old-fashioned hiking boots

[BellyTank]

Limmer...schlimmer...


B
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[djgo-cat-go]

How did I miss this thread..?
Let's see your boots then, Pip.


Aaahhh- boot-porn.

Along with Schuh Bertl, there are other great German and Austrian boots to consider-

http://www.keller-schuh.de/bergschuhe.php

http://www.steinkogler-bergschuh.at/
(Check out the vast range of Steinkogler boots and shoes.)

Steinkogler are sold here:
http://www.armyshop.at/index.asp?gid=262

...these are a good little pair of high quality boots from Steinkogler-
http://www.armyshop.at/index.asp?aid=1902
Note the "one-piece" upper, on the "Bergwacht". €130- not bad at all!
These look like the business but not too heavy and clunky.

There is also a WW2 reenactment outfitter; www.zeugmeisterei.com
selling an absolutely fantastic, high quality repro of the WW2 German
Gebirgsjäger Bergschuhe, complete with hobs and other assorted nails,
for a great price but unfortunately, they are temporarily closed, due to health reasons-
web site is down...

Enjoy.

Let's see boots, Pip.


B
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Those Steinkogler boots look like perfect outdoors-arbeit boots for all terrrains and allweather-types..

 

[Mr. Godfrey]

They're not my absolute favourite "look" but I know they're fully functional
and proven and excellent quality, at an excellent price.

B
T

Hi BT

Have you got a pair?

Please give us a review if you have on how they fit and perfom. I fancy a pair myself.

 

[BellyTank]

Nope.


B
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[Speedbird]

thanks BT .....

Here's the Italian military mountain boot from the WW2 era- (hope this works)

...and some civilian ones-

that's probably exactly the sort of thing! :eusa_doh:

​

​

Have a read of this Italian reenacting forum- you won't be able to see the attached images and files without registering-

http://www.comandosupremo.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=17

Yep - thanks for the link did the registering thing and that's a nice virtual museum - very interesting :eusa_clap ​

Try searching for "Alpini boots". Good tip

WPG's US mountain boots- may be the only repro. seems the case
He has original ones too but- sizes? Not my size sadly




B
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Thanks for the info - you are a walking goldmine, a veritable and more reliable wiki!

 

[Speedbird]

Thanks pipvh

Here are some 1940s climbing boots:

http://www.vintagewinter.com/products/vintage-mountaineering-boots-and-crampons

And here's a whole load of vintage ski boots (which, I would guess, probably echo what straight hiking/mountaineering boots would have looked like):



I'm thinking the pair at top right would be close in terms of your European boot. I think they would perfect but alas probably too small But these are probably more or less exactly right:

From here: http://www.schuh-bertl.de/shop/

I suspect they are just too good and a bit rich for my currrent budget - which amounts to zilch - I hope I can get as lucky as you on the 99 pence ebay score!


Great looking boots all around....

 

[Speedbird]

why US MT boots or Italian locally produced hiking boots in particular

I know my original question was a bit specific in that I am looking for US MT boot or replica circa 1941/3 or a locally produced Italian boot from 1943 but there is a reason (there always is!)

I am putting together a very specific impression of a lesser known British unit who spent the early part of 1943 undergoing mountain/ski warfare training in Canada before then being deployed to Italy where they spent 1944/5 (latterly in Austria) before finishing up the war in Greece in 45/6.

Now the British soldier was then as he is now an inveterate scrounger of better than HM Govt issue kit - and it is well documented that when my laddo's returned from Canada, the US quartermasters who had supplied them on loan much coveted mountain kit and equipment found themselves with an awful lot of kit missing, presumably 'lost in action'!

Those chaps who didn't secure themselves US MT boots, bought locally produced boots in Italy.

Other items known not to be returned to stores at end-ex were the US Mountain Troop rucksacks. And I suspect just about anything and everything else - a shiny thing is a shiny thing after all.

So I am hoping to create a particularly eclectic mix of US, Italian, British and probably captured German kit for a look something a little different to the typical WW2 British look. And then I want to find out if it is actually usable today!

 

[Erik]

I took my own advice and purchased a pair of Alico Tahoe boots from STP. They are comfortable, full grain, dark brown/chocolate in color, have glove- leather at the ankle inside and out, a sympatex liner, vibram soles, and weighing at approx 3.4 pounds per pair are light for leather one-piece boots. They where noticeably more comfortable out of the box than other offerings I've owned over the years. I imagine they will serve me well for some time.

