I am 6'1" 290 lbs former military service..I have been looking for a boot that would provide myself with day to day comfort as well a degree of flexibility while climbing up and down ladders all day. This boot is perhaps the most lightest, but yet stable boot I have ever worn. It provides the comfort I was looking for and the sturdy ankle support as well. Even being overweight does not cause rolling of the ankle or pain in the arch. For general day to day work boot it is great...TR606 Kiowa Tacticle Research
Fits well, wears well and looks good, been looking for a boot this good for 3 years and 20 sets later i found it here
These are the best boots I've ever owned, they are really confortable easy to put on in a hurry, i will definitely order another pair in the near future, thank you
I just got these boots and took them on a 6 mile /36 lb pack hike. The actual foot bed was quite comfortable and didn't exacerbate an existing blister. That's the good news. The bad part was the heel - there is a big seam right where your heel rests. I noticed it the first time I put them on but thought maybe it would go away. Not so. After 4.5 miles it was rubbing my heels raw and I have never had problems with heel blisters. I don't know why they would put a seam there but it's too late now, I'm not giving them another chance to destroy my heels.
Light weight, didnt take long to break it in. I would get another pair, but not good on ice. Buy it if like easy to wear boots.
Most comfortable boots I have ever had right out of the box. I gave 3 stars because I expect Bellville boots to be made in the USA ( these are made in China). If the durability is anything like prior boots from Belleville I would gladly pay extra for quality boots made in the USA. I wear an 8W and these fit perfectly absolutely no movement in the heal or any where else. I feel I could ruck a 12 miler without break in time.
I give the comfort 5 stars, however the stitching on the boots starting falling apart the first week. about 2 months after wearing them, the leather ripped off the boots on the sides, front..every where..i looked like a hobo. if you're a grunt in the marines..don't buy this item.
I waited a solid 6 months after purchase prior to writing this review just so I could give an accurate account. This has been an all-around good, not great, boot. I purchased them in Afghanistan, wore them for 3 months while deployed and continued to wear them on a daily basis after returning to the states. They are lightweight, comfortable and after 6 months, they do not appear to be showing excessive wear. The stitching has not come undone as many "aftermarket" boots tend to do after a few months of wear. They do get dirty quicker than the military issue boots and a small amount of water will cause them to change to a darker color... good luck getting them cleaned back to new. One of my only real issues with the wearing of these boots is putting them on. The design of the lace holes cause them to be harder than expected to tighten them up. I have tried several different styles of speed laces, but it continues to be a pain to get the initial tight lacing. After putting them on though, they do not loosen up as many boots do. That proves to be extremely valuable if you are doing any time of prolonged walking or ruck marching. They keep your feet warm, but not to the extent that they feel hot during the summer months. As I stated, all in all, for the money I spent on them, they are a good pair of boots that will last me through my retirement ceremony (9 months from now) I wouldn't buy them again though, based solely on the lacing issue I mentioned.
good nice boots im currently in iraq and they handle the gravelly terrain really well they also have nice ankle support...Plus they are light which is also a thumbs up.
I have been serving for 24 years, and these are the most comfortable boots I have ever owned. My shoe size is 7.5W. I ordered a 7.5W and it fits perfect. I have ran a 5k run and completed multiple forced marches with 45lb rucksack. I have not been out on the Afghanistan terrain yet, so I can't say how they will handle it. I do plan on ordering another pair before they stop making them.
I get the problem with the laces, but come on! That is a problem I am willing to overlook, due to the comfort, support, lightweight and ZERO break in time! These are the best boots I ever owned and they are worth the shorter laces........geez! I guess people have to complain.
right off the bat, the quality of the boots is low because they aren't sized right. I wear a 10.5-11 regularly; i wear a 9.5 in these. they are hard and don't have good support. definitely not worth the money.
These boots are great and comfortable. my only complaint is the laces pop out a lot for my needs in the military
This is a great boot, super comfortable and very little wearing in required. The only complaint is that it's very difficult to get on and off (this might loosen up over time) and the laces are too short. If you're getting these boots for recreational use the laces are perfect fit, but for Army SOP with ACU's the laces are too short to tuck in. But it's an easy fix, just get longer laces and they're good to go! Highly recommended
Put these boots to work for a month and you'll wish you never bought them. These boots appear to be well-made right out of the box but they start falling apart as soon as you start putting them to work. If the manufacture didn't stich the seam on the middle of the heel perfectly, you will have a little lump of leather that will dig into your heel when you are climbing a steep slope which takes a toll on your heels after a day of climbing (Having seams on the heel isn't a good idea any way because they are prone to splitting). Also, if you get them wet they take along time to dry out for such a lightweight boot and the glue holding the sole to the rest of the boots doesn't seem to be particularly water proof if the boots are in water/ mud for more than a day. Don't blow $95 on a pair of boots that will have the soles start to peel off in a month.
