mountain troops boots

[Costin Moga]

I've recently aquired a pair of boots once used by the Romanian mountain troops. This model is no longer in use, beeing replaced by a later one.
Can one tell me if have seen elsewere this particular type of sole ?

https://picasaweb.google.com/100142877126934559645/MountainArmyBoots#

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Greetings Costin,

Your boots sound interesting, but your link to the photo does not work. Are World War II Romanian Uniforms and Equipment easy or hard to find there? I have a Romanian Mountain troop beret in my collection...would be nice to complete a trooper with full uniform and kit.

Nice work on your reproduction anorak by the way.


Ciao,
Patrick

 

[Costin Moga]

Sorry..., forgot to make the album 'public on web'; let me know if it's working now.

The repro anorak came out fantastic, I'm very happy and pleased with it, and the Ventile fabric is excelent;
I'm planning to produce a USN 'wet weather parka', a dennison smock and a full zipped anorak. All made of
Ventile for waterproofing. I sell the anoraks on ebay.co.uk., type Ventile on search.

As for the Romanian WW2 uniforms, these are rare. One can find few items now and then. Repro uniforms ? No.

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Costin,

The photos work now. Man, those are some funky looking soles!!! Never seen anything like that before. Maybe you can take them to a boot-maker and have him replace the rubber soles with leather and metal cleats.

Here are a few period (1930-40's) mountain boot soles that I have in my collection:

 

[Costin Moga]

Well, I intend to keep them like that and use them. They sure are more practical. People who used this type of boots say the sole pattern performs good in all conditions. I'll have to check that.
It's interesting this type of boots are 95% identical to the WW2 gebirgsjager ones. Mentioning on my boots there is a production date: 1997 !!!
But I'm sure the mountain troops use now a different model. There was also a high ankle boot (later model than mines) using the same sole. Check this image here:
http://militar.infomondo.ro/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/echipamentului_vanatorului_de_munte.jpg
The intermediate model can still be found for sale like here:
http://www.okazii.ro/catalog/45540675/vanatoare-pescuit-bocanci-vanatori-de-munte.html#galerie

 

[Costin Moga]

Have a look at this nice WW2 Romanian mountain troops insignia:
http://www.traditia-militara.ro/img/articles/59d6f094fb.jpg

Thanks for the boots sole picts !

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Hello Costin,

Thanks for the photos you posted. I like the one with the three soldiers...love the old gear with the wooden skis and Alpenstock...looks like WWII vintage or just after.

Here's my WWII Romanian mountain troop beret:

 

[Costin Moga]

Thanks for the beret photo. It's nice it has the insignia.
If you're interested in finding military items you can check here (sort of Romanaian ebay):
- for mountain troops type 'vanatori de munte'
http://www.okazii.ro/cautare/vanatori+de+munte.html?autoc=write
-for military / army in general type 'armata'
http://www.okazii.ro/cautare/armata.html?autoc=write
As you can see there in not much stuff there.

 

[Costin Moga]

By the way, the soldier on the right of the photo is wearing equipment used till in the '90th (although the skies are older - they just gathered stuff for the uniforme evolution pict);
I think the actual uniform is the one in the middle; the one on the left is sort of 'wish list'....
Anyway, the soldier on the right should have been wearing boots like mine.

 

[bailout]

I think the sole is designed to have as many sharp edges as possible to give grip on snow and ice. It probably won't last long on harder surfaces like tarmac though. Just looking at the boots is giving me blisters though I would take it slowly breaking those in.

Heeresbergführer, interesting collection of old studded soles. The metal studs like that on mountain boots are usually called tricounis. There used to be lots of different designs and layouts but they have been long superseded by Vibram soles and crampons. However, some people say that the old tricounis were better for low grade mixed stuff as you didn't need to decide whether to put crampons on or off. Without them Vibram soles offer little grip on ice but with them on walking is more difficult. Tricounis were inbetween.

 

[Costin Moga]

Here are photos of the Romanian early paratroopers boots (replaced now my later model).
https://picasaweb.google.com/100142877126934559645/PARA#
These were called 'bilgeri' boots (or 'bilgerie'), probably a model designed following german pattern boots. Unfortunatelly,
google-ing 'bilgerie' offers few leads. If one knows more about these, let know.
http://www.schupfer-schuhe.at/shop/Herrenschuhe/Steinkogler-Bilgeri-Stiefel-oxblood.html
http://www.armyshop.at/index.asp?aid=1131
And, again, same strange sole as for the mountain troops boots that nobody has any hint about.

 

[Heeresbergführer]

Servus Costin,

The "Bilgerie" are some great looking boots. Looks like they have a standard "Vibram" mountain boot sole. I've seen a similar pair of these boots at the Gebirgsjäger museum in Sonthofen. They were identified as Berg-Reitsteifel or Mountain-Riding Boots...generally worn by officers. Also, I just saw a wartime pair on eBay recently.

Bergheil und Horrido!
Patrick

 

[Costin Moga]

Yes, the Bilgeri boot are something special.

Have a look at the Socialist Republic of Romania mountain troops uniform here:
http://gmic.co.uk/index.php/topic/47649-romanian-rsr-period-military-uniforms/

 

[PADDY]

Great thread guys!

 

[Costin Moga]

Just got back from a short ski hollyday - tried the boots and have to say this type of sole is amazing on snow, ice and gravel. Best grip I've ever experienced. By far !

 

[John in Covina]

i have seen soles with the open round dimples before but where i can't recall.

 

[Costin Moga]

By the way, I measured boots weight - 1.4 kg (the pair, thanksfully!).

It seams these (higher/above ankle, later model, http://www.okazii.ro/catalog/60978346/bocanci-armata-vanatori-de-munte-vm.html) are still produced and in use of Romanian mountan troops.

I'm still very curious about the sole.
John, please let know if you recall where you saw these.