U.S. Army to Test New Jungle Boots for Pacific Region

The U.S. Army might soon begin testing several different commercially available jungle boots this summer amid the recently announced pivot to the Pacific region.

According to Military.com, U.S. soldiers wore Vietnam War-style jungle boots until ten years ago when they switched to desert-style combat boots, which come in two variants: one for hot climates and another for mild climates.

The desert-style boots are leather and nylon and are available in green and black or all-black. However, those boots do not perform well in rough terrain, as the feet and ankles fail to receive adequate support.

According to a press release cited by Military.com, a good jungle boot is lightweight, quick to dry, breathable for hot climates, and good in muddy terrain.

Therefore, the U.S. Army is set to test boots which boast several design improvements for use in the Pacific. As Military.com notes, the press release did not specify how many boots will be tested.

“We do this rigorous user testing because we want soldiers to trust and have confidence in their equipment so they can focus on their primary mission,” Mortlock said. “And we’ve built up that trust over a number of years.”