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Fluidmonolith
June 08, 2019
Durable, lightweight boots at a great price
I've owned these boots for approximately 1.5 years and have used them intermittently (1-2 times per week) for various rugged activities, including outdoor work and backpacking, in a range of climates (0F to 90F+). They are a bit worn, but are still in completely functional condition. I expect to get around another year of use out of them before they need to be replaced.If you are looking for a lightweight, durable boot, I don't think you will find much better at this price point.-I have owned other duty boots that claimed to be waterproof but were not - these Bates boots retain their waterproofing even after 1.5 years of use-These boots are a great compromise if you're looking for minimalist footwear that still protects your feet. It is, of course, not a minimalist boot by any means. But they are extremely light weight (for a duty boot), there is no shank, and the midsole is completely removable, which reduces the heel drop and sole thickness. The toe box is ok - it's not restrictive, but I also can't claim that it's really wide either.-The boots fit true to size. I can't comment on the arch support or width, since my I prefer a boot without much support (see the minimalist comment above).-The zipper function is highly useful for taking the boots off and on quickly. After 1.5 years of use, my zipper still works and remains watertight.-I have had other duty boots that needed to be retired early because the tread had been worn down in the heel. After 1.5 years of use, these boots still retain a functional tread.-These boots are a reasonable compromise for hot and cold climates. Your feet will get hot in warm weather (80+F), but no worse than any other duty boots. They are not insulated, but will keep your feet relatively warm in cooler weather (30-40F). Below that, I have had good success wearing neoprene socks inside of them for additional insulation.
✔ Verified Purchase
Very impressed!
June 19, 2015Corrections Officer. With that said I am always on my feet. I have utilized these boots for 4 days and have put them through the test. Including the daily South west Florida monsoons. Extremely comfortable, no blisters, slight dicomfort were the tongue meets the ankle but that has already began to go away. Water stays out. After being in a thunder storm with rain coming at me sideways for approximately 20 minutes did my feet start to get wet. What happened? The water gathered in the bottom of my bloused pants and wicked into my socks and gravity did the rest. As for traction, I am not a very big person, I have no mass so traction is crucial to keeping me planted on the ground and these do the job. I am used to the Bates GX 8 boots and decided to change it up. Not sure which ones are better, longevity will be the deciding factor. Hope this helps.UPDATE: It is now February 25, 2017 and I am reordering these boots for the first time due to the soles being worn down. This proves the longevity of this product and the quality in Bates Footwear. I stand behind my original review and am more than satisfied.
✔ Verified Purchase
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Richard S.
March 21, 2016
Good boot, but always room for improvement.
A beautiful piece of boot these are. Fits well at the mid-sole, but there are four areas where this design ever so slightly disappointed me. 1) unable to tighten at the toe (a bit to much wiggle room for the wee little piggies). 2) zipper gets stuck in the webbing on the side unless you carefully tuck the webbing behind it. 3) the leather rolls and wrinkles quickly (it's leather, it's to be expected) but it loses the shiny new boot look within the first week. 4) This is the biggest for me. There's no pull loop on the rear of the boot to assist when sliding on the boot and, given the ergonomic cut for the calf, it's hard to grip enough real estate to grab to slip it on without undoing the laces (which I always kept tight on previous Bates sidezips with no issue). I always end up having to grab the hook end of the velcro which can bruise up the fingers when you have to get past the first 5 inches.No issue getting it off, which is nice. Sole is sturdy with the slip resistant texture (and an awesome hexagonal pattern too). Waterproof up to the lip, but doesn't get swampy like some other brands I've worn before.All in all, I would recommend this boot. As I learn its nooks in crannies, I'm sure the minor inconveniences will be mitigated as it becomes part of my routine.
✔ Verified Purchase
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Chance Gaddis
July 12, 2016
and i still love them. Sure I ordered 1 full boot size ...
Been wearing these boots daily for about 7 months now, and i still love them. Sure I ordered 1 full boot size too large cause the amazon page links you to US/EU SHOE size comparisons, not boot size. Regardless, the insoles were a little lacking on arch support, but I need a lot of it. So i put in some semi-custom soles and wow, these things are still comfortable. They break in nicely, and wear comfortably for at least 7 months(With no sign of becoming less comfortable). After about 6 months the side zipper has started to give me problems, and I'll have to replace it soon. But then actual souls show little sign of wear and I walk almost 5 miles on concrete a day on the job. The mesh panels fill up with and old onto dust really well, making them hard to clean, and the materiel over the toes is odd. It is tough and looks and feels like real leather, but no matter what I do, I can't make the toe look good, and the rest of the boot polishes nicely. 5/5 would recommend and buy again
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