Genuine US Military issue
Tropical Combat boots were sometimes modified by Special Forces personnel. In this instance, the soles have been replaced with aftermarket 'ripple' soles, and the inside leather toe cups have been removed to reduce the weight of the boots and to improve comfort. This task would have been both expensive and time-consuming, carried out by a professional shoemaker. The ripple soles offer greater traction and the tracks left after walking are less conspicuous compared to regular boot soles.
In the past, we have acquired only one other pair of boots with similar modifications, attributed to a 5th Special Forces Group member. Similarly, the soles were replaced with a flat Vibram brand sole, and the leather toe cups, as well as the leather heel cups were removed for the same purposes mentioned above.
These mods were likely made post-Vietnam using a wartime pair of boots as indicated by the heel seam. They are sold without provenance and are priced accordingly, however, based on my knowledge of SF-modified footwear and the similarity to the other SF-attributed pair, I am confident the information provided is correct.
These boots are heavily worn and are an interesting Special Forces collectable sold for display purposes. The insides of the boots have deteriorated and there is other damage as seen, therefore they may not be suitable for wearing - Sold as seen.
