Chippewa Mountain boot 10thSFG use?

[AK101]

I have read that these were popular boots in the 10th SFG, and pics of these in collections?

 

Or other related info on these?

 

Any idea if Goodyear still makes Goodyear marked soles for boots?

 

Thanks

[craig_pickrall]

I think this is the boot you are asking about. They are a product of the 1980's. I don't know for sure but feel like they are now obsolete. There are so many great new products available these would be like a lead weight compared to them. I have a couple of pairs of these new in the box. Let me know if you need more info and I'll try and dig them out of the cave. These were standard issue boots and were easily available at all of the surplus stores at Ft Bragg back in the day.

 

[Allan H.]

I have read that these were popular boots in the 10th SFG, and pics of these in collections?

 

Or other related info on these?

 

Any idea if Goodyear still makes Goodyear marked soles for boots?

 

Thanks

 

 

Goodyear still owns and licenses Goodyear soles for shoes. A quick walk down the shoe aisle at Walmart will confirm that Goodyear soles are still being manufactured.

That being said, I have no idea where they are manufactured. Goodyear's shoe division is a licensing agreement with the owner having offices in Florida. Goodyear's corporate offices are in Akron, OH.

I knew my 15 years working for Goodyear would help out someday!

Allan

[SGM (ret.)]

I have read that these were popular boots in the 10th SFG, and pics of these in collections?

 

Or other related info on these?

 

Any idea if Goodyear still makes Goodyear marked soles for boots?

 

Thanks

 

I got my first pair of Chips issued in 1978, but they had been around for a long time by then (I'd guess since at least the 1960's.) There were several different slight variations in the arrangement of the lacing eyes and construction. The grooved heels are an indicator that they are Chips made for skiing and snow shoeing. The Chips also had an inner, removable sole liner of thick felt. (The was the same liner, as far as I could tell, as used in the USAF mukluks.) I don't recall precisely who made the soles. (Some were possibly Vibram with the yellow labels.)

 

The Chips were replaced in 10th Group in the mid 80's with a Lowe leather boot which only lasted for a few ski seasons. That boot was ultimately replaced with a Lowe mountaineering boot with a plastic hard-shell outer boot and an inner leather/man-made materials boot. That was still the issue ski boot when I left 10th Group in 2000 for the SGM Academy. The hard-shell boots generally had black outer shells with red inner boots, although some guys who had very large feet had boots that were procured in ones and twos outside of the special-run contract and were in bright neon colors.

 

(This is also about the same time that 10th Group switched from the Silvretta cable ski bindings to Silvretta 800-series hinged touring bindings on their downhill skis. The skis remained mostly Eriks in the 185cm range. The Army issue cross-country skis were in the main made by Head and Whitestar in the 210cm range with cable bindings. Although the pair I still have are 215 Elans.)

 

The Chips were the best leather boots that money could buy, but they were still just leather - really not much better than similar boots made in the 1930's. They were OK if you could dry them out every night, but for extended wear in the field, they would ultimately get saturated with sweat and snow melt and freeze. Replacing the sole liners would help, and I think just about everybody used almost a whole can of SnoSeal on their boots every season, but they were still just leather boots.

 

Mike

[J_Andrews]

Chippewas were common in the 10th SFGA in 1974-75.

 

I was in Alaska for an exercise in early 1979, and they could seen on all kinds of troops -- even USAF Security police. They came in two heights BTW, with the higher variety being "more cool". The Alaska NG 207th Inf Group full-timers and Snowbird Academy staffers ALL had them (higher ones).

[AK101]

Just got these yesterday, I have yet to give them some TLC.

 

[aacevedo]

Chippewas were common in the 10th SFGA in 1974-75.

 

I was in Alaska for an exercise in early 1979, and they could seen on all kinds of troops -- even USAF Security police. They came in two heights BTW, with the higher variety being "more cool". The Alaska NG 207th Inf Group full-timers and Snowbird Academy staffers ALL had them (higher ones).

I received training from the 10th Grp. in the winter of 1975 and I believe that is what they wore-have a pic of the instuctors somewhere --will try to dig it out

[SGM (ret.)]

Just got these yesterday, I have yet to give them some TLC.

 

Very nice boots. The variation with the "hook-type" speed lacers vice the stainless steel hinged eyelet type (in Craig's pic) were a pain because the hooks had to be taped over for airborne ops. This left you with more mess and one more thing to clean up on the DZ. But, the type with the bright shiny metal eyelets were a camouflage problem (nothing would stick to the metal long and keep them blackened). IIRC, the ones with the hooks were an earlier production. However, both types were issued side by side, depending on the boot size (my buddie - with small feet - who inprocessed GP CIF at the same time as me got the hook-type, and I got a pair with the bright metal eyelets).

 

Them things bring back some memories.

[General Apathy]

 

Hi, Nice boots, should clean up nicely with a decent polish.

 

I have always wondered who or which company designed this particular style of cleated sole. It has been used on many styles of shoe and boot and in different countries since WWII. The earliest use of it that I can workout for this exact design is by British commandos during the early part of WWII, the standard British boot at that time did not use this type of sole.

 

As the American Darby's Rangers received training from the British commandos, they appear to have adopted the British boot with this sole as their footwear post training, as evidenced in photographs and accounts by members of the rangers.

 

Cheers Lewis

[124cav]

The Brit boots are called Boots:Vibram

 

named for Vital Bramini (spell check someone)

 

he was the dude that invented the Vibram sole

[General Apathy]

The Brit boots are called Boots:Vibram

 

named for Vital Bramini (spell check someone)

 

he was the dude that invented the Vibram sole

 

Hi Cav, thanks for the information, I do have an unissued pair of WWII British Commando boots and the soles are marked 'Itshide ' the British manufacturers.

 

I did just google the ' Vibram ' soles and it came back as designed by Vitalli Bramini in 1935 after he lost four friends in mountain climbing accidents, credited with the first application of rubber cleated soles on boots, but no

image of his exact design, need to research further..

 

So I'm a happy bunny now knowing more about the design of these soles.

 

Cheers Lewis

[AK101]

I am pretty sure mine are the basic Vibram lug pattern, yet GoodYear marked.

 

Mine are definately pre 1984, that is evidently when Justin Boots acquired Chippewa, the tag on my boots is pre JB styke.