Hand-Lasted Goodyear Welt Construction. Horween® Chromexcel Roughout Leather. Hand-Burnished Toe & Heel. Partially-Structured Toe. Black Itshide® Commando® Sole. Stacked Leather Heel with Commando® Toplift. Barbour® Welt. Calfskin Vamp Lining. Tone-On-Tone Stitching. Antique Brass Quarter Rivets & Eyelets. Cougar #50 Rawhide Laces. Includes Boot Bags Made in USA from Coyote Brown #10 Milspec Cotton Duck.
Shop Trench BootDeveloped to embody the character of Chicago, the Elston last is engineered specifically for our line of Everyday Boots, providing exceptional all-day comfort for nearly all foot types with a generous toe box.
Shop Elston LastItshide has been producing the legendary Commando sole in Petersfield, England since the early 20th century. Adopted by the British Army in 1940, this sole has since been deployed by armed forces and explorers on every corner of the globe—with good reason. Despite their aggressive appearance, Itshide Commando soles are remarkably springy, shock-absorbant, and add certainty to every step.
Shop Commando SoleHorween's Roughout is a version of its famous Chromexcel® with the rough side out. Similar to a rugged suede in texture, but with a firmer hand and color that deepens and develops a beautiful patina with wear.
Shop Chromexcel RoughoutWe are 100% committed to manufacturing all our footwear and accessories in the United States.
All our footwear is 100% recraftable, meaning it can be re-soled again and again.
What about your men’s shoes? Requisition hobnails, your men need them. Get them from the Quartermaster.
General John Joseph “Black Jack” Pershing was given command of the newly-formed American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) in 1917. He was charged with preparing over two million unseasoned soldiers for the most brutal and unforgiving of combat conditions. This was no ordinary war. Fortunately, ole’ Black Jack was no ordinary man.
While his tactics on the field were not without controversy, there was nothing so unorthodox as Pershing’s focus on preparation and logistics. Boots, or “marching shoes” as they were known, would become something of an obsession. Upon reviewing the “Trench Shoe” proposed by GHQ, Pershing would personally oversee the development of a new specification: This boot was issued as the M1918, a.k.a. “The Pershing Boot,” “Little Tanks,” and most famously, “The Trench Boot.” Over the next two years, Pershing would remain intimately involved in the improvement of this specification, ordering no fewer than nine specified types, each more capable than the last. After the war, Pershing was promoted to General of the Armies of the United States, the highest rank possible for any member of the United States armed forces, which was created especially for him. He would never spec another boot.
In honor of General Pershing's uncompromising pursuit of the perfect service boot, we have re-commissioned the Army's WWI M1918 Boot according to our own “Type-10” Specification—and the Navy's WWII N-1 Boot according to our own “N-2” Specification. Each of these boots remains true to spirit of the original specification while featuring the best materials and construction available today.
| Type-9 M1918 Boot | Type-10 Trench Boot | |
|---|---|---|
| Commission | 1918 by United States Army | 2022 by Oak Street Bootmakers |
| Upper | Roughout Leather with 'Dubbin' Applied in Field | Horween Chromexcel Roughout Leather with 'Dubbin' Applied at Factory |
| Construction | Machine-Lasted 360° Goodyear Welt |
Hand-Lasted 360° Goodyear Welt |
| Stitching | Single-Row White Thread Brass Rivet Reinforced Lace Stay |
Triple-Row Natural Thread Brass Rivet Reinforced Lace Stay |
| Outsole | Painted Leather Sole with Hobnails Applied for Traction | Itshide Commando Rubber Sole Fully-Lugged for Traction |
| Laces | Rawhide | Cougar #50 Fireproof Rawhide |
Since the M1918 Boot predated widely available water-resistant leather, each pair was issued with a can (or two) of 'Dubbin'—a waxy sealant soldiers would apply to the heel and toe to improve the water-resistance of their boots. And since the lace stays were attached with a single stitch, brass rivets were added to prevent the quarters from detaching from the vamp. While our Type-10 Trench Boot is made from water-resistant Chromexcel leather and its lace stay is fastened with a triple-stitch, we pre-burnished the boots with dubbin at the factory and maintained the brass rivets. When it comes to preventing Trench Foot, one can't be too careful.
Type-10 Trench Boots include a pair of Boot Bags made in USA from Coyote Brown #10 Milspec Cotton Duck.
