If all the buzz on AR 670-1 has you confused about your own boots, you’re not alone. Everyone seems to be worried they’re wearing banned boots, but nobody seems to be able to spell out what makes an authorized boot…until now, that is. Here is everything you need to know about authorized boots for army wear.
We’ve got it all spelled out for you, boot by boot.
List of Authorized Army Combat Boots
While this army approved boots list isn’t all-inclusive, it will help you to make smart, boot buying decisions.
“Boots Cost Money”
Remember the cadence? Boots do cost money…of course, you could save and just stick with the Army-issue combat boots. But as we all know, one size does not fit all. It’s essential that your boots fit correctly, and that’s a matter of finding the brand that makes a boot for your foot.
It’s actually true of any shoe: size 10 in one brand may not fit the same as a size 10 in another brand, some may be wider, or the toes might be a little roomier in one particular brand. You all know your favorite brand. Now it’s time to find out if it’s authorized or not.
If you find that your boots are not on the list of Authorized Boots below, don’t resort to issued boots if they don’t feel right. As a soldier, your boots are as important as any piece of gear…how your feet are doing will affect everything else. When you’re on your feet all day long, having good-fitting boots is worth every penny.
On the other hand, your boots might be just fine so you might not need to buy a new pair. How do you know? Nobody wants soldiers wasting their money, so we’re here to break it down for you…straight from the source.
What is DA Pam 670-1? What do the Updates Say About Authorized Boots?
In this case the source is a document called AR 670-1, which refers to a document called DA PAM 670-1. DA PAM 670-1 is where the real meat of the boots rule is drawn up, and it’s 303 pages long. They certainly don’t make it easy to comply! Now, the rules on boots in these two documents have been around for a long time…nothing has changed or been added as far as boots are concerned.
Yes, there’s been an update as of March 2014, but nothing in the update says anything about boots. It’s just that they’re choosing to enforce the boot rules now.
Some soldiers are finding out that a pair of boots they’ve been wearing for years are unauthorized. So guess what, the boots that carried you through actual combat may not be compliant with the regulation.
So…What Makes a Boot Authorized or Not?
Here’s the excerpt, straight from DA PAM 670-1, on boots:
“The boots must be between 8 to 10 inches in height and made of tan flesh-side out cattle hide leather, with a plain toe and a soling system matching the color of the tan upper materials. Rubber and polyether polyurethane are the only outsole materials that are authorized…. The exterior of the boot upper will not contain mesh but will be constructed of either all leather or a combination of leather and non-mesh fabric.”
List of AR 670-1 Requirements/Changes simplified for you by Authorized Boots
To tell if your boots are authorized or not, ask the following questions:
- Are they made of synthetic materials? If so, they’re out. The upper portion cannot be made of synthetic leather, synthetic suede, or “Wolverine Warrior Leather”…which is another term for pig leather. Your boots must be made of cow/cattle hide leather.
- Is the leather flesh side out? This means the inner lining of the leather is actually facing out. The flesh side is softer and it’s often called “suede leather“.
- Is the sole the same color as the boot? It should be.
- Is the outsole made of rubber or polyether polyurethane? Good.
- Is the height of the soles 2” or less.
- Does the sole curl around the toe or up the heel? Bad.
- Is the upper part leather or a combination of leather and non-mesh? Good. Anything else, then you need a new pair of boots.
- Is the boot 8 to 10 inches tall? Good. Otherwise, it’s out.
Additional resources:
We wrote reviews on similar lightweight boots:
– Our review of the Nike SFB Field Leather Boot is one of the most popular reviews on the boot on the web, here is the link: Nike SFB Field Leather Boot
– Cheap Military Boots for Men Review
– Our Basic Training Step-by-Step Guide
– Our quick guide to best lightweight tactical boot
– A list of authorized boots wouldn’t be right without a list of unauthorized boots to offer either, so here is ours: list of unauthorized army combat boots. we also have a list of a side-by-side comparison of boots here
