My first pair of Corcorans were purchased in 1968, lasted for about three years of hard everyday Army duty use. I replaced them regularly with other Corcorans until my retirement from active duty in 1988. During that entire period I never noticed a significant change in quality, just a steady but manageable increase in price. They were great boots back in the day. I have to say, based on what your video shows, they are now WAY overpriced!
Yeah I don't remember paying more than about $80 for a pair. But I got mine at a military surplus store. They were the real deal as best as I can tell. They had the white tag in them with black and red letters as I can recall? It was a long time ago now.
Looks like they’ve cut the corners instead of up in the quality and raising the price. People that depend on boot like this I’m sure would rather have a better quality at a little higher price than an inferior boot at a lower price. I think the old saying about the joy of a low price short-lived compared to the Agony of poor quality
Hey Rose, I'm sure someone else has mentioned this already, but in the US Army Airborne units are required to wear these exact boots in Dress uniform (shined of course). So, it is essentially a Historical cosplay for current paratroopers to carry on the legacy from WW2. That being said, here in the Airborne, we use these very rarely and exclusively as dress in garrison environments.
What we're seeing here is not the original boot. From the outside it does look like them though. Those holes around the toe box are very distinctive. I always wondered what they were about?
@@russellromig8969 the boots here are not like older ones. I bought the ones I had in a military surplus store in the early 1980s. So they were originals or close to them. They could have been from the 50s or 60s.
We were still buying similar jump boots in 2003. That was one of the upsides of being in an Airborne unit since you were allowed to rock these boots even when most other units were switching to ACU and brown boots.
Eh the holland one is a technicality isn’t it? I assume he was using Holland to mean the Netherlands as a whole, which is a pretty common usage even outside the US
My wife is Corsican…Corsica is 100% French, although they will say that they are not, just like Sicily is 100% Italian, although they will say they are not. Corsica has way more in common with Italy, but don’t try to tell them that! 🥰
My dad was in the 458th Parachute Field Artillery, 13th Airborne in WWII. He told me if you wore your jump boots into town before you had actually made your first jump the other paratroopers were take them from you as you had not earned them yet. My dad is long gone but I wear his wings on a chain around my neck every day. he enlisted on Dec. 9th, 1941, 2 days after the Pearl Harbor attack.
I have a vintage pair of these my grandfather wore in the Korean war. They are too small for any of the dudes in my family to be able to wear, so if you would be interested in an old vs new comparison, I'd be happy to send them to get cut in half.
I have a black pair of these that I wear with my dress blues. That's really where these boots shine (literally). Polished and shined, they look great. They're lightyears ahead of the stupid gloss plastic low-quarters you get issued. If you want a similar jump boot aesthetic in a modern military duty boot, the Marauder from Corcoran or any of the cap toe options from Bumu in Korea are the way to go.
I've been wearing one Corcoran boot or another since about halfway through highschool which was over ten years ago after I borrowed my dad's pair from his time in the Rangers in the 80's for a dress event. I've had the black version of the ones that were cut apart here and they were radically different than these brown ones. The insole was completely different and had a fabric covering and I could tell there was much less foam in the insole. I tend to prefer the field boot version that has a full Vibram sole and much less coated leather except on the toe and heel caps. Right now though the boots I use the most at work are the Marauders which have an even more modern sole on them and are almost a hybrid of the jump boot and jungle boot. I managed to pick up two pairs in the old Air Force sage green for about $80 each as they were being discontinued and I have the desert tans with steel toes for heavier work. I'm sure my dad will be a long with his opinion on the boots before long, he's dusting off his pair from the 80's as I type this. We can't bring ourselves to get rid of that old pair even though they are now too small for either of us.
@@joshm3484 Yep. I've never much cared for oxford type shoes. I much prefer the fit and feel of boots. And thankfully, black dress boots, plain or capped toe, are authorized for service dress in the Air Force. Airmen in certain fields, like TACPs and PJs can also blouse their dress pants with them, but the rest of us booger pickers can't.
Even though I was a tanker in the Army, I had a few pairs of black jump boots I used as my dress boots, when I need to look really, really good. They polished so easily, if you worked on them a bit, you could literally see yourself in the toe. Fantastic boots really, decent comfortable as well.
We used to break them in by filling them with hot water then wearing then until they were dry. We would strip them with lighter fluid, then give them a thorough brush shine 3 times in a row, then set about giving them the "highly shined" (spit shine) finish.
I have two pairs of these, black and brown, both required for my Army dress uniforms. I agree with your assessment of these being a “cosplay” boot; although the Army still uses these, they just need an extreme shine for ceremonial wear.
I had one of those for several years, those were manufactured in the 90 (corcoran jump boot repro in brown). Those boots had thicker leather, the insole was leather, the outsole was better quality leather. Although the leather was quite heavily coated also, the substance of it underneath was better. I stripped the coating with acetone and put on some lights dark brown pigmented care products, which gave a very nice patina. Those boots were so comfotable, in part because of the munson last which gives so much space for the toes. Its a shame that corcoran did such a sell out of their boots. I had a pair of their black jump boot style combat boots back than, with a lug sole. Those had good leather but the insole was foam. At least it was some higher grade poron material like you could find in the old altama boots. With altama its the same. Had a pair of 90s leather army leather boots - very good leather, thick and pliable, vulcanized sole, the insole was actually leather. On top of it there was a thin removeable insole of poron foam which was suprisingly ok for what it was. The newer version of the boots made around 2010 after altama was bought by another company had terrible leather, the shoes were horrendously warped and the insole/lasting board was some paper board. I'am a little bit speechless, how bad these shoes have become. But its a problem which can be observed with so many brands. The materials get cheaper, the construction lacks in so many ways. On top of it some marketing specialists think its a good idea to put a piece of foam at least under your heel, I suppose to appeal to the sneaker waring faction - its just uncomfortable and a disgrace to a well made boot/shoe.
Back in the day, essentially before all the GWOT money brought new manufacturers to the scene, if you were a soldier with wider feet these were amazing. Jungle boots were great, but for garrison wear you couldn't beat the Corcoran comfort. Their soles sucked in the field and on ice, but in a modern context they really only exist in the Army as a dress boot. I'd offer that they lack an insole because many soldiers prefer to use their own choice of replaceable ones, and we also tend to wear thick socks.
My jump boots were always incredibly uncomfortable to wear because the soles were like rocks. Loved my jungle boots so much I think I had to have them resoled 3 times.
i loved mine. they were the first readily available footwear i could find that were wider than the standard wide, twenty years ago-before widespread internet commerce. unfortunately, the soles would always split across the width, just behind the front sole, after a couple of years. back then, i didn't know i could get them resoled.
when I was in there was always a cobbler in town so you could choose a softer sole or something better for wherever I was stationed. I never had a pair of jungle boots. Corcoran jump boots were my go to. I also have wide feet so maybe that's partly why I liked them so much.
The interesting thing is that most guys in airborne units back in the 70s and 80s never jumped with “jump boots”. Most of us only used these in garrison as they were too expensive to screw up the toes on jumps. A good old pair of nasty looking leg boots were the preferred boot for jumps!
I was disappointed with my pair. Way back in the day Corcoran jump boots were mythologised. Years later I got a pair because, hey why not, see what all the fuss was about. They were nothing special at all, not extremely comfortable or painful, just a pair of boots that took a long time to lace up. Never meet your heroes, 🤷♂️.
As a owner of a pair of these boots, I can say that the quality has gone down once Carolina acquired Corcoran. If you're going to buy a pair, which I do recommend, look for a NOS pair or lightly used pair of the older production ones. One of the biggest benefits of these is the wide range of sizes available since these were made for the military.
Corcoran jump boots have 82 stitches on the inside of the sole and 101 stitches on the outside as a nod to the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division’s actions during World War II
I have the Corcoran 1500 Original Jump Boots (black, $190), been loving them since I got them earlier this year, definitely my best footwear; however, admittedly most of my footwear is half their price. I’m fairly certain mine have a cloth layer over the foam inserts, which is interesting considering they’re less expensive than these brown ones. Also you forgot to mention once the boot was cut in half: yes, they have a true cap toe with double leather layers. For that alone, I think they’re worth $190. That, plus the steel shank and overall style still make them my favorite choice in their price range. Was disappointing to hear how poor the leather quality is from a leather expert tho. Please tell me it’s at least better than Doc Martens leather lol!
You picked the wrong Corcoran boots to evaluate. The ones that are approved for duty use are a better indicator of thier quality. When I was in, I wore a pair of thier now discontinued desert boots and they were the best boots I ever owned. As an infantryman, you live in your boots and these were by far more comfortable than my Altamas or Wellcos.
@@brianc9374 My dad was a WWII combat vet and had a pair of the paratrooper jump boots my guess is M42 and that is what he wore for his combat boots from Normandy D-Day to the Elbe River and even in Korea. I have read that M42 were US Army issue before the M43 so not just paratroopers. Yes they are Corcoran. I still have them but I don't wear a size 11!
