OTB Boots

[Quick Stick]

I used the search and found some useful information. I have a couple of questions.

First, I will be using the boot for duty and range. I NEED a boot that will keep my feet from pain day in day out. The older I'm getting (31, I know it's not that old but it feels like it!) the more comfort I'm needing. Second, I want a light boot.

I've had a couple pair of Rocky and Danner's. Danners being my favorite. Problem is 10 months or so into the boot, I find the comfort isn't there. Plus the boots I've have aren't very light.
From everything I've being reading, I have decided to go to a light weight boot. I know long term durability won't be great, but I will trade it for the extra comfort.

I was wanting to go with the OTB Bushmaster and with the SAR. Bushmaster for duty and the SAR's for training or for duty in a pinch. Would the SAR's work (comfort wise) as a secondary duty boot if my primary boot is wet or damaged? Always gotta have a backup, right.

Anybody using these for a duty/training boot? Can you guys share comfort use with the boots and also sizing fit. I'm to the point I would rather replace a boot every 6 or 7 months and still have happy feet!

[Sgt5811]

Hands down, the most comfortable boot ever has to be the Under Armor Valsetz boot. Perfect for just about anything a running shoe could do, yet look like a high speed duty/"tactical" boot. They run true to size and hold up pretty well after the last two months of daily 4/10 duty wear. Second to those that I have worn are the Oakley SI Assault boots. The only complaint I have about those are the durability. They wore out after around ten months. Both can be purchased for around $100-110 if you purchase with LE/MIL discounts.

[coloccw]

+1 for the Oakley Assault. They've fixed the problem (finally) with the soles separating by stiching the entire seam and upgraded to vibram soles. I'm getting almost 1.5 yrs on them now. Definately every day boots. Add gortex socks in rain/snow and you're good.

[madisonsfinest]

OTB have very nice, lightweight boots. I wear the bushmasters for ever day use and they are super comfortable, but they are starting to come apart near the heal. I have used them for over a year though. I have a pair of the freederlander (I think that's what they are called) for duty. I've had those for a year and they are starting to wear down now. I would get the bushmasters again for sure

[Hammer27]

I'm a big fan of my SAR boots. Very light, agile, and of course the drain like no one's business. Only thing to be careful of is that the strap across the top can be a pain if you're not wearing very thick socks. Sole probably won't last as well as others if you're in a rocky/urban environment but I would still recommend them.
When OTB went under NB they had a big sale and these went for $40...

[HAVOC 5150]

I wear a pair of OTB Ferdelance boots, have had them for close to 2 years and they are my primary duty boot. They are light and comfortable, I put some inserts I got from fleet feet in them and made them a lot more comfy. I have two complaints, the mesh on the boots wore through and if it's cold and Windy it cuts right through the mesh vents.

[sgtjosh]

I am a uniformed LEO for a large federal agency deployed on the border...guess which one. I am on my feet all day. Add in the fact that I have an 80+ lb. dog pulling me around the high desert mountain region we work in. The terrain ranges from desert scrub, huge rock piles, desert highway (checkpoint,) to rolling hills. I have been through many pair of boots. Here are my thoughts. All boots in black leather.

Danner Acadia
Pro-Very tough boot. This one is very water/weather resistant. It will protect your foot/ankle. This boot wears well. I know a guy who swears by them because they kept a bad break from being really bad.
Con-It is expensive and very heavy.

Converse Tactical Boot
Pro-Very Comfortable and light
Con-Des not wear well with hard use. Tread goes flat quickly. Heel piece separates from back of boot. Not water proof

Blackhawk Warrior Wear Ops Boot
Pro-Tough, wears well, a good balance between weight and durability. Very water/weatherproof
Con-None

Under Armor Trail Boot
Pro-Extremely light and pretty comfortable.
Con-a tennis shoe masquerading as a boot. Not enough leather. Not available in wide widths. Not waterproof. This boot is not for field use.

Oakley 6" Tactical Boot
Pro-Comfortable and light, priced well on www.usstandardissue.com
Con-Not as wear resistant as the Danner/Blackhawk. Not water proof.

[TOM1911]

I've been wearing the Desertlites for aboiut three months so, I don't have long term wear data but, they are very light and suprisingly tough for a lightweight boot. They, and their cousins the Junglelite are designed for hot and humid environments where you'll occasionally run into water and the boots drain quickly. They supposedly are designed for load carrying such as rucks and cargo and I've seen info that they're reinforced in the soles to mitigate foot fatigue. If what you're looking for is something a bit tougher, I'd look to the Bootistans that OTB offers. As for fit and comfort, I found the Desertlites ran about a half size small and width runs in the E to EE range. Once I got the sizing worked out, I find that they are comfortable after a short break-in period of about two to three days of regular use and have become compliant and very light on the foot, a very marked difference from the Danners I used to wear.

[knoxtnshooter]

No input on the LEO side, but the Nike SFB is incredibly light and I believe it's available in black. I wear them every day and they are starting to be more comfortable than my running shoes.

[ra2bach]

I thought I knew what a good boot was until I got my Asolo Fugitives. fantastic...

[Boxerglocker]

I thought I knew what a good boot was until I got my Asolo Fugitives. fantastic...

+100.... I bought 2 pairs, of Asolo Fugitives GTX's when Serra Trading had their big closeout sale. Recommended them to at least a dozen guys at work and my IDPA/TAC rifle club who also bought them. Great boots.:D

[Mr_Anderson556]

I second the Blackhawk boot I use the Desert ops boots in the Army and really like them one pair lasted just over a year and I am on my second pair.

[nowayout]

The Asolo Fugitives are great but my feet get too hot in them which I think has to do with the goretex.

