Spike Posted July 17, 2009 Share #1 Posted July 17, 2009 While on tour with KISS in in Ottawa Canada, right next to the gig was the Canadian War Museum. Along with displays of military vehicles and displays of Canada's military history, the was an exhibition about camoflauge, various histies of it and how it was used, developed and also the commercial applications/civilian uses, I saw the often talked about but as far as I know, never seen in person SOG boots, I should say boot as there was only one on display. It had the sandel sole on it and to me it almost looked new in construction. Maybe the materials used for this boot were in use during Vietnam. Anyway, enjoy the pics.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted July 18, 2009 Share #2 Posted July 18, 2009 Great shot Spike . This is THE FAMOUS boot we have all heard about for 20 years . Outstanding . owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share #3 Posted July 18, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercenary25 Posted July 18, 2009 Share #4 Posted July 18, 2009 Desert boots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Keith Posted July 18, 2009 Share #5 Posted July 18, 2009 I have a hard time believing those were made for/during the Vietnam conflict. BKW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted July 18, 2009 Share #6 Posted July 18, 2009 The boots have been mentioned in Stantons book on page 140.Both in a barefoot and sandal pattern. RD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vintageproductions Posted July 18, 2009 Share #7 Posted July 18, 2009 Have read about these but have never seen one. Now to just get to see a footprint one. Love the look of the worn down Ho Chi Minh sandal sole. Weren't these made by the Bata boot company? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted July 18, 2009 Share #8 Posted July 18, 2009 Have read about these but have never seen one. Now to just get to see a footprint one. Love the look of the worn down Ho Chi Minh sandal sole.Weren't these made by the Bata boot company? Bob, Would make sense that Bata may have made them as they were a Canadian Company and the ones Spike pictured were in a Canadian museum. Stantons book states there was a print less boot developed first/prior to the foot or sandal print.The printless was manufactured by Natick and then tested.The pattern was to eliminate the sole pattern by having this new boot leaving a leaf pattern.Sent to SF in for evaluation in August 67.Stanton futher writesthat 2 dozen pair were made and rushed for testing.The program was then cancelled 26 August 1967. RD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted July 18, 2009 Share #9 Posted July 18, 2009 bit confused as to wwy they are made from desert boots, looks like some repro ones we have in our collection. The sole ground off and molded foot put on etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriegsmodell Posted July 18, 2009 Share #10 Posted July 18, 2009 Bob et al, Regarding these boots and Bob's Post #7. Now to just get to see a footprint one. I have never physically examined any footprint pattern boots and the attached is the only photograph that I have encountered. The black and white photograph attached is from Leroy Thompson's, The Illustrated History of the US Army Special Forces, Citadel Press, 1987. The photo appears on page 83 and is attributed to Eagle Magazine. The caption reads - "Among the stranger items of MACV/SOG equipment in Vietnam were these shoes, designed to leave footprints that would appear to be those of Vietnamese peasants. In actuality, the shoes were not widely used." These also appear to be Bata made or at least similar in manufacture. My thoughts only ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig_pickrall Posted July 18, 2009 Share #11 Posted July 18, 2009 I have seen a pair of these many years ago. I don't have photos. I think they were at the QM Museum at Ft Lee, VA but if not there then it was the SF Museum at Ft Bragg, NC. At one time Ft Lee had a good bit of experimental or early pattern Vietnam gear on display but it disappeared many years ago during a remodeling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spike Posted July 18, 2009 Author Share #12 Posted July 18, 2009 If you look at the pictures from those articles the boots have a fuzzy look to them, not a smooth leather look like normal jungle boots so it appears that the boot I took pictures of are the same type as the one in the articles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau-Brummel Posted July 18, 2009 Share #13 Posted July 18, 2009 They look like suede to me too Spike. Also the contrast between the suede uppers and nylon shaft Is nowhere as dramatic as I would expect from normal black and green jungles In a B&W photo. I think the picture In stantons Is clearer than this. Yours, Guy. If you look at the pictures from those articles the boots have a fuzzy look to them, not a smooth leather look like normal jungle boots so it appears that the boot I took pictures of are the same type as the one in the articles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriegsmodell Posted July 18, 2009 Share #14 Posted July 18, 2009 Thanks Guy. I had forgotten that there was a photograph in Shelby Stanton's US Army Uniforms of the Vietnam War, Stackpole Books, 1989. The photograph is on page 139 and attributed to the US Army. Captioned as follows - "The Army's experimental "barefoot boot" was designed to leave the imprint of native feet by Special Forces patrol members." The photos are somewhat similar in staging and layout. Might have even been taken at the same time. I also agree with the comments of the other members about the suede or rough out leather appearance as well as fabric demarcation at the the nylon body. My thoughts only - Lance ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_bish Posted July 18, 2009 Share #15 Posted July 18, 2009 your right they do have a rough out look to them, I just checked the Stanton book and saw the suede like surface. Interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrei Posted July 18, 2009 Share #16 Posted July 18, 2009 A guy I used to know have a pair of sandal soled jungle boots. He got them from a large SOG grouping offered by Bill Brooks some years ago. The boots have a Filippino company shoemaker tag. They are steel toed and very heavy and stiff. No way you could hump the boonies with them on your feet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spathologist Posted July 18, 2009 Share #17 Posted July 18, 2009 They look uncomfortable, with the wearer's heel stuck out unsupported. Don't think I'd like to hump with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HBT Posted July 18, 2009 Share #18 Posted July 18, 2009 They look uncomfortable, with the wearer's heel stuck out unsupported. Don't think I'd like to hump with them. I was thinking that too. I could see a person rolling their ankle big time with those. ---Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted July 18, 2009 Share #19 Posted July 18, 2009 The pricipal idea was good but in all reality the boots didnt work.As mentioned they were not comfortable and when worn the boots still left a tell tale sole out line in soft soil. RD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted July 20, 2009 Share #20 Posted July 20, 2009 These are the same boots for sure . Spike what else was there ? It sounds like a great place to visit . owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bravo_2_zero Posted July 20, 2009 Share #21 Posted July 20, 2009 the ones pictured look factory 2nds to me. I to would say the boots were real pigs to wear and i can imagine on wet and rocks, they were somewhat dangerous to the operator to wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royalvolunteerregt Posted July 25, 2009 Share #22 Posted July 25, 2009 british special force use similar stuffs during WWII , it looks like a pair of removeable soles Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chief_919 Posted August 26, 2015 Share #23 Posted August 26, 2015 I know this is a long dormant topic- but I wanted to add this. The boots were made by Wellco in Waynesville, NC, designed by their Ro-Search branch that developed the direct molded sole technology used in the boots. When I worked there in the 90's/early 2000's doing some consulting work I was shown the original molds, and got to talk to the man who made them and who still worked there. They even fired up the mold and made another pair to put on display in the short-lived retail shot they opened outside Ft Bragg. In 2008 Tactical Holding purchased Wellco and shut down the original plant. Loads of historical molds were tossed in the scrap as the new owners had no clue of what it was or the historical value. An employee there managed to scoop up one of the original footprint molds and brought it to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
63 RECON Posted August 26, 2015 Share #24 Posted August 26, 2015 That is cool, I read somewhere that the footprint was too big to represent that of a native footprint. Royalvolanteerregt, did the ww2 special forces/commandos pull wool socks over their boots to cover the sole print? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kammo-man Posted August 26, 2015 Share #25 Posted August 26, 2015 The mould is great. owen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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