Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/861022
socks are a great set for mountain wandering. You will be surprised how your ankle is. Maybe it is of minor impor- tance, but definitely should be pointed out. A small detail – there is a cushion on the tongue in the spot when there is usually a knot; the cushion is to remove the discomfort when the laces are tied too firmly. All in all, the upper of Salomon Jungle Ultra is not that thick and rugger. Well, Polish mountains cannot be compared to the Amazonian jungle, but you must remember that properly chosen foot- wear is half the success of your convenient trip. z dobrymi grubymi skarpetami dobrze zawiązane świetnie sprawdzają się w wędrówkach bieszczadzkimi, urozmai- conymi szlakami, dając zaskakująco dobrą stabilizację w kostce. Może to drobiazg, ale na pewno wart jest zwróce- nia uwagi. Mały element – -poduszka znajdująca się na języku w miejscu, gdzie najczęściej pojawiają się supeł, węzeł lub kokardka, zadba o to, byśmy nie czuli dyskom- fortu przy mocno zasznurowanych butach mających tak cienką cholewę jak Salomony Jungle Ultra. Co prawda Bieszczady to nie amazońska dżungla, ale warto pamiętać, że odpowiedni dobór obuwia to połowa przyjemności z wyprawy. RABBIT'S PERSPECTIVE I have been using Jungle Boots for years – when I first got interested in militaria, those boots were the legendary must-have item. They were unavailable and expensive, but we needed them for our then activities, which are now re- ferred to as "reenactment". And, of course, as casual foot- wear. Apart from their legendary status, they also offered an armor-like durability (you could use them extensively for several years and I know people who wore them even in winter), cool look, nice performance, and a complete lack of cushioning. But what could you expect from boots with a sole consisting of a single piece of rubber with a piece of metal inside of it, while the only "cushioning" was provided by a single mesh sole insert? Anyway, people bought them for a lot of money and used for everything. I also had black Jungles, but did not like them, although they had a flexible sole, a quick lacing and Cordura up- pers. As a result, I replaced Jungles with footwear offered by Bellevielle and Bates and, later on, by various boots by Meindl, Salomon, and Lowa. Last year, I got modern Jungles and I must admit that they are my third most frequently used boots (after Zephyrs and Innoxes). I wear them both for trekking and as casual ones, with uniform or tactical trousers, or even with jeans. They are very light (~520 grams), bearing in mind their height. The comfort – simply perfect. Great cushioning, stability of feet in the boots, breathing properties. A note here: the boots have a round "face" so there is plenty of space for the toes. I find it to be a very important feature. They are soft, flexible, and provide great sense of the sur- face. Walking with these boots is fantastic – at a shooting range, in urban areas, on the trail, on sand, mud, deck of a ship, almost all types of surface in general. Almost, be- cause the performance is weak on stones, more difficult trails, rocks, or surfaces that require greater stability of the ankle. You can feel the stones through the sole and the ankle has almost no stabilization, because the thin Cordura and a nubuck leather will not provide it. This is a boot for less demanding terrain (although it can be mud- dy and wet) but not for mountain hiking. Mountain ranges like the Bieszczady is rather the maximum you can get here. The boots dry very fast – water seems not to affect them, regardless whether it is river or sea water. They do not rot, get any bad smell, or fall apart. The original impregnation will not let the nubuck leather soak up, so you can walk on dew without any problems. In wet areas, water will get in- side through the drainage holes, but that is their purpose – water is to get easily in and out of the boot. Driving a car with these boots on is convenient – you can feel the pedals, the boots are not too wide, and you can still give your heel a rest. They can also be used for walks in urban areas and, what is peculiar, asphalt and concrete www.fragoutmag.com