Nike SFB (Special Forces Boot) initial impressions w/ pics

**Moose-Knuckle** · 03-12-10, 09:39

Going off the picture of the sole of the boot I would venture to say that it will last about as long as the Oakleys if not less. Keep us abreast...

**021411** · 03-12-10, 10:04

The first picture is the Oakley SI Assault. They were worn for about 7 months straight on 4 10 hour shifts per week. They've been through crap short of dog shit. My boots/shoes tend to wear on the same spot because of my gait.

This is my Danner GTX circa 2007. The middle of last year was when they went on full time. Before that, they were my rainy day boot because of the Gore Tex. They are wearing well for me but you can see that they are starting to crack.

**signal4l** · 03-12-10, 10:31

I have worn through 2 pairs of Danner Gtx boots. They all split like yours. You can send them back to Danner for replacement.

**021411** · 03-12-10, 10:33

Originally Posted by signal4l

I have worn through 2 pairs of Danner Gtx boots. They all split like yours. You can send them back to Danner for replacement.

Really.. They'll replace the boots no questions?

**mildot** · 03-12-10, 10:34

Hey Buds, I hear ya about the service life of the Oakleys, they are comfortable though. I managed to get more life out of mine than you did,about a year. I just ordered a pair of the OTB Feredelance boots, hopefully they last longer than the Oakleys.The reviews were good. More to follow.

**larry0071** · 03-12-10, 11:04

I have to agree with LittleLebowski up above about the Bates.

I use Bates at work in an industrial setting. I spend most of my day walking/climbing on concrete or steel grating, some blacktop and frequent trips on small round ladder bar going from grating level to grating level.

My Bates boots were purchased at Dick's Sporting Goods a week before December 1st 2008 and I am still wearing them today. I overpaid, Sportsmans Guide is $20 cheaper, but who is counting.

They wear really well, but the real winner here is that they are comfortable as heck! Once in a while I swap over to my Oakley Nail shoes and I can't stand them, these boots are just great, even 16 months after buying them and wearing them way too much!

I am starting to look at other Bates boots to replace these, and this is what I would like... the exact same boot but with Gore-Tex! The down fall to these is that they are like described above, a summer dry weather. Waterproof and these boots should never be in the same sentence. Add Gore-Tex and they would be too good to be true! Then I can see me wanting a second pair of these boots for winter with the Gore-tex and also add 400 grams of Thinsulate. Then I could likely get 2-3 years out of them because they could pull split duty in the seasons that they are appropriate.

Here is my 18 month old Bates ZR Duty Boots, or at least that is what I think they are called. And no!, I don't polish my work boots to crawl around in an industrial plant!

Sexy, aren't they!

**021411** · 03-12-10, 11:22

Glad I don't have a foot/shoe fetish!

With that said, I tried on a pair of Bates once before and didn't like the way they felt on my feet. They ran narrow IMO but then again I didn't try on a wide size.

**Moose-Knuckle** · 03-12-10, 11:59

I work in LE as well and have owned boots from about every manufacture out there. Bates is what I keep going back to as they last longer than the rest. Bates parent company is Wolverine Worldwide; they are the largest boot maker in the world.

http://www.wolverineworldwide.com/default.asp

For you guys that are wearing out your boots quickly try buying two pair at a time and alternate them daily, as the average human foot perspires about a pint of fluid a day. It takes 24hrs from the time you take your footwear off for them to completely dry out. Perspiration breaks down both leather and synthetic materials.