After the last World War the Austrian Bundesheer designed its own gear that had definite connections to the stuff used during the war. Although not a copy of any wartime item, these tanker boots certainly have that look to them. Rare stuff, in unissued condition, most likely a one-off lot. And there's a reason for the cheap price, read on.

• Felt lined winter boot
• Full leather construction
• Storm Welt, a more sturdy version of the Goodyear Welt
• Double thickness leather sole, rubber outsole
• Leather strap adjustment system on the shaft, details vary from pair to pair.

While these may look like they were designed by some steampunk weirdo / pervert, they are not a joke, but extremely well made sturdy boots for tank crewmen. It might just be the last winter boot you ever need in your life.

Construction

They did not cheap out on these. The soling type alone, the Goodyear Storm Welt, is something you will find only on the most rugged boots and is replaceable, provided the craftsman has the proper equipment. The leather midsole is in two layers, with a rubber traction sole nailed or screwed on top of it (or below, you get the idea). But there's a catch: the rubber has usually hardened over time and may crack when bent. This means it's a trip to the cobbler.

Inside there's a fixed felt lining. Unfortunately there are moth nips on the lining, but there are no live moths - guaranteed. If there's a silver lining to this cloud, this proves the felt is real wool. The moth nips don't really affect use either, but you'll have to wipe the inside clean.

The fit is adjusted with the leather straps found all along the shaft. The style of the lowest straps may vary, see the photos. They probably figured this kind of tightening system will not get in the way in cramped spaces.

Care

When you get these in your hands, do the following:

• Check the inside with your fingers (you can use gloves too) and wipe any loose crap off with a moist rag, for example
• Wipe the outside of the boot clean with a moist rag
• Give the boots some love with oil and/or grease
• Let soak in and repeat if necessary.

• Bend the sole
• If it cracks or makes unhealthy sounds, take the boots to the cobbler
• The whole sole doesn't have to be replaced, only the outermost rubber outsole!

Size info

Regular EU sizes with corresponding UK & US sizes. Being winter boots, these are a tad oversized to accommodate thicker socks. You might say they're about half a size larger than the marked size. We got only two sizes, unfortunately.

Condition

All of these looked pretty much unissued, but of course being made between 50s and 70s and stored in army warehouses, they're not "new"; there's bound to be some storage marks on the surface and they have a musty warehous smell which will probably dissipate with use.

Let's make these two things clear once again:

1. Moth nips on the felt lining. These are mostly a cosmetic blemish, but it's a tad annoying the insects decided to attack cool boots such as these.

2. The rubber outsoles may have hardened over time and might crack when bent. However the leather midsole is completely good to go, you just need to have the rubber part replaced. What's good is that the rubber outsoles are designed to be replaced, so it's not that hard of a task for a cobbler. New rubber is a good thing anyway, it has better traction and is actually flexible.

The regular price for these would be about 100 EUR, but because of these flaws they're quite a bit cheaper.