Across almost a decade of collaborations, The Broken Arm has reached into Salomon’s sneaker repertoire and pulled out some pretty obscure models.

Futuristic clogs, stitched-up slip-ons, shroud-covered alpine sneakers… The Broken Arm has put its spin on them all. Now, it’s taking things one step further, the French retailer is reimagining a military-grade tactical boot. 

The Salomon XA Forces Jungle, a Special Forces boot designed for use in challenging jungle conditions, is given a pretty drastic redesign by The Broken Arm.

Gone is the anti-debris mesh and super tall build, replaced by an extended tall tongue, textured suede overlays, and a shorter, more typical hiking boot shape. 

Plus, covering up the laces, an extra suede panel is loosely attached to the top of the boot.

Sure, the shoe has lost its military-grade strength but it is now a handsome, hairy-suede, rugged boot. And if that’s the kind of thing you’re into, it will be available from December 17 via The Broken Arm.

While Salomon is best known for its sleek trail running sneakers, designs central to bringing Gorpcore to the masses, the brand has been paying more attention to this style of ultra-hardy boot lately. 

The French label’s Sportstyle division, responsible for all things fashion-forward, has launched GORE-TEX boots of a similar military-inspired ilk and linked up with Parisian fashion label Rier on a limited-edition take on the XA Jungle Boot.

Salomon’s year-on-year growth proves its trail sneakers are more popular than ever. Now, it’s experimenting with how it can stylistically upgrade its most hardy boots.