When you buy combat boots, sooner or later you come across the terms “NATO AQAP 2110” and “ISO 9001”. It sounds like bureaucratic jargon, but these certifications actually say something very concrete about the boots you bring home. In this article we explain what they mean — and why they are more than a stamp on a box.
What is NATO AQAP 2110?
AQAP 2110 is a quality management standard used by NATO to assess suppliers of defense materiel. A factory with this certification is regularly audited by an independent certification body. That body checks whether the manufacturer's quality system is in order: from the purchasing of materials to the inspection of the finished product. For you as a buyer this means your combat boots are made by a manufacturer that demonstrably monitors its quality to NATO requirements.
Samelin, the manufacturer behind models like the M77, has produced military footwear to this standard since 2017 for several NATO forces, including Germany, Norway, Latvia and Estonia.
What is ISO 9001?
ISO 9001:2015 is a more widely applied international standard for quality management systems, not specifically for defense materiel. It focuses on consistency: has a company set up processes to repeatedly deliver the same level of quality, handle complaints well, and continuously improve? For you as a buyer this means that the quality of the boot you buy today is the same as that of a pair produced a year ago — no varying quality per delivery.
Why this is more than a marketing claim
The difference between a combat boot with certification and a “combat boot style” boot without certification lies exactly here: certification means an independent party inspects the factory, not that the manufacturer merely claims it. A boot can look identical to a real M77 or 2077, but without AQAP 2110 or ISO 9001 you simply don't know whether the same material thickness, sole construction and quality control have been applied.
What this means in practice for your purchase
- Consistency — every size and every delivery is checked to the same standard
- Durability — materials and construction are tested for long, intensive use, not just occasional wear
- Traceability — in a certification system every production step is documented, which brings quality problems to light faster
Which Samelin models are certified to these standards?
At Noreline we sell exclusively Samelin footwear that is produced to AQAP 2110 and ISO 9001. Curious which model suits you?
- M77 Norwegian Combat Boots — the best-known model, in use with several NATO armies for more than 50 years
- Combat Boots collection — all combat boot models in one place
- Aviator Boots — lighter, more refined pilot boots with the same AQAP 2110/ISO 9001 quality
In short
When buying combat boots, certification is one of the few objective ways to test quality without having to wear out a pair of boots yourself to find out whether they are any good. Want to know what else to look for? Read our complete guide: Buying combat boots: what to look for?