Dec. 1 (UPI) -- Marine Corps Systems Command announced plans Tuesday to start fielding a new boot that protects Marines in cold-weather climates.
The Marine Corps Intense Cold Weather Boot is designed for use in temperatures as cold as minus 20 Fahrenheit, allowing Marines to complete missions that might involve hiking or skiing in cold-weather environments without having to change boots.
"In order to effectively conduct your mission in a cold-weather environment, you need to be warm," said Todd Towles, project officer of Cold Weather Gear with the Program Manager for Infantry Combat Equipment at MCSC. "This boot helps to accomplish this goal."
Currently, the service uses both a temperate-weather boot -- appropriate for conditions between 20 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit -- and an extreme cold-weather boot designed for environments between minus 65 and minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Intense Cold Weather Boot, which is made of leather, will be used in temperatures ranging from minus 20 degrees and 20 degrees Fahrenheit, filling the gap left by the other cold-weather boots.
The Marines tested an early version of the boot, which was made of suede, in Iceland, Norway, Alaska and Montana -- and at the Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif.
The boot is scheduled to field in fiscal year 2021.
