Here at work we sell lots of winter “pac” boots. No one knows where the term PAC comes from but it is used by all the manufactures who produce them. Any ideas??
Welcome to the forum, Mike.
I’ve always thought they were “pack” boots (I assume you’re talking about the Sorrel and Kamik types) and were used for packing across the frozen tundra.
Ah, stick around. I’m sure someone will come along with a correct answer…
This term originated during the Korean War, when the military recognized the value of adapting civilian footwear for military use. “Pac Boots” originated as a rubber-soled overshoe which a soldier would put on over his standard-issue boots in cold weather to provide an added layer of insulation. This overshoe was called a “shoe pac” for reasons I cannot determine. Many rugged, modern winter boots have retained the shortened version of the name.
As an avid outdoorsman, I have personally examined surplus Air Force Pac boots from the 1950’s and they are extraordinarily well-crafted. It’s no wonder that even vintage pairs are still in use today.
Ahh… I just double-checked with some Korean War sites. There was one possible inaccuracy in my original post. The very early infantry-issued pac boots were inadequate to the conditions faced during Korean operations. Many soldiers suffered severe frostbite, since the system depended on the soldier being able to swap wet socks for dry. It seems that the overshoe was a slightly later development as a result of these experiences. Both were called “shoe-pacs”.
Wow, I didn’t even know it got that cold in Korea. Did it?
Korea experiences bitterly cold winters due to masses of Siberian air from the north and west. This page describes Korea’s weather and cclimate in great detail.
Yes I am talking about sorels and such but every manufacturer spells it pac not pack. However It is a possible answer. I thought that it might be an acxronym for something-much like jeep has been associated with GP (I think-from military vernacular for general purpose). I think the military was the first to design modern cold weather boots, such as the “mickey mouse” boots back in WWII.