The Australian Defence Force has admitted the rubber soles are falling off the Chinese-made dress boots that soldiers are expected to wear for official parades.

Defence officials have told Senate estimates the problems began in 2008 when the tender to make the boots was won by a Chinese company.

Defence had sent the boots back to the manufacturer for extra stitching and nails to try and hold them together.

But officials say the glue is still failing in hot conditions.

Senator Ian Macdonald told estimates he witnessed a number of boot malfunctions at a parade in Townsville this month.

"I say in jest but seriously this parade the other day was a shortish distance as far as parades go and I do fear that if it had been for the normal length of the Anzac parade, no-one would have had shoes on at the end of it," he said.

ADF Chief General David Hurley said he had encountered similar scenes in Darwin.

"I think we've identified a trend," he said.

"[We need to] work to get a better solution because we agree completely, it's unacceptable for our soldiers to be walking around with boots that the soles fall off."