X-Wing Pilot Boots - Need Large Size!

[Qui Sean Jinn]

I wear a size 12.5-13 boot and I can't find anything to use as my X-Wing Pilot boots that aren't $200+! I can't be the only bigfoot X-Wing Pilot here! Anyone have a good boot in a 12-13 at a reasonable price? Any leads would be greatly appreciated!

 

[rickrickrick]

Some people use these:

Epic Militaria > Leather Jack Boots with heelplate

UK size 12 = US size 12.5.

Current price £59.95, about $97.

RRR

 

[Qui Sean Jinn]

Thanks a bunch.

 

[OB10]

Wow, thanks for the link! Looks like they've got an interesting supply of WWII stuff. I don't think I've come across them before.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

FYI: The German Jack Boot is not the right boot. What you want is a German Tanker Boot. It looks like the jack boot but the Tanker boot has a buckle at the top on the outboard side at the top. The leather folds in on itself to fasten the buckle.

They are not easy to find (even google image searched do not give you much). When I went looking for mine years ago, I noticed most sold were from places overseas and kind of expensive. I found a guy who imported them and sold them at a lower cost. Also a few years ago, Sportmans Guide had a surplus of a version that was quite close.

The Jack boot are generally considered acceptable (most people do not know about the buckle detail) but I wanted to let you know in case you were going for high accuracy before you spent the money.

 

[NAZGÛL]

The TIE pilots in ANH uses german WW II knobelbechers (and more imps can be spotted with them also). I used ebay.de to get my pair. The above description sounds like them.

Maybe the X-wing pilots didnt have the same at all, if so Im sorry for confusing.

PS: In the visual dictionary Luke seems to wear regular officer boots to his jumpsuit (riding boot style). Whats the deal with that?

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

The TIE pilots in ANH uses german WW II knobelbechers (and more imps can be spotted with them also). I used ebay.de to get my pair. The above description sounds like them.

Yes, the TIE Pilots and the X-Wing pilots wear the same boot

PS: In the visual dictionary Luke seems to wear regular officer boots to his jumpsuit (riding boot style). Whats the deal with that?

That image (and all all other pre-production images) of Luke in ANH Gear does not reflect the accuracy of what what worn on film. Off hand, if I can remember correctly here are some issues: wrong boots, no hose connector (story has it that the end of the hose was suppose to go to a face mask that was not completed in time for filming), flak vest is backwards (worn ESB style), comm pad is falling out of its pocket, belt is askewed and buckle is toward the side.

One of my pet peeves is that Hasbro keeps using these errors on their X-Wing pilot figures.

BTW: while we are speaking of errors, The MoM used a the tan belt of the rebel ground troopers/Bossk instead of the correct color gray. The details and material of the belt are the same though. Note that the material of the belt is not the same as the leg straps. Belt: Cotton, Leg Straps: Nylon

 

[NAZGÛL]

Cool info. Ill check that out. Ive always thought of the rebel hose was a version of the TIE pilot third hose.

Do you have any tips for good ref images of the boots. I cant find any good ones.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

Note Luke's left boot:

Here is a zoomed in shot of Luke's boot. The image on the right has been modified so that the edges of the boot show up. I did not add those lines, they showed up all by themselves. As you can see, there is the fold where the buckle is.

Not a lot of useful shots in the movies other than that one. Not I will admit, that with such little info other than what Luke wore, it is impossible to say that all X-Wing pilots on the set were fitted with the same boots.

The MoM exhibit showed these boots with the TIE Pilot. I went to the Smithsonian in 1998 but I was not looking at the boots back then. I've tried to see if the X-Wing pilot display had these boots with them but I've found no shots of the outside of the top of the boot, mostly just shots from the front. BUT even if it did or did not show these boots, I always recommend people take such info with a grain of salt as many have noted several costume inaccuracies to how things are displayed and how the are on screen.

 

[NAZGÛL]

Cheers for the pics. The shape and heels looks like knobelbechers.

There are variations in what they used on screen aswell, could be the same with the boots I guess.

I tried to decide on the Rebel Fleet Troopers boots. Do you know what they used? I tried to look frame by frame, but they arent as easy to tell as the imperials.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

I forgot these were called "knobelbechers". I know that when I was looking for them, first as "tanker boots", it led be later to "knobelbechers" which is most likely a better search word for these boots. Thanks for reminding me.

I have done no research into the RFT, but I'd look around and see if there is any good pictures.

 

[NAZGÛL]

Cool. Talked to a german TIE Pilot earlyer, and the right knobelbechers used to be really easy to get, now its a little harder. I use the seestiefel version. Seems more common and even if its not 100% its close enough for me. And very comfy.

Seestiefel to the left:

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

I have the ones on the right (or something extermely similar). I think the ones on the left were the ones I saw a few years back pop up on Sportsmans Guide. But yes, these or similar style boots are very hard to find... Especially in the US.

 

[NAZGÛL]

The seestiefel is the german navy version of the knobelbecher.

 

[the.rebel.agent]

I have the ones on the right (or something extermely similar). I think the ones on the left were the ones I saw a few years back pop up on Sportsmans Guide. But yes, these or similar style boots are very hard to find... Especially in the US.

BUMP! It seems you know a lot about these boots. What about these ones displayed in Brazil and Argentina back in 2008-2009

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

BUMP! It seems you know a lot about these boots. What about these ones displayed in Brazil and Argentina back in 2008-2009

View attachment 201402

If that is a display from LFL, I would assume they are the knobelbecher. I could tell for sure I could see more of a side shot.

 

[the.rebel.agent]

Thank u for your time. As a matter of fact, I was able to take a photo twice, in Brazil:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/...ms/5200584867931161153?authkey=CM3MobKYsOuzJg

and Argentina:
https://picasaweb.google.com/109151699253890620142/DeathStar#

You will be able to see them from several angles.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

Yep, those appear to be the knobelbecher.

 

[the.rebel.agent]

Yep, those appear to be the knobelbecher.

Here you can see Luke wearing them:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nnqs1f713m3bz47/20130624_232431.jpg
and here:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jgg8vub3fpbhfm8/20130624_232958.jpg

Thanks again to confirm that.

 

[Mara Jade's Father]

Here is a pic I posted earlier but the link no longer works.



The left is a close up of the buckle portion of Luke's boot as from the publicity photo of him climbing into his X-Wing in ANH. On the right, the same image is enhanced to show the way the leather is folded over at the buckle area to show that they are knobelbechers.