Primary Arms

Canada Chooses Brown Boots

Despite experimenting with camouflaged boots, it seems that Canada has settled on Brown. To be more exact, they appear to be Brown full grain leather combined with Cordura upper with a Goodyear Welt and Vibram Sole. Notice they didn’t use any of that Norwegian welt nonsense.

Photo: Canada DND

20 Responses to “Canada Chooses Brown Boots”

  1. Thomas says:

    Just curious (and Norwegian). What do you mean with welt nonsense?

  2. Strike-Hold! says:

    Brown IS the new black. 😉

  3. B says:

    Great, I’m sure that they will be just like the mark 4 combat boot we are issued, they feel like wearing flippers and tear the heck out of your heels…

    One advantage for Sergeants Major, it will be easy to enforce the issued kit only rule – just pick out the soldiers with the black boots…

  4. Rembrandt says:

    The welt refers to the part of the boot where the upper is stiches to the sole-see the stitches along the sole? That’s the welt. Wish I could tell you the differences in welts, but alas, I am at a loss.

  5. Dev says:

    I personally have a Goodyear Welt boot with a Vibram sole from CrossFire Australia, and I have to say they hold up impressively well and are extremely comfortable (especially when compared to the crappy issued GP suede boot).

  6. Thomas says:

    Thank you.

    It`s more a type of welt.

    FYI: The Norwegian field boot is glued onto the sole.

    http://www.alfa.no/uniform/milit-r/578-730-040-u-marsjst-vel

  7. Ryan says:

    I wonder who all will be getting these. I know in my new trade we wear steel toes a lot. I just hope they are better then the mark 4. I got kinda used to my non issued boots.

  8. UVR says:

    IMO, Littleway construction is best for such boots. Littleway (a.k.a., Blake) stitching has the upper turned under and stitched on the inside to the insole and midsole, then the outsole is glued and screwed to the midsole. This means that no sole stitching is exposed; the sole is trimmed close to the upper – making for a lighter boot; and no “ledge” of welt area exists, as in Goodyear and Norwegian, to hold mud. Sole replacement is also easier. However, this construction method is slightly more expensive.

    Overall, though, the Canadians have made a good choice in going brown and leather.

  9. MTBradley says:

    Some think of a Norwegian welt as ‘old school’ but more probably think of it as ‘deprecated’ – http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51dFPcCbbZL.jpg

    My understanding is that a Norwegian welt is more rugged than a Goodyear welt. Any sewn-on sole offers the option of resoling not available for boots utilizing glued-on soles.

  10. Dev says:

    http://www.wsanford-shanghai.com/?page_id=194

    A side-by-side comparison, albeit for dress shoes.

    Principle remains the same though.

  11. Somthingfunny says:

    looks alot like a Danner boot ,and IMO the norwegian welt would be better at keeping the dirt out …..as for glued soles not being repairable …..might want to tell the likes of Altberg and LOWA as they have been re-soleing glued vibrams for years.

    Brown is deffo the new black, lets just hope the Brits follow suit !

  12. MTBradley says:

    I guess if you can think it Zee Germans can engineer it.

  13. Hup says:

    I don’t know why we keep reinventing the wheel, there are so many good boots already on the market, what a waste of funds. We are changing camies anyway.

  14. RMCFrank says:

    Are the CF actually changing camo patterns? May I get some links if you please?

  15. gusto says:

    Australia changed to brownish colour boots back in 1991-92.Not that we have had much success in building a good combat boot.

  16. Lasse says:

    Thomas, Norwegian Welt isn’t referring to our standard issue M77 boot, but to a common technique used when building boots. My guess is that Canada used to have boots made with welts…

  17. Simon says:

    Suprised they don’t like PU injected type soles types. Lot warmer in cold codtions like Canada. Can be just as durable these days. Can also be resoled now. Really the leather is the limiting factor where boots flex for durabilty.
    Usually welted types don’t have a waterproof liner.

  18. Hup says:

    @RMCFrank

    The info actually, was pass down by CWO Moretti, CWO of the Army. So, I did try and get info on the net, no luck so far, even on the ADM (Mat) website. With all the vehicules and equipement coming in the next 4-6 years, who knows when it will come to term. The Army can be quit surprising tho.

  19. RMCFrank says:

    Now that you mention CWO Moretti, I remember his presentation about the new combats (velcro on shirts, padding on pants etc.) but I can’t seem to recall anything about a new camo pattern.

    Thanks for looking though.