Insulated Arctic Footwear for USAF Flight and Ground Crew with Enhanced Thermal Protection

There is a defense related need for insulated arctic footwear, specifically improved thermal solutions for insulated footwear against -60F arctic environments for USAF flight and ground crew, by using advanced aerogel insulating materials with low density and reduced bulk. Lukla Inc proposes to work with domestic footwear manufacturers to create extreme cold weather (ECW) boots for flight and ground crew utilizing Solarcore technologies, creating products with more thermal performance while maintaining a thinner profile. This would reduce the occurrence of frostbite on extremities while also reducing the bulk of traditional high loft or felted footwear insulations allowing for increased mobility when compared to boots constructed with other insulation technologies. Currently available ECW boots from brands such as Belleville, Rocky, and Danner that use lofted insulations like 3M Thinsulate have been found to be insufficient for protecting against severe cold conditions outlined in MIL-STD-810H leading to risk of cold weather injury and decreased job performance. The successful Phase I feasibility study revealed that Solarcore technologies can be integrated into cold weather boots with significant increases in thermal performance. ECW Flyer Boots would improve flight safety while increasing thermal performance after ejection and during descent by using Solarcore aerogel materials. ECW boots for ground crew would improve thermal protection, especially at critical areas such as the safety toe where frostbite and other injuries are common in extreme cold conditions. By working with domestic footwear manufacturers, Lukla Inc will create prototype ECW boots integrating Solarcore materials, and characterize them to compare with currently available solutions.