Altberg boots recently received a good review in the combat and survival magazine - the reviewer rated Altberg desert boots as best for the desert and Miendl boots as best rough terrain military boots - such as Afganistan. Miendl desert boots are widely available as is the new Lowa desert boot both have full linings inside and this makes these desert boots more protective as rough terrain military boots of which Afganistan is a good example. As in most walks of life it is impossible that our military boot, or our desert boot will be ideal in all military situations. Compared with the Lowa desert boot and the Miendl desert boot - theAltberg desert boot has been in operational desert service for many years. Altberg desert boots were first developed for operational use in Oman. Altberg desert boots were also used in the first Kuwait conflict. The desert boots manufactured by Altberg have been in continuous operational use since 1992. The desert boot first made by Altberg was based on a special forces military boot - designed for semi amphibious operations - it was important that this special forces military boot did not hold moisture. This resulted in Altberg bootmakers developing an unlined specialist military boot - similar to a jungle boot but with a slip resistant skywalk sole and non-ferrous lacing system. This military boot was named a wet ops boot and was never made available to the public - its use being confined to special forces boot requests. Once this new wet ops military boot in sand coloured suede would be ideal as a military desert boot. The midsole was changed to stilflex and the skywalker sole was changed and a small amount of internal padding added to this new dessert boot - around the ankle and heel area the desert boot was an immediate hit with some British soldiers from Catterick on exercise in Oman.

For many years the desert boot continued unchanged and the same design was used to make a military jungle boot which was tried and tested in Belize and Borneo. The main differences between the desert boot and the jungle boot was:-
a) the colour - The jungle boot was black WR100 leather with black 1000 cordura. The desert boot was sand suede with biege 1000 denier cordura.
b) the drainage - The jungle boot incorporated drain holes at the instep, the desert boot did not.

In all other respects these two hot weather military boots and the hot weather boots range was extended. The desert boot original was joined by the desert boot microlite and the desert boot veldthog. This gave Altberg bootmakers a range of three desert boots. Today the most popular desert boot in the range is the desert boot microlite. The desert boot Veldthog is the second and the desert boot original has dropped to third place.

Altberg also reviewed its range of military jungle boots and this military boot range was also extended to two boots. the jungle boot original and the jungle boot microlite.

Altberg prides itself on:
a) being the last remaining military bootmaker in England making boots for operational use.
b) being the only military boot maker in Europe to offer a range of twenty eight different military boots - from desert boots and jungle boots to cold weather military boots.

A most recent development or "spin off" from the Altberg desert boot range has been the Altberg Sneeker boot. This is an ultra lightweight military boot with excellent shock absorbtion, minimal moisture retention and is ideal as a military tabbing boot.

Altberg military boots are sold almost exclusively from their bootmaking factory in Richmond North Yorkshire. Miendl military boots and Lowa military boots - along with the competitively priced Hi-Tech magnum boots are available from many military shops - Militarykit.com and HM Supplies to name but two. These shops provide an excellent service. HM Supplies and Military Kit.com both sell a full range of military clothing as well as military boots. Their best selling general military boot will possibly be the Lowa boot or the Miendl boot, others could be the Danner boot or the Matterhorn boot. All these military boots are excellent - and of course the budget priced Hi-Tech magnun boot is simply great value. If you were to go to HM Supplies or if you were to contact militarykit.com - you would not be able to buy Altberg military boots. Altberg desert boots and general duty military boots are available from their factory or their website.

One of the reasons that Altberg bootmakers retain close control on the distribution of their military boots is that the Altberg military bootmakers - or the Yorkshire military boots as they are sometimes known - believe that correct fitting is equally important to correct military boot selection. Whether you buy Miendl military boots, Lowa military boots, Danner boots, Matterhorn boots or Hi-Tech Magnum boots - if they don't fit then they are worthless.Altberg military bootmakers manufacture their military boots in five width fittings - and at their military boot factory in Richmond, Yorkshire they measure feet before fitting, to try and get the best results. This policy has "paid off" for Altberg - they do not advertise their military boots and the reputation of the Altberg military bootmakers has grown on "word of mouth". They say a satisfied customer is your best salesman, and Altberg military bootmakers would certainly subscribe to this sentiment.

