An Arctic Army without Arctic Boots, only in Canada (From: Brown Boots)

[The Bread Guy]

This would be a good subject for the opposition to bring up in the House of Commons.  :stirpot:

The first step could also be "Government Flogs Protecting North (While Short of Mukluks/Other Boots)" headlines to get things rolling  >

 

[daftandbarmy]

The first step could also be "Government Flogs Protecting North (While Short of Mukluks/Other Boots)" headlines to get things rolling  >

You are living proof that yes, the pen is mightier than the sword  :nod:

 

[The Bread Guy]

At looooooooong last, the ball begins to roll ....

....This Request for Proposal is for the provision of Extreme Cold Weather Mukluk (ECWM) for the Department of National Defence. This procurement process is divided in two stages.

Stage 1 (Trial Contracts): A maximum of three (3) contracts will be awarded for the supply of 50 Mukluk Shells and 100 pairs of removable liner(s), removable insole(s) and replacement laces under each contract. These goods will be used for a User Acceptance Performance Evaluation.

Stage 2 (Main Contract): Following the User Evaluation Trial result, one contract will be awarded for the supply of 12,000 pairs of the Mukluk Shells, 36,000 pairs of removable liner(s) and removable insole(s) and 24,000 pairs of replacement laces.  The Main Contract also includes one option to purchase additional maximum quantity of 12,000 pairs of Mukluk Shells and 24,000 pairs of removable liner(s) and removable insole(s).  Note that a maximum of two (2) bids per Bidder can be submitted. 

Delivery: Montreal, Québec and Edmonton, Alberta.

Canadian Content: This procurement is conditionnally limited to Canadian goods ....

Specs for boots from bid package attached - full bid package (including evaluation criteria - 169pg 12.5 MB PDF) here.

 

[captloadie]

Makes total sense to me. Lets trial some boots in the summer time to determine their suitability, then award the contract that won't be able to deliver until probably next spring/summer timeframe.

 

[MilEME09]

Call me crazy but isn't 12,000 a bit low to equip the CF? or are we only going to be given these when we go up north?

 

[MJP]

Call me crazy but isn't 12,000 a bit low to equip the CF? or are we only going to be given these when we go up north?

I suspect in service stock will still be utilized much like we have done with the old and new combats.  Generally mukluks last a fairly long time as they are not a daily use item, reasonable to assume that it will take a while for all sets currently out there to become worn out.

 

[The Bread Guy]

Call me crazy but isn't 12,000 a bit low to equip the CF? or are we only going to be given these when we go up north?

It's actually "at least 12K" - note this bit from the bid posting:

.... one contract will be awarded for the supply of 12,000 pairs of the Mukluk Shells, 36,000 pairs of removable liner(s) and removable insole(s) and 24,000 pairs of replacement laces.  The Main Contract also includes one option to purchase additional maximum quantity of 12,000 pairs of Mukluk Shells and 24,000 pairs of removable liner(s) and removable insole(s) ....

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Did they stop making the mukluks we once had?  I used them for years and still carry them in my B25 kit.  My current pair are practically brand new. 

 

[George Wallace]

Did they stop making the mukluks we once had?  I used them for years and still carry them in my B25 kit.  My current pair are practically brand new.

Part of modernization......Old mukluks were....."old"......Needed to find an "NEW"...."MODERN" ....."High Speed, Low Drag"......"more fashionable" mukluk...... >


The fact that the old kit worked and was some of the best in the world did not matter.

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Whatever happened to don't fix something that isn't broken.  I thought we were just waiting for a contract to buy more new copies of the issued mukluk.

 

[PuckChaser]

Whatever happened to don't fix something that isn't broken.  I thought we were just waiting for a contract to buy more new copies of the issued mukluk.

I'm pretty sure the company that we bought them from the last time went bankrupt sometime after the Korean war.

 

[acen]

Looks like a shoe-in for the contract, pun intended. http://soldiersystems.net/2015/05/21/sofic-2015-airboss-defense-extreme-cold-weather-mukluk/#comments

In the meantime, I have seen this issued out to a recruit with "interim extreme cold weather boot" on the label, arctic CADPAT and all.

 

[MJP]

A quick update, all restrictions on Mukluks have been lifted.

 

[OldSolduer]

A quick update, all restrictions on Mukluks have been lifted.

So...did the CAF buy all the ones back it sold to surplus stores?

 

[dapaterson]

A quick update, all restrictions on Mukluks have been lifted.

Only until it gets cold again and people begin ordering them

 

[MJP]

So...did the CAF buy all the ones back it sold to surplus stores?

Interim purchase until new contract is awarded was my understanding.

 

[Bzzliteyr]

http://www.airbossdefense.com/products/airboss-extreme-cold-weather-mukluk/

Soldier Systems was talking about this being the new Canadian Mukluk producer.

 

[Loachman]

"It keeps feet dry and warm for up to eight hours at temperatures ranging from 0° C to −55°C."

And the other sixteen hours per day are spent in the rack/at the bar/...?

 

[Kirkhill]

Loachman - they just need three pairs of liners.  Two of them flapping in the breeze on the back of their rucks.....

I wonder what the weight is when you have two pair of wet liners.

PS - Maybe you could borrow the drying rack design from these guys....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9x5ADYWXeo

 

[The Bread Guy]

Loachman - they just need three pairs of liners.  Two of them flapping in the breeze on the back of their rucks.....

Funny - that's how one civilian stores staffer suggested I deal with socks until one of my bosses "convinced" him maybe more than two pairs might not be all THAT ridiculous to request.