These are a required purchase for all us airborne soldiers. The price isn't what scares you, it's the shine that you have to get with the proprietary walnut brown capps shoe polish ($11.95 for 2 oz). Try using regular brown or dark brown from kiwi and see what your first sergeant says
When we wore these (in black), in the mid 90s, we wore them with insoles that we trimmed to fit. Which makes them more comfortable. These were a dress boot that we wore with certain uniforms, our field boots were often different. A lot of guys wore the basic Altama jungle boot style boots when out in the field. That said some of the old hats did wear these kinds of jump boots out in the field. I personally found them to be hot, heavy and uncomfortable after a few days in the field. A cheap pair of Altamas worked fine for me.
When I was in basic training and AIT in 1978 all the drill sergeants wore Corcorans. Many of us trainees saved up and bought them at the PX so we could look cool like our sergeants. I’m sure the quality was better then; I had no problems with mine.
When I tried to get my modern production Jump Boots resoled my local cobbler told me I'd be better off just tossing them and buying a vintage pair. Vintage ones still had leather welts while modern ones have nylon welts that crack and then don't take resoling very well.
Haha when I was in AIT (2014) all the sergeants had Rocky's, but one sergeant was always so squared away. He won all the competitions, chest candy for days, and was just a chill dude. He had Nike's so I got those too. They were by far the comfiest boots I tried at the PX, but they fell apart when I started rucking every day for EMFB training. I found these Corcoran's for $120 on US Patriot so I think that's more than a fair price. I have custom inserts and ordered brown laces on Amazon, so pretty excited to use these as casuals on the civilian side. Everything back in the day was higher quality, I wouldn't mind paying a bit more if they were higher quality like the originals
I agree. I think they must have been better then. I joined in 80 and went to basic at Ft. McClellan. All the Cadre had Corcoran jump boots. I bought a pair and wore them for years.
@@Winterfell1066 Small world, I went to McClellan in '82. Still have the Corcorans I bought there in '83. Sadly...I can't even get my feet in them now.
I wore 2 different pairs of Corcoran jump boots, a pair of marauders and a pair of tankers on duty over the course of 7 years or so. LOVED them all. If you want a combat/tactical boot that will take a nice shine and hold up to a beating, then these are them.
I did 20 years in the Army retiring in 2009 and this was a tough boot to break in, but you can get a good shine out of em. A much better option was the Corcoran marauder boots
I have a pair of Corcoran Plain Toe 10" Leather Combat Boots I've been wearing DAILY since 2004. The leather coating has come off a bit on the toes, but they're holding up amazingly after 18 years.
I bought my first pair of Corcoran jump boots in 1983 for $42 at the clothing sales store. I wore Corcoran brand jump boots my entire Army career of 20 years. I followed along with your video while looking at my last pair of jump boots. Except for the color (black) and the laces, they look exactly the same. I was always buying new boots. Jump boots didn’t hold ip very well. For example the entire toe flew off my boot during Desert Storm when I tripped on a tent steak. The other pair the sole was gone from the sand eating it up. I think the newer brown suede Army issue boots appear to look much better. Although I have never worn them. You should cut up a pair of the new Army boots to compare.
I’ve been waiting for this video for a while and it’s finally here!!!! I had a vintage pair from the 70’s that my grandfather gave me. They were falling apart so I took them apart to see how they were made. I learned a lot and the first boots I made were patterned after them. They had biltrite rubber, a leather board midsole (which broke), and a leather board filler instead of cork.
in Chile we were issued Black Corcoran-type boots until a couple years ago. They were amazing, i remember buying those as a kid in the Army Surplus store for 10 bucks and they lasted until the sole was completely gone in at least 3-4 years. i recently bought a pair and the quality is still amazing. 2.5mm high quality leather, the sole is like an inch thick pvc rubber and you dont even have to break them in.
I had two pairs of them and they did a lot of walking, and the Munson last is by far one of the most comfortable forms that I have come across in 15 years of wearing work boots. Sport to see they cheaper out on other materials. I wish more manufacturers made their boots on the Munson last
I too have been asking for these for weeks and you confirmed all my suspicions about them and the drop in quality. Fun fact, William Yarborough also designed the jungle uniform worn in vietnam, which was based on the m42 paratrooper uniform, and also had a hand in testing and perfecting the famous jungle boots as well!
Yeah I actually bought some of these my freshman year of highschool in 2014. I can tell that the leather is alot more poor compared. I remember the leather being so stiff you could balance a 6 pack of soda. The only thing I hate is the synthetic sole and the pigment but they look alot better now ofter nearly a decade of use
@@AndricKelton I've worn corcorans on and off for almost 20 years and over that time I had old 70s and 80s vintage ones through to modern trash and the older ones were definitely better quality, better leather and sole components. I think the old ones were veg or chrome tanned not painted.
@@johnsteele2986 I was just explaining that even just recently, corcorans have went even more downhill. I have seen originals at reenactments and they are incomparable to the new ones. I would if he will cut originals in halfs.
@@AndricKeltonYeah, when I was wearing black jump boots in garrison, I could wear them with effectively no break in. Wearing the brown Corocrans for WWII displays and parachute demos, they need all the Old School break in of soak 'em and wear 'em until dry-ish. I think the change in leather and the difficulty in getting a uniform brown color (as opposed to how you can generally get a uniform black color pretty easily by just leaving them in the dye longer) results in the leather being stiffer, in addition to that heavy paint. But it sure felt like the old black Corcoran leather was also *harder* in addition to not being quite as stiff, and I don't know if that was more due to the processing, or just theybused to use higher grade, tighter grain leather.
I got a pair of marauders on the recommendation of some vet friends and they're the most comfortable boots I've ever owned. They're definitely more tactitcool than the leather styles, but they felt great right out of the box
A little tidbit which may explain some of the thoughts put behind this boot. Brown Leather Jump Boots are used for Airborne and Air Assault footwear for Class A Green Dress Uniforms.
Sad to hear these aren't built like they used to be. I got a pair of these (in black, of course) when I got to my first assignment at Ft Hood in 1990. I also had a pair of Corcoran's field boots. The toe and heel caps were the same but the rest of the leather was thicker but softer than the jump boots.
Honestly besides the foam insole and smooth outsole, I love my Corcorans. The factory finish is shit but I stripped both of my pairs and gave them a patina and dye job, and then polished them back up. The grain is quite a lot better than it actually looks fresh out of the box when it’s hidden by the finish. Just got done with my annual recondition/new shine on my black pair with Bick 4 conditioner, Saphir cream, and Lincoln wax. When the soles wear out I’ll have a lugged vibram sole put on by a Cobbler. They’re hardly Allen Edmonds, but they’re better than Doc Martens. The black model is miles ahead of the WW2 brown model though. Infinitely faster breakin period, and less shitty insole (I actually punctured the heel foam with a shoehorn once on my brown pair on accident, the black one is infinitely more durable and well, modern).
Thanks for the review! I own three different Corcorans. The ones you just reviewed our very uncomfortable, the old black ones (i own a pair from the 60’s) are very comfy. Best are the textile ones you show on the end. Those also come in camo green and are my favorite boot overall, they have non steel shanks. Greetz from NL
I stripped the coating off my Corcoran jump boots and conditioned them and I like them more, but still do not really like them very much at all. I just find the leather very stiff even after I stripped the coating off and gave them lots and lots of conditioners. Load of Obenauffs and neatsfoot oil, and it didn't help much. I thought they were going to be a good iron ranger substitute when I was interested in the iron ranger ( I no longer am ), but ended up relegating them to yard work. Cutting wood, trimming the tree...ect, they have become beaters for me. That being said they do clean up nice. I bought mine 2 years ago, and they were just under $200.
@@123457chevy I used citristrip, a safe citrus based paint stripper. Acetone is the common method for stuff like this, but the hardware store was out and I had the citristrip on hand so I used it.
I have had a pair for a couple years. The foam hasn’t given me any issues and the boots look really nice once they get worn in. It’s a cool old style that looks good with the right outfit.
When I was in the army 02-07, I had these boos, but in black. These were by far the easiest to shine, and looked great when in dress uniform. These boots were the most uncomfortable, and god help you if the pavement was wet, every step felt like you were on ice. The nostalgic of the boot is nice, but I stuck to Corcoran 2 boots or the Altima jungle boot with the waffle sole. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
Thank you for another great boot review. I wore a pair of Double H brand jump boots in service which I bought 31 years ago and I’m still wearing them. They need a new sole but the uppers are still in excellent condition.
As a former soldier something seems fishy about this boot. We were still wearing these boots when I was on active duty and they seemed much more heavy duty then these. Ours were the black version of these and everyone I knew who had them loved them. Maybe you can find an older mid-90's corcran jump boot. Question? Can you find a zero drop/barefoot workboot? I've been looking since i watched your review of the Lem boots. Thank You.
