Jungle boots, with their breathable cotton duck canvas panels and durable full-grain upper supports, are comfortable, protective, and excellent in hot, humid environments.
They can take a beating, but they’ll be a lot better about it if you’re conscientious about giving them some extra TLC from time to time.
Here are the best pointers we have to keep your jungle boots kicking for longer.
Leather Care
First things first, many quality jungle boots are made with full-grain leather uppers. Full-grain leather is tough but it’s not impervious to damage, and repeated wet-dry cycles can desiccate and crack it if you aren’t careful.
If you know you’re going to have a period of time where you won’t be wearing your boots much, get some good leather conditioner and work it into the leather portions of the boot. This helps prevent the leather from swelling and absorbing too much moisture, which will help keep it supple and prevent it from cracking.
Canvas Care
The other major component of your jungle boots’ uppers are the cotton duck canvas panels. These are great because they’re breathable and allow moisture to pass through; the bad news is once wet cotton will stay wet till you do something about it.
If your jungle boots are soaked, take them off and place them somewhere hot and dry. You need to actively dry the canvas or it will stay soggy for a while and there’s better than a good chance that they’ll develop mold and mildew – not to mention they’ll smell terrible even if they don’t.
Other Considerations
Besides these two major considerations, here are some other pointers for your jungle boots.
- Wax (and re-wax) the laces as needed. Waxed laces will not only hold your knots tighter, but they will stand up to abrasion much better than unwaxed laces. Also, waxed laces will not be as prone to moisture absorption.
- Keep the soles clean. Use a stiff brush to get mud and dirt from out of the lugs on your soles, to keep wear to a minimum. One trick is to wait till it’s all dried because it will be easier then to dislodge with a brush.
- Clean the area around the welt. That’s the area where the uppers meet the soles. Use a softer brush to dislodge debris here as you don’t want to abrade or otherwise damage the stitching.
- If you need a little assistance with drying the boots out, use some old newspaper. Crumple it up, stuff it into the boot, and check back in a few hours. If the paper feels damp, replace it with fresh paper.
Need a New Pair of Jungle Boots?
Is it time for another (or your first) pair of jungle boots? Get them online at Fatigues Army Navy. They carry a wide range of jungle and combat boots (for kids as well!) along with tons of other tactical gear. Visit their website for the full experience and contact them directly if you need any help finding anything.
