoeuvres,2 week getting you feet back to normal.Early Bundeswehr high boots were superb,hard wearing soles,padded all over.One mm thick leather DMS,didn't even had tongue go up to top of boot, were a joke, wouldn't walk a Small Dog in them.Had 1 O.C. who said ,you wear these in camp,wear any military black boots you want rest of time.You'r working in them,you can wear them.

[@padraigcurran3236]

Was there a variant that came in pebbled leather, as I believe and I could be wrong that I have such a pair?

[@RiflemanMoore]

I've seen no evidence to suggest that there was a variant manufactured in pebbled leather.

[@harry9392]

Yes there were, it wasn't a variation of the boot but a different boot the boot was pebbled very light loved them when they wore out we got the boot in the video but were called boots combat high. Urban patrol Boots pebbled were excellent when doing patrols in the city our unit was one of the first to get the nice pebbled ones was full time UDR and Royal Irish home service even still got my old flack jacket served for full 22 all op banner

[@66kbm]

These had soles that looked lighter in colour and were pebbled. I remember them from Army Cadets.

[@harry9392]

@@66kbm I loved those boots nice and light easy to run in

[@steveforster9764]

@@harry9392 Yes I had a pair

[@mickm234]

Did they actually ever come into service? The ones I had were of pebbled leather, and were very comfortable. I managed to get new soles on mine and kept them going for about 18 months more.

[@fus149hammer5]

Certainly in better condition than my last pair that disintegrated on me in Forkhill! We bought our own in the end.

[@johnshanahan8477]

very very good video

[@harry9392]

These were first to be called urban patrol Boots but a lighter boot was brought into service a one off issue if I remember right these were dimpled leather and no toe cap we were issued the light pair in 81as urban patrol boots but the boots that fell apart were issued to my unit as Boots combat high still got them sole flaking rubber they they were still issued into the late nintys ,very short shelf life. but the realy light Boots were as good as slippers

[@badgertheskinnycow]

You're talking about two completely different types of boots Harry.

[@harry9392]

@@badgertheskinnycow still have them the light Boots were issued as urban patrol boots Pebbled and no toe cap , we used to swap boots about DMS boots and putties next week patrol boots before being deployed to South Armagh the boots combat hight were to heavy in urban areas the pro boot gortex was a good boot have had mine resold a few times.

[@paladinmaid2334]

They look a lot easier to don/doff than the regular DMS boots (with puttees), but what a horrid composition of sole material.

[@medic7698]

DMS and puttees were what we had and we got used to them.

[@paladinmaid2334]

@@medic7698 yeah, I'm starting out in living history, and slowly getting used to them :)

[@medic7698]

@@paladinmaid2334 a lot of our blokes used to cut them down.

[@davidbrennan660]

That level of sole disintegration gives the Petrochemical might of the German Democratic Republic a run for its Marks.

[@haroldellis9721]

Not a good sign when ever the pattern boots' sole crumbles. To be fair, I had a pair of Redwings do the same thing.

[@nafis6668]

Let's stay away from polyurethane sole. Rubber all the way.

[@Yandarval]

To be fair. Whilst in no way good. They are knocking on 50 years old. Most synthetics break down over that time.

[@harry9392]

These boots were the worst our mad CO made a decision that we had to bull them, on parade marching off the square bits of sole all over it an he wanted to charge the guy whose rubber were flaking off ,

[@gerrypowell2748]

Surprised any are still in existence🦶🦶🦶

[@aussiviking604]

Your equipment is made by the lowest bidder. Some things never change. Got to love the torries and their care for government personnel.

[@philstothard8333]

Ask GordonBrown about the ' decapitator' patrol vehicle .

[@maxbodymass6288]

1974 - 1979. Labour Government....

[@badgertheskinnycow]

@@philstothard8333 except the only time defence spending went up in real terms after 1984 was under Gordon Brown. Since then it has consistently decreased.

[@badgertheskinnycow]

@@maxbodymass6288 UK defence spending actually went up in 1974 and remained at an average 4.6% GDP until 1979. Up until then it had been decreasing year on year. Don't believe all the crap you read on Facebook.

[@badgertheskinnycow]

That's not actually true. There was a lot more that went into tendering process than just a cost threshold. If you didn't meet the minimum criteria you wouldn't even be considered. The ability to maintain a quality standard, the meeting of certain industry production standards and the track record of a company were also relevant factors. The lowest bidder would not be guaranteed the contract.

[@robertmunoz7543]

Why would you issue a piece of crap boot without proper wear & tear testing?😳 Jman

[@maxbodymass6288]

Civil Service, no come backs,. troops either dead, crippled or on a charge for wearing crap (illegal ) boots. Boots combat high had the same Plus many more problems.

[@badgertheskinnycow]

@@maxbodymass6288 do you just make up crap off the top of your head? The MOD is made up of one quarter Serving Military staff. Serving military staff hold the majority of senior positions inside MOD and even the Civil Service staff are made up of many retired Service Staff. The specifications are written by the Services, the user trials are conducted by Service personnel and the Main Gate Approval is given by the Services.

[@badgertheskinnycow]

The boots were tested and went on trial in NI. The boots in the video are 46 years old. These boots were for use only on a tour to NI which lasted 4-6 months usually. The boots were not designed for long service - they were specifically designed to be lightweight.

[@maxbodymass6288]

@@badgertheskinnycow No I do Not make crap up off the top of my head. Your premiss that Civil Service is made up of retired military staff is erroneous to say the least, most are bright young things from our universities both of them who's only military experience is they went out once with some one from the OTC, Troop trials are carried out with real troops. Boots DMS, were troop trialed by the Artillery, Boots Combat High were troop trialed by RCT, where I would have the Infantry or Marines troop trial boots due to the obvious reason. In MOD procurement the number of service personnel are very small and are only there for three years max so there input into equipment is mostly at the beginning ( they do not know what their doing but). Middle got the hang of the job but to late to change any thing. Late into a programme looking to wards next posting moving on promotion etc, most programmes take a good few years even simple low tech ones, Oh just point out I worked for the MOD 1976 - 2014 so I have some .experience thanks.

[@maxbodymass6288]

@@badgertheskinnycow boots were designed to last two years. NI garrison duties were three years, UDR duties were permanent !!

[@dastealthoperator4138]

Would you ever do a rhodesian impression?