I wore Corcoran jumps boots when I was in. They were great boots and served me well as an infantry paratrooper in the field. I'd be curious to see how the modern ones compare to these reproductions. Great video.
@@PerfectTangent No, they aren't. I own a pair of both now... the ones on this video and my old military boots. HUGE differences between them. Really the toe is all they have in common.
@@1st508thAirborne I don't know why you think you're arguing. I wore them for years in the beginning of my service and I had them at the end of my time at the 101st. Differently made boots. It's not a complicated concept, and the boots he shows in the video ARE the current jump boot.
@@PerfectTangent I did too... 1/508th 82nd airborne. These are not the current jump boot. These are a reproduction of the WW2 boot. The current ones are built different.
@@1st508thAirborne How long ago were you in? I've heard the old ones were higher quality. I had them in the late 90's and they were absolute garbage in the field. In fact, they were so bad that guys going to selection were advised to only bring two pairs of the issued boots.
I just saw these in a store over the weekend. I could not believe they were still being made. As a paratrooper (82d Airborne Fco 782 MSB 1997-2002). These boots shined up real good. They looked good when we wore our Class A uniforms. But for comfort (for me) I hated them. So, uncomfortable, clunky, feet hurt everytime I wore them, even after 5 years with the same pair. I was so happy to get rid of them when I got out of the Army. When I saw them in the store (this past weekend) my back literally told my brain "no". And that is after being out of the Army over 20 years.
I preferred the USAF issued steel toed work boots for my daily wear when I was in the service. They were hard to break in but were fairly comfortable and really durable. They also took a good shine.
The steel toed boots we got prior to 1994 were very comfortable. Then we started getting the cap toed lineman boots. Shined up nicely, but they were so hard on the feet! Tough boot though.
I wore my steel toes from 76 to 96, and then for 19 years for the airlines. Pre 80 we got the Chuca boots, then aircrew boots.. They were great to kick chock's out from the tires.
I wonder if the repros from At The Front is better since they cost $300 or they are just overpriced, would be cool if you cut different repros of the Jump Boot
I have owned a pair of corcoran jump boots for going on 8 years. I am a WW2 reenactor and use them for that but I also use them for my daily wear and they have lasted me 8 years and still going strong. I wore them for snow removal, roofing and many more jobs. Not the best work boot but they have lasted me forever and love them. Cool to see the inside of the boot. Great video!
Awesome video, thanks for the information. Back in the 90s I was a WWII re-enactor so I've owned most of the WWII boots you've been doing, I did have a couple pair of original jump boots, as well as the 3/4 boots & double buckle boots, & yes my jump boots were my favorite boots, they were very durable & comfortable, as well. They were also better made that those. They didn't have much of an in sole, but at least it was leather rather than foam. But I was very lucky to find them because the were unissued surplus, so even though they were 50yrs old at the time, they were also brand new. They were great boots.
I think it would interesting to compare to a WWII vintage version, or the black ones, since I agree these look like a cosplay boot, but at this point thats all the black ones may be as well since the US Army went to rough out tan boots. I wore them in the army both at day to day boots for a short time and then dress boots with class As when I was reassigned to an airborne unit and they were real comfortable for all day garrison wear and the ease of keeping them shined was a bonus. So to keep them pristine for garrison you'd switch to something else for the field. I never went to jump school but most people I knew just jumped in their regular boots and by the time I got to the airborne unit we had switched to wearing the desert boots so the corcorans were just for dress wear.
Thanks for the review, been waiting for this for years! I am a bit bummed out learning about shortcomings of the materials and workmanship. I got a pair of 1511's a couple of years ago for $180-something (back then Corcoran brand was a subsidiary of Matterhorn, but now it isn't clear who owns the brand). Original impression: the color of the boot looked rusty orange - like leatherette case of an old camera case, but it gets darker and browner upon conditioning. I had exactly the same concern about white Poron insoles, but I assumed that they left this insole exposed on purpose so the user can add their own insole on top of it for a better fit (my assumption was informed by abundance of vertical space inside the boot). Features I love: gusseted tongues, fantastically roomy toe box, ankle support, foot protection (once you put on, you'd feel like you can crash and smash things with these boots) and slick anatomic fit (that badass classic combat boot look). Things I dislike: hard to break in (one would wonder what would break in first the boot or your foot), crappy overly dry leather, and uselessness in cold and freezing temperatures.
When these boots were the issue boots to paratroopers ues they were supposed to supply their own secondary insole, usually moulded to their foot shape and worn with 2 pairs of socks usually a thin dress sock and a woolen boot sock underand as for breaking them in, that was done during basic training or soaking the entire boot in hot water for aboit 30 minutes and wear them until dried.
I have a pair of their seemingly discontinued 1525 jump boots, it's a more modern boot with an insole liner, no heavy finish on the entire boot, (its only on the toe cap and heel) speed eyelets like more modern combat boots and Vibram outsoles. I've worn them daily for 2 years on and off of work, and they're still holding up pretty well. I love Corcoran but, hate to see the quality and the diversity of products go away.
I was issued Corcoran Jump Boots in 1986 when assigned to the Fort Sill Salute Battery. They weren't particularly comfortable but did take a decent spit shine for ceremonial purposes. The boots in the video look like a much lower quality version.
To be fair to Corcoran, these boots are made to be worn by paratroopers on active jump status (a pretty small group) with their AGSU uniform (the new Army Class A that harkens back to WWII). This uniform is worn pretty rarely, like on Payday activities for inspections maybe once a month, for boards, and ceremonies. I don't think they are trying to authentically recreate the WWII boot, but make a ceremonial boot that looks good in uniform.
I finally bit the bullet on a pair of these in black, and honestly speaking I didn't get it for work. I go to a lot of punk rock shows and certain events where people, let's just say, like leather more than you'd think would be possible, and the hi-shine construction and the high shaft all add up to a great-looking boot. I can't wait to wear my pair, as I expect it to last a while as well with the TLC I can provide, at least when compared to something like my Dr. Martens. I know your stance is that you should be looking for something you can wear on a daily basis for heavy-duty purposes, but I think as "just a cosplay boot", these fit the bill for that "leather rebel"/metalpunk MOFO inside of me. Still a fun and informative video to watch!
A comparison of different reproductions of this and other ww2 boots would be great. Especially the quality differences between US made and China made (or other countrys).
As an Airborne Infantrymen for just over a decade and when I first say the thumbnail, it broke my heart thinking about you cutting these in half! Now knowing it's the new version, it takes the sting out. Have been lucky enough to handle the original WW2 and try on a set, I can say that the new ones are definitely different. The new ones are just used for parades and looming good. Nobody wears them for "work".
I've never owned new Corcoran boots, rather ones I found in army surplus stores and thrift stores. I had a set that had this foam inside and hated it. I usually remove any synthetic material from my boots and make my own leather insoles from a piece of 6 oz veg tan leather. I just have never liked having padding under my feet of any kind other than what the leather provides. I assumed the foam was specifically a paratrooper feature so they didn't bruise their heels when landing. The other Corordan (and other brands like Double H) boots I had were pretty similar to what an Iron Ranger looks like inside and I preferred that. My go to boots in modern era where I have more folding money are just Iron Rangers. I prefer the lower rise and they're just as durable as military surplus boots I used to find in the 90s. All of these boots will improve your balance on ice. They are terrible in terms of traction. The only person I can see wearing these brown paratrooper boots are the military cosplay or general societal outcast type like me that use to run around in olive drab trench coats and look like a total weirdo wandering around in public.
I've had 3 pairs of corcorans I've found that the older pairs that were still made by cove shoe are definitely a better quality that thr new ones made by carolina shoe. But at the same time they're both great for riding my motorcycle.
I think this is maybe the 5th video of yours I've asked for this on, and I'm sorry/not sorry ....but will you PLEASE do a video on the widely-available-at-surplus-stores US Army black boot? Biltrite soles, steel cap, with the ANSI Z41 1991 or 1983 certification on the inside of the tongue. I've worn these boots for years and in my experience they're some of the most durable and affordable (second hand or even new old stock they're $50-100) and still widely available boots out there...and vintage!
I bought black Corcorans some years ago and I agree the leather is not excellent as it has thick coating in it. After some use the coating cracks and looks terrible. Don't get me wrong, I love those boots, they are comfortable and look great. Wish the leather was better.
I do wwii reenacting, The jump boot was used up to the 90s when the modern combat boot was implemented and is whats used today. The jump boot changed colors and minor construction differences but was used longer than wwii. Also we use the repro corcorans and for actual intense use they hold up, altho their construction leaves something to be desired. Originals werent lined and had the traditional leather footbed too
This is sort of shocking to see that they’re rating so poorly. I’ve had a pair (black) for six years and I can NOT get them to show any signs of wear aside from light scuff marks. Mine refuse to bend and crease, I can’t even get the soles to show signs of wear. Compared to my iron rangers (11 yrs) and my thoroughgood moc toes (8 yrs) I’ve been considering these to be my hardiest boot. Admittedly I don’t wear them as often, mostly because they feel costumey, but I’ve imagined I’ll like them more when they finally look worn 😂
I have had a pair for 6 years as well that I love. Mine have a fabric covering over the foam insole, and thin leather (fake?) over the heel to further protect the foam. I wonder if the exposed foam has happened since Carolina took them over as a cost-saving measure.
