1943 Swedish Army boot

[tempesh]

I got a similar model but it´s from 1946 and is missing the loop for pulling on the boots.
Detailed images can be found here:
http://be-cause-blog.com/2012/02/05/swedish-brown-boots-from-1946/
BTW Flieger could you post some images of your boots how the look after some years of wear ?
thanks
tempesh

 

[Flieger]

Hello tempesh,

Well, I'm afraid I have not used my boots all that much since I posted here so there's really not much wear in them yet. I didn't want to destroy them, since they are so hard to find these days. I hope you are happy with yours though.
Cheers,
- Mike

 

[tempesh]

So I managed to finally (hopefully) figured out to show photos, here is a image of the boots:

 

[tempesh]

Swedish army boots from 1943, brown in mint condition

since the 1946 model in 44 was a bit too big I was able to get another pair in mint condition. And guess what, its a 1943. I like the darker brown more, and the loop to pull them on.
images can be seen here:
http://be-cause-blog.tumblr.com/post/19917541572/swedish-army-boots-from-1943
bye
tempesh

 

[rayban]

Hello,

Can someone help with the sizing of a pair of Swedish army Tretorn boots? The have a leather shaft, rubberized lower parts and rubber soles with three srews front. The noses are squared and seem to be reinforced. I read somewhere the boots can be used as ski boots.

On the soles there are three Swedish crowns, year of manufacture (1966) and what appears to be a size: 25.

THe leather shaft has a tongue with the 3 crowns and the number 255 punched into it. Inside the sole also shows the number 255.

Thing is I bought them as UK size 6, which is my shoe size. But when I got them and tried them on the felt very wide.

Assuming that I got the size I ordered, is there a reason that they are so wide? Are you suppose to wear them with thick socks or some kind of insert?

 

[Flicka]

Could you post a picture? From your description they certainly sound like they are ski boots, ans if so, I'd expect them to be made to be worn with woollen socks (when I did a few military courses in the early 90s, we always wore our army boots with woollen socks, even in the summer - they were supposed to be a good protection against chafing etc so I wouldn't be surprised if all military boots were made to accomodate them). 25 cannot be the size unless the military had their own sizing system - which they might have, I don't remember. We were just handed thing (which didn't always fit; my pullover reached below my knees). I can look it up if you want to. Unless you're Swedish, I think it'll be easier for me to google, plus I can probably ask any guy - my father for example did his military service in 1969 an spent his next few years in officer school so I'm sure he wore those very boots on at least one occasion. A picture might help though!

 

[rayban]

Tack (again)! Will post pics a.s.p.

 

[Flicka]

OK, about the size - I think the number indicates the length in centimetres. 25 cm equals a British size 6. I've surfed around and it seems that wearing double socks (one liner and one thicker) has always been the standard w Swedish military boots (maybe it is for all army boots?). Considering your shoes (if they are 'pjäxor' or ski boots) were meant to be used in Swedish winter and likely in the northern part of our country (we had a lot of military presence far north; like Boden and Arvidsjaur) they're likely meant to be worn in temperatures around -20. Unless they're very thickly lined, you'll want to wear pretty thick socks with them!

Also... If they're ski boots - and they sure sound like it from your description - I don't think they were necessarily made for walking. Not that you can't walk with them, but I don't think they were designed with walking in mind, but skiing. If they look like I think they do, I've had similar old-fashioned ski boots (I had my mother's from the 50s when I grew up) and they're just not walking boots (and they were very wide too, almost square-ish). As far as I know, the military had ski boots and walking boots as separate models. But I'll ask Dad next time I see him. I'm sure he'll know and he'll be pleased to be asked! He loves to tell old military anecdotes and nobody ever wants to listen.

 

[rayban]

Tretorn boots

I didn't manage to upload pictures of Tretorn army boots. However if you goolge for 'swedish army tretorn boots' and select the second hit 'TRETORN Swedish Army... etc'you'll find pictures of them on an Ebay page.

So I managed to buy a pair of ski boots.:eusa_clap. And I can't even ski!!!!! So next winter I'll better stick to my trusted valenki's.

I think you'r amazing by the way. Your head is full of knowledge. Thanks!!!

 

[Flicka]

Haha... I wish. I'm just curious about Swedish military gear. I'm thinking of getting myself some for hiking etc.

If I found the right ones, it seems that they were indeed made to double as walking boots so it seems you indeed bought multi-purpose shoes, and not ski-boots. I'm pretty sure my ex had a pair like that which he used as winter boots. I should've remembered that. They were really heavy. Anyway, if those are the ones, he always wore them with thick socks. He had really slim feet though so they were still too big. He walked sorta funnily in them. lol

They were crazy quality though!

 

[rayban]

If you're looking for them: there's a UK based army surplus dealer ( 'German Army Surplus ...something) that offers them in several Uk sizes (4, 5, 6 etc) on Ebay right now. They are rediciously cheap: GBP 9.99.

Of course this is not without reason. They seem to have been kept the last 45 years (they're all from the mid 60's) or so under 'less than ideal' atmospheric conditions.

Or to put it bluntly to you: they stink to high heaven! I got them yesterday, cleaned them and now my whole appartment smells of old Swedish armyboots! I was in the army too by the way and of course these muffy boots bring back memories of me spending days in rain and mud somewhere in Germany (the Dutch army trained there).

