Rare WWII Horsehide Tanker Boots (Sz 8)

 This pair of vintage WW2 tanker boots embody what the vintage finds collection is all about. The US Military tanker boot is rare, handsome, unique, and has a tangible and functional story and history associated with it. The tanker boot was a purpose built boot who’s design has been said to have come from General George Patton himself after seeing a similar design on the french soldiers in WWI. Tanker boots are extremely rare due to the fact that they were a purpose built piece of equipment that was specifically issued to soldiers who were part of mechanized warfare crews as apposed to a general enlisted soldier (G.I.).  The leather straps are advantageous specifically to those working inside tanks. The problem with laces is that they can become undone easily and then entangled in the many exposed, moving parts of a tank, which posed a potential hazard to the crewmen working inside the tanks and other mechanized vehicles. Tank crewmen of WWII were also typically found working in very muddy environments, another advantage of strapped enclosure style of the tanker boot is that they are much easier to loosen than a regular laced boot when caked in mud.

Specifically the example we have here is in fantastic vintage condition. The russet brown horsehide leather is not dry and is free of any cracking yet possesses a wonderful worn in patina that only comes from years of use and proper care. The soles of the boots have been expertly resoled at some point recently and have CatsPaw heels, brass rivets that extend into the skank of the boot and a good year welted Vibram half sole.

The sizing of the bots is marked 8C but the sizing standards of the 40’s & 50’s run large and they fit closer to a 8.5-9. 

These boots are not only a piece of living history they are built better than any available high-end modern boot available today. These boots can be worn daily and can be re- soled an infinite number of times due to the Goodyear welting.

Our CEO and Founder Cameron Barr lives in his vintage boots. These specific WWII Tanker's combat boots were hand selected by Cameron for our curated Vintage Finds Collection . These are boots best suited for selvedge,  a white tee, and of course your Triumph Thruxton.. No need to treat them like a fragile antique as these boots were created to handle more then you will be able to toss at them...

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