@@xxxxtripxxxxOSG interesting… My insoles are foam like these in the video, but I didn’t consider how fragile the material might be until watching this. The surface seems a little bit slick and my sock doesn’t grab it at all so I didn’t imagine I’d see the issue he warned about here. But I’ll probably watch it more closely now and consider at least a thin insole if a problem arises.
the Corcoran 1510 Brown Jump Boots have many differnt "types" or "Variations" you can see this on the inside label and the insole WW2 era boots didnt have the poron insole neither have the black ones from the 60's the boots made in the 80's also didnt have a poron insole the same ww2 era red and whit label and a C on the heel but that when things started to change i think there are now 5 types of jump boots type 1 - the original ww2 jump boots type 2 - the first post war production runs ( early 80's til late90's/00's stil with red and white label ) type 3 - probably the 2n most used boots production around late00's to early 10's ( black and white label ) type 4- the most used reproduction boots production early 10's until 2021 ish ( complete black label ) type 5 - current issue Brown soles at least those are all the models i personaly have and /or use except for the brown soled ones
I wear a pair of coyote brown steel-toe Corcoran Marauders for work every day. I have tried several different brands of boot for uniform wear, and they are always the best. I decided to buy a pair of the jump boots exactly like the ones you cut in half here and I was a little disappointed by them as well. They are sturdy enough, but the leatherboard, the outer coating, and the foam inside not being covered all seemed to be corners that were cut. I was hoping for a near exact replica of the old jump boots. I got boots with cut corners. I still wear them occasionally, but they are not what I hoped for.
I bought a new pair of the Black version in the 00's to wear to concerts and they are utter shit! I don't know what is considered "wide feet" in America but I got a pair of 8E's and they seemed incredibly narrow and tight across the top of my foot.......was lucky enough to pick up a 60's pair in 7 1/2D and they were noticeably wider than the modern ones plus the leather seems to be thicker as well
I have the black pair for 10+ years and had the shaft cut down to 6 inches and they have held up great. They’re my version of the poor man’s Redwings Iron Ranger.
They don’t make them like they used to? The ones that were made in Stoughton Massachusetts seem to be of better quality and construction from my experience. I have a black Stoughton pair of 1500’s I’d be willing to donate for analysis (cut in half lol). Just let me know if you see this!
I have these exact boots for work. Yup, there are issues. Especially with the foam insole as the glue is not good and it keeps bunching up after 8 hrs. Needs a leather one on top. But they are light weight. Had a really short break-in period, at least compared to my Nick's. Will they last long? Didn't in the years in the military (black version), but they are really comfortable now that they are broken in. Easy to clean and polish. I even spit shine every once in a while. If the foam insole was covered with something leather, in my opinion, would be a decent light duty work boot.
I was with the 1/501 Parachute Infantry Regiment back in the 90’s. We wore these with our class A dress uniforms. I still have my original boots, Class As and beret. My jump boots are not even broke in because we hardly ever wore them. However, I wore out multiple pairs of leg boots. Airborne!
I had an older pair that lasted forever and were extremely comfortable. Bought a new pair a few years ago expecting similar quality, not even close. The damned shank broke loose and was digging into my arch not quite a year into them. Terrible decline, and these seem worse.
Loved my Corcoran jump boots. Mine were black. Had them resoled with a Vibram sole for a little more traction. The smooth sole got pretty scary in the winter.
What a cheap piece of crap. I worked in a costume shop, and these are exactly like something we would have had racks of. I can't imagine wearing these, imagine how bad they're going to crease and crack.
Wore a few pair of, dare I say, original Corcoran's, after jump school at Ft Benning, GA. Served with both the 82nd Airborne & 101st Airborne from '67-'70 during my 3 year hitch. I enlisted Airborne unassigned, and the Army sent me to MP school. We took white candle wax and melted it on the top caps then heated it with a Bunsen burner to get it to penetrate and saturate the leather. The resulting spit-shine was spectacular. When I returned from Viet Nam, I bought a pair from the PX at the Oakland Army Terminal and all the "legs" gathered around to watch me prep the boots for my next duty assignment.
These boots look like they took a big nose dive in all regards. I have a pair I bought at the Army uniform shop about 25 years ago that have a Vibram sole and a durable insole. I wore them for several years in uniform and they are still in decent shape.
As a former Army Paratrooper thank you and these were the most uncomfortable boots ever! I got the old black ones in 1990. I never jumped in my jump boots, I always jumped in Vietnam era jungle boots except in Airborne School I wore the basis issue boot. They are only for show now to wear with the class A uniform.
I wore black ones like these, now and then, from 1970-1974. I usually wore them with dress blues when standing inspection. They took a great spit shine after a few hours of work. I used Kiwi, cotton balls, a tooth brush, and an old tee shirt for the shine. I did not use fire to melt the polish. Over 90% of the time I wore the original issued boots or chukka boots. The original issued boots were the most comfortable, but I wore good black padded sole boot socks too. The socks made a big difference.
As always, great video. Your channel is among my 3 or 4 faves and always go to it whenever you put up a new video. I've learned everything I needed to learn from you and Stridewise. So I'm so happy to see that you both got together and put out a couple of vids.
I definitely disagree that it's not a work boot, mostly because I've put mine through a lot of farm-work, and they're holding up fine and I could happily run miles in them. The bare foam definitely surprised me how well it's held up, though I'm not sure it'd stand up to multiple resoles. They recently increased the price, though, and they're definitely not worth the new $245 full price. I paid $175, which was on sale from the older price, which is about right for them. Since they aren't DTC and have multiple places that sell them you can usually get a decent discount. The fact that they're on the munson last was the real selling point, as all the best fitting boots I've ever owned have been that last.
I was in an Airborne unit in the USMC from April 98 to May 99. I bought a pair of black Corcoran Jump Boots. They were very comfortable. They fit my foot very well and offered great ankle support. I didn’t jump in them though. They looked too good and I wore them for nicer occasions. They spit shined up very well. Overall I would give them a very high rating as best my memory serves from over 20 years ago.
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My first pair of Corcorans were purchased in 1968, lasted for about three years of hard everyday Army duty use. I replaced them regularly with other Corcorans until my retirement from active duty in 1988. During that entire period I never noticed a significant change in quality, just a steady but manageable increase in price. They were great boots back in the day. I have to say, based on what your video shows, they are now WAY overpriced!
Thank you for your Service.
Yeah I don't remember paying more than about $80 for a pair. But I got mine at a military surplus store. They were the real deal as best as I can tell. They had the white tag in them with black and red letters as I can recall? It was a long time ago now.
Looks like they’ve cut the corners instead of up in the quality and raising the price. People that depend on boot like this I’m sure would rather have a better quality at a little higher price than an inferior boot at a lower price. I think the old saying about the joy of a low price short-lived compared to the Agony of poor quality
@@dude28405 I think they've just changed the purpose of the boot today. Now it is for dress uniform wear.
@@patrickpeoples6382 what service
Hey Rose, I'm sure someone else has mentioned this already, but in the US Army Airborne units are required to wear these exact boots in Dress uniform (shined of course). So, it is essentially a Historical cosplay for current paratroopers to carry on the legacy from WW2. That being said, here in the Airborne, we use these very rarely and exclusively as dress in garrison environments.
What we're seeing here is not the original boot. From the outside it does look like them though. Those holes around the toe box are very distinctive. I always wondered what they were about?
@@1pcfred Paul are you saying that these are not the original 1940's/50's boots or these are not the Corcoran boots required for the greens uniform?
@@russellromig8969 the boots here are not like older ones. I bought the ones I had in a military surplus store in the early 1980s. So they were originals or close to them. They could have been from the 50s or 60s.
@@1pcfred correct, these are the reproduction boots that modern day soldiers wear with dress uniforms in airborne units.
@@anthonysmerdon44 so they look like the original boots and that's as far as it goes.
We were still buying similar jump boots in 2003. That was one of the upsides of being in an Airborne unit since you were allowed to rock these boots even when most other units were switching to ACU and brown boots.
ACU. Absolute garbage looking and performing. Hated that shit.
