Boots Boots Boots
- Thread starter merica5456
- Start date
andersenvincent7
Newbie
The Merrell Chameleon's are my go to shoe for pretty much everything aside from PT.
patriot_man
Regular Member
Same. They don't feel like boots, that's for sure.
Since my feet are wider, the Salomons are a NoGo.
For work, I've been wearing OTBs for multiple years but they're dying and are getting replaced by Keen's soft toe Detroit model. Away from work, it's two pair of Garmonts, one non-GTX in grey and one GTX in dark brown.
For work, I've been wearing OTBs for multiple years but they're dying and are getting replaced by Keen's soft toe Detroit model. Away from work, it's two pair of Garmonts, one non-GTX in grey and one GTX in dark brown.
FourNinerZero
Amateur
Salomon Quest 4d non Gtx and Xa Pro Mid GTX as my summer Patrol boots. Hanwag Alaska as my winter boots.
On occasion I'll wear my OTB bushmaster or jungleite's.
On occasion I'll wear my OTB bushmaster or jungleite's.
voodoo_man
Established
This.
Going on my second pair soon, am also thinking about Quests for winter (but it doesn't get that cold around here)
W
Whootsinator
Guest
When it comes to uniform boots I wear Danner. In my experience their imported, cheaper boots are actually more comfortable, but my much-loved Kinetics (that are no longer made in tan) are crumbled to the point of being relegated to casual use out of uniform. Now I'm wearing the Tanicus for hot/humid weather, Desert TFX GTX for cold/wet weather, and Acadia 600G for "my toes are literally going to freeze off" weather. Initial opinions, the Tanicus is SUPER light and comfortable, TFX will take a little while to break in and isn't particularly light, the insulated Acadias are heavy as hell, probably won't ever be worn enough to break in, and may outlast me in this world. I'll try to remember to report back when I have enough time in them.
GYates
Newbie
I've got through a lot of boots. I prefer Danner Acadias for patrol/uniform use. They are on the heavy side but they are so solid I just can't seem to give them up. I'm in a primarily plain clothes unit now and I usually just wear running shoes. I was wearing a pair of Keen Targhees but they are too narrow for me and they tend to run a half size small. I tried a pair of Salomons but they were so narrow I didn't even get out of the house before I had to box them up and return them. Any leads on good wide width mid boots.
ScottPM09
Member
I am currently trying out the Oboz "Bridger" boots. I needed a second pair of boots for the FLEO academy that I am in and came across these with little other option in the area. After trying them on in the store, they just fit right and were true to size. I've been wearing them for about a month now with a metric shit ton of range time in full kit and driving. Feet remained dry with nearly full submersion in wet/cold weather.
Only thing that I initially did not like is there are no locking points for the laces and the second from the top eye-let is cloth/cordura. However, I have yet to have the laces loosen and the cloth eye-lets seem to be holding strong.
We should be hitting the "tactics" portion of the academy shortly so I'll be able to give a better review shortly once these things go through some tougher stuff. But so far, these are now my primary boots over my Salomon Authentic LTR CS WP Hiking Boot that I brought with me.
Anyone else have any experience with these?
Only thing that I initially did not like is there are no locking points for the laces and the second from the top eye-let is cloth/cordura. However, I have yet to have the laces loosen and the cloth eye-lets seem to be holding strong.
We should be hitting the "tactics" portion of the academy shortly so I'll be able to give a better review shortly once these things go through some tougher stuff. But so far, these are now my primary boots over my Salomon Authentic LTR CS WP Hiking Boot that I brought with me.
Anyone else have any experience with these?
Hueser on insoles:
A couple of things.
Don't wear kicks that reflect the current trend just so you can step up your Instagram picture "likes"... Only fools and tools do that shit.
Your foot volume, foot profile, and biomechanical issues are as unique to you as is your BZO or your favorite choice in Instructor Zero vids.
Unless you are burning frequent flier miles for a trip to London to have custom kicks made at John Lobb, no shoe/boot will truly account for your nasty, Hobbit feet.
If you don't like English shoes, there are some excellent cobblers in Italia that cut a mean last. Don't believe me? Ask the Gioppetto that mentored Daniel-Day Lewis...
$3500.00 customs not your thing?
Bueno.....
Before you buy new shit kickers, ACTUALLY have your feet measured in a Brannock Device...
Look it up, I'll wait.....
Why is this important? It gives a decent metric regarding your foot "size".
"But hermano, I've always been a size 10..."
Maybe, maybe not...
With that number from the Brannock, you now know what's up.
Next....
Get a piece of cardboard... Steal the box your cat hides in if you are so bold (they will murder you in your sleep at some later date).
Lay a flat piece on the ground.
Get a bowl of water and a sponge.
Plop your butt down on a chair.
Wet your feet (yes, take off your shoes & socks).
Place your wet feet on the cardboard and stand up.
Sit down and take your feet off of the cardboard.
See the impression that remains? That is a rough guide as to how much arch you have and possibly how much volume your feet take up.
