arctic boots

MIRACLE COLD WEATHER BOOTS

This past week I saw a pre-solicitation notice posted on Federal Business Opportunities web site for “Extreme Cold, Wet Boots NSN 8430 91 630 7763. This is published by Defense Logistics Agency.

I tried researching the NSN without any success. I was interested in seeing schematics and temperature rating. I had no success so I wrote to the point of contact asking for the information. While I received an answer to the first question it was not an answer to the question and as for temperature rating silence.

I did come across a boot available from a retailer who sells military aftermarket products stating the boot in question was rated from +14 degrees to -60 degrees. Miracle boots is what I call them.

Since I am in the boot business and this bid will be open to one an all I was interested in seeing what I would have to make if I decided to bid. Without that information one cannot formulate a bid.

The quantity exceeds 200,000 pair.

From what I know of cold weather boots whether they are for the military or civilian market is they are lined with goretex and supposedly insulated with Thinsulate. If this is the case as I suspect the men who are issued these boots will have cold feet.

What I have learned about how the government works is simple. You can publish as much information as you like demonstrating how well a product performs and has performed for say 30 years while thew same product being used by the government has never performed and as a consequence the government theoretically makes an effort to correct the products short comings that is supposedly well and good, but my question is “why don’t they buy the product that has proven beyond question to perform for the task they need it for?”

An absolute perfect example has to do with the Canadian government. They commissioned a study of the effect of frost on sleeping bags. The reason for the study was based on the fact that their down sleeping bags were acquiring significant amounts of frost rendering therm useless after several days in the field. The report was written about 10 or more years ago but to this day the Canadian government has consciously chosen not to change to a sleeping bag with an insulation that is not affected by frost.

The U.S. government has dealt with cold feet for years in cold weather condition, arctic and warmer. They avoid purchasing a product that has proven for 25 years that it keeps the feet of people operating in very cold to arctic condition warm.

I am of the opinion that regardless of the success of various products versus the failure of products created by the government have almost no chance of being acquired by the government.

If any reader can find the actual specifications and schematic of the boots, please send me the link.

By the way MUKLUKS are the miracle boot.