Australia Gives Boot to British Design

British-produced combat boots apparently aren’t fit for Australian feet. So, after 30 years, the military will develop a new design after surveying the feet of more than 5,000 soldiers.

Army spokesman Chris Ducardus said data indicates the typical Australian foot is broader across the front and narrower at the heel than its British counterpart. Design consultants say the difference results from climate. People in colder Britain tend to wear shoes regularly from an early age. In warmer Australia, children often go barefoot or wear flip-flops.

As a result, Australian troops wearing ill-shaped British boots have suffered 30 years of blisters, Ducardus said.