It also gives you a rough idea of your foot profile.
I'm flat-footed as an elephant. I have a wide upper foot and a narrow heel.
Those things tell me that a need a wider toe box and a narrower heel cup.
It probably also tells me that I need a shoe that has a lower internal volume.
Fucking variables...
Armed with that info, should I buy the shoe on sale? Perhaps the one that I see in Tactical Cuisine magazine?
What does all this minutiae have to do with skipping on down to the local seed & feed to buy insoles?
Glad you asked.
It actually works in reverse. You should have a rough idea of which insole you'll want to use and THEN select your slippers...
Not only that, you should choose the sock(s) you'll be wearing with the insoles and shoes.
When I was choosing my last set of fruit boots (freaky ice climbing boots), I knew I was going to use an Ed Viesturs designed SOLE insole. They are designed for cooler WX.
I also knew I was going to wear a thin liner sock with a heavy SmartWool sock.
If I had just whistled into Neptune Mountaineering and laid out a cool $400 for a pair of boots based on my PF Flyer shoe size, I'd have been screwed.
Instead, I had to try on three sizes with my insole/sock combo. The boot I wanted didn't work (Italian). I had to go with another company (German).
Why? Because the first boot, the one I wanted, didn't work with the insole/sock combo. My foot simply didn't mesh with the last design of the boot. The other boot's last design worked much better.
Do you know why the Danner Acadia and Desert Acadia fit differently even though they're basically the same boot? Different lasts.
Back to insoles...
Finally...
I prefer SOLE to most other insoles. No particular reason why. They just work better with my unique feet.
Superfeet would be my second choice.
And, if I had really jacked up feet, I'd probably spring for corrective insoles.
The takeaway here is that when it comes to what you shod your feet with, it is an entire system.
And....
That system will be variable.
You like your Asolos? I do too. They are combined with a sock/insole combo just for them.
I don't wear my cycling socks with them as it changes the volume uptake.
And, I wouldn't use those insoles in my cycling shoes.
System...
One last thing...
Sometimes things are close, but just not right.
It may be how you lace up.
So before you abandon your system, play around with the lacing.
______
Later...
As Echo and The Bunnymen loosely sang...
I'm off for a walk under The Killing Moon...
I just need to find my flip flops first....
PS: If somebody wants to copy this and cross post it the the other post... ROWYCO
A couple of things.
Don't wear kicks that reflect the current trend just so you can step up your Instagram picture "likes"... Only fools and tools do that shit.
Your foot volume, foot profile, and biomechanical issues are as unique to you as is your BZO or your favorite choice in Instructor Zero vids.
Unless you are burning frequent flier miles for a trip to London to have custom kicks made at John Lobb, no shoe/boot will truly account for your nasty, Hobbit feet.
If you don't like English shoes, there are some excellent cobblers in Italia that cut a mean last. Don't believe me? Ask the Gioppetto that mentored Daniel-Day Lewis...
$3500.00 customs not your thing?
Bueno.....
Before you buy new shit kickers, ACTUALLY have your feet measured in a Brannock Device...
Look it up, I'll wait.....
Why is this important? It gives a decent metric regarding your foot "size".
"But hermano, I've always been a size 10..."
Maybe, maybe not...
With that number from the Brannock, you now know what's up.
Next....
Get a piece of cardboard... Steal the box your cat hides in if you are so bold (they will murder you in your sleep at some later date).
Lay a flat piece on the ground.
Get a bowl of water and a sponge.
Plop your butt down on a chair.
Wet your feet (yes, take off your shoes & socks).
Place your wet feet on the cardboard and stand up.
Sit down and take your feet off of the cardboard.
See the impression that remains? That is a rough guide as to how much arch you have and possibly how much volume your feet take up.
It also gives you a rough idea of your foot profile.
I'm flat-footed as an elephant. I have a wide upper foot and a narrow heel.
Those things tell me that a need a wider toe box and a narrower heel cup.
It probably also tells me that I need a shoe that has a lower internal volume.
Fucking variables...
Armed with that info, should I buy the shoe on sale? Perhaps the one that I see in Tactical Cuisine magazine?
What does all this minutiae have to do with skipping on down to the local seed & feed to buy insoles?
Glad you asked.
It actually works in reverse. You should have a rough idea of which insole you'll want to use and THEN select your slippers...
Not only that, you should choose the sock(s) you'll be wearing with the insoles and shoes.
When I was choosing my last set of fruit boots (freaky ice climbing boots), I knew I was going to use an Ed Viesturs designed SOLE insole. They are designed for cooler WX.
I also knew I was going to wear a thin liner sock with a heavy SmartWool sock.
If I had just whistled into Neptune Mountaineering and laid out a cool $400 for a pair of boots based on my PF Flyer shoe size, I'd have been screwed.
Instead, I had to try on three sizes with my insole/sock combo. The boot I wanted didn't work (Italian). I had to go with another company (German).
