McRae Footwear has manufactured a run of Green Jungle Boots with Panama Soles. The only cosmetic difference between these and the ones issued from the 60s through the 90s is the inclusion of barrel lacing rather than traditional eyelets.
This is the only U.S. made olive drab jungle boot on the market manufactured with the same equipment used during the Vietnam War.
They have most sizes in stock at www.mcraefootwear.com/product/vietnam-era-jungle-boot/7189, but they’re selling fast! More sizes are coming in the next 2 weeks.
These are truly outstanding. There was a short break in. read their sizing recommendations closely because they use military sizing not commercial sizing. The sole design has not been improved upon in the last 50+ years.
An actual jungle is a truly unforgiving place for gear. All the gear degrades extremely quickly. I have more modern jungle boots, but I question whether they would hold up in an actual jungle as well as my McRae’s. I also wear them in the spring when there’s a combination of mud and slush. In other words, they are not just for hot, wet weather.
If McRae were to make a version, substituting coyote colored nylon for the olive drab cotton I would buy them instantly.
“If McRae were to make a version, substituting coyote colored nylon for the olive drab cotton I would buy them instantly.”
They do:
https://www.mcraefootwear.com/product/hot-weather-coyote-boot-w-panama-outsole/8190
Yep. I own a coyote pair of jungle boots and wear them in uniform with my OCPs. The other old dogs know what’s up when they see the Panama sole pattern. I like it, I had a pair in all black when I first came on active duty and we were wearing BDUs. They hold up but man are they heavy compared to my lightweight Lowes.
Cotton duck will get eaten alive far sooner than the nylon used on modern jungle boots. Vietnam taught that lesson, and that’s why the recipe was changed.
These boots are great! They would be even better if the soles were puncture resistant.
It’s interesting that the Panama sole was developed in 1944 by Sgt. Raymond Dobie, U.S. Army, but it wasn’t adopted by the U.S. military until 1968…and this was only after a multi-year effort by Kearny.
Ref: Jungle SNAFUs and Remedies, page 178-180.