And to answer your ‘where should I buy them?’ question - unless you try on a fantastic pair at a surplus shop, I’d buy them on eBay.
Try them on at a surplus store - and see if one of the older, more experienced cadets will go along with to advise you on styles etc… rather than listening to what the salesperson says - say you’re not sure, and then look on eBay.
Great thank you
Take your 3822 with you to the army and navy store, if you do find a pair that you like they normally give cadet discount (some dont, but i normally find they are places worth avoiding anyway).
I find that they sometimes price match with online prices as well.
Not really, it is personal choice.
There are 2 types of British Army boots, patrol and high liability (aka assault or combat boots).
Patrol has more fabric and is lighter (& cheaper) so maybe better for Cadets
Both styles Ok for ATC use. But as you are in DPM you need black boots - you might struggle to get an official black boot - most are brown.
Quite a few of our cadets get the all leather Grafter boots as they look smart and are reasonably waterproof if cared for properly.
As others have said don’t get anything with a zip up the side.
Sort of answering your own question - it’s the “combat-style” part that it ill-defined in the regulations, but would generally be understood to mean the sort of thing that WS wrote.
That comes from rules for assault courses IIRC. I guess - and it is only a guess - to stop people turning up in Doc Martens or similar!
i would tend to agree except…
…these seen on a 10second Google Search “Doc Martens” are 8 eyelets boots but not what I would class an “assault boot” or suitable for No3 uniform
Pretty much why i was asking for the source, in my head it made sense but i have never seen it written down. Plus there are a good number of people i know in this organisation that would genuinely start counting lace holes to ensure compliance.
I also expected with those sorts of specifics for cadets to turn up with something like this.
Ideal for your typical combat dwarf or pocket DI…
You can get a decent, long lasting pair of black boots from Savage Island. You can get Savage Island branded boots from Amazon for around £25. By researching, it seems be that the Savage Island website is being remade and they are reopening soon so Amazon would be the best choice if you would like to get them within the next few weeks rather than months.
Did they not used to call those things grafters? 20% of reviews on amazon are awful for those boots. We used to get the grafters safety boot at work and they were normally destroyed within 2 weeks.
I just found a pair of used Haix and a pair of used Altbergs for £30 on ebay in size 7. They may be second hand but will outlast those savage island ones by years and are only a fiver more. Add a pair of new insoles in and you are probably good until your feet outgrow them or with any luck until the end of your cadet career.
Added to note: I have known cadets buy a gucci pair of boots from ebay and then sell them on again for the same as they bought them for in the first place. If you take care of them they can last a lifetime.
Boots can be any two of the following:
Cheap
New
Decent
Go for a decent second-hand set over a new £25 set any day.
Excellent description!
Yes there is female boots have a different instep
I didn’t know that; I thought the only way to sex skeletons is via the pelvic area not the feet!
The differences are less pronounced and much more ‘spectrum like’ with the feet than the pelvis.
I know lots of blokes who’s feet fit in female boots and women who fit in men’s boots. It’s an ‘on average’ thing, but with a huge crossover.
Of course, this stuff only matters if you’re buying very good/expensive boots - some £40 Highlander tat will barely have a last and footbed, let alone a male or female specific one…
I normally recommend people try out different types of insoles. Personally, I use a gel “sports” insole with heel cushioning and a slightly raised arch.
Coupled with thick socks, if it wasn’t for the weight of the boots I’d barely know I was wearing anything (until I hit the brake too hard in my car or crush a coke can effortlessly and with barely any sensation…). Slightly oversized Haix High Liability (but good insoles are a great improvement to many boots).
Hi all,
Thank you so much for all your suggestions. I needed my boots before the 12th of September and I don’t have time to visit an army surplus store so I spoke to my sqdn about boots and they allowed me to try on some in stores and I found a pair that fit and ordered them online. Thanks again 
Thanks for letting us know and glad it worked out.
We’ll just carry on arguing amongst ourselves so just crack on and ignore us!
Hi, I know this topic didn’t really start like this but oh well.
I was doing field caft and I got my boots scratched by a thorn and it has ripped through the leather and polish. Any suggestions on how to fix this?
