#2 Boots Stiefel - Opinions Needed

[floriskok]

Hello Guys,

I would like to have some opinions on these boots.

IMO they are officer's and original German WW2.

If there is a detail that catches your eyes or worries you,
please mention it!

Thanks!

Floris

[me6_130]

Hello Floriskok,

As the other, I'd say these are NCO. They are higher quality than EM's boots and similar to officer's but fully nailed sole.

Carles

[floriskok]

Hello Floriskok,

As the other, I'd say these are NCO. They are higher quality than EM's boots and similar to officer's but fully nailed sole.

Carles

Hello Carles,

Thanks for your responses!

So, if the soles are fully nailed, they are never Officer's?

Floris

[me6_130]

That would be a general rule. Standard issue quality fully nailed= EM and NCO. Better quality or private purchase fully nailed= NCO or private purchase for EM. High quality unnailed or nailed around the sole= officer. Other possibilities could be unnailed boots for mounted troops (cavalry) or Panzer troops. Of course an officer could wear EM's boots. Once you have a rule you get the exceptions

Carles

[FESTUNGBREST]

Boots

IMO
They are officers boots reworked to nco by the addition of new nails, It kooks like the stiching has been redone along the back and a pull tab has been replaced ( the black one).

[Erik]

IMO
They are officers boots reworked to nco by the addition of new nails, It kooks like the stiching has been redone along the back and a pull tab has been replaced ( the black one).

Correct. But it is offcourse impossible to say they were used by an officer, NCO or even EM.

Traditionally officers boots don't have hobnails because officers boots are supposed to be made with the idea in mind that officers are mounted. That is why officers breeches are also made in mounted style, sometimes with leather reinforcements. All with the traditional idea in mind that officers are mounted on horseback. Offcourse only a few german officers besides cavalry units ever did their job on horseback but this is the idea behind breeches and boots (and sometimes even spurs).

So the general idea is officers are mounted and hence have no need for hobnails to reduce wear (it is also difficult to ride with hobnails) and use longer shaft boots (for horseriding you need boots with longer shafts) and the boots need to be tight fitting. That is why these boots are often custom made and in better quality. Enlisted men are on foot so they need hobnails and can use shorter shaft and somewhat wider fitting boots.

With the boots you show I can imagine that an officer wanting to reduce wear on his soles had added hobnails to the boots. Or indeed an NCO or even an EM getting a better pair of boots and getting them hobnailed. It is all possible.

Erik