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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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

Just gonna say this but that island isn't Sicily it's Corsica, Sicily is below the tip of Italy

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 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.

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!

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.

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 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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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!

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

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.

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".

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.

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 have a black pair and they have severed me well. I have used them for hiking, lite work and for long walks and have not failed. The leather has held up in dry heat and in cold rain. My favorite boot got it for $150 and is still going strong.

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 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.

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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.

Hello all, My only pair of Corcoran boots were bought in 1989 for my Senior year of HS. ROTC on a Army base in Germany. I still wear these boots i get them resoled every 3-4 years. I use Saddle soap and shaving cream to clean and strip off polish every month. I will either use Parade Gloss made by Kiwi or Lincoln Stain Wax. I now use them 3 days a week for work and when I go out on my motorcycle. I prefer the Vibram as a resole. From 1990 to 2000 I only used them for parades or Inspections. I was in the Infantry for 10 years and served me well during that time. You also have to understand that using these boots that you purchase your own insole as most wear out within 3 months of heavy use.

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.

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!

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 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’ve had a pair of these exact boots for about 3 years now. I’ve used them for re-enacting and just kicking around in. I’ve also jumped out of a WWII C-47 with them as well. They’ve lasted well through everything I’ve put them through and have not seen any change in quality since I’ve had them.

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.

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 bought my first Corcoran Jump Boots in 1986 going through my advanced training and after they were broken in they were a comfortable boot to ware every day. I replaced my Corcorans every three years to about three and a half years. They were great boots to have and you can get one hell of a shine after a really good spit shine.

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.

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.

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!!!

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.

I was Army parachutist and I wore Cocorans for several years, but didn't like the smooth soles grip in snow and ice. I ended up buying a pair of German paratrooper boots which had vibram soles and those were amazing boots. In addition to having speed laces, the German boot soles were much better when ground conditions were icy, snowing, or muddy. Yeah, the soles were a pain to clean coming out of the field if it was muddy, and they tended to collect small rocks or pebbles, but the comfort and convenience of the German boots trumped those negatives. I wore those boots for 15 years after I left active duty as my yard work boots. I wear Thorogoods now.

In the 82nd, we only wore our jump boots for parades and inspections. We jumped in jungle boots that were more supportive and comfortable. The Corcoran's were for history and lineage, like our blood jump wings. We never took them to combat, just parades! Hooo Ahhhh!!

glad to see this series back. It would be cool to see a WW1 boot too

My first pair of these jump boots were issued to me in 1993! They were the most comfortable and long-lasting boots I ever had!

I bought my first pair of Corcoran Jump Boots while I was still in Army Jump School. I didn't lace them on until after I'd pinned on my blood wings. I wore them for daily service and in the field. They took a nice spit-shine for wear with my Class A uniform as well. Eventually I had them resoled with Vibram lugged soles. That made them MUCH better for field duty. After my 12 years of service I took up the hobby of historical reenactments. Or as I refer to it, immersive anthropology. One of the eras I recreated was of a WWII Paratrooper. I got all my uniform and kit, including brown Corcoran Jump Boots and a folding wire stocked M1 Carbine. The brown Corcorans have the foam insole. But I routinely marched them cross country for years (my daily routine is a four mile airborne shuffle around a lake). The foam never degraded. But as my knees got older, I had to switch to wearing my Belleville C320s. Those I can jog the four miles in under an hour in.

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.

These were always my goto boot while I was in the Army. Black ones while we were in the BDU uniform and the tan rough out in DCU and ACU's best longest lasting combat boots I ever used. My son has a pair of black now as an active duty airborne infantry man, for dress uniform wear.

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 wear a pair of these boots for work. I have a very wide foot with very low arches and me feet sweat like they owe money. I'm on concrete all day in a mechanic shop and these are the most comfortable boots I've been able to find for the price. The lack of lining helps keep my feet dry. It's very cool to see them cut in half. Edited to add that mine are the black version. They are a bit cheaper and I did strip the finish from the leather so that they can be properly oiled.

Bought my first pair at Ft. Benning 1966. These boots were part of the dress uniform if you were a paratrooper (assigned to an airborne unit) along with an overseas cap. It was a distinctive look. One feature worth mentioning is that the heel was tapered on an angle so as not to catch on the edge of the door when jumping.

My grandfather Lt Andrew Carrico served in the 511 PIR. He jumped into Leyte with that boot. Thank you

I served as a US Paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division in the 1980s. our Corcorans were black. The sole was slightly different than the ones you have. all of us spent HOURS and HOURS spit shining those things. Corcorans were the most uncomfortable thing I have ever put on my feet. I used to call them "the cruel shoes".

