McRae Footwear has introduced a new variant of the Gen 2 Hot Weather Jungle Boot, certified by the US Marine Corps. The boots were designed for use in tropical environments, where high breathability and the ability to quickly shed dirt and debris are particularly important. The model is currently available exclusively at Marine Corps Exchange stores located at Camp Pendleton in California and Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. However, the new model is not the first member of the Gen 2 family. The manufacturer's catalog already includes Coyote, black-and-olive, and black variants. All retain the classic jungle boot design while incorporating modern sole construction technology.
McRae has not yet published a separate product page for the USMC variant. The available Gen 2 Hot Weather Jungle Boot models are 8 inches tall, or approximately 20 cm, and use a direct attach construction, in which the sole is permanently bonded to the upper. They feature a polyurethane midsole and a full-rubber Vibram Panama outsole. According to McRae, this design reduces weight, increases flexibility, and improves cushioning.
The different versions in the family vary in their upper materials. The Coyote variant combines suede leather with 1000D Cordura, while the black model uses full-grain leather and 1000D Cordura. The black-and-olive version, whose appearance references footwear from the Vietnam War era, uses full-grain leather and cotton fabric. All three feature a removable polyurethane footbed, nylon-coated hooks and eyelets, and brass drainage eyelets designed to promote rapid drying in wet conditions. These models are manufactured in the United States and are declared by the manufacturer to comply with the requirements of the Berry Amendment.
The Gen 2 is a modern development of the type of footwear with which McRae Footwear has been associated for nearly six decades. The company was founded in North Carolina in 1959 by Branson J. McRae and initially specialized in manufacturing children's footwear. In 1967, the company received its first federal contract, covering the production of olive-and-black jungle boots for American troops fighting in Vietnam. Production of this footwear continued until 1973, while jungle boots remained part of US military specifications until the mid-1990s. McRae continues to manufacture the commercial Vietnam Era Jungle Boot, using materials and production equipment dating back to 1967. Unlike the modern models, it retains the older DMS (Direct Molded Sole) construction with a Panama rubber outsole.
No model number or complete technical specification for the new variant has been provided in publicly available materials so far. McRae has also not announced any plans for wider distribution beyond the MCX stores at Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune.
Photos: McRae Footwear