If you want them for hiking perhaps you should also consider buying a livpälls. To complement your outfit so to speak. Goes well with Tweeds too. The only drawback is that's it's so heavy you'll might get stuck in the mud when hiking

If you decide to buy them (boots) please DO tell me what you think of them. Good luck

 

[tempesh]

so i got my second pair, one from 1943 back with a rubber sole now. they feel much better now and you do not walk around like i ski boots.
the sizing issue or the thick socks issue, I can agree! I guess due to the cold weather conditions they were made for bad and cold weather so space for thick socks. Even the 43 now (i usually have 44, thats why i bought the first pair in 44) is still big.

but here two images, more on my website:

Swedish army boots from 1943 now with rubber sole

 

[cookie]

so i got my second pair, one from 1943 back with a rubber sole now. they feel much better now and you do not walk around like i ski boots.
the sizing issue or the thick socks issue, I can agree! I guess due to the cold weather conditions they were made for bad and cold weather so space for thick socks. Even the 43 now (i usually have 44, thats why i bought the first pair in 44) is still big.

but here two images, more on my website:

Wood pegged soles ...wow!

 

[esteban68]

I know it's a while since you posted re these boots.....I bought a pair of size 8 TRETORN boots and am impressed with them however they are huge, they are marked 27 so I am guessing that they ARE an 8 but meant to be worn with lots of socks?
Rayban did you get someone to try your pair on with a bigger foot to see what size they would be with just one thick sock on?...I am guessing I'll have to order a smaller size but don't want to go too small!

Hello,

Can someone help with the sizing of a pair of Swedish army Tretorn boots? The have a leather shaft, rubberized lower parts and rubber soles with three srews front. The noses are squared and seem to be reinforced. I read somewhere the boots can be used as ski boots.

On the soles there are three Swedish crowns, year of manufacture (1966) and what appears to be a size: 25.

THe leather shaft has a tongue with the 3 crowns and the number 255 punched into it. Inside the sole also shows the number 255.

Thing is I bought them as UK size 6, which is my shoe size. But when I got them and tried them on the felt very wide.

Assuming that I got the size I ordered, is there a reason that they are so wide? Are you suppose to wear them with thick socks or some kind of insert?

 

[rayban]

Ha..... I am still waiting for my foot to grow No really. I normally have UK size 5,5. I do have boots in 6. So I reasoned that a pair of those Tretorn boots size 6 (UK) would fit.

But in 6 they are just too big. I tried thick socks but there wasn't much improvement. They sell them in 4 so perhaps I should try those. The good thing is they are cheap at GBP 10,00.

My advise is: take on or maybe two sizes down.

 

[esteban68]

well they are sending out a pair of size 7's so we'll see how they go?

 

[rayban]

Interesting. I am curious to see if 7 fits you better. I think this wide fit has something to do with the boots also being suitable for skiing like Flicka pointed out.

 

[esteban68]

The ridge on the back of the heel would seem a good place to 'fasten' something into, size wise perhaps they were meant to have the felt inner boots worn with socks too?
I'll let you know when the 7's arrive if they are a better fit then it's trying the 6's next I guess!

 

[esteban68]

Ok the boots arrived yesterday and they fit a treat, there is 265 punched into the tongue on both boots and 25 on the heels, not sure what size that makes them but they fit with thick socks for me and I am a UK 8 1/2 wide (mostly)...I'll take some pics and post soon.

 

[kbhv75]

Hello all, I'm a bit new to the Forum, but thought I'd pitch in with what I know about the Swedish boots.

The shoe size shown on Esteban68's boots is in the Mondopoint shoe sizing system. Mondopoint has been adopted by several armies, including the Swedish, German, and, for a while in the 1980s, the British (who subsequently returned to the normal UK sizing system). The system is fairly simple: a Mondopoint size 265 means that it is intended for someone with a foot which is 265 millimetres long. Sometimes the width of the foot is also included, and written like this "300/112".

Like everyone else, I have found the Swedish boots quite oversized. Having snooped around on some Swedish army surplus websites (being Danish, I can understand most Swedish), it appears that they often sell "inner" and "outer" woollen socks, and sometimes also foot rags. From that I would think that they are meant to be worn with two pairs of socks or a sock + foot rag combo. I have tried both, and it makes for a pretty comfortable fit. An insole usually also helps a bit.

There are several variations out there. The Tretorn wet weather boots with the rubber lowers and rubber soles, which seem to be widely available in the UK at the moment, are part of the M/59 uniform system (introduced in 1959). The standard M/59 boot is similar, but all-leather with rubber soles. Though most of the M/59 boots are brown, some do also exist in black. The previous boot model, as depicted in this thread, is the WW2-era marching boot. (I don't know when it was introduced.) There is also a WW2 ski boot, which has a leather sole, square toe, ski bindings on the heel and no toe cap. There seem to be little standardisation to the Swedish WW2-era boots, and I have seen quite a few variations. I have 3 pairs of the ski boots, and all are different! Many of the unused WW2 boots were converted in the 1950s and 60s, replacing the leather sole with a rubber one.

Hope this helps.