Served in the 1st Bn (RANGER) 75th Inf and the 82nd Abn Div from 1974 to 1980. Bought my last pair of Corcoran's in 1977 at the QM Sales as they were closing them out from their inventory. Paid $58 for them. A month later you could get them at the PX for around $100. As memory serves. Bought my first pair when I graduated jump school with my TDY money at the QM Sales store at Benning the day I got my wings. That pair served solidly for three years for dress, garrison, and range duty. Wore my combat boots for PT and field exercises. They served well with moderate duty for three years and after I got my new pair, they served another three years in the field, at the range, and for PT. Because of the wide toe they were actually better for running than regular combat boots and that pair did last the remaining three years of my service under the heavier duty. I still have the new pair so they would be 45 years old now. Leather is still stiff but good and they are still usable. The things that get overlooked about jump boots. They are made to go from earth to aircraft and back again. The wide toe gives a better surface for landings plus helps you to run more on your toes during PT. The low heel actually accentuates good posture and the sloping front makes it impossible to catch on things whether moving about in the aircraft, the garrison, or the field. Not to mention their absolutely superior ankle support. When I bought mine back in the day, they were a mother to break in. The basic process was to fill them full of hot water and let them soak until the water started to bleed through the leather. You then put on two pair of wool Army socks, drained the boots, and then laced them on your feet just as tight as you could get them. Then you wore them around the house or barracks all day until they dried out. Once they did, they were custom formed on the inside to your foot. From then on, they fit like gloves. I tried mine on a few years ago and they still fit but I do not wear them any more. Great vid btw, thanks for all that you do. p.s. Have you considered some Kevlar gauntlets or gloves? Sometimes you make this ol' jumpmaster a bit anxious watching you cut some of these boots. Just a thought...

Carolina now owns Corcoran. They used to be made in Massachusetts...now they are made in Pennsylvania. Corcoran sold the business in the 90's. I still have my originals from 1983. Sadly...they don't fit my foot anymore.

I used to have the black version of this boot about 12 years ago before I knew anything about boots. I used it as a military duty boot. Yes the foam insole was very annoying, the heel section kept peeling up and spots wore away where my toes sat. The leather was mediocre but held up fine. My biggest problem was the sole which gave no traction whatsoever. In the winter I would basically go ice skating through the parking lot wearing these things. They were actually pretty comfortable, but better suited for the office (military) or casual wear due to the lack of a grippy sole.

I was in the 82nd Airborne Division from 90-93. I am a Desert Storm/Shield vet. The black version of these were dress boots for us, not daily wear. I jumped and worked in Jungle boots. Just my two cents.

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 served as an Army Paratrooper and Airborne Ranger from 1966 through 1974 with 3 tours in Viet Nam from 1968 through 1971 as an Army Ranger. While in the 82nd Airborne Division, I served as a Pathfinder and was jumpmaster qualified. I believe that my first pair of Corcorans were a bit less than $18.00 USD and increased slightly over the years. I do remember however that the quality was much better than those of what you took apart for demonstration, with a leather inner sole since in the day, we ran 4 to 5 miles every morning before breakfast, so we needed a strong but comfortable boot. The cap toe would shine like a polished black mirror, which made the boots even more distinctive to Army Paratroopers, Raners and Special Forces Troops.

Today, these boots are primarily used with the Army Green Serve Uniform. That is the new Army dress uniform so that puts it in the category of a dress shoe for paratroopers. I wore them in an Airborne unit in the early 70's and I don't remember them being bad at all. Extremely comfortable and definitely built better than these. As you said, this is sort of a cosplay boot as no one would wear these in combat or even to a field training exercise. Maybe a WWII exhibition jump, but even those are just for show and the boots come off after that. If you compare the quality of our new Army "Pinks and Greens" against that of WWII, the boots fit right in.

Ghostbusters everywhere thank you for finally reviewing these boots!!

Cosplay, what a great call. These were a revival when GEN Milley wanted a new Army uniform to get away from the Army Service Uniform (the Blues) and returned to the WWII era uniform of AGSU.

When I was Army the black version of those boots were for inspections and parades because they keep a shine. Corcoran II was used in the field.

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!

I had the black version of this one. It lasted 8 years. It wasn’t the most comfortable. I also had the side zip field boot, bought those twice. The sole completely separated from the boots when hiking in hot weather, then the back of the boot would dig into my heel making them unwearable. Got another pair and sold them as well due to them just not fitting well. Bought another pair of the field boots without the side zip. The leather was thinner but I felt the shank in my left boot. Sold those. Then bought Bates paratrooper boots and those are much better. The leather is more supple and you can insert your own insole, which makes them more comfortable. Thanks for reviewing these boots. I love the design.

RED WING WORK BOOTS: I would love to see some contemporary Red Wing work boots (not heritage) cut in half. Especially those with Supersole 1.0 & permanent Poron insole like the 2233, 953, 2245, 1105, 2231. Those have been a staple for the last few decades. Maybe not as sylist as the heritage boots, but more likely to be bought for work.

wore a black pair of these as a "Wagonmaster" (paddy wagon driver) in Law Enforcement..... great for climbing in and out of the 1 ton van i used .... very comfortable to wear for ten hours...had them resoled several times before they finally gave up the ghost...

