I’ve been asked by a medical doctor to write an extensive article on practical footwear in relation to close quarters combat training.

I will do this when time permits but for now will provide an insight into the importance of footwear in military self defence and close quarters combat training.

The late Brigadier Mike Calvert author of fighting mad and often known as mad Mike Calvert knew the importance of never being caught without his combat boots on.

If you read his book you will find out just how life-saving his boots were.

I can remember in the mid 80s when training in New York under Charlie Nelson going shopping with his longest assistant instructor and life time friend Herb K and him checking out the shoes and boots at a major footwear warehouse specifically for comfort and safety in self defence capabilities.

Later I was told by my friend the now late Michael Brandt who was trained and instructor qualified by Pat O’Neill at Fort Bragg in the U.S. Army Special Forces of Pat O’Neill’s attention to detail when it came to purchasing shoes and boots including making modifications to ensure increased combative capabilities.

My saying for CQB/CQC is bare feet are for bathing, boots are for combat.

I have trained with seasoned fighters with conditioned shins that caused me considerable pain with bone to bone contact.

I can assure you when wearing my boots the boot was really on the other foot and the effect was immediate and considerable.

Combative training safety and effect are good reasons for good combative boots but also when training on hard surfaces such as concrete for long periods and with the stamping nature of combative training good soled boots are essential.

I also use commercial work or sport inner soles to increase safety.

Personally I insist on a good heel and external arch that will encapsulate the lower leg below the knee reducing the risk of sliding off the target when stamp kicking.

I learnt my lesson decades ago in a Street fight when I was wearing low-cut slip on side elasticized work boots with inner steel caps.

Through an awkward actions on situation I badly injured my ankle joint and had to finish the job hopping around on one foot.

I done it again not long after extracting a big lump at a nightclub and got a temporary cast off days before I left for my S/F military combative instructor qualification course in 1991. On the final day of the over a week-long instructor qualification course I badly injured my ankle ligaments again and it has never been the same since.

I have worn many types of military boots on combative courses ranging from sneaky boots through to high top very hard robust combat boots.

I’ve had low-cut boots as comfortable as any topline track shoes that unfortunately gave your presence away by squeaking on wet surfaces or on polished surfaces.

I’ve worn mass produced well-known brands of combative boots that certainly were adequate but as far as lasting goes were less than satisfactory.

If I was to design which I possibly will do in the near future a boot specifically for CQC training it would be something like this.

Rubber soled low to medium cut medium firm leather lower sides and instep with

medium soft leather uppers.

The soles a medium to firm sharp edged heel with good external arch.

Positive grip on the ground contact parts of the sole especially the heel and ball of the foot.

Good toe protection and toe cap protection by means of increased leather thickness and the front of the sole providing additional toe protection by extending up onto the front of the boot.

Glued and stitched with thick thread.

The bottom of the sole under the tips of the toes area needs to provide good sense of touch and feel capabilities. Very durable robust stitched glued and sealed construction with the boot flexing where required but providing support and adequate protection for the small bones of the foot that number more than in any other single part of the human body.

The inner tongue under the laces should have a thin layer of padding to provide additional protection for the instep.

There should be a capability to tuck the tied laces away with a fold over neoprene flap or leather flap with Velcro fastening.

The requirements for a CQC boot are feel touch sensitivity for covert stalking, positive grip through sole material and design as well as expedient action push off capabilities by means of the design of the ball of the sole of the boot.

Firm but flexible providing support with an increase safety for the bones of the foot by means of material design including the padded inner tongue.

The back of the heel extending up the Achilles tendon requires an additional layer of leather to provide additional protection for the Achilles tendon.

Depending on usage a consideration should be given to a layer of padding covered with a second layer of leather around the inner and ankle joints to reduce the effects of ankle joint contact impact.