Wearing BOOTS with BLUES

[AlaskanCadet]

Wondering what the general consensus is on the wear of combat boots/ dress boots are with the blues.

I have heard that this only has to do with "inclement weather"
Being from Alaska I see a lot of this!!!

I recently saw a senior member wearing boots at a SAREX but never got to ask him about it.

Comments???

[lordmonar]

Table 2-1 in CAPM 39-1 says you can wear them.

Be warned.....if you have your pants tailored for low quarters...they will not look right with boots.  Also generally speaking boots are a lot harder to shine and do not look just right with blues.....but it is allowed by regulations.

If you are low on funds and can only buy boots or low quarters...go with the boots.

[RiverAux]

I can't think of any good reason to wear boots with blues.  Just wouldn't look right in my book. 

[Hawk200]

Wondering what the general consensus is on the wear of combat boots/ dress boots are with the blues.

I have heard that this only has to do with "inclement weather"
Being from Alaska I see a lot of this!!!

Has nothing to do with inclement weather. It is permitted per 39-1, most likely because the Air Force permits the same practice.

I wear dress boots with blues all the time. A lot more comfortable, and most of the time noone even notices. The only catch it when they notice that I don't have any laces.

[JayT]

Wondering what the general consensus is on the wear of combat boots/ dress boots are with the blues.

I have heard that this only has to do with "inclement weather"
Being from Alaska I see a lot of this!!!

Has nothing to do with inclement weather. It is permitted per 39-1, most likely because the Air Force permits the same practice.

I wear dress boots with blues all the time. A lot more comfortable, and most of the time noone even notices. The only catch it when they notice that I don't have any laces.

What do you define as 'Dress Boots' ?

[Hawk200]

Wondering what the general consensus is on the wear of combat boots/ dress boots are with the blues.

I have heard that this only has to do with "inclement weather"
Being from Alaska I see a lot of this!!!

Has nothing to do with inclement weather. It is permitted per 39-1, most likely because the Air Force permits the same practice.

I wear dress boots with blues all the time. A lot more comfortable, and most of the time noone even notices. The only catch it when they notice that I don't have any laces.

What do you define as 'Dress Boots' ?

I don't define anything as dress boots. The manual does.

[Dad2-4]

IMHO it looks like crap,   but 39-1 does allow combat boots.

[Hawk200]

IMHO it looks like crap,   but 39-1 does allow combat boots.

Some look worse than others. Well polished jump boots look good. So do the old combat boots that don't have speed lacing.

[NIN]

I've worn my jump boots with my blues a time or two. Its not a preferred wear for me, but when its snowing like the dickens and the chances are high that I'm going to have to wade thru snow to clean off my car after the activity, I'd rather do it in my nicely spitshined Cororans than get snow inside my low quarters.

But you are right, it just looks... odd....

[Eclipse]

I've worn my jump boots with my blues a time or two. Its not a preferred wear for me, but when its snowing like the dickens and the chances are high that I'm going to have to wade thru snow to clean off my car after the activity, I'd rather do it in my nicely spitshined Cororans than get snow inside my low quarters.

But you are right, it just looks... odd....

Odd to say the least, but I do it on a regular basis if the weather is bad - ditto on the Corcorans, though they take a bit more work than the vinyl Corfams to get back to spec, especially with all the salt used these days.

[Stonewall]

Even when in the Army, specifically The Old Guard, we wore highly polilshed boots with our dress blues during funerals in Arlington.  Granted, it just doesn't look right, but I'll take boots over leather soled low quarters any day in the snow. 

I agree with those above, if you can go without boots, go without.  Although allowed, it doesn't look right.  Save the "well the reg says I can so I will" for when you really need it, aka inclimate weather.  To each his own, of course.

[Hawk200]

...Also generally speaking boots are a lot harder to shine and do not look just right with blues.....

If you have a set of boots for garrison wear, I've seen many boots done up with Leather Luster. It looks like an actual shine, rather than Corafram. Done properly, it looks really good.

[AlaskanCadet]

Thank you for the comments, much appreciated.

As I cannot locate this either, are the pants left undone or bloused?

[MIKE]

Blousing is not authorized.  See Table 2-1. and 2-2.

[lordmonar]

...Also generally speaking boots are a lot harder to shine and do not look just right with blues.....

If you have a set of boots for garrison wear, I've seen many boots done up with Leather Luster. It looks like an actual shine, rather than Corafram. Done properly, it looks really good.

If you can afford two sets of boots......buy some Corafans instead.

[stillamarine]

Also, for anyone interested in knowing, they do make corfram boots. I wear them for work everytime I have to wear a uniform. (now that I'm a desk jockey, not so much lol)

[Major Carrales]

Likely this practice is allowed in CAP to try to save cadets from having to buy both.  That makes the most sense.

[Eclipse]

...Also generally speaking boots are a lot harder to shine and do not look just right with blues.....

If you have a set of boots for garrison wear, I've seen many boots done up with Leather Luster. It looks like an actual shine, rather than Corafram. Done properly, it looks really good.

Linky:  http://www.leatherluster.com/

heh...I would advise caution with the leather luster stuff.  It works well enough, but it puts a pretty thick coating on the boot, and looks more like a 70's crumpled pleather than a shined boot unless you do it just right.

As indicated in their faq's, it takes 5-10 minutes (at least) for this stuff to dry.  I know this from experience.

At my first encampment as a CC, a very enthusiastic cadet made a point to show me his shiny Lustered boots, he handed them to me, they looked well enough, and when I gave it back to him I was left with a black outline of his boot on my hand.

[Hawk200]

Likely this practice is allowed in CAP to try to save cadets from having to buy both.  That makes the most sense.

A practical reason, but not the primary one.

The Air Force specifically authorizes the wear of boots with blues for all personnel. CAP mirrors the practice.

Where you get into special authorizations is blousing the pant legs. Not an all inclusive list, but Combat Control, Pararescue, Tactical Air Control Party, Air Weather Parachutists, and SERE instructors are authorized to blouse their trousers while wearing boots with blues.

If you don't fit into one of the authorized fields, you don't do it.

CAP personnel also have no need to do so.

[lordmonar]

Likely this practice is allowed in CAP to try to save cadets from having to buy both.  That makes the most sense.

It's allowed on Active duty....so it makes sense that CAP would follow suit.