The major direction of development for Altberg - the military bootmakers has always been towards the more extreme military boot requirements of military personell on operational assignments. This has resulted in their desert boots, jungle boots and cold weather military boots being very focused and suitable for extreme use - however - one "spin off" for Altberg has been the police boots market.

The Police motorcycle boots were actually developed from a military boot pattern and the Dog Handler boot and Police Public order boots were also similarly developed. Police Officers on rural duties have similar police boot requirements tothose developed in military boots. Police boots, like military boots must be rugged yet lightweight - HM Supplies and militarykit.com sell Danner boots and Hi Tech magnum boots to police officers for use as police boots for rural duties. This military clothing suppliers also sell Lowa military boots and Miendl military boots to police dog handlers - or for use as dog handler boots.

Military boots are sold as police boots for Police firearms teams and here the major requirement is lightness and police boot flexibility in the Kneeling firing position. he Hi Tech Magnum boot satisfies these requirements.

Serving police officers spend much of their time in vehicles and many police officers require police boots more suited to urban use. A police boot for urban use must have a more durable sole than a rural police boot. If an officer wears their police boots mainly on flat concrete or tarmac surfaces then the police boot sole will wear out more quickly. Another key requirement for a police boot for urban use is breathability. Urban police boots do not normally need the same level of water repellency as search teams police boots. Even the most breathable of Goretex will still make the feet hotter - and for an urban police boot and for police boots being used in and out of vehicles, breathability is of paramount importance. Altberg can vary the breathability/waterproof ratios in their boots from jungle boots and Desert boots which are ultra breathable but essentially non-waterproof military boots to e.g. the Norway Veldthog military boot - which is 100% waterproof but for a police boot - low on breathability.

One other key requirement for an urban police boot as compared with a rural police boot is ankle flexability. On rough terrain, good ankle support is a key element of design in both police boots and military boots. Most of the military boots sold by HM Supplies ans Military kit can have good ankle support. Lowa boots, Danver boots and Hanwag boots all give good support. However, in an urban environment - especially vehicle duties ankle flexibility is more important. The military boots and police boots sold both by Military kit.com and HM Supplies although mainly firm in their support also include Hi Tech Magnum boots and Miendl military boots - of which the former gives the most ankle flexibility.

To sum up - the key requirements for military boots and police boots - for use in rural, rough terrain environments are good under foot and ankle support, waterproofness and good open tread sole. Suitable boots from H M Supplies and Military Kit . com would be Danner boots, Matterhorn boots, Hanwag and Miendl military boots. In this list we could also include the Lowa military boots and police boots.

Military boots are more suited to an urban environment as police boots have different key requirements, namely:- underfoot flexibility, breathability and ankle flexability. Hi Tech magnum boots and some styles of Lowa boots match these criteria, and are available from most military clothing suppliers including HM Supplies, Military Kit.com and of course Altberg - the military bootmakers.

PSU Boots:-
Finally one area of military boots and police boots which has come to the fore in recent years has been the P.S.U. Boots. These are known as Public Order police boots and have steel toe caps and steel midsoles to give the police boot or military boot good toe and underfoot protection. Public order police boots must be flame resistant and have good impact resistance to shock. Altberg have supplied PSU police boots to many forces. Their main selling PSU, public order police boot is the Peacekeeper P3 boot. This boot is also used as a military boot by the REME - military engineers.

Before the development of PSU public order police boots many police officers were issued with industrial work boots - these police boots while giving basic protection did not meet the more exact requirements of a PSU public order police boots "fitness for purpose". HM Supplies and Military Kit.com are two companies who will supply PSU public order police boots and the Hi Tech Magnum boot is a popular choice for many. the Hi Tech Magnum boot has a steel toe cap and steel midsole so it gives the protection required of a PSU Public Order police boot, it also satisfies the requirements of a REME military boot.

If you need some PSU public order police boots or if you need some REME military boots visit HM Supplies, contact Military Kit.com or get in touch with Altberg. Altberg make Military boots, walking boots, motorcycle boots and police boots.