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I just got a pair of Army Surplus Jungle Leather boots for my CAP uniform. Now the only problem (ANCflyer probably knows what I mean) they've never been worn, so they're tough as heck and I have no idea how to break these beasts in...

Mark

mark5388916 wrote:I just got a pair of Army Surplus Jungle Leather boots for my CAP uniform. Now the only problem (ANCflyer probably knows what I mean) they've never been worn, so they're tough as heck and I have no idea how to break these beasts in...

Mark

Put them on. Go get into the shower.

Wear them the rest of the day - yes, wet.

You'll be fine and so will they.

Sounds like a plan, thanks!

ANCFlyer wrote:Put them on. Go get into the shower.

Wear them the rest of the day - yes, wet.

You'll be fine and so will they.

Well I'll be damned...that actually works? To break in a pair, I've just walked around a lot while wearing them.

Oh yea! They're better already

mark5388916 wrote:Oh yea! They're better already

Now, depending on where you are - what environment you work in - get some decent leather treatment and really rub it in good . . . heat the boots up first, in the oven - set about 200 degrees. Leave 'em until they're warm, not hot. You just want to open the pores in the leather not try to duplicate you're old lady's bad pot roast

Sno-Seal if you're working in an environment of usually wet. Rub that stuff in til it won't take any more. Then clean them up, and do it again. Take a day or two at least.

This will save the leather - AND you're feet.

Sno-Seal is the cat's meow on protecting leather.

We all know how the tread heads love shiny boots

miamiair wrote:We all know how the tread heads love shiny boots

Actually the Sno-Seal will dull them up quite a bit . . .

But the KIWI you will use once a day or so will really bring out that shine!

Have the Kiwi already set at home, I'll try to get some sno-seal today. But I must say, why did the military go for a hard leather boot when they were in desert conditions, it seems like it would be somewhat hot...

mark5388916 wrote:Have the Kiwi already set at home, I'll try to get some sno-seal today. But I must say, why did the military go for a hard leather boot when they were in desert conditions, it seems like it would be somewhat hot...

I think the idea is the hard leather provides a little more foot protection.

mark5388916 wrote:I just got a pair of Army Surplus Jungle Leather boots for my CAP uniform. Now the only problem (ANCflyer probably knows what I mean) they've never been worn, so they're tough as heck and I have no idea how to break these beasts in...

Mark

"Jungle Leather"...Hmmmmmm what is that? Hippo hide?

Are these the old style jungle boots with the nylon sides? If so getting the nylon wet won't make any difference.

ANCFlyer wrote:You'll be fine and so will they.

Sure, if you're sitting in a TANK!!!

If you plan on doing any serious walking any time in the near future and care about not pissing off your feet, do yourself a favor, while your sitting around work the boot with your hands by bending and twisting it. If these are just for show, like walking around an office looking pretty, or sitting a lot, then what ANC is telling you will do fine.

ANCFlyer wrote: heat the boots up first, in the oven - set about 200 degrees.

That would be some very bad advice with the old style jungle boots. They had a steel shank that ran down the sole. Saw more than one idiot put that boot too close to the fire to warm them up and then do the funky chicken when they put the boots on and the heat transferred. The outside of the boot felt just warm but that metal shank had just soaked up an incredible amount of heat.

Anyway, just walk around the house for 15 minutes after you think they are ready, you'll know.

I think I was mistaken, they aren't the jungle boots with nylon uppers, they're all leather upper and lower. Plus, I'm not walking them around everywhere right now, just around the house and on small errands, nothing more than an hour or 2 in them tops. And yea, they're basically for when I'm in my flight suit in the plane, no hiking or anything really...

Mark

mark5388916 wrote:I think I was mistaken, they aren't the jungle boots with nylon uppers, they're all leather upper and lower. Plus, I'm not walking them around everywhere right now, just around the house and on small errands, nothing more than an hour or 2 in them tops. And yea, they're basically for when I'm in my flight suit in the plane, no hiking or anything really...

Mark

Well if they aren't Jungle Boots like these,



are they Jump Boots like these?




Or perhaps leg boots like these?





In any case if they are for flying and walking around the flight line and office then you don't need to break them in too terribly hard.

Now these, these would have gotten you noticed!!

DXing wrote:

ANCFlyer wrote: heat the boots up first, in the oven - set about 200 degrees.

That would be some very bad advice with the old style jungle boots. They had a steel shank that ran down the sole. Saw more than one idiot put that boot too close to the fire to warm them up and then do the funky chicken when they put the boots on and the heat transferred. The outside of the boot felt just warm but that metal shank had just soaked up an incredible amount of heat.

Anyway, just walk around the house for 15 minutes after you think they are ready, you'll know.

If you're stupid enough to put the boot on after sitting it on a fire, you deserve the burned foot/feet.

Read what I wrote. . . . makes sense, and it works. If you wanna get the Sno-Seal into the leather rather than waste it by wiping it on then wiping it off then leave the boots cool. If you're stupid enough to put the hot boot on your foot, then - well, you're too stupid to comprehend the concept I outlined above for protecting the leather.

Haha yea, and they are Jump boots. So far I've completed the water step and went flying today and it was great!

ANCFlyer wrote:

DXing wrote:

ANCFlyer wrote: heat the boots up first, in the oven - set about 200 degrees.

That would be some very bad advice with the old style jungle boots. They had a steel shank that ran down the sole. Saw more than one idiot put that boot too close to the fire to warm them up and then do the funky chicken when they put the boots on and the heat transferred. The outside of the boot felt just warm but that metal shank had just soaked up an incredible amount of heat.

Anyway, just walk around the house for 15 minutes after you think they are ready, you'll know.

If you're stupid enough to put the boot on after sitting it on a fire, you deserve the burned foot/feet.

Read what I wrote. . . . makes sense, and it works. If you wanna get the Sno-Seal into the leather rather than waste it by wiping it on then wiping it off then leave the boots cool. If you're stupid enough to put the hot boot on your foot, then - well, you're too stupid to comprehend the concept I outlined above for protecting the leather.

Whoa there killer, read what I wrote. Near the fire, not in the fire. Regardless, the point was that the shank was waiting to bite you since the rest of the boot did not feel that warm. The newer versions of the jungle boot did away with the shank as they came up with better material to make the sole out of. But if it was an old style and you grabbed the boot by the sole to hold while you applied the Sno-Seal.....

Anyway Mark says,

mark5388916 wrote:Haha yea, and they are Jump boots. So far I've completed the water step and went flying today and it was great!

So no shank to worry about. Enjoy the boots Mark.

I was just going to say soak them in water. That's how I broke my last pair in.

Thanks a bunch everybody! They're working out great. I know when I first got them I was like, how in the hell will I ever break in this leather before it breaks me, but it works!