Margelovskie Boot

Margelovskie Boot
A pair of Margelovskie boots manufactured in 1989
Type:	Combat boot
Designation:	Маргеловские
Place of origin:	USSR
Produced:	1967 - early 1990s
Manufacturer(s):	?
Material(s):	yuft
Evolved from:	?
Evolved into:	?
Service
Used by:	Soviet Armed Forces, Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces
Wars:	Soviet–Afghan War

The Margelovskie Boot is a combat boot of Soviet origin.

Overview

Prior to the 1960s, the Soviet army used the World War II era M38 ankle boots and sapogi. However, it appears that modernized combat boot style footwear was introduced in the 1960s.

Information on the Soviet combat boots is scarce particularly because of the absence of documentation on the various models. This makes it difficult to trace the release of footwear models by year and every modification they underwent. There are also many models with minor differences which could be designated differently.

The most general definition of the Soviet boots is given by GOST as following:

Обувь из юфти для военнослужащих (Yuft footwear for servicemen)

• Обувь должна изготовляться следующих видов: сапоги, полусапоги, ботинки гвоздевого, гвоздеклеевого и литьевого метода крепления.
• Некоторые образцы выпускались по ТУ "Ботинки юфтевые солдатские с удлинёнными берцами".

Variants

Early

The yuft boots with extended shaft (Ботинки юфтевые с удлинёнными берцами) commonly known as "Margelovskie" (Маргеловские) boots.

The Magelovskie Boot is considered to be one of the first modern type combat boots introduced to the Soviet armed forces. According to paperwork it was introduced in 1967. The boot is made of yuft material and has ten lace holes. It can be easily distinguished by its various seams, especially the one on the toecap. The early model has the classic Soviet style sole pattern.

The boots became known as Margelovskie, apparently in reference to Vasily Margelov a Soviet general of the VDV from 1961–1979 famous for the modernization of the VDV in this period. They were used by Spetsnaz forces (army and navy) and VDV officers. The early version Margelovskie boots were utilized in the Soviet–Afghan War.

This earlier version with the early Soviet sole pattern was produced at least until 1991 as evidenced by surviving examples, although a new version with few significant changes such as a new sole pattern was introduced in 1989.

Gallery

Side view

Sole

Interior

A 1992 manufactured VDV strap boots

Side view

Interior

Sole

Sole markings

Back side

Interior

Markings

Soles

Front view

???

Another pair manufactured in 1990

Sole, note the early Soviet pattern

Late model

Toe

???

Interior

Sole, note the early 1990s (89) pattern

Worn by 15 ОБр СпН in Chirchiq, 1975

An allegedly early 1970s pattern of sole