Just gonna say this but that island isn't Sicily it's Corsica, Sicily is below the tip of Italy
they totally missed Holland as well. but Americans are never that good at European geography. at least they got the countries correct
Eh the holland one is a technicality isn’t it? I assume he was using Holland to mean the Netherlands as a whole, which is a pretty common usage even outside the US
@@fallenasleep7247 it's still wrong though. It's like calling all Americans yanks or rednecks - sure it's common, but that doesn't make it right
he's a lil dimwitted
My wife is Corsican…Corsica is 100% French, although they will say that they are not, just like Sicily is 100% Italian, although they will say they are not. Corsica has way more in common with Italy, but don’t try to tell them that! 🥰
My dad was in the 458th Parachute Field Artillery, 13th Airborne in WWII. He told me if you wore your jump boots into town before you had actually made your first jump the other paratroopers were take them from you as you had not earned them yet. My dad is long gone but I wear his wings on a chain around my neck every day. he enlisted on Dec. 9th, 1941, 2 days after the Pearl Harbor attack.
Respect to your father.
@@jharris0341 Thank you Jim
Good thing your dad fought for Zionism so the U.S. and Europe can be flooded with "refugees" and men can wear skirts in the military.
God bless him!
I wear my grandpa's Vietnam jump wings on my cowboy hat band now that he's gone.
I have a vintage pair of these my grandfather wore in the Korean war. They are too small for any of the dudes in my family to be able to wear, so if you would be interested in an old vs new comparison, I'd be happy to send them to get cut in half.
I have a black pair of these that I wear with my dress blues. That's really where these boots shine (literally). Polished and shined, they look great. They're lightyears ahead of the stupid gloss plastic low-quarters you get issued. If you want a similar jump boot aesthetic in a modern military duty boot, the Marauder from Corcoran or any of the cap toe options from Bumu in Korea are the way to go.
You wear boots in your blues? Really?
I've been wearing one Corcoran boot or another since about halfway through highschool which was over ten years ago after I borrowed my dad's pair from his time in the Rangers in the 80's for a dress event. I've had the black version of the ones that were cut apart here and they were radically different than these brown ones. The insole was completely different and had a fabric covering and I could tell there was much less foam in the insole. I tend to prefer the field boot version that has a full Vibram sole and much less coated leather except on the toe and heel caps. Right now though the boots I use the most at work are the Marauders which have an even more modern sole on them and are almost a hybrid of the jump boot and jungle boot. I managed to pick up two pairs in the old Air Force sage green for about $80 each as they were being discontinued and I have the desert tans with steel toes for heavier work. I'm sure my dad will be a long with his opinion on the boots before long, he's dusting off his pair from the 80's as I type this. We can't bring ourselves to get rid of that old pair even though they are now too small for either of us.
@@joshm3484bloused, was typical for anyone on airborne status when I was in (early 90’s)
@@joshm3484 Yep. I've never much cared for oxford type shoes. I much prefer the fit and feel of boots. And thankfully, black dress boots, plain or capped toe, are authorized for service dress in the Air Force. Airmen in certain fields, like TACPs and PJs can also blouse their dress pants with them, but the rest of us booger pickers can't.
@@ericdeer5887 This still holds true.
My father (British NCO ) in WW2 coveted a pair of American Jump boots, he traded a British “Great Coat” for the boots
Even though I was a tanker in the Army, I had a few pairs of black jump boots I used as my dress boots, when I need to look really, really good. They polished so easily, if you worked on them a bit, you could literally see yourself in the toe. Fantastic boots really, decent comfortable as well.
I have a pair of them from 2006 that I still wear in my dress uniform.
Your chain of command must have been so jacked to allow that
What happened, you bolo tank table 8 and couldnt wear tanker boots?
They were authorized army wide.@@joelglanton6531
@JMark-zk5pj they don't make tanker boots in black anymore. And they never did in heritage brown.
We used to break them in by filling them with hot water then wearing then until they were dry. We would strip them with lighter fluid, then give them a thorough brush shine 3 times in a row, then set about giving them the "highly shined" (spit shine) finish.
I have two pairs of these, black and brown, both required for my Army dress uniforms. I agree with your assessment of these being a “cosplay” boot; although the Army still uses these, they just need an extreme shine for ceremonial wear.
I had one of those for several years, those were manufactured in the 90 (corcoran jump boot repro in brown). Those boots had thicker leather, the insole was leather, the outsole was better quality leather. Although the leather was quite heavily coated also, the substance of it underneath was better. I stripped the coating with acetone and put on some lights dark brown pigmented care products, which gave a very nice patina. Those boots were so comfotable, in part because of the munson last which gives so much space for the toes.
Its a shame that corcoran did such a sell out of their boots. I had a pair of their black jump boot style combat boots back than, with a lug sole. Those had good leather but the insole was foam. At least it was some higher grade poron material like you could find in the old altama boots.
With altama its the same. Had a pair of 90s leather army leather boots - very good leather, thick and pliable, vulcanized sole, the insole was actually leather. On top of it there was a thin removeable insole of poron foam which was suprisingly ok for what it was. The newer version of the boots made around 2010 after altama was bought by another company had terrible leather, the shoes were horrendously warped and the insole/lasting board was some paper board.
I'am a little bit speechless, how bad these shoes have become. But its a problem which can be observed with so many brands. The materials get cheaper, the construction lacks in so many ways. On top of it some marketing specialists think its a good idea to put a piece of foam at least under your heel, I suppose to appeal to the sneaker waring faction - its just uncomfortable and a disgrace to a well made boot/shoe.
I am shocked and offended… Rose should have used Blood on the Risers for the into song. How could you?! Great video, and great channel!!!
Back in the day, essentially before all the GWOT money brought new manufacturers to the scene, if you were a soldier with wider feet these were amazing. Jungle boots were great, but for garrison wear you couldn't beat the Corcoran comfort. Their soles sucked in the field and on ice, but in a modern context they really only exist in the Army as a dress boot. I'd offer that they lack an insole because many soldiers prefer to use their own choice of replaceable ones, and we also tend to wear thick socks.
My jump boots were always incredibly uncomfortable to wear because the soles were like rocks. Loved my jungle boots so much I think I had to have them resoled 3 times.
i loved mine. they were the first readily available footwear i could find that were wider than the standard wide, twenty years ago-before widespread internet commerce. unfortunately, the soles would always split across the width, just behind the front sole, after a couple of years. back then, i didn't know i could get them resoled.
when I was in there was always a cobbler in town so you could choose a softer sole or something better for wherever I was stationed.
I never had a pair of jungle boots. Corcoran jump boots were my go to. I also have wide feet so maybe that's partly why I liked them so much.
The interesting thing is that most guys in airborne units back in the 70s and 80s never jumped with “jump boots”. Most of us only used these in garrison as they were too expensive to screw up the toes on jumps. A good old pair of nasty looking leg boots were the preferred boot for jumps!
I was disappointed with my pair. Way back in the day Corcoran jump boots were mythologised. Years later I got a pair because, hey why not, see what all the fuss was about. They were nothing special at all, not extremely comfortable or painful, just a pair of boots that took a long time to lace up. Never meet your heroes, 🤷♂️.
As a owner of a pair of these boots, I can say that the quality has gone down once Carolina acquired Corcoran. If you're going to buy a pair, which I do recommend, look for a NOS pair or lightly used pair of the older production ones. One of the biggest benefits of these is the wide range of sizes available since these were made for the military.
When Carolina bought it?
@@achillesdanieladam9486 Yes
Corcoran jump boots have 82 stitches on the inside of the sole and 101 stitches on the outside as a nod to the 82nd and 101st Airborne Division’s actions during World War II
I have the Corcoran 1500 Original Jump Boots (black, $190), been loving them since I got them earlier this year, definitely my best footwear; however, admittedly most of my footwear is half their price. I’m fairly certain mine have a cloth layer over the foam inserts, which is interesting considering they’re less expensive than these brown ones. Also you forgot to mention once the boot was cut in half: yes, they have a true cap toe with double leather layers. For that alone, I think they’re worth $190. That, plus the steel shank and overall style still make them my favorite choice in their price range. Was disappointing to hear how poor the leather quality is from a leather expert tho. Please tell me it’s at least better than Doc Martens leather lol!
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You picked the wrong Corcoran boots to evaluate. The ones that are approved for duty use are a better indicator of thier quality. When I was in, I wore a pair of thier now discontinued desert boots and they were the best boots I ever owned. As an infantryman, you live in your boots and these were by far more comfortable than my Altamas or Wellcos.
whatabout rocky jump boots, the insulated version, my personal favorite boot. How do they stack up?
@@mythoughtsonfaith1031 IDK, but my buddy has been wearing those Rocky goretex moc toe chukkas for years and he swears by them
@@brianc9374 My dad was a WWII combat vet and had a pair of the paratrooper jump boots my guess is M42 and that is what he wore for his combat boots from Normandy D-Day to the Elbe River and even in Korea. I have read that M42 were US Army issue before the M43 so not just paratroopers. Yes they are Corcoran. I still have them but I don't wear a size 11!
These are a required purchase for all us airborne soldiers. The price isn't what scares you, it's the shine that you have to get with the proprietary walnut brown capps shoe polish ($11.95 for 2 oz). Try using regular brown or dark brown from kiwi and see what your first sergeant says
When we wore these (in black), in the mid 90s, we wore them with insoles that we trimmed to fit. Which makes them more comfortable. These were a dress boot that we wore with certain uniforms, our field boots were often different. A lot of guys wore the basic Altama jungle boot style boots when out in the field. That said some of the old hats did wear these kinds of jump boots out in the field. I personally found them to be hot, heavy and uncomfortable after a few days in the field. A cheap pair of Altamas worked fine for me.
