Changes are afoot.
Starting in October, recruits and officer candidates will get the new Rugged All Terrain boot, a familiar piece of footwear that will replace the Marine Corps Combat Boot. Marines in the fleet have about a year to buy the new footwear that Marines deploying to Afghanistan have been required to buy since 2009.
The boots are brown with rough-side-out leather. They have a reinforced heel and toe, and compared to the MCCB, a wider platform. The outside heel of the boots are heat-embossed with the Marine Corps emblem to show that they are authorized. They weigh 4.4 pounds and are eight inches high.
Here's what you need to know about this must-have piece of gear.
Two boots
There are two versions of the boot and you must have both. They look nearly identical, but have features designed to make them more comfortable in different environments. One is a temperate weather version. The other, a hot weather version, has vents in the arch and the padding from the side panels are removed. Many Marines complained that the boots took too long to dry, and the changes in the hot weather version are designed to allow the boot to dry faster.
RATs 2.0
The RAT boots that Marines have to buy are an upgrade from previous versions. The new boots replace a leather ankle strap used for support with heavy-duty nylon to allow the boot to dry faster. There's also a gusseting that connects the boot's tongue to its eyelets to help keep debris out.
The rollout
The old MCCB will be phased out and the new RAT boots phased-in starting in October. Recruits and officer candidates will receive them in their seabag but other Marines will have to purchase them. Since the RATs are expected to last longer and don't need to be replaced as frequently as the MCCB, the clothing replacement allowance for enlisted Marines will be cut $31.07 annually. RAT boots are designed to last about two years.
One-year deadline
Marines have until Oct. 1, 2016, to get the new footwear. Until then, Marines can wear both the old MCCB as well as the RAT. After that date, however, only the RAT is authorized and the old boots are "deemed obsolete," an administrative message said.
Where to buy
Three companies, Danner, Bates and Wellco, are making the new boots. Marines can get them through the regular Defense Department supply system, or on base or at authorized stores. Danner's website lists the hot versions at $330 and the temperate versions at $340. Various online retailers list the Bates boots at about $200. Wellco's version are tough to find online, but one retailer is selling them for $270. Many online stores have sold out of the footwear, but Danner sells the boot directly through its website. The exchange does not list the RAT boot on its website.
