# U.S.M.C. RAT boots factory 2nd's



## usmc2112 (Aug 27, 2012)

These boots are available from a few wholesalers at a substantial discount over the retail price of roughly $225.00.  I needed another set of boots so I took the plunge and ordered a pair.  When they arrived, I could not believe they were seconds!  I looked them over for at least five minutes and could not find anything wrong with them.  Not a stitch out of place, soles were centered on the boot, I could find nothing wrong with them.  After a short break in they feel great! These are leather/canvas, have a heel and toe guard, sport a nice soft liner, and a multi-directional vibram sole. (fully repairable) After several trips to my hunting property, I decided to order another set from the same retailer.  Bad move! The first set was perfect, the second set looked like they were build by blind cave weasels.  You can tell with the naked eye that the boot is NOT centered on the sole, the stitching is off in several places and not-existed in others.  My guess is these seconds were someone's first day at the boot factory, or they were having assembly line issues.  My "bad" pair are holding up well but I don't fully trust them yet.  I Keep waiting for a stitching to blow out and the boot and sole to separate, which has not yet happened.  Either way with both pairs of seconds I am still well under the cost of a  "full retail" pair of these boots. Before buying any of these, do some research, the owner of my local milsurp store told me a certain brand has some serious failures, so look before you leap, it's hit or miss!


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