On the one hand enormous advances have been made in the last 20 years to improve the equipment worn and carried by service men and women, and on the other hand it seems strange that given the available technology and know how these changes have taken so long. Several versions later, the boot that is currently part of the British Army Soldier 95 equipment is a totally different animal. A full length footbed sock is also included.
Polyurethane contains bubbles of carbon dioxide which contribute to the cushioning effect.
Apart from reducing the impact strain on the feet, ankles, legs, knees, hips, back neck and head, the cushioned sole also provides an energy return which actually enhances the biomechanics of walking or running. He resolved from then onwards to develop a walking boot that would incorporate many of the virtues of his trainers while being rugged enough to withstand the rigours of British hillwalking. Thus, the Brasher boot was born. The jogging boom of the early 1980s, underlined by the launch of the London Marathon by Chris Brasher and the Great North Run by Brendan Foster in 1981, meant that vast sums of money were spent by competing running shoe manufacturers, including Nike, Reebok and Adidas, on improved technology and materials. These advances soon found their way into boots and it was not long before, regulations allowing, servicemen voted with their feet and bought for themselves footwear that would allow them to get on with their duties efficiently and in comfort.