Bates mens Tactical Sport

These are the best boots I have ever owned. As a matter of fact, this is my 4th pair I have bought of the very same boots. That is how happy I have been with them. They are a little stiff at first but break in well and become super comfortable. My most recent pair lasted me 3 years.

Perfect work boots - side zipper is great!

A tactical boot cannot have a side zipper so these are not tactical boots.I am old and stiff and wear boots when walking the dog in the woods and these look very good for that while the side zipper makes them practical for me.I just received this and will update further as I gain information but initially these seem to be very good bootsThey are much lighter than I am used to so I am uncertain yet on durability but the lighter weight is a huge advantage if they hold up.The seam on the left side of the younger on both boots is “sloppy”. It does look as if it is strong and functional with no rubbing however.I like the soles.They provide good grip and are not the knobby type that wears fast if you are on hard surfacesTime will tell, of course but I think. They should provide good traction in almost any conditions.The leather seems good and the fabric seems strongI remove the insoles and replaced them with custom orthotic inserts for medical reasons so cannot give a good opinion of the support as received.They appear quite cushy and are as good as any in this price range and far better than most.You might consider over the counter orthotics but try the stock ones first.The zipper seems strong. I cannot explain why but the boots are much easier for me to put on than most other side zip boots I triedIf they hold up , these are a solid 4 and I am particular on bootsThey stuff paper in the boot to protect the boot during shipping which is great, but the person packing these boots stuffed a lot of paper in very tightly and I am not exaggerating that it took a good 10 minutes to pull the paper out of the right bootWith my neuropathy it was a painful process.So far, that is about it.I find these to be the equal of the pair of “original” Vietnam Era Jungle boots for comfort while walking snd much easier to get on.Sizing seems consistent and accurate. I wear a 12 in most boots and these are a 12 so order your normal size

I am pleased with this purchase. This is my second pair of these boots. The first pair wore well and provided long term comfort. The convenience of being able to wear them through metal detectors is a real plus. (I have to go though security on a daily bases). The side zipper also adds convenience. The 90 buck and change price with free shipping was the best total price that I found on the internet. 05/2/2011 Update: I just purchased my forth pair of these boots, again for $90 plus change including shipping. I have worn safety toe work boots for over thirty years and these are the most comfortable I have ever had. On the job (in an industrial environment) I walk around a lot on hard concrete and asphalt floors and frequently climb ladders. A pair of these boots consistently lasts me about 14 months then the inner lining rips out and the heal cup breaks apart. It is always the right boot, always the heal. This makes it difficult to get the boot off as my foot heal catches on the liner. When this happens I do a repair with duct tape then order a new pair. If it were not for the liner ripping out I think I could get many more months of constant use before I wore out the sole. I have talked to other coworkers that also like this boot and they have similar experience with them. The 14 month life span is okay for me as my employer will pay for one pair of safety shoes a year and these are not horribly expensive for nonmetallic safety shoes.

This is my 4th pair of these through the years. I wear them daily at work (machine shop) and often outside of work. For me, they last a few years. I do buy $10 gel inserts and add them in. Besides adding comfort they take up some of the extra room, making them fit perfectly for me.I love the combo of shoe strings and side zipper. The string get the fit right. The zipper allows you get them on and off in a zip ;-)I also put lame skin oil on the boots ever 6 months or so. It keeps the leather water proof and moisturized. I wear these as my winter boot. If they get a little worn looking, I will use my black shoe polish and brush them. They appear almost brand new after that. With that little care, I get 2-3 years out of each pair.

I bought these boots because I needed something lightweight with a safety toe. These Boots are very well made and the zipper makes taking them on and off a breeze. I'm don't know how these are going to hold up in a constant work environment but so far so good. Size with a little large but this is okay as I normally use aftermarket insoles for comfort and added durability. There's plenty of room for my toes in the composite safety toe, something that is very important to me as safety toe work boots tend to be very constricting and we'll drive you a little bit nuts at times. Lasing and padding is great, eyelets are strong and overall is an outstanding boot. Tread is adequate and grips well but may wear prematurely in an extream work environment.

These were some of the best boots I have ever owned, hands down, 4.75 stars. Comfortable right out of the box (heaven when Dr. Scholls Work Gel insoles are added). They kept my feet dry during 16+ hours of wear in Afghanistan and right before I went out we had a massive snow storm at home, I know these are not advertised as waterproof on this site but the only things dry on me after digging out my car were my feet. Also, they were easy to take off and put on quickly with the side zipper while still keeping a good fit, a very nice feature when you are in a rush.The reason for the loss of points is that these only lasted one trip before the sole started to pull away from the shoe (it was a vigorous trip though) and the toe area was quite scuffed up, one boot had a hole in the surface of the leather, again though, I'm tough on these.A great buy and I will definitely get these again.