When I was in basic training and AIT in 1978 all the drill sergeants wore Corcorans. Many of us trainees saved up and bought them at the PX so we could look cool like our sergeants. I’m sure the quality was better then; I had no problems with mine.
When I tried to get my modern production Jump Boots resoled my local cobbler told me I'd be better off just tossing them and buying a vintage pair. Vintage ones still had leather welts while modern ones have nylon welts that crack and then don't take resoling very well.
Haha when I was in AIT (2014) all the sergeants had Rocky's, but one sergeant was always so squared away. He won all the competitions, chest candy for days, and was just a chill dude. He had Nike's so I got those too. They were by far the comfiest boots I tried at the PX, but they fell apart when I started rucking every day for EMFB training.
I found these Corcoran's for $120 on US Patriot so I think that's more than a fair price. I have custom inserts and ordered brown laces on Amazon, so pretty excited to use these as casuals on the civilian side. Everything back in the day was higher quality, I wouldn't mind paying a bit more if they were higher quality like the originals
I agree. I think they must have been better then. I joined in 80 and went to basic at Ft. McClellan. All the Cadre had Corcoran jump boots. I bought a pair and wore them for years.
@@Winterfell1066 Small world, I went to McClellan in '82. Still have the Corcorans I bought there in '83. Sadly...I can't even get my feet in them now.
I wore 2 different pairs of Corcoran jump boots, a pair of marauders and a pair of tankers on duty over the course of 7 years or so. LOVED them all. If you want a combat/tactical boot that will take a nice shine and hold up to a beating, then these are them.
I wish corcoran would bring back the 4500. Thats the desert jump boot that was 100% roughout, unlike the marauders which i also had.
I did 20 years in the Army retiring in 2009 and this was a tough boot to break in, but you can get a good shine out of em. A much better option was the Corcoran marauder boots
I have a pair of Corcoran Plain Toe 10" Leather Combat Boots I've been wearing DAILY since 2004. The leather coating has come off a bit on the toes, but they're holding up amazingly after 18 years.
I bought my first pair of Corcoran jump boots in 1983 for $42 at the clothing sales store. I wore Corcoran brand jump boots my entire Army career of 20 years. I followed along with your video while looking at my last pair of jump boots. Except for the color (black) and the laces, they look exactly the same. I was always buying new boots. Jump boots didn’t hold ip very well. For example the entire toe flew off my boot during Desert Storm when I tripped on a tent steak. The other pair the sole was gone from the sand eating it up. I think the newer brown suede Army issue boots appear to look much better. Although I have never worn them. You should cut up a pair of the new Army boots to compare.
I’ve been waiting for this video for a while and it’s finally here!!!! I had a vintage pair from the 70’s that my grandfather gave me. They were falling apart so I took them apart to see how they were made. I learned a lot and the first boots I made were patterned after them. They had biltrite rubber, a leather board midsole (which broke), and a leather board filler instead of cork.
in Chile we were issued Black Corcoran-type boots until a couple years ago. They were amazing, i remember buying those as a kid in the Army Surplus store for 10 bucks and they lasted until the sole was completely gone in at least 3-4 years. i recently bought a pair and the quality is still amazing. 2.5mm high quality leather, the sole is like an inch thick pvc rubber and you dont even have to break them in.
I had two pairs of them and they did a lot of walking, and the Munson last is by far one of the most comfortable forms that I have come across in 15 years of wearing work boots. Sport to see they cheaper out on other materials.
I wish more manufacturers made their boots on the Munson last
I too have been asking for these for weeks and you confirmed all my suspicions about them and the drop in quality.
Fun fact, William Yarborough also designed the jungle uniform worn in vietnam, which was based on the m42 paratrooper uniform, and also had a hand in testing and perfecting the famous jungle boots as well!
Yeah I actually bought some of these my freshman year of highschool in 2014. I can tell that the leather is alot more poor compared. I remember the leather being so stiff you could balance a 6 pack of soda. The only thing I hate is the synthetic sole and the pigment but they look alot better now ofter nearly a decade of use
@@AndricKelton I've worn corcorans on and off for almost 20 years and over that time I had old 70s and 80s vintage ones through to modern trash and the older ones were definitely better quality, better leather and sole components.
I think the old ones were veg or chrome tanned not painted.
I've had knock off jungle boots and they're OK in a tropical climate. It's a smart design. Those drain ports.
@@johnsteele2986 I was just explaining that even just recently, corcorans have went even more downhill. I have seen originals at reenactments and they are incomparable to the new ones. I would if he will cut originals in halfs.
@@AndricKeltonYeah, when I was wearing black jump boots in garrison, I could wear them with effectively no break in. Wearing the brown Corocrans for WWII displays and parachute demos, they need all the Old School break in of soak 'em and wear 'em until dry-ish. I think the change in leather and the difficulty in getting a uniform brown color (as opposed to how you can generally get a uniform black color pretty easily by just leaving them in the dye longer) results in the leather being stiffer, in addition to that heavy paint.
But it sure felt like the old black Corcoran leather was also *harder* in addition to not being quite as stiff, and I don't know if that was more due to the processing, or just theybused to use higher grade, tighter grain leather.
I got a pair of marauders on the recommendation of some vet friends and they're the most comfortable boots I've ever owned. They're definitely more tactitcool than the leather styles, but they felt great right out of the box
A little tidbit which may explain some of the thoughts put behind this boot. Brown Leather Jump Boots are used for Airborne and Air Assault footwear for Class A Green Dress Uniforms.
Sad to hear these aren't built like they used to be. I got a pair of these (in black, of course) when I got to my first assignment at Ft Hood in 1990. I also had a pair of Corcoran's field boots. The toe and heel caps were the same but the rest of the leather was thicker but softer than the jump boots.
Since these boots play a big role in wwii reenacting, it would be interesting to see how these boots compare to other re-enacting brands.
Those would not pass authenticity, they are for the modern class A uniform. WW2 jump boots had black soles for starts.
Honestly besides the foam insole and smooth outsole, I love my Corcorans. The factory finish is shit but I stripped both of my pairs and gave them a patina and dye job, and then polished them back up. The grain is quite a lot better than it actually looks fresh out of the box when it’s hidden by the finish. Just got done with my annual recondition/new shine on my black pair with Bick 4 conditioner, Saphir cream, and Lincoln wax. When the soles wear out I’ll have a lugged vibram sole put on by a Cobbler. They’re hardly Allen Edmonds, but they’re better than Doc Martens. The black model is miles ahead of the WW2 brown model though. Infinitely faster breakin period, and less shitty insole (I actually punctured the heel foam with a shoehorn once on my brown pair on accident, the black one is infinitely more durable and well, modern).
Thanks for the review! I own three different Corcorans. The ones you just reviewed our very uncomfortable, the old black ones (i own a pair from the 60’s) are very comfy. Best are the textile ones you show on the end. Those also come in camo green and are my favorite boot overall, they have non steel shanks. Greetz from NL
Leuk hier een mede-Nederlander te treffen 👊
I stripped the coating off my Corcoran jump boots and conditioned them and I like them more, but still do not really like them very much at all.
I just find the leather very stiff even after I stripped the coating off and gave them lots and lots of conditioners.
Load of Obenauffs and neatsfoot oil, and it didn't help much.
I thought they were going to be a good iron ranger substitute when I was interested in the iron ranger ( I no longer am ), but ended up relegating them to yard work.
Cutting wood, trimming the tree...ect, they have become beaters for me.
That being said they do clean up nice.
I bought mine 2 years ago, and they were just under $200.
How did you strip the coating off?
@@123457chevy I used citristrip, a safe citrus based paint stripper.
Acetone is the common method for stuff like this, but the hardware store was out and I had the citristrip on hand so I used it.
I have had a pair for a couple years. The foam hasn’t given me any issues and the boots look really nice once they get worn in. It’s a cool old style that looks good with the right outfit.
When I was in the army 02-07, I had these boos, but in black. These were by far the easiest to shine, and looked great when in dress uniform. These boots were the most uncomfortable, and god help you if the pavement was wet, every step felt like you were on ice. The nostalgic of the boot is nice, but I stuck to Corcoran 2 boots or the Altima jungle boot with the waffle sole. Thanks for bringing back the memories!
Thank you for another great boot review. I wore a pair of Double H brand jump boots in service which I bought 31 years ago and I’m still wearing them. They need a new sole but the uppers are still in excellent condition.
As a former soldier something seems fishy about this boot. We were still wearing these boots when I was on active duty and they seemed much more heavy duty then these. Ours were the black version of these and everyone I knew who had them loved them. Maybe you can find an older mid-90's corcran jump boot. Question? Can you find a zero drop/barefoot workboot? I've been looking since i watched your review of the Lem boots. Thank You.
