usmc boondocker boots - repros

[Marv]

Anybody own a pair of repro boondockers from either At the Front or WW2 Impressions.
If so who's would you rate as the most authentic and true to the original style eg. toe shape of the boot etc.
Also the quality of the manufacture, pics would be a great help.
I know at present the ww2 impressions are out of stock in my size but ATF do have my size but state the boots run a full size larger so if anybody has a pair from them can they confirm if this is correct as it's a long way to have them shipped to the UK only to find I have ordered the wrong size.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[watchmanjimg]

My first instinct was that WW2 Impressions' offering is of superior quality to that of ATF, but a quick look at the ATF website suggests that they've upped their game a bit. Their service shoes, the earlier version of which I own and am not thrilled with, are now stated to be produced by Corcoran. Presumably this puts them on par with WW2 Impressions as to this item.

As to their boondocker, at the very least I'm impressed with the design. I didn't see any specific reference to the manufacturer or country of origin. While ATF acknowledges that the actual sole formulation differs from the originals, they appear to have done a nice job of reproducing one of the pattern variants.

At this point it looks like a fairly even match, but perhaps others who own the boondockers will chime in.

 

[Clyde from Carolina]

H Paul,

I have a pair of the WWII Impressions boondockers, which won't help you in terms of figuring ATF sizing, I'm afraid. I have enjoyed mine, and they run "biggish" at WWII Impressions, I'd say, but not too big. I normally wear an 11 in dress shoes, a 12 in running shoes, and I think my WWII Impression boondockers are 11, IIRC.

Can't speak to authenticity between the two makers, but I like mine. I've had them about five years, and they've held up pretty well just bumming around town. (I'm not a reenactor.)

I actually found (May have been linked from this site in fact, don't recall) some neat info. on M43 service shoes and boondockers on the Steve McQueen Style site:

http://stevemcqueenstyle.blogspot.com/2 ... chive.html

It's geared more towards the US Army boot and desert style boots/chukkas in general, but bears on the boondockers as well, I think.

Good luck!

 

[ausreenactor]

Have ATF USMC Boondockers. Love them, and having replaced the laces with originals, I am even more chuffed...

Couchy

 

[Marv]

Have ATF USMC Boondockers. Love them, and having replaced the laces with originals, I am even more chuffed...

Couchy

Hey Couchy,

Sounds like your the man to ask then, firstly do the boots actually run a size larger as mentioned on the ATF site and secondly, the shape of the boot toe, from what I can see on the WW2 Impressions site pics the boot toe looks more pointed/civi style as apposed to what I can see from the pics on the ATF site of the boots.

Can you confirm either of these, pics would be great if poss

 

[Tim P]

I had a pair and they creaked, looked good and were comfortable though. I think that the thread used on ATF boots seems thicker than on others, either that or the stitches per inch are fewer. I bought my UK size rather than my US size and it worked.
cheaper by a mile than beautiful buzz ones, available in sizes for people who have feet rather than pigs trotters they constitute good value. the WW2impressions ones look fine too but I have never owned those. I believe they have the diamond tread wheras the ATF ones have the chain link tread.
dont discount red wing, the traveller range, for a decent suede boot either.