A mid-calf version was introduced and popularized among the French Foreign Legion - who wore them to Indonesia, Africa, and the Middle East - as well as during the early part of the Vietnam War. The extension of the boot included a double-buckle flap that covered the front leg after lacing up. The higher boot allowed the men to tuck their pants for blousing.
Various names for this include: French Foreign Legion boots, French Army boots, French Army Double-Buckle boots, French desert boots, etc.
A few years back Palladium re-introduced a version of this boot, calling it the Ranger Boot. The men's version came in black and a distressed brown, both made of canvas. The women's version came in the same colors, along with a forest green and a brown, both corduroy.
I own a pair in distressed brown and find it comfortable for walking in the city and hiking. Winter-wise, the sole is too thin and loses heat rapidly. They're currently out of production but one could find them on Ebay.
Ridge also produces their own interpretation, the Scorpion Desert boot. These are also made of canvas, lightweight, but quite sturdy. The flap actually zips off to become an ankle boot.
As usual, you can find more photos on my Flickr account.
