April 2013 – Basecamp Vintage & Archives

WWII era United States army Air Forces uniform A-1 shearling flight boots. The boots shown here are 10″ tall size XS and may actually be women’s boots. Other pairs I’ve seen were larger and the tongue tag read Mens instead of Wos. Not a war historian, but can’t imagine too many ladies donned these boots in those days. Crown Zippers with ankle and upper belts and buckles for added fit. Shearling lining runs throughout the uppers except for the sole. In each of these boots are two thick wool insoles as well as a wool foot bed. Don’t know if the added soles were standard issue or later additions by the wearer to increase warmth and or fit.

Bits of the US Air Forces logo still visible on the outside of the uppers, but most of the dark tanning has come off. These boots are of a similar era to the Type A-2 jacket seen on my blog, but a little later. The U.S. Army Air Forces became the U.S. Air Forces in 1947.
Tag reads:

OVERSHOE, FLYING, HEAVY, TYPE A-1
SPECIFICATION MIL-0-6540
SIZE………Wos XS 5-6 1/2
STOCK No. AF-8305
BRISTOLITE
U.S. PROPERTY

Great boots from the great northwest. These Danner Boots are like none other that I have come across before and you’ll be hard pressed to find another pair in this style. Marked as 31570 040035, these boots share have similarities with the famous Danner Light in the form of mixed material uppers, but are lower cut with a more casual feel. Still fully lined with Gore-text they ready to take on just about anything, from the city streets to the mountain trails.

In the early 80s, the use of synthetic fabrics in hiking boots began to take hold. Cordura along with Gore-Tex had the ability to greatly reduce the weight of a pair of boots while still allowing for dependability and weather proofing serious hikers had come to expect from their earlier leather tanks. Boots like the Vasque Sundowner and Danner Light exploded in popularity and pretty soon every boot maker had a similar option.