Rothco Jungle Boots vs Original Jungle Boots

[@ObsidianBrah]

Glad to see I’m not the only one still obsessed with jungle boots and ERDL gear lol

[@paul_reislaufer]

@ObsidianBrah we out here bro.

[@bradburke8363]

I always have a pair of jungle boots handy.i wear them when i go bank fishing or do anything river or camping related.interesting video i learned some stuff

[@echohunter4199]

I’m a retired Army Grunt (1983-2009) and we were issued jungle boots with all black uppers when I was stationed on Ft. Campbell. When I first arrived there in Jan 1986 they issued us 2 sets of OD green jungle uniforms and a pair of Vietnam era OD green jungle boots the black ones were issued to us around 1989. We had the option of wearing either jump boots, OD green or black jungle boots or USGI issued leather boots which nobody liked. Doing long range ruck marches in jungle boots was fine but walking on the hot pavement was annoying but the light weight of the boot allowed us to walk faster.

[@paul_reislaufer]

@echohunter4199 this is great info, do you happen to remember when you first started seeing speed laces on jungle boots? I missed the jungle boot era by a few years. My experience over these last few years mirrors what you're saying about the pavement and ruck matching though.

[@echohunter4199]

@@paul_reislaufer for us the black jungle boots had standard eyelet type laces, we never had boots with speed lace ‘hooks’ as some boots have up towards the upper portion of the boot. I think it was 1988-89 we got the black jungle boots. As for the OD green jungle uniforms they were specifically for field use only which many don’t believe. When we had them on we stayed in the Brigade area since we were about to head out to the training area or we just returned but, it was never a daily uniform. We could wear whatever boots we wanted with the jungle uniform but we had to wear our BDU pattern patrol cap. I have a pic somewhere of my platoon relaxing in Puerto Rico during Ocean Venture 86 and we’re all in jungles and OD green jungle boots. We also wore jungle boots when our company (D co. 2/502nd INF, 101st ABN) went to the Gulf War but we also brought along a second pair of boots just in case. I have 4 helmets, all helmets I was issued or wore in combat where the first helmet was a steel pot.

[@CivilianAF.1483]

What's a good aftermarket Jungle boot? I have a pair of Rothco now, I'd like to get something better quality before these fall apart.

[@paul_reislaufer]

@CivilianAF.1483 if you're wanting accurate reproductions either Pikes Brothers or SM Wholesale. If you don't mind having speed laces then Belleville or McRae, and I think Altama still makes their version.

[@skywatching9140]

The “80s” panama sole jubgle boots that you showed in this video were actually made in the' 60s ，because the reinforce band of them has six stitches and it didn't happened after 69 or 70. The soles must have a EJ mark on them which showed that they were made by the EJ company which the only one to produce jungle boots without back stitches during the Vietnam War.

[@paul_reislaufer]

@skywatching9140 oh nice, is there a reason they didn't do the stitch on the back of the boot?

[@skywatching9140]

⁠@@paul_reislaufer Maybe attach the rear seam can make it better to fit a larger feet，because the combat boots during the vietnam war don't have half size and EJ company don't added rear seam just because their shoe lasts were big enough.

[@skywatching9140]

@@paul_reislaufer This is just my guess，I haven't seen anyone explain this, but there is no doubt that this boots is from the Vietnam war era because it has 6 stitches on the reinforce band.

[@paul_reislaufer]

@skywatching9140 thanks for the info, I went and looked at the other pair of original panama soles I have and it has the 6 stitches too, so I guess I got lucky and all my original jungle boots are pre1970. I also have a pair of '68 Vibrim soles as well, so I have one of the last runs of those too.

[@skywatching9140]

@@paul_reislaufer Yeah， it is a good way to recognize if a pair of jungle boots is from the Vietnam era .