These are great boots for wearing around the FOB and they're even good for short marches, but I've had these for 4 months and they're starting to show signs of wear (shoelaces wearing out, sweat vent falling off). I wore them on a movement through the mountains and the toe protector dug into the 4th toe on both my feet, which was very painful for miles. Great otherwise, very comfortable, just don't expect them to be much use in the mountains.
I just bought these boots and havent used them yet. I bought them for hiking and the military, which I am in the reserves. The construction of the boots are in good quality, they are not water proof but I thought if I spray them that should do. They are good for hiking and running as well. The insulation is ok but I bought a half size larger so when my feet swell in the heat and for a insulated boot sock for the winter. I wear a 11 and half so I bought a 12. And they fit perfectly not too big. Also what I like is in the front sole toe area the boots widen a little providing more comfert for your feet and narrow in the heal. And the traction seems pretty good too.
Would give it a 4.5 star, but since they won't do 1/2 stars, round up to five stars. I've only had them about a week, so I will update later. The Good Super comfortable, no problems so far breaking them in. Shoelike in comfort. Heck may not have needed to break them in, but it's a good excuse to wear them around. They are that comfortable. Very good ankle support. No concerns when I go camping and backpacking in the near future. if they last as long as my last pair of boots (11 years), I'll be going to Philmont or Bechtel in them with my scouts. Very good traction. Played in remnents of snow, ice, and mud. No problems moving about. See 'The Ugly" about the treads though. The Bad Laces are short. When I can find a pair to tan laces or 550 cord, problem will be solved. Not a major concern. Just takes a little longer putting on. Not speed laces. The upper D rings look like speed laces, but are not. So putting on takes some time. HOWEVER if your knot comes undone or loosens up, the D rings provide enough friction to keep the boot on to provide ankle support. I can live with it. Drainage holes. Didn't realize there were drainage holes on inside curve of the boot. Not to big a fan of drainage holes, but silicon will fix. Not waterproof. A little Kiwi Protector and problem was solved. Again not a big deal. The Ugly The treads on the boot are so deep that the wife complained that I was tracking dirt throughout the house. So make sure to take off the boots ASAP when coming into the house after playing in the mud. Worth the traction the boots give.
These boots are close to perfect. Light weight but excellent support for all day wear. I disagree with previous reviews where it was said the laces are too short. I'm size 11 regular and the laces were just right with not too much excess length, even with double knot, but maybe someone with a wider foot would need a longer lace. They are tough to get on and off because they are so form fitting like a pair of socks, and the feet feel totally locked in place. Its worth the pulling and pushing you have to do to get them on for the great fit. The lacing goes way down toward the toe which really keeps the foot from floating around in the boot.
Very good boot, very stable throughout. Make sure you buy a half size down from your normal running shoe. I did that and they are about the right size, maybe a little big, but hiking boots are supposed to be that way. The material is strong and the lacing system is unique and very good. They fit like a glove once they are on and all laced up and the sole is very soft and comfortable.
Great pair of boots! I only have 1 complaint... they laces are too short for the boot. I bought a longer pair and they're G2G! March 29, 2011: Don't buy these boots!! I'm only 4 months into a deployment and I have went through 4 pairs of boot laces and are falling apart at the heels and toes!
I've had these for 6 months now and they are extremely comfortable. Very lightweight and low profile so I don't trip over things like with regular combat boots. Great product and design. Will buy again.
So far these boots have been amazing. They provide great ankle and arch support, plus being able to feel it when a good breeze rolls across your feet and cool your feet off is wonderful.
I haven't owned them for very long so can't say much about the extended life of these boots, however I can say that they are very well made boots and extremely comfortable. Have not had the chance to use them hiking, paintballing or camping yet but even just during normal wear they have never hurt my feet, nor started to cause blisters. Thats saying something considering they are not even broken in yet and about a half size to large for me. Wish I had got a half size smaller. Maybe there sizing is a little on the large side as most my shoes are size 8.5 to 9... these are 8.5 and feel a bit big. Looking forward to getting some good use out of these boots.
My husband raves about these boots to whoever will listen. He's completed a 12 mile roadmarch with zero blisters, a 10 day FTX, and jumped from a C-130 in them...all of this in the first 20 days of having the boots. Zero break-in period and zero need for another sole insert. His word for them..."AWESOME!"
Extremely light. Looks great and true to size. A little warm (thicker material than I expected). Got a blister the first time I wore them. Need some breaking in unlike the previous Bellville's I have owned.