| Tanker boots are military boots closely associated | | | | boot more readily waterproofed (up to 14" of water |
| with soldiers who serve on tanks and tracked | | | | depth can be stood in without ingress of water when |
| vehicles in general.[1] It is said the idea was borrowed | | | | sealed/waxed properly, depending on the height of |
| from the French crewmen encountered during World | | | | the boot design); the tongue is made with excess |
| War I when then-Captain George S. Patton, Jr. | | | | leather left and right that doesn't require it to |
| established the United States Tank Corps. Whereas | | | | separate to remove the foot. |
| regular combat boots are laced through metal eyelets | | | | Tanker boots are normally equipped with steel toe |
| in the leather upper, the tanker boots are fastened | | | | guards, steel or plastic shank/heel guards, and in at |
| with leather straps which wrap around the upper and | | | | least modern variants, steel or other protective metal |
| buckle near the top. This benefits the wearer in | | | | inserts in portions of the sole as well, as befit a boot |
| several ways: | | | | intended for an operating environment filled with |
| <a rel="nofollow" | | | | metal hazards that can be accidentally kicked |
| onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackPageview', ' | | | | dropped/stepped upon/et cetera (as opposed to the |
| outgoing/article_exit_link']);" href=" diesel shoes< | | | | traditional combat boot designed for a sandy or |
| a>The single biggest advantage is that tanker | | | | muddy battlefield environment). |
| boots use leather straps, rather than laces, to fasten | | | | Tanker boots have a significant disadvantage over |
| to the wearer's feet. The problem with laces is that | | | | traditional lace up combat boots in that they provide |
| they can become entangled in the many exposed, | | | | comparatively little ankle support; however for troops |
| moving parts of a tank, for instance the turret ring, | | | | that fight sitting in an armoured vehicle, this is |
| and drag the wearer or part of his body into the | | | | relatively unimportant. |
| machinery. | | | | An unauthorized variant of the tanker boot is the |
| Many boots have nylon or canvas panels in their | | | | cav boot which is higher above the ankle (in imitation |
| uppers and also nylon laces which will melt if exposed | | | | of riding boots worn by the old horse cavalry) and |
| to fire. Melting boots and laces will serve to further | | | | might be worn by soldiers assigned to divisional |
| injure a crewman and make his evacuation of the | | | | cavalry squadrons and scout units. |
| vehicle more difficult. | | | | Tanker boots are said to have originated somewhat |
| Tracked crewmen typically find themselves working | | | | by accident. The story claims that there was once a |
| in very muddy environments. Another advantage of | | | | tank crew member whose boot's laces were burnt |
| tanker boots is that they are much easier to loosen | | | | by an ejected casing. Another member of the crew |
| than a regular laced boot when caked in mud. | | | | took off his belt and wrapped it around the damaged |
| Also, today's modern tankers are exposed to many | | | | boot as a sort of temporary fix, making it the first |
| harmful chemicals - Flame-Resistant Hydraulic Fluid | | | | tanker boot. |
| (FRH), turboshaft transmission fluid, grease, oils and | | | | Another story mentions that when soldiers had to |
| various fuels. The all-leather construction of tanker | | | | get out of the tank, their boots became wet with |
| boots prevents absorption of these chemicals into | | | | snow and after the fight they froze, causing the |
| the boots and coming into close and prolonged | | | | laces to break. One of the generals (General Patton, |
| contact with the wearer's skin. | | | | from the original story) gave the lowest ranking |
| Tanker boots also allow for improved circulation to | | | | soldier the straps off of his cavalier pistol holster to |
| crewmember's feet, as they may be sitting or | | | | strap his boots. From that point on, many soldiers |
| immobile for long periods of time. Tank crewman | | | | started to use this. The story goes on to mention |
| during the Gulf War reported remaining seated at | | | | that it became a tanker tradition, that you had to |
| their gunners', drivers', and commanders' stations for | | | | shoot a gunnery to earn them. However, tankers |
| periods up to the entire 100 hours of ground combat. | | | | uphold this tradition today by earning their tanker |
| Tanker boots, unlike most traditional combat boots, | | | | boots only after they "qualify" at gunnery, meaning |
| have the tongue sewn into the boot up to about 1 - | | | | their performance earns them the required amount |
| 1.5 inches shy of the top of the boot, to make the | | | | of points. |