Fifty-one years ago I was issued jungle boots by the U.S. Army during my first tour in Vietnam. I didn’t know much about their history, just that they seemed a bit strange, as I was used to wearing all-leather civilian hunting and military combat boots and these “jungle boots” were black leather and green canvas. Jungle boots were first adopted around 1942 for use by Army and Marine troops who were operating in tropical and jungle environments including the Philippines, New Guinea, and Indochina.
Since their inception, jungle boots have undergone multiple incarnations - moving to a Panama Sole that better sheds heavy mud; adding steel plates to prevent injuries from punji stick traps; changing the canvas tops to nylon; and replacing the normal insoles with removable ones that provided better ventilation.
While each modification added to the utility of the boots (and by the way, they became my favorites) the GORUCK MACV's have far exceeded any of the boots I’ve worn in the past. They’re more comfortable, lighter weight, and more supportive than I expected. They weigh about as much a pair of trail running shoes and are ergonomically designed to better support my feet and ankles. Break-in is virtually non-existent, the insole conforms and supports the foot, and the drain holes really do their job.
The MACV-2 Origins Edition in Black and Military Olive is a nod to the heritage of early jungle boots and those who have passed this way. They look good, feel better, and just work.
Richard Rice
5th Special Forces Group
U.S. Army 1966-1994