But back on topic I just placed an order for the OTB Bushmasters so I will post some feedback after I get them

[Tiny86]

I think I'm going to try a pair of the bushmasters. Anyone have a good site to order from?

[Dmaynor]

I like the Oakley SI boots as well. In fact I switch between the boots and the shoes all the time. The only problem I have is that I don't feel like they support my ankle enough. They really feel like you are wearing tennis shoes. You could PT in the with no problem.

The ankle thing is a minor gripe considering its a great price and they are very durable. I also tend to trade boots out at the 6 month mark.

[Dmaynor]

I think I'm going to try a pair of the bushmasters. Anyone have a good site to order from?

Sorry for the double but:

US Cav has always done right by me. They have the Bushmaster boots now for $119.

Crap I didn't realized Bushmaster boots are made by New Balance. I think I'll order a pair on 8" and try them out. I use New Balance shoes for running and love them.

[trinydex]

Ive been wearin the abyss boots for a few months. I got them specifically NOT to use in the water, but to use in the heat.

That said, these are not waterproof, duh.

the width size is somewhere around quadrouple e. This is amazing for someone who has wide duck paddlers for feets.

they are airy. When a breeze goes by your feet feel it through the side mesh, from the bottom even.

They are light. The inner construction is all mesh. Outter is strips of rubbery, scuff resistant material and thats it.

Sole is nothing but siped rubber, these will cause foot fatigue if your dont get enough sit down on a whole work day.

Sole is not impervious to dust, if you walk on dirt roads all day you will have dirt road on your socks at the end of the day.

Probably would not wanna run through cactus patch with these.

Unfortunate color selection, black and green. Black gets hot in direct sunlight...

Overall i really like them for the narrow application i got them for. THey dont seem the most rugged of all boots but not too shabby. Its definitely a lot more like a merell hiker than a combat boot.

[Heartland Hawk]

I just bought a pair of the Bootistans. A really aggressive tread, and once you break them in, they are very comfortable and wear true to size. Just a little extra room for thick socks, and a little extra room in the toe box. I liked them so much I bought a second pair. A little warmer, but an all around very well made rugged boot. I use them for every day wear. can't go wrong for a great mid-weight hiker.

[PrivateCitizen]

Love me some Scarpa's. All about the support comfort.

I've been in a pair of Scarpa Nangpa-la for a year+.

http://dragonfly-media.com/_img/misc/scarpa-nangpa-la.png
(the upper is really a drab green/grey, not silver-ish)

They use a Gore XCR barrier so they don't heat up as a normal GoreTex liners. They are very comfortable and still in great shape.

They do well in all but a full on sprint on urban surfaces … most trek boots don't.

I'm considering these for something lighter …
http://www.zappos.com/scarpa-dharma-pro-smoke-fog

[black op]

Ive been running the blackhawk desert ops for over year and for durability and comfort I give them an 8-1/2 to 9. The foot bed is in need of replacement but that is it. Danner is making a boot that has an adjustable foot bed in them might want to check them out too.

Good Luck and Stay Safe

[macnamara]

+1 for the Nike SFBs.

[Jellybean]

Blackhawk Warrior Wear Ops Boot
Pro-Tough, wears well, a good balance between weight and durability. Very water/weatherproof
Con-None

Not to derail things here but:

Are those Blackhawks the W.W. "DESERT" Ops, or "Black" Ops boot?
Looked on USCav.com & Blackhawk, and I'm not familiar enough with the brand to know otherwise.

I'm in the same boat as the OP. Thought I had a pair that would work and didn't.:(

[Mat]

I've been wearing OTB JungleLite's for about a year and they are positively the most uncomfortable boot I've worn in years. Jungle boots probably are not the ideal boot for my needs but it's what I bought so I've been using them. The lacing loops make anything other than a simple crisscross not work correctly so I can't get any sort of support making it easy to "taco" fold an ankle on rocks. I walk/run back and forth across acres of rocks everyday and free climb 30 foot stacks of lumber. The thick soles don't transmit much feeling from the ground so it's hard to tell if I've got any purchase while climbing. Durability-wise the stitching started popping out around the sole after about a month of summer time use last year. Even on a light work day from just walking around my ankles and calves are sore. I've been waiting for the wet season to slow down before switching but I'm going back to Salomons this week.

Added: Not fun to run in, the "taco" fold factor takes up a lot of attention when running!

[jtb0311]

I too had trouble with OTB jungles - they were very uncomfortable and pinched the front of my ankles (and, FWIW, in my USMC days I rocked old school green jungle boots - a far better choice for me still).

On the flip side, I've been happy with the OTB Thor boots. Light and very comfortable.

[nickdrak]

I have a pair of the OTB Bushmasters. My feet dont care for 'em at all. Nice and light, but not very comfortable for me.

Lowa makes their Zephyr GTX in black. Its called the Task Force Mid GTX: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042ANHTA?ie=UTF8&tag=highaltigard-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0042ANHTA

I have the standard color Zephyr. Very light, very comfortable, and keeps your feet dry and cool in the summer.

[Quick Stick]

UPDATE. First, thank you guys for your thoughts. I went with the OTB Bushmasters. It's only been about 3 weeks now, but so far I love the boots. I have had several 12 plus hour days in them and can't find anything bad to say. No break in required and the sizing was spot on.

Hopefully as mileage gets higher on the boots I'll stay satisfied. I can't get over how light the boots feel. If they hold up, I'll will be a repeat customer. I will post back after I get more time with the boots.

[neo9710]

How are the boots working out?! Im in the same boat and DEFINITELY need a pair of new boots. But let me get this straight - the Bushmasters are NOT waterproof? I understand that the original design of OTB boots are to drain water but Im looking at them for a patrol boot..

[madisonsfinest]

They are not waterproof. They are light, very comfortable, and breathe really well.

[mattexass]

Very good to know.