I wore Corcoran jumps boots when I was in. They were great boots and served me well as an infantry paratrooper in the field. I'd be curious to see how the modern ones compare to these reproductions. Great video.
Those ARE the modern ones. I had these in black before the Army switched to their new dress uniform; these are the brown versions for that uniform.
@@PerfectTangent
No, they aren't. I own a pair of both now... the ones on this video and my old military boots. HUGE differences between them. Really the toe is all they have in common.
@@1st508thAirborne I don't know why you think you're arguing. I wore them for years in the beginning of my service and I had them at the end of my time at the 101st. Differently made boots. It's not a complicated concept, and the boots he shows in the video ARE the current jump boot.
@@PerfectTangent
I did too... 1/508th 82nd airborne. These are not the current jump boot. These are a reproduction of the WW2 boot. The current ones are built different.
@@1st508thAirborne How long ago were you in? I've heard the old ones were higher quality. I had them in the late 90's and they were absolute garbage in the field. In fact, they were so bad that guys going to selection were advised to only bring two pairs of the issued boots.
my great great uncle was col sink late general sink of the 506 airborne. they made a show about his regiment band of brothers
I just saw these in a store over the weekend. I could not believe they were still being made. As a paratrooper (82d Airborne Fco 782 MSB 1997-2002). These boots shined up real good. They looked good when we wore our Class A uniforms. But for comfort (for me) I hated them. So, uncomfortable, clunky, feet hurt everytime I wore them, even after 5 years with the same pair. I was so happy to get rid of them when I got out of the Army. When I saw them in the store (this past weekend) my back literally told my brain "no". And that is after being out of the Army over 20 years.
I preferred the USAF issued steel toed work boots for my daily wear when I was in the service. They were hard to break in but were fairly comfortable and really durable. They also took a good shine.
The steel toed boots we got prior to 1994 were very comfortable. Then we started getting the cap toed lineman boots. Shined up nicely, but they were so hard on the feet! Tough boot though.
I wore my steel toes from 76 to 96, and then for 19 years for the airlines. Pre 80 we got the Chuca boots, then aircrew boots.. They were great to kick chock's out from the tires.
I have a pair of original official Vietnam Corcoran jump boots they are made way better back then . Mine have a super Thick leather insoule
I wonder if the repros from At The Front is better since they cost $300 or they are just overpriced, would be cool if you cut different repros of the Jump Boot
There are better because they are made of better materials: leather sole, Goodyear rubber, chrome tanned upper leather...
It is a damn shame if these are now simply cos-play boots, for they were damn serious jump boots in WWII.
I have owned a pair of corcoran jump boots for going on 8 years. I am a WW2 reenactor and use them for that but I also use them for my daily wear and they have lasted me 8 years and still going strong. I wore them for snow removal, roofing and many more jobs. Not the best work boot but they have lasted me forever and love them. Cool to see the inside of the boot. Great video!
Awesome video, thanks for the information. Back in the 90s I was a WWII re-enactor so I've owned most of the WWII boots you've been doing, I did have a couple pair of original jump boots, as well as the 3/4 boots & double buckle boots, & yes my jump boots were my favorite boots, they were very durable & comfortable, as well. They were also better made that those. They didn't have much of an in sole, but at least it was leather rather than foam. But I was very lucky to find them because the were unissued surplus, so even though they were 50yrs old at the time, they were also brand new. They were great boots.
I would call these boots JUNK, especially with that insole. That will shred in no time!
I think it would interesting to compare to a WWII vintage version, or the black ones, since I agree these look like a cosplay boot, but at this point thats all the black ones may be as well since the US Army went to rough out tan boots. I wore them in the army both at day to day boots for a short time and then dress boots with class As when I was reassigned to an airborne unit and they were real comfortable for all day garrison wear and the ease of keeping them shined was a bonus. So to keep them pristine for garrison you'd switch to something else for the field. I never went to jump school but most people I knew just jumped in their regular boots and by the time I got to the airborne unit we had switched to wearing the desert boots so the corcorans were just for dress wear.
Thanks for the review, been waiting for this for years! I am a bit bummed out learning about shortcomings of the materials and workmanship. I got a pair of 1511's a couple of years ago for $180-something (back then Corcoran brand was a subsidiary of Matterhorn, but now it isn't clear who owns the brand). Original impression: the color of the boot looked rusty orange - like leatherette case of an old camera case, but it gets darker and browner upon conditioning. I had exactly the same concern about white Poron insoles, but I assumed that they left this insole exposed on purpose so the user can add their own insole on top of it for a better fit (my assumption was informed by abundance of vertical space inside the boot). Features I love: gusseted tongues, fantastically roomy toe box, ankle support, foot protection (once you put on, you'd feel like you can crash and smash things with these boots) and slick anatomic fit (that badass classic combat boot look). Things I dislike: hard to break in (one would wonder what would break in first the boot or your foot), crappy overly dry leather, and uselessness in cold and freezing temperatures.
When these boots were the issue boots to paratroopers ues they were supposed to supply their own secondary insole, usually moulded to their foot shape and worn with 2 pairs of socks usually a thin dress sock and a woolen boot sock underand as for breaking them in, that was done during basic training or soaking the entire boot in hot water for aboit 30 minutes and wear them until dried.
You should try some Truman boots out for the MITUSA series
I have a pair of their seemingly discontinued 1525 jump boots, it's a more modern boot with an insole liner, no heavy finish on the entire boot, (its only on the toe cap and heel) speed eyelets like more modern combat boots and Vibram outsoles. I've worn them daily for 2 years on and off of work, and they're still holding up pretty well. I love Corcoran but, hate to see the quality and the diversity of products go away.
I was issued Corcoran Jump Boots in 1986 when assigned to the Fort Sill Salute Battery. They weren't particularly comfortable but did take a decent spit shine for ceremonial purposes. The boots in the video look like a much lower quality version.
To be fair to Corcoran, these boots are made to be worn by paratroopers on active jump status (a pretty small group) with their AGSU uniform (the new Army Class A that harkens back to WWII). This uniform is worn pretty rarely, like on Payday activities for inspections maybe once a month, for boards, and ceremonies. I don't think they are trying to authentically recreate the WWII boot, but make a ceremonial boot that looks good in uniform.
I finally bit the bullet on a pair of these in black, and honestly speaking I didn't get it for work. I go to a lot of punk rock shows and certain events where people, let's just say, like leather more than you'd think would be possible, and the hi-shine construction and the high shaft all add up to a great-looking boot. I can't wait to wear my pair, as I expect it to last a while as well with the TLC I can provide, at least when compared to something like my Dr. Martens. I know your stance is that you should be looking for something you can wear on a daily basis for heavy-duty purposes, but I think as "just a cosplay boot", these fit the bill for that "leather rebel"/metalpunk MOFO inside of me. Still a fun and informative video to watch!
A comparison of different reproductions of this and other ww2 boots would be great. Especially the quality differences between US made and China made (or other countrys).
As an Airborne Infantrymen for just over a decade and when I first say the thumbnail, it broke my heart thinking about you cutting these in half! Now knowing it's the new version, it takes the sting out. Have been lucky enough to handle the original WW2 and try on a set, I can say that the new ones are definitely different. The new ones are just used for parades and looming good. Nobody wears them for "work".
I've never owned new Corcoran boots, rather ones I found in army surplus stores and thrift stores. I had a set that had this foam inside and hated it. I usually remove any synthetic material from my boots and make my own leather insoles from a piece of 6 oz veg tan leather. I just have never liked having padding under my feet of any kind other than what the leather provides. I assumed the foam was specifically a paratrooper feature so they didn't bruise their heels when landing. The other Corordan (and other brands like Double H) boots I had were pretty similar to what an Iron Ranger looks like inside and I preferred that. My go to boots in modern era where I have more folding money are just Iron Rangers. I prefer the lower rise and they're just as durable as military surplus boots I used to find in the 90s. All of these boots will improve your balance on ice. They are terrible in terms of traction. The only person I can see wearing these brown paratrooper boots are the military cosplay or general societal outcast type like me that use to run around in olive drab trench coats and look like a total weirdo wandering around in public.
I've had 3 pairs of corcorans I've found that the older pairs that were still made by cove shoe are definitely a better quality that thr new ones made by carolina shoe. But at the same time they're both great for riding my motorcycle.
I agree when Cove shoe company made Corcoran boots they were a lot better.
I think this is maybe the 5th video of yours I've asked for this on, and I'm sorry/not sorry ....but will you PLEASE do a video on the widely-available-at-surplus-stores US Army black boot? Biltrite soles, steel cap, with the ANSI Z41 1991 or 1983 certification on the inside of the tongue. I've worn these boots for years and in my experience they're some of the most durable and affordable (second hand or even new old stock they're $50-100) and still widely available boots out there...and vintage!
