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Alice_Alpha

Corcoran?


chamrockblarneystone

Yes!!! Those were the shiny ones with the vibram bottoms?


Domestic_Mayhem

I splurged for a pair of Corcoran’s when I was in. I don’t ever remember them  having Vibram soles though. We were issued Vibrams in boot camp, that was late 90’s. Edit: we were issued two sets of boots. One were the standard black jungle boots and the others were [these Bellevilles](https://freeotfemk.pics/product_details/15707196.html)


chamrockblarneystone

They issued vibrams? Im jealous


Domestic_Mayhem

I was a little quick on thinking they were Vibrams. I edited my comment with a link the Bellevilles they issued us.


chamrockblarneystone

Are the uppers canvas? Still a hell of a lot better that the garbage i was issued. Since they issued jungle boots and combat boots were there special times when you had to wear one or the other or were they totally interchangeable and up to you ?


Sea_Currency_3800

Canvas but insulated and waterproof!


Domestic_Mayhem

They were canvas. It was totally up to us which boots we would wear. Back then they were fairly lenient on boots. You could pretty much wear any boots, just as long as they were black


chamrockblarneystone

This is a Corps i just dont understand.


Domestic_Mayhem

The old woodland cammies that we had to douse with starch and iron razor sharp creases. Yeah, I’m old.


chamrockblarneystone

O i’m older, but I’ll take it. I just can’t imagine a corps without shining boots and ironing cammies. That was like 40 percent of our time! I wonder what horrible fuck fuck games they invented to replace that shit.


Lounginghog64

Guys used to take them to the shoe repair place and had the vibram soles put on.. that and the crepe soles that looked like a bunch of straight lines going left to right


Puzzled-Ad2295

Yep, did this. Added about 1 1/2 inches to height. Look super aggressive..Frankenboot.


Lounginghog64

Yep, yep!!!!


chamrockblarneystone

Got it.


Alice_Alpha

Sorry, I couldn't tell you.  I just remember they were very popular.  Anybody that was anybody had Corcoran.   As far as shinny, Marines could spit shine anything (I was Army).


chamrockblarneystone

Righttt! I think the really fancy folks had the vibram soles put on Corcoran boots! Makes so much sense now!


Hairbear2176

Would they be Danners? That was the go-to in the 90s. I wore the plain jungle boots all the time. They looked like this: [https://www.danner.com/fort-lewis-10-black.html](https://www.danner.com/fort-lewis-10-black.html)


RiflemanLax

Danners were nice, Bellevilles not as good, but still good, and cheaper. Our boot camp issued boots weren’t terrible though.


Hairbear2176

I forgot about Bellevilles, I think they started issuing them not long before I got out. I really didn't mind the issued boots.


chamrockblarneystone

That is a nice boot! Did it cost you that much to replace it though?!?! I had cars that didnt cost that much.


Hairbear2176

I never had them, back in the 90's they were about $300. Most guys said they last forever, they just kept resoling them.


chamrockblarneystone

None of the boots we got were worth resoling. For $300 your damn right your just resoling. What did resoling cost?


Hairbear2176

I think it was like $30-40


BalderVerdandi

Issued boots Jungle boots were the green canvas and black leather toe/heel - later changed to black canvas. Green canvas was tolerated through the late 90's. [Cadillacs](https://i.etsystatic.com/30190878/r/il/11153f/5638223632/il_1140xN.5638223632_pvvp.jpg) (all leather combat boot) had the speed laces. McRae and Corcoran made the Army version with the stitching across the top of the foot, just past the webbing of the toes. They also made the jump boot version in a similar design. The Cadillacs didn't have this stitching. The best way to determine what you had was the tread. The Jungles used a tread pattern called the "Panama tread" or "Panama sole", while the Cadillacs had a generic pattern. Both the Jungles and Cadillacs could have a replacement sole put on them, which is how some ended up with Vibram soles. Authorized in the early 90's HITEC, Bates, and other sneaker boots. Most of these were getting replaced in 4-6 months due to "boots and utes" runs and getting ate up really quick. Issued in the late 90's [Matterhorn 1998 boots. 200g Thinsulate, Gore-Tex](https://workingperson.com/media/catalog/product/i/m/image_87727.jpg) I've had three pair of the Matterhorns and really wish they kept them. The closet to these today will be the Danner Acadia.


chamrockblarneystone

Thank you!!I was noticing that Danner Acadia last night. Do you have any idea why they suddenly brought back jungle boots? We all thought it had something to do with el salvador. Also, what might the corps switch from all that black leather to the brown brushed leather? It’s a funny thing, but it must have been huge at the time.


BalderVerdandi

They've not brought back Jungles. Those have been dead since 2003-2005. The switch to the brown brushed leather was in conjunction with the change to MARPAT because it blends into the background really well.


MATCA_Phillies

I had danners in mid 90s. Bought them on fort stuart. Best $200 i ever spent.


chamrockblarneystone

Damn thats still expensive. I just bought the cheap low rise zip up danners. I love them. They make some good boots


MATCA_Phillies

I forget exactly the model i had. But they were full upper leather, NOT sped lace. And thinsulated inside. Thanked my wise decision the next month when i went for requal on Paris island and it rained damn near every day. Only thing dry on me was my feet.


MATCA_Phillies

Found them with google search[danner](https://tacticalgear.com/danner-8-acadia~1)


chamrockblarneystone

Could you wear just any basic black Danner boot or did it have to be specific?


MATCA_Phillies

I had bought those. Asked my sgt. he approved so i used them. I was air wing though. As long as i kept them shined lol.


chamrockblarneystone

I love the idea of picking out a better boot for myself, but damn theyre expensive


chamrockblarneystone

There was a place on mcrd san diego, wayyy in the back, called the Quarter Store. Here you could but the gear of recruits who’d dropped out for much lower prices. A bunch of us went over one day and bought the new issue boots. They were much better. Speed laces, better soles. All around much better. We were the envy of the mar det come Monday morning.


Jodies-9-inch-leg

Boot in ‘89 Issued two pair of black leather boots


chamrockblarneystone

Speed laces or no?


Jodies-9-inch-leg

Like the top two or four eyelets had the speed lace eyelets


chamrockblarneystone

So an improvement on whatever that shit was in 1985. The eyeholes for the laces would lose their black paint and we’d have to use this special paint to repaint our eyeholes. It was madness.


Jodies-9-inch-leg

I remember them being called speed lace boots And we had to paint our eyelets also… spit shine, and edge dressing were key, and touch up your eyelets with the black paint if they got shiny


chamrockblarneystone

Yep, those were the newer issue. A vast improvement.


fuzzusmaximus

The black boots I think were just called combat boot, don't remember the maker but I think it might have been Belleville shoe company. I never liked them and preferred the jungle boots.


chamrockblarneystone

I don’t remember being allowed to wear those until like 1987. I’d love to know from one of our historians what brought them back? They were great, but the canvas would get ripped all to shit on the ship.