Gunboats

“

What is the science behind these miracles of technology? Magic, probably.

— Gunboats publicity blurb

”

The Gunboats are a pair of leather boots with metal plates attached to the soles, and they are an unlockable item for the Soldier. The Gunboats are equipped in the secondary slot and when in use, they reduce the amount of self-damage that is received from Rocket Jumping. This damage reduction does not apply to rockets that injure other enemies, unless the damage is dealt by the splash radius of a rocket jump. The Gunboats will function as long as they are equipped, and as such do not need to be drawn like other weapons.

Damage

Blueprint

Razorback		Chargin' Targe		Gunboats
	+		=

Trivia

The Gunboats were designed to be useable by both the Soldier and the Demoman so that regardless of the winner of the Soldier-Demoman War, only one item needed to be created.
The Gunboats cannot be obtained via achievements, as the Soldier, (like all other classes) has only 3 achievement milestones. The only way the Gunboats can be acquired is by the Item drop system or Crafting.
Before the January 13, 2010 Patch, if you had the Gunboats equipped, you could perform the Equalizer's taunt and survive the explosion. The explosion would send you skywards; potentially even high enough to unlock the "Where Eagles Dare" achievement.
Prior to the Engineer update, the Gunboats blocked 75% of rocket damage.
According to the TF2Items hat statistics page, the Gunboats are the most wanted weapon.

External links

WAR! Update Victory Day - The Gunboats

Weapons
v • d • e	Scout	Soldier	Pyro	Demoman	Heavy	Engineer	Medic	Sniper	Spy
Primary	Scattergun	Rocket Launcher	Flame Thrower	Grenade Launcher	Minigun	Shotgun	Syringe Gun	Sniper Rifle	—
Primary	Force-A-Nature Shortstop Soda Popper Baby Face's Blaster Back Scatter	Direct Hit Black Box Rocket Jumper Liberty Launcher Cow Mangler 5000 Original Beggar's Bazooka Air Strike	Backburner Degreaser Phlogistinator Rainblower Nostromo Napalmer Dragon's Fury	Loch-n-Load Ali Baba's Wee Booties Bootlegger Loose Cannon B.A.S.E. Jumper Iron Bomber	Natascha Iron Curtain Brass Beast Tomislav Huo-Long Heater	Frontier Justice Widowmaker Pomson 6000 Rescue Ranger Panic Attack	Blutsauger Crusader's Crossbow Overdose	Huntsman Sydney Sleeper Bazaar Bargain Machina Hitman's Heatmaker AWPer Hand Fortified Compound Classic Shooting Star	—
Secondary	Pistol	Shotgun	Shotgun	Stickybomb Launcher	Shotgun	Pistol	Medi Gun	SMG	Revolver
Secondary	Bonk! Atomic Punch Lugermorph Crit-a-Cola Mad Milk Winger Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol Flying Guillotine Mutated Milk C.A.P.P.E.R	Buff Banner Gunboats Battalion's Backup Concheror Mantreads Reserve Shooter Righteous Bison B.A.S.E. Jumper Panic Attack	Flare Gun Detonator Reserve Shooter Manmelter Scorch Shot Panic Attack Gas Passer Thermal Thruster	Chargin' Targe Scottish Resistance Sticky Jumper Splendid Screen Tide Turner Quickiebomb Launcher	Sandvich Dalokohs Bar Buffalo Steak Sandvich Fishcake Family Business Robo-Sandvich Panic Attack Second Banana	Lugermorph Wrangler Short Circuit C.A.P.P.E.R Giger Counter	Kritzkrieg Quick-Fix Vaccinator	Jarate Razorback Darwin's Danger Shield Cozy Camper Cleaner's Carbine Self-Aware Beauty Mark	Ambassador Big Kill L'Etranger Enforcer Diamondback
Melee	Bat	Shovel	Fire Axe	Bottle	Fists	Wrench	Bonesaw	Kukri	Knife
Melee	Sandman Frying Pan Holy Mackerel Boston Basher Candy Cane Sun-on-a-Stick Fan O'War Three-Rune Blade Saxxy Atomizer Conscientious Objector Unarmed Combat Wrap Assassin Freedom Staff Bat Outta Hell Memory Maker Ham Shank Golden Frying Pan Necro Smasher Crossing Guard Batsaber Prinny Machete	Equalizer Pain Train Frying Pan Half-Zatoichi Saxxy Disciplinary Action Market Gardener Conscientious Objector Escape Plan Freedom Staff Bat Outta Hell Memory Maker Ham Shank Golden Frying Pan Necro Smasher Crossing Guard Prinny Machete	Axtinguisher Homewrecker Frying Pan Powerjack Back Scratcher Sharpened Volcano Fragment Maul Saxxy Postal Pummeler Conscientious Objector Third Degree Lollichop Neon Annihilator Freedom Staff Bat Outta Hell Memory Maker Ham Shank Golden Frying Pan Necro Smasher Crossing Guard Prinny Machete Hot Hand	Eyelander Pain Train Scotsman's Skullcutter Frying Pan Horseless Headless Horsemann's Headtaker Claidheamh Mòr Ullapool Caber Half-Zatoichi Saxxy Persian Persuader Nessie's Nine Iron Conscientious Objector Scottish Handshake Freedom Staff Bat Outta Hell Memory Maker Ham Shank Golden Frying Pan Necro Smasher Crossing Guard Prinny Machete	Killing Gloves of Boxing Frying Pan Gloves of Running Urgently Fists of Steel Warrior's Spirit Saxxy Eviction Notice Conscientious Objector Apoco-Fists Holiday Punch Freedom Staff Bat Outta Hell Memory Maker Ham Shank Golden Frying Pan Bread Bite Necro Smasher Crossing Guard Prinny Machete	Golden Wrench Gunslinger Southern Hospitality Jag Saxxy Eureka Effect Golden Frying Pan Necro Smasher Prinny Machete	Ubersaw Frying Pan Vita-Saw Amputator Saxxy Solemn Vow Conscientious Objector Freedom Staff Bat Outta Hell Memory Maker Ham Shank Golden Frying Pan Necro Smasher Crossing Guard Prinny Machete	Tribalman's Shiv Bushwacka Frying Pan Saxxy Shahanshah Conscientious Objector Freedom Staff Bat Outta Hell Memory Maker Ham Shank Golden Frying Pan Necro Smasher Crossing Guard Prinny Machete	Your Eternal Reward Conniver's Kunai Saxxy Big Earner Wanga Prick Sharp Dresser Spy-cicle Black Rose Golden Frying Pan Prinny Machete
Primary PDA	—	—	—	—	—	Construction PDA	—	—	Disguise Kit
Primary PDA	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Secondary PDA	—	—	—	—	—	Destruction PDA	—	—	Invis Watch
Secondary PDA	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Cloak and Dagger Dead Ringer Enthusiast's Timepiece Quäckenbirdt
Building	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Sapper
Building	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	Red-Tape Recorder Ap-Sap Snack Attack
Taunt	Grand Slam	Grenade	Hadouken Armageddon Execution Gas Blast	Barbarian Swing	High Noon	Arm Blender Guitar Smash	Oktoberfest Uberslice Medicating Melody	Arrow Stab	Fencing