Boots "Lightweight" (Облегчёнки/Oblegchonki)
One of the most controversial Soviet military high boots. They appeared in the second half of the 1980s due to the love of Soviet servicemen for sneakers in Afghanistan. Unlike the American "Jungles", relief was achieved not at the expense of the tibia, but by replacing a heavy oil- and gasoline-resistant sole on brass nails with a polyurethane one. Due to this, the weight was reduced by about 300 grams compared to standard boots.
However, the polyurethane sole, in addition to salvation, turned out to be a curse for these shoes. These boots did not live long in the heat and cold. On average, the duration of their active wear was a couple of months. In the Afghan heat, the sole quickly crumbled and crumbled, while ordinary boots lived for years, and the sole can be replaced in a shoe workshop.
Nevertheless, these boots were produced and used right up to the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the USSR, these boots were worn in the Airborne Forces, the Airborne Forces, the riot police, and even the Marines.
After 1991, their production remained in Russia and Ukraine. Moreover, in Ukraine they became almost full-fledged combined-arms boots for the summer period and were produced for the army up to and including 2014.
However, their cut was slightly changed:
instead of 10 lacing holes, there were 8;
The laces were replaced with round black synthetic ones instead of flat gray cotton ones;
instead of a sharp sock, it became a round "inflated" one;
also, the sock instead of the inverted skin began to be made of smooth;
instead of yuft leather, kirza or artificial leather began to be used;
instead of stitching, a hollow roller is made at the end of the tibia.
Due to the accessibility, Ukrainian "Lightweight" became popular with the reenactors of the OKSVA, especially abroad. However, they are related to Soviet shoes only by the sole, a little general appearance and manufacturer.
Nevertheless, a normal replica of these boots is needed for reconstruction, especially since the sole with this tread is still produced both in Russia and in Ukraine for civilian needs. If there were a desire from manufacturers and reenactors, it might be possible to resume their production. Or, alternatively, to sew kirza boots with such a sole into high-boots.
I summarize the opinion of my colleague @RedIvanAirsoft about the experience of wearing Ukrainian boots during cadet youth: "Full sh.t".
Timecodes:
00:00 - review of the "Lightweight"
05:20 - comparison of Soviet and Ukrainian
11:55 - comparison with the Soviet m1981 "Woody"
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Vsevolod Chirkov - Museum of Military Uniform (early - Uniformistics) and Club of historical military reenacting "Surgutianin"
The project of the museum dedicated to the military uniform of the Armed Forces of the USSR and the Russian Federation. The channel publishes thematic videos dedicated to military uniforms, equipment, shoes and much more.
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#MilitaryUniform #Sovietarmy #Boots #Afghanistanwar #Reenacting
28 июн 2024
