NATO AQAP 2110 Explained: What Certification Really Means
You'll see NATO AQAP 2110 on every Samelin boot we sell, usually alongside ISO 9001. Both sound impressive and neither explains itself. Here's what they actually mean, and why they're a more useful signal than the word “military-grade” on its own.
What AQAP 2110 actually is
AQAP stands for Allied Quality Assurance Publication. It's the quality standard NATO requires of its suppliers, and 2110 is the specific publication covering quality assurance during design, development and production.
The important thing to understand: it isn't a test that a boot passes. It's a standard the manufacturer has to meet across their entire process — how materials are sourced and checked, how production is controlled, how faults are traced and corrected. A factory can't buy the certification for one product line.
Why that matters more than a product test
Plenty of boots are marketed as “tactical” or “military-style” on the strength of how they look. AQAP 2110 is about consistency: the pair you order should be built to the same specification as the pair issued to a soldier, and as the pair someone else ordered last year.
For a buyer, that's the practical value — not that a boot survived one dramatic test, but that the factory is audited to produce the same thing reliably, every time.
Where ISO 9001 fits
ISO 9001 is the international quality-management standard used across manufacturing generally. AQAP 2110 builds on it and adds NATO's defence-specific requirements. Holding both means a factory meets the civilian benchmark and the military one on top.
What it doesn't tell you
Worth being straight about the limits. Certification covers manufacturing quality — it doesn't tell you a boot is waterproof, warm, comfortable for your foot shape, or right for your use. For those you still need the specifics: leather grade, lining, sole, membrane. Our guides to leather grades and choosing winter boots cover what to actually look for.
Which boots this applies to
Every Samelin boot is made under both standards at their Estonian factory — from the M77 Norwegian combat boot through to everyday chukkas and leather shoes. The same production line, the same audits, regardless of whether the boot is destined for a soldier or a commuter.
Frequently asked questions
What does NATO AQAP 2110 mean? It's NATO's quality-assurance standard for suppliers, covering design, development and production. It certifies the manufacturer's process, not an individual product.
Is AQAP 2110 the same as ISO 9001? No. ISO 9001 is the general international quality-management standard; AQAP 2110 builds on it with NATO's additional defence requirements.
Does certification mean the boots are waterproof? No — it covers manufacturing quality and consistency. Check the specific boot's materials and construction for weather performance.
See the range
Browse the Samelin collection, all made in Estonia under both standards.