If I remember correctly, the military back in the 80's had a right downer on wearing Docs, even out in the field. Does anyone remember or know what the reason for this was? I wear a pair now and they are reasonably sturdy, comfortable and I would have thought that with little modification would have been a decent replacement for the DMS at the time instead of the BCH we got.

Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using ARRSE so I should probably be working....

Oxblood red wasn't very covert was it.

Doc Marten boots were made of soft leather with air soles for people with bad feet! They do not give the correct support and are no where near hard wearing enough!

Originally Posted by Kirkz

Doc Marten boots were made of soft leather with air soles for people with bad feet! They do not give the correct support and are no where near hard wearing enough!

Carry flicknives?

Originally Posted by JT0475

If I remember correctly, the military back in the 80's had a right downer on wearing Docs, even out in the field. Does anyone remember or know what the reason for this was? I wear a pair now and they are reasonably sturdy, comfortable and I would have thought that with little modification would have been a decent replacement for the DMS at the time instead of the BCH we got.

Cheers


Sent from my iPhone using ARRSE so I should probably be working....

Don't laugh as I'm not that old! but in the 70's, we were allowed to wear them them in RGJ....I had a pair of 10 hole that I'd worn as a civvy. Tbh they were pretty shite in the field if it was wet as the tread didn't give much traction...I rememeber wearing a pair while training in Brecon for the SE District Patrol comp and sliding all over the place, but they were ok for Urban patrols once worn in, much like any other footwear.

I may have been lucky but found that all the issued boots did ok by me, DMS, Urban Patrol boots, Junglies, even the first issue BCH and those since, fitted me ok and gave me none of the problems that some others had with them.

Maybe they just hadn't taken their 'man the feck up' pills?

The tread pattern isn't very deep and soon wears smooth. The sole pattern cloggs up easily and they soon become slippy on wet grass. Compare the tread to Either the Avon rubber Company "commando" sole pattern or the Dunlop sole of DMS and the difference is huge.

However, for a while Doc Martens were used as "Northern Ireland" Urban patrol boots, IIRC.

Thanks for the comments fellas. All seem reasonable enough.


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The air cushioned soles used to get easily punctured which made the boot unstable iirc. Also they 'gave' quite a lot and were just sloppy - much like myself.

Originally Posted by llech

Carry flicknives?

Only flids carry flick knives with their feet

They also leak.