Mark III combat boots

[addyb]

I‘m a recently graduated cadet (sorry, I know you hate all of us) and I‘m wondering what the deal is with the Mark III combat boot. I read somewhere that it was getting replaced or already is replaced. So is it getting replaced? Is it already replaced? Is it a bad combat boot? I got issued a pair (maybe it was an older model) and I had no problems with them.

Adam

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

We don‘t hate cadets at all. In fact, there‘s a specific forum for discussing cadet issues on this site. The Mark III‘s aren‘t that bad, I find, but there are better boots out there. Hence, the army is in the process of replacing them with a couple of different types of boot. Go to the following website to see details: http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/Chief_Land_Staff/Clothe_the_soldier/hab/2/26_e.asp

 

[addyb]

Yeah I saw that site, but on my local base I see guys walking around all the time in Mark III‘s so I wasn‘t sure what to believe; my eyes or the site. But what is the army going to do with the millions of pairs of Mark III‘s in all the supply depots?

 

[Ex Ranger Instructor]

The replacement process isn‘t yet finished. That‘s why people are still wearing the Mark III‘s. If you read the information at the above link more closely, you‘ll see that the Temperate Combat Boot is still in the definition phase, meaning that it hasn‘t been designed yet, much less issued out. They‘ll phase the Mark III‘s out gradually, while at the same time bringing the new ones in. Any that are left in the system at the end of that process will be sold as surplus, I‘d imagine.

 

[AlphaCharlie]

I like my MkIIIs...

they could use some cushion though

p.s. those new boots look pretty awesome!

 

[Armymedic]

Pay for the Vibram soles...

 

[McInnes]

A lot of people prefer their old mk 3s to the new boots, and you dont have to turn in your old boots when you get your new ones.

 

[Phillman]

Personally, I prefer the Mk3 to the wet weather boots. The wet weather just dont feel as comfortable.

 

[Thompson_JM]

the wet weather ones are nice in some ways, but they get dirty way to fast.. and they seem to get mud sticking all over them...


and i dont know about you guys, but the new Cadpat boots look horrid(imho), whats so bad about a nice shiny black leather boot?

 

[DJD556]

The look isn‘t the important part of the boot, it‘s the functionality of it that matters most.
A shiney black boot is great on base top but when in the field it will show up easier than a green boot.

The rumor has it that the wet weather boots will be banned from cold weather because of the soles having poor traction on ice, they do have poor traction but again it is only a rumor.

I can‘t stand the soles on the wet weather ones for two reasons, first it is hard to drive with them on [an issue as I am an MSEOP] and second they do little to stop the transfer of cold from the ground to the foot.

In the end I‘ll probably miss my mark III‘s but I hope the replacement will be a quaility boot this time

 

[addyb]

Thanks for info guys. It doesn‘t surprise me about the Wet Weather boot. It‘s a lot softer leather on it from what I‘ve seen. I like my Mark III‘s, and I‘m glad when I gradded my supply officer let me keep ‘em. They‘ll probably keep on trucking for the next few years.

And yes, I also heard that the Wet Weather boot might be banned from cold weather use. Is the treat pattern on it a lot different than on a Mark III?

 

[chrisp1j]

Completely different. Try checking E-bay for a picture (my camera isnt working yet).

You may not have noticed many WWBs on base because the standard for garrison is the Mk3 (the WWB is too hot to wear in an armoury).

 

[Thompson_JM]

heheh.. valid point there STUMP and an oversight on my part.

Im gonna miss the Mk3‘s too. ive had mine for 4 years now, and ive got them just the way I like em now!

Like you said though, hopefully it will be a good boot that replaces them.. the wet weather boot isnt all bad, but there are certainly things that could be improved upon. It would be nice to hear what some of the combat arms guys (ie: infantry) have to say about them. good or bad comments.

 

[Redeye]

CWWB‘s are terrible on ice, but that‘s the only fault I have found in mine, I find them vastly superior to the Mk 3 in terms of comfort, other than on very hot days they are all that I wear.

The one thing that just came to mind about then is that they take an ungodly amount of time to dry out if immersed, longer than Black Caddies.

My OC did point out to the CTS people that a lot of moisture can build in the boot and since the vapour permeable membrane doesn‘t really have any way to drain out of the boot, they get uncomfortable for people whose feet sweat a lot. Foot powder would likely help, but I haven‘t encountered this issue myself.

I detest the Mk 3 boots, and I‘m looking forward to whatever boot comes to replace them.

 

[addyb]

It‘s good to hear other people‘s opinions. I love the Mark III‘s, I popped a pair of civvy insoles in mine and my feet don‘t hurt in them at all. But knowing the CF, they‘ll be around for a while longer.

 

[AlphaCharlie]

What are some good brand insoles (and don‘t just say Dr Scholles or whatever... they have like 20 different types)?

 

[McInnes]

Spenco are pretty good (the green). Spenco gel or spenco extreme are pretty good.

 

[Hert]

I have found the best insoles to be super-feet. They make an insole targeted towards boots, it makes the Mark III feel like a pair of slippers.

Stu

 

[DJD556]

The doctor scholles gell insole is great, it‘s like I‘m wearing a well abused pair of runners as aposed to a heavy boot