Why? Because the first boot, the one I wanted, didn't work with the insole/sock combo. My foot simply didn't mesh with the last design of the boot. The other boot's last design worked much better.
Do you know why the Danner Acadia and Desert Acadia fit differently even though they're basically the same boot? Different lasts.
Back to insoles...
Finally...
I prefer SOLE to most other insoles. No particular reason why. They just work better with my unique feet.
Superfeet would be my second choice.
And, if I had really jacked up feet, I'd probably spring for corrective insoles.
The takeaway here is that when it comes to what you shod your feet with, it is an entire system.
And....
That system will be variable.
You like your Asolos? I do too. They are combined with a sock/insole combo just for them.
I don't wear my cycling socks with them as it changes the volume uptake.
And, I wouldn't use those insoles in my cycling shoes.
System...
One last thing...
Sometimes things are close, but just not right.
It may be how you lace up.
So before you abandon your system, play around with the lacing.
______
Later...
As Echo and The Bunnymen loosely sang...
I'm off for a walk under The Killing Moon...
I just need to find my flip flops first....
PS: If somebody wants to copy this and cross post it the the other post... ROWYCO
Evan Hill I used to use superfeet. Then I took a pair of those and a pair of SOLE on a high mileage fall trip into the glacier peak wilderness -- the SOLE won out by a huge margin. For daily use I prefer pretty minimal insoles to strengthen my feet.
Unlike · Reply · 3 · 1 hr
Michael Hueser Evan brings up a good point...
Gotta take care of your feet.
If you're on them a lot, it is important to keep them in good condition.
There are many ways to accomplish this.
Working out barefoot (full contact on surface for good feedback).
Plyometrics....
Calf raises not only smoke your calves, but they work the feet....
But, the best exercise for your feet? Walking on them...
Not sitting at a desk playing Pac-Man...
Not highjacking a handicap parking space to park closer...
Walking...
Walking with good form...
Walking unloaded (weight)...
Walking loaded with kit...
Walking........
Pay attention to how your feet feel at the beginning of a walk and how they feel at the end...
This also goes with wearing your shoes/boots all day long...
-------
This brings me to something I forgot to mention in my previous post.
Try on new kicks at the end of the day when your feet are as bloated as you were after Thanksgiving dinner... Feet swell through the day...
-----
If your feet suffer at the end of the day, try using a lacrosse ball on your soles to loosen up the fascia/sliding surfaces...
MobilityWOD has some good exercises for hacking feet problems. And, some have nothing to do with your feet...
Cheers....
Unlike · Reply · 3 · 1 hr
Michael Hueser Evan brings up a good point...
Gotta take care of your feet.
If you're on them a lot, it is important to keep them in good condition.
There are many ways to accomplish this.
Working out barefoot (full contact on surface for good feedback).
Plyometrics....
Calf raises not only smoke your calves, but they work the feet....
But, the best exercise for your feet? Walking on them...
Not sitting at a desk playing Pac-Man...
Not highjacking a handicap parking space to park closer...
Walking...
Walking with good form...
Walking unloaded (weight)...
Walking loaded with kit...
Walking........
Pay attention to how your feet feel at the beginning of a walk and how they feel at the end...
This also goes with wearing your shoes/boots all day long...
-------
This brings me to something I forgot to mention in my previous post.
Try on new kicks at the end of the day when your feet are as bloated as you were after Thanksgiving dinner... Feet swell through the day...
-----
If your feet suffer at the end of the day, try using a lacrosse ball on your soles to loosen up the fascia/sliding surfaces...
MobilityWOD has some good exercises for hacking feet problems. And, some have nothing to do with your feet...
Cheers....
TJ208
Member
I like light weight boots. I don't have to regularly spend long periods of time on my feet but I do have to chase someone close to once a month. I got the UA Speed Freek 2.0s about 4 months ago and am really enjoying them. They were so light and comfortable I expected them to fall apart quickly but I haven't really noticed much wear and I'm hard on my gear. I expect them to last 8 months to a year if the pace continues. They are hard to polish and keep a shine on if that's important to you.
Munch520
Newbie
Ditto here, 4 years and going strong with mine
Toxicity927
Newbie
I wear Danner Melee and Salomon XA pro when I'm in the office/classroom and Danner tanicus in the field.
theWRECKLESSone
Member
All Danners all the time. They work well for my feet and they have a factory close to me. I tend to wear Acadia's or Fort Lewis' on regular patrol. I snagged up some non-gtx Tachyon's I wear on SWAT and sometimes in warmer weather on patrol. I have a pair of RAT 8" I also wear on SWAT for more "off-road" shit. Off duty, I wear Mountain Lights, Mountain Light II's, or 8" Bullruns. Like I said, they work for my feet. I need a no-bullshit boot for regular patrol in a pretty rural eastern washington county. If I'm not wearing boots, I tend to wear flip flops. Pretty sure I'm going to get some Salomons to try out this summer.
StaccySpeck
Amateur
Danner non insulated Arcadia's for patrol work. Salomon Forces XA 3D Mid for SWAT.