No image available

Footwear

Corcoran Jump Boot

Ironclad
Ironclad
Typical: $200-300Confidence: medium

Why It Lasts

The 10-inch Corcoran Jump Boot has been the US military paratrooper's footwear since the 1940s and is still made in the USA to military specification. Full-grain calf leather upper with a hard toe cap (either steel or composite depending on the model). The Goodyear welt allows indefinite resoling. The smooth heel and distinctive profile were designed for parachute operations — the smooth back prevents parachute shroud lines from catching. The boot's hardness and polish-ability makes it the standard for military dress and work.

Known Weaknesses

The smooth leather sole on the dress version is slippery on wet surfaces and wears quickly — most users have them re-soled with rubber immediately. The 10-inch shaft requires specific pants tucking technique. The boot is formal in appearance — not casual wear for most civilians. Break-in is long and the hard leather requires significant conditioning. Steel toe versions add meaningful weight.

Durability Breakdown

Warranty
7.5
materials
6.7
communitySentiment
7.3
brandReputation
6.9
Repairability
7.3

Data Source

View community discussion →

Quick Stats

Overall Score77.0/10
TierIronclad
BrandCorcoran
CategoryFootwear
Price Range$200-300
Confidencemedium
Data Points/5

More in Footwear

Footwear

Thorogood American Heritage 6-Inch Moc Toe Boot

Built in Merrill, Wisconsin on a Goodyear Storm Welt — a welt variant that wraps around the entire perimeter including the heel, making these even more resoleable than a standard welt. The upper uses full-grain American leather on a single-density Poron XRD foam footbed over a fiberglass shank. The MAXWear Wedge outsole is a dense Vibram compound that wears slower than crepe or standard rubber. Thorogood has been making work boots since 1892 and these are consistently recommended by tradespeople on r/workboots and r/BuyItForLife.

brandReputation
8.5
Warranty
8.1
communitySentiment
8.1
$190-260Ironclad
Footwear

Thursday Boot Company Captain Boot

Goodyear welted with full-grain Cavalier leather from Italian tanneries — the welt allows resoling by any competent cobbler. The nylon midsole threads through a metal shank for arch support. The Dainite rubber sole is a studded British-made compound that wears extremely slowly and provides grip on wet surfaces without appearing obviously outdoor. At $200, Thursday offers most of the construction quality of boots costing twice as much by eliminating the retail markup through direct-to-consumer sales.

brandReputation
8.4
materials
8.2
Repairability
8.2
$180-250Ironclad
Footwear

Oak Street Bootmakers Trail Oxford

Handstitched in Chicago using Horween Natural Chromexcel leather — a chrome-tanned, combination-retanned leather that is the most water-resistant and patina-developing leather available in American production. The chain stitch construction bonds the sole to the upper without adhesive, making it fully rebuildable. The Vibram Roccia sole is a thin City vibram designed for pavement that can be replaced. OSB's repair program replaces soles and refinishes leather on any boot they've made. The trail oxford has been a consistent r/malefashionadvice and r/goodyearwelt recommendation for a decade.

Warranty
8.6
materials
7.6
Repairability
7.4
$345-450Ironclad