 

[pipvh]

Speedbird, have you checked out these bad boys?

Swiss army mountain boots from the '60s. Not quite right, but the old-style square toe that the US boots had and a general sort of archaic chunkiness.

 

[Speedbird]

mmmm ... they (^^^^) look like a definite contender!

Yep - that's food for thought - they have the square toes and the curve to the sole and no ankle pads ... not sure about the shiny lacing hooks but somone more knowledgeable perhaps could let me know if that would be appropriate to 1943 - 45?

I wonder how comfortable they are but I guess with careful breaking in to my feet could work well.

 

[sunflo9968]

speedbird

Hey speedbird, I have that pair of boots. They are very heavy and you must wear 2 pair of socks for them to fit proper. However, they will and do wear like iron. The boots are completely lined in leather and take a decent shine.
Short hikes ok. Long hikes too heavy.

 

[Speedbird]

Thanks for the info Sunflo

so, probably ok for a weekend impression at an event but not suited to covering any real ground - I have to say I am not made of iron myself having become soft and fat and not sure if my feet could handle those Swiss boots for extended periods.

Anyone know anything about the lace hooks - would they be passable as mid war mountain troop boot closure?

 

[BellyTank]

Thise Swiss mountain boots are good boots but (for your purposes?)
widely recognised as ersatz WW2 German mountain boots.


B
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[Speedbird]

erzatz WW2 German mountain boots

BT - your advice that the Swiss boot is widely recognised as an erzatz German boot seems to suggest I will spend most of any event trying to explain why I am wearing a copy of a German boot?

All in all, I think I would be better off just buying the new replica US Mountain troop boot from WPG - except I have just checked and they have only size 14left

 

[BellyTank]

Er... yes, I guess so.
But beyond that, the Swiss boots may not lend the "unique", or stand-out
appeal to a facet of your impression(boots), given the nature of the impression,
which could be regarded as "key".
I'm supposing, taking into consideration what you have mentioned about the impression
and that it sounds fairly "unique".

You DO want to make an... er... impression.


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[Speedbird]

making an "impression"

Er... yes, I guess so.
But beyond that, the Swiss boots may not lend the "unique", or stand-out
appeal to a facet of your impression(boots), given the nature of the impression,
which could be regarded as "key".
I'm supposing, taking into consideration what you have mentioned about the impression
and that it sounds fairly "unique".

You DO want to make an... er... impression.


B
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yep ... I did want something unique, or at least, a little less commonplace - but the vagueries, lack of original sources plus costs of trying to do something different accurately have made me wander a little in my conviction, but that is just me chickening out I guess! I must persevere.... I must persevere ...
and yes - the boots are a key signature piece - one of the few things that would truly differentiate the distinct yet authentic 'look' that I am trying to recreate.

In short, a standard British commando bergen would do, but a US MT pack is more 'signature' ... standard DMS or Ammo boots would be acceptable but US MT boots or period Italian locally crafted mountain boots would be perhaps rarer but certainly more 'signature' .... so I must be patient and avoid the easy option.

 

[normanf]

There is Haferl. The Richard in particular is an old-fashioned leather boot still worn in the Alps:

http://www.haferl.com

The soles are Vibram. Before Vitale Bramani's invention of the rubber outsole, hiking boots had leather soles. A tragedy in the Italian Alps drove Bramani to reinvent the outsole.

Its not vintage but it is still as old-fashioned a boot can be nowadays.

 

[Dudleydoright]

Pip,
I think this is what you are looking for, no ? Just scroll down a bit.

http://www.chaussure-paraboot.com/bucheron-c-1.html

Must be a type you are after amongst this little lot !

I used to use Galibier Makalu boots myself for climbing in the Alps as a lad in the 80's. Try an ebay search maybe as I don't think they are made any more. The double plastic boots were much more versatile, lighter and reduced your chance of frostbite in the toes.

Dave

 

[Gorik]

My collection of vintage hiking boots

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42643485@N02/5998877143/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42643485@N02/5998877305/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42643485@N02/5999422056/

Gorik

 

[jkingrph]

I wear a very narrow width and good boots are hard to find. I have an old pair of Vasque midweight mountain boots I picked up from Eddie Bauer back in 1973 that still fit perfectly and are in excellent shape. Last year Danner slipped up and had a special coupon offer that I managed to get in on , half price so I picked up 3 pair, all the made in USA models and like them very much, especially since they are lighter than the Vasque.