The SOCNET boots thread....

[poison]

Originally Posted by gerryeric

Try the Lem's. Sounds like they're made for your feet.

Originally Posted by poison

Fuck it, I just ordered lem's boulders. I went to run after standing for 8 hours yesterday. I run in vibrams, and my feet hurt so bad. I normally have no foot pain while running. Unacceptable, dress code be damned. I'm just gonna wear em and see if I get busted.

Been wearing those Lem's since those posts, 8-14 hrs a day, standing outside (no breaks), 5 days a week. The black cordura is faded from the sun, and scuffed in places, but not worn through; the sole wore pretty well. All in all they are outstanding boots. I wore them in the snow, and as long as I was in powder, I was warm and dry. I wore them once in extended, heavy rain, and they sucked bad, but that's to be expected. On the beach? No sand in my boots. Hiking? No problem. With jeans, khakis, tactical wear? They're a little bit odd, but fairly unnoticeable, and sometimes even look cool.

Fuck all that, though. My feet don't hurt with the super long hours standing. After a 14hr day, my feet are tired and sore, but not from being smashed in some shitbox of a boot, just from doing work all day. No back/knee pain, no achilles issues (which some boots cause for me), nothing.

Best boots ever, I recommend for light (non-ruck, civilian) use. Just bought my second pair, brown this time. My boss didn't say a word today when I rolled in with em.

[Chris-Harper]

Early father's day present from the boy. A pair of Cody James Harness boots.

[poison]

Originally Posted by poison

Been wearing those Lem's since those posts, 8-14 hrs a day, standing outside (no breaks), 5 days a week. The black cordura is faded from the sun, and scuffed in places, but not worn through; the sole wore pretty well. All in all they are outstanding boots. I wore them in the snow, and as long as I was in powder, I was warm and dry. I wore them once in extended, heavy rain, and they sucked bad, but that's to be expected. On the beach? No sand in my boots. Hiking? No problem. With jeans, khakis, tactical wear? They're a little bit odd, but fairly unnoticeable, and sometimes even look cool.

Fuck all that, though. My feet don't hurt with the super long hours standing. After a 14hr day, my feet are tired and sore, but not from being smashed in some shitbox of a boot, just from doing work all day. No back/knee pain, no achilles issues (which some boots cause for me), nothing.

Best boots ever, I recommend for light (non-ruck, civilian) use. Just bought my second pair, brown this time. My boss didn't say a word today when I rolled in with em.

I've now run through two pairs of the all leather ones. I've been out in some rain and heavy mud for 12hrs stints, and despite the toe seam, they keep my feet dry as long as I don't submerge them in water.

Anyone tried the Altama Maritime?

https://altama.com/products/altama-m...-assault-mid-1

[CivyScum]

I have the 'low' version of these. The mids were out of stock when I was shopping, although that is what I originally wanted.

I'm still breaking them in, so I'm not sure if anything I say will be true in xyz amount of time. First impressions? They look good. I was in a downpoor the second time I wore them and they held up well. I wasn't in it long enough to be drenched all the way through though, and I wasn't hopping around in puddles. I'm not sure how well they would work for some fast footwork situations though (e.g., running) because they are flat on the bottom. The insoles are some kind of rubberish material. Very grippy, which is a little odd at first, and may be a little rough on socks or feet? The bottom feels like they would grip the slippery surfaces when soaked, which has some value in itself. When they were wet I walked through a lobby and had much better traction than with any of my hiking shoes/boots/regular shoes by a significant margin.

[poison]

Cool, sounds promising! I mostly wear barefoot style shoes, so flat is great for me.

[GPC]

I'm wearing Lems primal and the Boulder boots. Really like them very comfy. Though they are not the best if you have to stand on concrete for long periods. Great for hiking and other outdoor activity.

[poison]

Boulder boots are awesome. I wear them 5 days a week at work, and they'll be worn out by the end of this year (2 years daily wear).

[morelocks]

Picked up a pair of the Under Armour Raider boot. I have a narrow foot and these were the only ones that fit well enough. Tried everything at REI, Cabelas and other shops but they did not have my size in Lowa or even Asolo. I had a coupon for UA for $40 so took a shot on these.

I have about 20 miles in them under with a 30lb pack.

