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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Equipment Discussions
Cold weather boots ? brand , insulation ?
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<blockquote data-quote="FAL Shot" data-source="post: 589677" data-attributes="member: 27328"><p>Danner just lost their limited contract for the Combat Hiker, AKA the "Afghanistan boot" issued to US Special Forces in Afghanistan. The military paid $310 for each pair of boots, with two pair issued to each (SF) soldier receiving them. Any general troops wishing to purchase their own paid $310 per pair. The retail price per pair would have been $350, if they went into permanent production and available for civilian purchase</p><p> </p><p>Belleville 950 Mountain Combat Boot was selected over the Danner Combat Hiker for general army distribution to Afghanistan troops (probably because it was the cheapest). Danner redesigned the Combat Hiker to the Improved Combat Hiker and it now sells to anybody for $380 per the Danner website. Belleville 990 Mountain Combat Boot is the non-Gore-Tex version of the Belleville 950 for hot weather use, at a lower cost. Wellco makes a version of the Combat Hikers with the same Vibram Bifida outsole for less money than Danner Combat Hiker, and generally better liked by troops than the Belleville 950 MCB. All three boots use the Vibram Bifida outsole, and IT IS AWESOME IN MOUNTAIN CONDITIONS.</p><p> </p><p>I picked up a pair of the Danner Combat Hikers at closeout special at Shipton's Big R in Billings for $99.99 just before Christmas. A guy came in right behind me and picked up the last pair in my size. WOW!!! Are these boots ever awesome in steep terrain! They have better ankle support than any other 6" boot I ever wore. They are better than my Italian made LL Bean Cresta hikers in grip on any kind of steep slope, and the Cresta is an awesome Gore-Tex hiking boot at the price. I feel like a mountain goat in these boots.</p><p> </p><p>At the Danner Portland store, the Danner Combat Hikers were available for $50, walk-ins only. You may find some of them being sold on eBay at this time by folks wishing to make a few bucks. They are no longer in production, but they were developed from the Danner Talus mountain hiking boot, which sells for $190 and is imported. The Vibram Bifida sole is the same in both cases, but the Talus rand is lower and the top lace hooks are different and the leather is probably lower quality.</p><p> </p><p>My Combat Hikers are awesome and I never had a blister or hot spot during break-in on steep slopes. The Improved Combat Hiker should make an excellent cold weather boot if you buy them a size bigger than normal for an extra pair of wool socks and an insulated insole. The Wellco Combat Hiker should do you good if you can't find the Danner and it will be cheaper. The Belleville 950 Mountain Combat Boot seems to not be available to the general public at this time as it is the current issue boot and military orders are being filled first.</p><p> </p><p>There are always various versions of the Danner Acadia and Ft. Lewis that include various degrees of insulation that make excellent cold weather hunting boots. My cold weather hunting boots for the past 18 years have been Danner Ft. Lewis with 200g Thinsulate insulation.</p><p> </p><p>US Special Forces receive the very best gear above and beyond what the regular army ever gets, so I took the Danner Combat Hikers very seriously, and they compare well against any cost-no-object European mountaineering boot like Lowa, Zamberlan and La Sportiva. The Danner Improved Combat Hiker at $380 is thus not overpriced at all. That Vibram Bifida outsole should have been named the Mountain Goat outsole. After 5 hikes in steep terrain, I had to look hard to spot any wear at all, and it was very minor.</p><p> </p><p>The Iraq type desert combat boots went to pieces in as short as two weeks when used in the mountains of Afghanistan due to the sharp rocks and steep talus slopes. These Danner "Afghanistan boots" have gotten everybody through a tough tour of duty in Afghanistan without falling apart, and you can cruise the military gear boards if you don't believe me. These are some of the toughest and stickiest mountain boots you will ever come across.</p><p> </p><p>I'm looking for a second pair if I can snag them at a closeout price like I just paid. Just buy a size larger if you need them for cold weather boots.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="FAL Shot, post: 589677, member: 27328"] Danner just lost their limited contract for the Combat Hiker, AKA the "Afghanistan boot" issued to US Special Forces in Afghanistan. The military paid $310 for each pair of boots, with two pair issued to each (SF) soldier receiving them. Any general troops wishing to purchase their own paid $310 per pair. The retail price per pair would have been $350, if they went into permanent production and available for civilian purchase Belleville 950 Mountain Combat Boot was selected over the Danner Combat Hiker for general army distribution to Afghanistan troops (probably because it was the cheapest). Danner redesigned the Combat Hiker to the Improved Combat Hiker and it now sells to anybody for $380 per the Danner website. Belleville 990 Mountain Combat Boot is the non-Gore-Tex version of the Belleville 950 for hot weather use, at a lower cost. Wellco makes a version of the Combat Hikers with the same Vibram Bifida outsole for less money than Danner Combat Hiker, and generally better liked by troops than the Belleville 950 MCB. All three boots use the Vibram Bifida outsole, and IT IS AWESOME IN MOUNTAIN CONDITIONS. I picked up a pair of the Danner Combat Hikers at closeout special at Shipton's Big R in Billings for $99.99 just before Christmas. A guy came in right behind me and picked up the last pair in my size. WOW!!! Are these boots ever awesome in steep terrain! They have better ankle support than any other 6" boot I ever wore. They are better than my Italian made LL Bean Cresta hikers in grip on any kind of steep slope, and the Cresta is an awesome Gore-Tex hiking boot at the price. I feel like a mountain goat in these boots. At the Danner Portland store, the Danner Combat Hikers were available for $50, walk-ins only. You may find some of them being sold on eBay at this time by folks wishing to make a few bucks. They are no longer in production, but they were developed from the Danner Talus mountain hiking boot, which sells for $190 and is imported. The Vibram Bifida sole is the same in both cases, but the Talus rand is lower and the top lace hooks are different and the leather is probably lower quality. My Combat Hikers are awesome and I never had a blister or hot spot during break-in on steep slopes. The Improved Combat Hiker should make an excellent cold weather boot if you buy them a size bigger than normal for an extra pair of wool socks and an insulated insole. The Wellco Combat Hiker should do you good if you can't find the Danner and it will be cheaper. The Belleville 950 Mountain Combat Boot seems to not be available to the general public at this time as it is the current issue boot and military orders are being filled first. There are always various versions of the Danner Acadia and Ft. Lewis that include various degrees of insulation that make excellent cold weather hunting boots. My cold weather hunting boots for the past 18 years have been Danner Ft. Lewis with 200g Thinsulate insulation. US Special Forces receive the very best gear above and beyond what the regular army ever gets, so I took the Danner Combat Hikers very seriously, and they compare well against any cost-no-object European mountaineering boot like Lowa, Zamberlan and La Sportiva. The Danner Improved Combat Hiker at $380 is thus not overpriced at all. That Vibram Bifida outsole should have been named the Mountain Goat outsole. After 5 hikes in steep terrain, I had to look hard to spot any wear at all, and it was very minor. The Iraq type desert combat boots went to pieces in as short as two weeks when used in the mountains of Afghanistan due to the sharp rocks and steep talus slopes. These Danner "Afghanistan boots" have gotten everybody through a tough tour of duty in Afghanistan without falling apart, and you can cruise the military gear boards if you don't believe me. These are some of the toughest and stickiest mountain boots you will ever come across. I'm looking for a second pair if I can snag them at a closeout price like I just paid. Just buy a size larger if you need them for cold weather boots. [/QUOTE]
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