I wore a highly spit shined pair of black corcorans my last 4 years as a cop, and I have the brown ww2 ones for casual wear. I love them. They are all broken in and conformed to my feet. Me and corcoran go way back. I wore corcoran tanker boots when I was in the army. These were like jump boots but no laces; leather straps with buckles instead. spit shined of course. My brown boots cost about 150 dollars 4 years ago . I dont wear it as a work boot or a tactical boot. It's a nice casual boot. Real nice. very comfortable and great support. I oiled them a couple times. I polish them with brown kiwi. I dont spit shine them. I use brown edge dressing on the edges of sole. They still look new. actually better than new. a casual, old school, proper foot support boot.

When I was in the 82nd (88-92), we basically only wore our jump boots with class A’s or for ceremonies. Jungle boots were the standard work boots. 2/325 Airborne Infantry Regiment.

I bought a pair of Corcorans after reporting to my first assignment. It was a testing g and evaluation post and not a combat post so no one cared that i was not a paratrooper or airborne qualified wearing Corcorans. But they looked so much better, taking a great shine with the shiny toe caps and heel counter. They are also higher than regular issued black leather boots so they looked bigger and cleaner. They gave good support and were comfortable once broken in.

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.

These are parade boots. I paid $140 for a pair ten years ago. They break in quickly and have a comfortable fit. The foam footbed layers are not a problem, for me. I always use thin leather insole in my footwear to protect the boot insole, which makes them very comfortable. I do not wear them often. They are pretty good in the rain, though. Your “cos-play” description is spot on.

My inlaws bought me a pair of the brown Corcoran Jump boots 20 years ago this year (I believe they had a $150~ price tag in 2004), and I am still wearing them to this day. I will say that there are noticeable differences between my pair and the modern Carolina version. The stitching on the welt on the modern ones is highly defective; however, the stitching 20 years ago is a grade above. They are very comfortable for all day wear and I have had these boots all over the American southeast without issue. In regards to how long they will last, I'll update everyone in 20 years.

I absolutely LOVED my Corcoran jump boots when I was in the army, they were more comfortable than my jungle boots and standard issue all leather combat boots. They were the black ones, obviously, everything back then had to be black. Because I was in the 101st we got to wear combat boots with our Class A uniforms for parades and change of command ceremonies and I always wore my Corcorans. A comfortable every day boot for garrison duty, for me anyway, and easy to get a great spit shine on.

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.

The importance of wearing these dress/jump boots in their day, was that the trousers had to be correctly bloused. So a lot of artifice was always applicable.

This model of boot is still available in black for airborne qualified soldiers when wearing their blues (or pinks and greens now in this color) but they aren’t expected to hold up any longer in comparison to a regular ACU boot. They sell a flesh out version as well but many boots that are AR670-1 compliant are a lot better. The flesh out version would now be what would be considered “garrison 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).

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).

I had to wear these in the Air Force back in the 80s as Security Police . They were horrible to run in and killed your feet but you could spit shine the hell out of the toe and head. We bloused our boots so we had to shine the whole thing about an hour every day.

Ive had many pair of the black military issue ones over the years with various sole patterns and loved them and wanted the brown Corcoran paratroop version. Only issue with the older black USGI boots I’ve had is the exposed leather sole cracked (between the heel and main tread pattern) on one pair so now I moisturize that section when cleaning but I found a pair of WW2 vintage jump boots in my size but the rubber had sadly hardened to a rock. So I got a pair of these new ones knowing i had work to do and I do like them and still own them. Breaking them in (bathtub) and darkening with fieblings was the work to get the final worn and darker used appearance I was looking for.

I bought a pair back in 2000 when I started WWII reenacting. My boots are no were near as cheep as the ones you are reviewing, they have fallen a long way. I have Jumped, went to Normandy in them and put many mile in PT. My Souls were preplaced (I had a cobbler do it and strip the coating off) Still my favorit boot I have ever owned. Yes since this is a strict WWII replica I had added a insert and with wool socks they are hard wearing and agil for what they were ment to be a work boot.

I have pair-a-trooper model Georgia boots from 1956 and I wear them every day, they are indestructible.

I just bought a vintage pair of these off of the e-Place for not much money in second-hand nearly new condition. Definitely the leather is coated and feels "plasticy", but mine don't have the poron foam layers and seem to have a leather insole. Having wide feet and some freaky toes (I've broken at least three) the Munson last with the wide toe box is AMAZING. Looks sort of "clownish" maybe, but VERY comfortable. I'm 11 to 11.5 on the Brannock and got these in an 11 "E" width and they are quite comfy. For what I paid, I'm happy! Had I paid full retail, I wouldn't be happy!

The WWII boot was a great looker, especially when worn by officers in the rear, with ironed and properly bloused trousers.

Not long found the WW2 boot series. Love it. You may already have done it (and ive not found it yet) but a current military issue boots from various countries would be a good series