Army Combat Uniform, which also switched to tan rough-out combat boots, called the Army Combat Boot, and cotton socks. Commercial versions of this boot are authorized without limitation other than they must be at least eight inches in height and are no longer authorized to have a 'shoe-like' appearance. Two versions exist, a 2.5 lb temperate weather boot, and a 2 lb hot weather (desert) boot. Current manufacturers include (but are not limited to) Altama, Bates, Belleville Boot, McRae, Rocky, Warson Brands/Converse and Wellco. The US Air Force used a sage green suede combat boot with its Airman Battle Uniform, although a tan version was authorized until 2011, when the green boot became mandatory. The Airman Battle Uniform was phased out in 2021 and replaced with the Army Combat Uniform in Operational Camouflage Pattern, with the boots authorized only in Coyote Brown. Fashion Combat boots are also popular as fashion clothing in the goth, punk, grunge, heavy metal, industrial, skinhead, and BDSM subcultures, and as work boots; however, they are becoming more and more mainstream. Beyond fashion as such, many individuals choose to wear combat boots simply due to durability, comfort and other utilities, as the boots are specifically designed to be comfortable to wear in a variety of changing conditions for long durations without significant long-term wear. Combat boots have a longer lifespan than fashion boots, which can give them a vintage feel, even after recrafting. For these and other reasons, they can be purchased at military surplus stores. See also Cold weather boot Desert Combat Boot Jackboot Modular Boot System Mountain Combat Boot Tanker boot Jungle boot Bovver boot References External links Military boots Punk fashion Safety clothing Fetish clothing