Light boot, waterproof and breathes well. Little break in time. Good over broken ground, packed trail and mud. No issues with going up a grade. Feel it on the front of your foot going downhill. BOA lacing system is good. You can certainly get them adjusted quickly with one hand, which is handy when bending over with a pack.

Will see how they hold up with the rest of the hiking season ahead.

[KW Driver]

Just got a pair of Lems Bolder boots, all leather, about a week ago. Maybe it’s because I’m wearing 48s, but that toe box makes them feel like I’m in Frankenstein’s boots. They look clunky. And I was concerned about the leather quality, based on their dull, flat appearance. One coat of polish is making them clean up nicely. My pair has a touch of color disparity between the pieces of each boot. The cotton inner liner makes me wonder about it’s durability too. Two years of daily wear speaks pretty well for them I guess.

But damn they’re comfy. And light, and look like they pack small.

[kat68]

Interesting article about some Wellco boot executives going to jail. Old news but didn't notice anything posted here.

http://www.timesnews.net/Business/20...-in-USA-scheme

[poison]

Originally Posted by KW Driver

Just got a pair of Lems Bolder boots, all leather, about a week ago. Maybe it’s because I’m wearing 48s, but that toe box makes them feel like I’m in Frankenstein’s boots. They look clunky. And I was concerned about the leather quality, based on their dull, flat appearance. One coat of polish is making them clean up nicely. My pair has a touch of color disparity between the pieces of each boot. The cotton inner liner makes me wonder about it’s durability too. Two years of daily wear speaks pretty well for them I guess.

But damn they’re comfy. And light, and look like they pack small.

Yeah, the problem with shoes that let your toes splay properly ^. It's hard to avoid the clown-shoe look, but Lem's does a good job breaking it up with the seam around the toe area. Without it, they'd look awful.

The cotton inner lining doesn't wear out at all, in my experience with 5 pairs of various Boulders. I did use some beaver oil shit to waterproof one pair more, but it seemed to cause the sole to separate from the leather, so I won't do that again. Kiwi polish is fine, and they stand up to water well, though eventually rain will soak through the stitching in that toe seam if you let it puddle on top enough. They're quite good though, for being non-waterproof, more than enough for commuting or urban wear.

Here are a few more boot options, which I'm considering:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/mens/everyday/scott-leather-mens

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/mens/off-road/tracker-fg-mens?colour=Black

https://www.senmotic-shoes.com/walking-barefoot-shoes-alpin-summer/ (lol, not sure I can do that, too eurotrash)

https://us.joe-nimble.com/collections/men-1/products/roamstertoes-men-1
($$$ )

https://xeroshoes.com/shop/shoes/hiking/dlh-men/ (spotty quality)

The barefoot shoe category has kind of dwindled as of late; companies like New Balance, which used to offer them, aren't anymore, but this has strengthened other smaller companies. So, here's a comprehensive list of barefoot shoe companies, for you viewing pleasure/wallet pain:

https://www.reddit.com/r/BarefootRunning/comments/6g8hcf/barefoot_shoes_brand_list_anything_else/

Good luck.

[poison]

Anyone try the goruck macv-1 boots yet?

[CivyScum]

Originally Posted by poison

Anyone try the goruck macv-1 boots yet?

I have. They actually surprised me a lot. I actually almost cancelled my order because I didn't think they would be any good, but because I preordered them a long time ago, I couldn't cancel. I'm glad I didn't because they do some things well:

VERY light. I haven't weighed them, but they are considerably less weight than any of my other boots (and most of my shoes).

Look better in person. I was worried they'd be the type of boot that looks too intense. They're not. They almost look like running shoes once the long pants are on- save for the leather-ish texture/shine.

Fit is good. Sizing seemed accurate for my feet.

Seems to have good levels of air circulation. I can feel the air come through the tongue of the boot in a respectable 'circulation' way.

QUIET. Walking around in them, they are extremely quiet. One of the things I like most about them.

No opinion on weather resistance yet. Haven't had them long enough to see how they fair in rain or the like. Doubt they are great for cold weather. Seem more like they would accel in the summer, spring, and fall.

Grip seems good so far. They're new, and I've only been pavement-slapping in them. No outdoorsy tasks yet. No deep groves for mud to get caked in, I think.

