The Opinacz wzór 58 (Loosely translated as Overlappers/Leggings/Gaiters pattern 1958) is a combat boot or Polish origin.[2]
Overview & history[]
The Opinacz wz. 58 are made of genuine leather and have high top cuffs with double buckles similar to the US M43 boots. They feature twelve holes with eyelets, though there are also models featuring ten holes. The soles are made of double rubber layer and have unique pattern featuring sixteen reinforcement screws bolted underneath, which is not seen on other combat boots. The heel cap goes up the back. Another distinctive feature is the toe cap edge which is wave shaped instead of straight. They were issued to LWP - Ludowe Wojsko Polskie (Polish People's Army/PPA) starting from late 1950s and were thus one of, if not the first double buckle combat boots right after the original US M43 (which were the first boots of such type in history), appearing even before the famous Czechoslovakian Kanady vz. 60 family (vz. 60, vz. 62 and vz. 72) as well as French Mle. 65 (Modèle 1965), at least according to their year abbreaviation in designation - 1958. Moreover, judging by their sole design, they are clearly derived directly from original M43 boots, the light brown colored leather combined with double buckle style are probably the finest evidences.
Soon later, already during late 1960s, the existing models were slightly redesigned (most notably the toe cap was removed and the sole was redesigned, however it retained the usual screw reinforcement underneath, only slightly less than on previous model) and simplified in designation just as Opinacz, which was continued to be manufactured until the very end of production in early 1990s and due to which the original and presented wz. 58 model (with toe cap) is extremely rare today (almost non eixstent anymore) and a real challenge to find - even in Poland and even more since it was also being produced relatively briefly (around first ten years at most).
Gallery[]
In popular culture[]
|
Media |
Notes |
Date |
|---|---|---|
| Red Berets | 1963 |