I bought black Corcorans some years ago and I agree the leather is not excellent as it has thick coating in it. After some use the coating cracks and looks terrible.
Don't get me wrong, I love those boots, they are comfortable and look great. Wish the leather was better.
I do wwii reenacting,
The jump boot was used up to the 90s when the modern combat boot was implemented and is whats used today.
The jump boot changed colors and minor construction differences but was used longer than wwii.
Also we use the repro corcorans and for actual intense use they hold up, altho their construction leaves something to be desired.
Originals werent lined and had the traditional leather footbed too
This is sort of shocking to see that they’re rating so poorly. I’ve had a pair (black) for six years and I can NOT get them to show any signs of wear aside from light scuff marks. Mine refuse to bend and crease, I can’t even get the soles to show signs of wear. Compared to my iron rangers (11 yrs) and my thoroughgood moc toes (8 yrs) I’ve been considering these to be my hardiest boot. Admittedly I don’t wear them as often, mostly because they feel costumey, but I’ve imagined I’ll like them more when they finally look worn 😂
I have had a pair for 6 years as well that I love. Mine have a fabric covering over the foam insole, and thin leather (fake?) over the heel to further protect the foam. I wonder if the exposed foam has happened since Carolina took them over as a cost-saving measure.
@@xxxxtripxxxxOSG interesting… My insoles are foam like these in the video, but I didn’t consider how fragile the material might be until watching this. The surface seems a little bit slick and my sock doesn’t grab it at all so I didn’t imagine I’d see the issue he warned about here. But I’ll probably watch it more closely now and consider at least a thin insole if a problem arises.
the Corcoran 1510 Brown Jump Boots have many differnt "types" or "Variations"
you can see this on the inside label and the insole
WW2 era boots didnt have the poron insole neither have the black ones from the 60's
the boots made in the 80's also didnt have a poron insole the same ww2 era red and whit label and a C on the heel
but that when things started to change
i think there are now 5 types of jump boots
type 1 - the original ww2 jump boots
type 2 - the first post war production runs ( early 80's til late90's/00's stil with red and white label )
type 3 - probably the 2n most used boots production around late00's to early 10's ( black and white label )
type 4- the most used reproduction boots production early 10's until 2021 ish ( complete black label )
type 5 - current issue Brown soles
at least those are all the models i personaly have and /or use
except for the brown soled ones
I wear a pair of coyote brown steel-toe Corcoran Marauders for work every day. I have tried several different brands of boot for uniform wear, and they are always the best. I decided to buy a pair of the jump boots exactly like the ones you cut in half here and I was a little disappointed by them as well. They are sturdy enough, but the leatherboard, the outer coating, and the foam inside not being covered all seemed to be corners that were cut. I was hoping for a near exact replica of the old jump boots. I got boots with cut corners. I still wear them occasionally, but they are not what I hoped for.
I bought a new pair of the Black version in the 00's to wear to concerts and they are utter shit!
I don't know what is considered "wide feet" in America but I got a pair of 8E's and they seemed incredibly narrow and tight across the top of my foot.......was lucky enough to pick up a 60's pair in 7 1/2D and they were noticeably wider than the modern ones plus the leather seems to be thicker as well
I have the black pair for 10+ years and had the shaft cut down to 6 inches and they have held up great. They’re my version of the poor man’s Redwings Iron Ranger.
They don’t make them like they used to? The ones that were made in Stoughton Massachusetts seem to be of better quality and construction from my experience. I have a black Stoughton pair of 1500’s I’d be willing to donate for analysis (cut in half lol). Just let me know if you see this!
Do the Tanker boots made by Corcoran next
I would like to see a pair of Frank's Boot's in the MITUSA CHALLENGE. I have been watching videos of there channel and there boot's look well made.
I have these exact boots for work. Yup, there are issues. Especially with the foam insole as the glue is not good and it keeps bunching up after 8 hrs. Needs a leather one on top. But they are light weight. Had a really short break-in period, at least compared to my Nick's. Will they last long? Didn't in the years in the military (black version), but they are really comfortable now that they are broken in. Easy to clean and polish. I even spit shine every once in a while. If the foam insole was covered with something leather, in my opinion, would be a decent light duty work boot.
I was with the 1/501 Parachute Infantry Regiment back in the 90’s. We wore these with our class A dress uniforms. I still have my original boots, Class As and beret. My jump boots are not even broke in because we hardly ever wore them. However, I wore out multiple pairs of leg boots. Airborne!
I had an older pair that lasted forever and were extremely comfortable. Bought a new pair a few years ago expecting similar quality, not even close. The damned shank broke loose and was digging into my arch not quite a year into them. Terrible decline, and these seem worse.
Still have mine. I love and polish them periodically, just to keep fresh 16 years of memories and the best fraternity one can ever be a part of.
AATW!
Loved my Corcoran jump boots. Mine were black. Had them resoled with a Vibram sole for a little more traction. The smooth sole got pretty scary in the winter.
How about a series on current US military boots? Most are $75-$300 boots and it'd be nice to know what you're buying...
What a cheap piece of crap. I worked in a costume shop, and these are exactly like something we would have had racks of. I can't imagine wearing these, imagine how bad they're going to crease and crack.
Wore a few pair of, dare I say, original Corcoran's, after jump school at Ft Benning, GA. Served with both the 82nd Airborne & 101st Airborne from '67-'70 during my 3 year hitch. I enlisted Airborne unassigned, and the Army sent me to MP school. We took white candle wax and melted it on the top caps then heated it with a Bunsen burner to get it to penetrate and saturate the leather. The resulting spit-shine was spectacular. When I returned from Viet Nam, I bought a pair from the PX at the Oakland Army Terminal and all the "legs" gathered around to watch me prep the boots for my next duty assignment.
These boots look like they took a big nose dive in all regards. I have a pair I bought at the Army uniform shop about 25 years ago that have a Vibram sole and a durable insole. I wore them for several years in uniform and they are still in decent shape.
Would you consider comparing this directly to the Varusteleka Sarma Jump boot that is modeled after the original?
The current Corcoran jump boots have a cheap plastic looking and feeling leather and finish. Nothing like the originals
Can you do actual jump boots purchased from AAFES? Or desert combat boots
after all these hundreds of videos im like, just pull out the laces and mail them away instead of destroying them lol! destroy the boot, but come on!!
As a former Army Paratrooper thank you and these were the most uncomfortable boots ever! I got the old black ones in 1990. I never jumped in my jump boots, I always jumped in Vietnam era jungle boots except in Airborne School I wore the basis issue boot. They are only for show now to wear with the class A uniform.
I wore black ones like these, now and then, from 1970-1974.
I usually wore them with dress blues when standing inspection. They took a great spit shine after a few hours of work.
I used Kiwi, cotton balls, a tooth brush, and an old tee shirt for the shine. I did not use fire to melt the polish.
Over 90% of the time I wore the original issued boots or chukka boots.
The original issued boots were the most comfortable, but I wore good black padded sole boot socks too. The socks made a big difference.
12:07 am I the only one who finds the sounds involved ASMR? Yes?
Mine look a bit vintage. And the Difference is they have Vibram bottoms hmm..
Military grade doesn't mean high quality. It means cheap, quickly made, and disposable. This new iteration is exemplary.
As always, great video. Your channel is among my 3 or 4 faves and always go to it whenever you put up a new video. I've learned everything I needed to learn from you and Stridewise. So I'm so happy to see that you both got together and put out a couple of vids.
lol how are you soo off on price and manufacturer? did Alden pay you to make this video?
My classmate was wearing a pair of Mezlan shoes could you review some of those shoes or boots
Can you do some Loake chelsea boots? Curious to see how good they are
They didn't cut some corners... they cut ALL the corners
Can you do modern military boots? There’s a few almost tennis shoes and some are much more boot esq
I tried to strip the plastic paint that it comes with off my issued ones. The leather is shit even under it.
I definitely disagree that it's not a work boot, mostly because I've put mine through a lot of farm-work, and they're holding up fine and I could happily run miles in them. The bare foam definitely surprised me how well it's held up, though I'm not sure it'd stand up to multiple resoles. They recently increased the price, though, and they're definitely not worth the new $245 full price. I paid $175, which was on sale from the older price, which is about right for them. Since they aren't DTC and have multiple places that sell them you can usually get a decent discount.
The fact that they're on the munson last was the real selling point, as all the best fitting boots I've ever owned have been that last.
Same here!
It’s hard to trust what he’s saying with all the mistakes he made during the video
the price of them transitioning from a combat boot, to a part of the dress uniform.
glad to see this series back. It would be cool to see a WW1 boot too
I was in an Airborne unit in the USMC from April 98 to May 99. I bought a pair of black Corcoran Jump Boots. They were very comfortable. They fit my foot very well and offered great ankle support. I didn’t jump in them though. They looked too good and I wore them for nicer occasions. They spit shined up very well. Overall I would give them a very high rating as best my memory serves from over 20 years ago.