Merrell continues to manufacture the Sawtooth boot which is still very popular with military as well as contractor personnel operating in Iraq and Afghanistan. While you generally won’t find them for sale in retail outlets, they are available for those who need them directly from Merrell or through military outfitters. Unfortunately, an overseas company has taken it upon themselves to produce unlicensed copies of not only the Merrell Sawtooth, but also the Asolo FSN 95, and Oakley assault boot as well as others. Below is a photo of a real Merrell Sawtooth boot. The finish on the knockoff is not as nice and they include a label tag on the tongue.
Caveat Emptor
“Replica” or other counterfeit gear is just that. While it may look like the real thing, not only is it a blatant rip off of designs but that great deal that you think you are getting may let you down at the worst possible time. Stick with brands you know you can trust. Just because the product you bought looks like the real thing doesn’t mean it was built to the same exacting standards nor made from the same materials. And this issue isn’t just limited to footwear. We are seeing the same thing happen with medical gear, load carrying equipment, and weapons accessories. Some of the copies are so good that they even fool contracting offices. And no, we aren’t going to tell you where to go to buy junk.
[…] it off – According to Soldier Systems, an overseas company has been dishing out counterfeit Merrell hikers. Its Sawtooth boot is often […]