WASHINGTON – U.S. soldiers in Hawaii will soon test Rocky Brands' newest jungle boot, a model that company officials say is more comfortable and provides better protection against booby traps.
Students in the Army's jungle school will begin wearing Rocky's Enhanced Jungle Boot in January, said Mark Dean, Rocky's vice president for commercial military.
It's the latest test for the Army, which is hoping to select a new jungle boot as it increases its presence in the Pacific. At present, soldiers wear "hot weather" Army combat boots in jungle environments, boots that were phased in to replace Vietnam-era jungle footwear. Officials believe that hot-weather boots breathe better than other Army boots but do not dry or drain as quickly as they require.
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Rocky's Enhanced Jungle Boot is an upgrade to its S2V jungle boot, which soldiers have already tested in the field. Rocky's latest boot design is based directly on soldier feedback.
New features include:
■ A layer of protection against Punji sticks in the jungle. Soldiers in Vietnam used a steel plate in their boot to protect against these sharp traps. The Army wanted similar protection for its new jungle boot, said Kevin Carpenter, Rocky Military's manager of sales and marketing, and the company has added a propriety material that is lightweight and puncture resistant.
■ A brand new outsole with a heel. The S2V featured a flat outsole, but soldiers specifically wanted a heel in order to more easily travel steep pitch and navigate the wet, muddy environment. The new outsole also includes a larger lug pattern, angled lugs and a wider toe grip. The lugs are designed to be flexible, so soldiers can shed caked-in mud and debris.
■ Faster, lighter, flame-resistant laces. The S2V version had thicker laces, Carpenter said, that required two or three pulls for a soldier to tighten. The new version can tighten with one pull. The new laces also reduced the weight of the boot by less than an ounce. It may not sound like much, but every ounce matters when you're trying to lighten the load, Carpenter said. Each boot weighs less than 1.5 pounds.
■ A new overlay pattern. The leather on the outside of the boot has been redesigned for added comfort.
Dean said the Army has ordered 300 pairs of the Enhanced Jungle Boot.
It's not the only company hoping to land a contract to produce the Army's new footwear. Army officials previously said they were testing the Bates Recondo jungle boot from Wolverine World Wide.
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