Feel dexterous and movement oriented.

The ankle fabric/guard is super thin. I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of this. Seems like if your ankle hits a rock or table leg, it probably doesn't afford much protection. Could be wrong, but they are way thinner than I thought they'd be.

Sole cannot be replaced. At least, I don't think they can. I read somewhere the owner stated this. Based on observation, I don't think they can either. It's a concession for sure. It seems like a boot that once the sole is worn out, you probably have to buy a new pair.

Sole looks thick-ish though. We'll see how they hold up. The way I walk lends to me absolutely destroying soles very rapidly, so I'll probably be the first of those to know how they hold up.

Overall, I'm happy with them. Not sure they are my favorite footwear (mostly only from a fashion stand-point), but I think it serves as a great boot for everyday walking. Not sure I would use them over a hiking boot for hiking (only because of the protection and possible durability questions, but they are light, so I'm tempted to see how they do), but they seem to be more of an all-around boot for most days.

I haven't worn them too long, or for long times, so I'm not sure what the prolonged feeling is on the feet. But for the couple hours I have worn them, they were feeling great.

[poison]

Nice feedback. How's the forefoot width?

[osubuckeye762]

Kat68
Thanks for posting the article, I never saw it.

Well, that explains why I have not been able to buy Wellco boots for the last few years.

They were the only boots (summer/cold weather) for the last 10-12 years. I have weird feet (super wide front foot with a very narrow heel) and they fit my feet really well.

I have been playing havoc trying to find a new military boot that falls within regs that fits half way decent.

[low&slow]

Originally Posted by osubuckeye762

Kat68
Thanks for posting the article, I never saw it.

Well, that explains why I have not been able to buy Wellco boots for the last few years.

They were the only boots (summer/cold weather) for the last 10-12 years. I have weird feet (super wide front foot with a very narrow heel) and they fit my feet really well.

I have been playing havoc trying to find a new military boot that falls within regs that fits half way decent.

I am in the same boat. The most comfortable boot I’ve worn is the Blackhawk Desert Warrior boot (10EE) but no gortex. I have had success with Danners also, however now they have gone chinwah and the size scale is hosed. I tried a bunch of their boots last month to no avail so I am waiting for the Rivot model to be back in stock. Let me know if you find a good boot so I can try it on my potato feet. I am looking for a gortex boot now.

[DaveP]

Originally Posted by low&slow

I am in the same boat. <snip> I am looking for a gortex boot now.

(super wide front foot with a very narrow heel)

I haven't gone back much in this thread, but have you tried Salomon's, particularly the Quest 4D gtx hiker? My feet are practically chick-sized but have the wide forefoot, narrow heel as well; boots, and particular climbing boots have always been a problem (forget about tele and rando gear).
My daily wear outside of work has been a pair of the Quests (orange!) that have lasted almost 10 years, point of failure is becoming sole delam; my mountain boots are also Salomon's, double leather, and fit well enough that they've never yielded blisters and still provide excellent circulation to keep warm.
Waterfall ice it's a pair of LaSportiva Nepal gtx but as a brand their last seems to run narrower in the forefoot; my pair was not fun initially but has softened enough to be all-day now. Folks with slightly slimmer fit swear by their light hiker options, though.

DaveP

[Kip]

Need a pair of black boots that can be shined for the police academy. Any recommendations? I was warned against Under Armour because they apparently won't hold up to all of the ear they will get.

Not looking to spend a fortune, but don't want to buy something that won't last for a while.

[Shark0311]

Originally Posted by Kip

Need a pair of black boots that can be shined for the police academy. Any recommendations? I was warned against Under Armour because they apparently won't hold up to all of the ear they will get.

Not looking to spend a fortune, but don't want to buy something that won't last for a while.

Altama Jungle boots shine up the best. Once they are broken in they are great.

[Kip]

Originally Posted by Shark0311

Altama Jungle boots shine up the best. Once they are broken in they are great.

Any recommendations within the brand? I'm looking at the 6 inch ones; I tried on a pair of 8 inch 5.11s yesterday and they weren't very comfortable.

Military Boots Direct sells them for a decent price. I was looking at the 6-inch OrthoTacX or the 6-inch Side Zip LITESpeed. And they do free size exchanges and all that.