TM 10-8400-203-23
a. General. This section covers instructions for the repair of the boots, combat, rubber, insulated, black (8430-823
Series) and white (8430-655 Series) used in extreme cold weather. These boots contain insulation sealed be-
tween two waterproof layers of rubber. The insulation must be kept absolutely dry. If the insulation becomes wet,
the protection afforded the wearer will be lost and may result in frostbite or other similar injuries to the wearer.
b. Cleaning. Prior to inspection, the boots must be cleaned by washing the outside with a mild soap and rinsing
with water.
I
CAUTION
I
Do not apply any all-based paint or advent-based polish to any part of the boot
since paint or polish will cause the rubber to deteriorate.
c.
Emergency Repair (by Individual User). Emergency repair must be made promptly to a puncture, cut, tear, or
hole (within 1 hour, if possible) in order to prevent severe damage to the insulation. To make an emergency re-
pair, use maintenance kit, cold weather, insulated boot gray rubber patch (NSN 8335-00-753-6335), for use with
both black and white boots, and proceed as follows:
l Clean the area to be patched.
l Buff the area thoroughly with abrasive.
l Tear off the end of the tube of cement and apply a coat of cement to the area to be patched; allow to dry 3 to
5 minutes. Twist and tear off backing from patch (do not touch fresh surface).
l Press patch firmly in place.
l If a repair kit is not available, make a temporary repair by patching the hole with a cold tire patch or with tape,
such as rubber tape, friction tape, or scotch tape. Even chewing gum may serve as a temporary patch. The
important thing is to seal the hole as quickly as possible so that the insulation will not get wet.
d. Inspection.
(1)
(2)
General. An inspection of the boots at the unit or organizational level should be made prior to winter use
and after the winter season to determine whether the boot is serviceable or in need of repair. A deficiency
in one boot of a pair will result in only that boot being considered unserviceable. The single boot should
be saved and matched with another boot of same size, width, and manufacturer, where possible.
Unserviceable Deficiencies. A boot having any of the following deficiencies will be considered unservice-
able:
(a) A sole that is worn smooth (no cleat design) or shows holes.
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