Absolutely!-- But this other guy? Gives the impression he doesn't want to be there---- hard for me to listen to someone like that. For one thing he needs to show respect to someone who was probably risking his life before this dummy was born. Damn!
@@loua.1462 There's a lot of these gear videos where Coch is talking and Dorr (the other guy) just stares into his camera without blinking and honestly, someone at Hyve should say something to Dorr or the editor should be cutting that shit out. The idea is that these guys are selling training, right? Why would I want to pay money to train under Dorr?
@@loua.1462 humble the drama, show some respect yourself. These guys are not fast food workers smiling when the take your order cuz they are too stupid to know they don’t owe you shit. These are grown ass men talking about boots. Its not a motivational seminar on how to smile big like a cheesy nervous ass civilian.
Rose Anvil did a great video on several "tactical" boots, where he does a bunch of test and cuts them in half to see how theyre constructed. he found the Lowas to be the best in his testing group for several reasons. a fascinating channel for footwear.
Never been happier than with my Salomon hiking boots. Loved my jungles, tolerated my Danners, tried a bunch of different brands once I started getting to buy my own, but every pair of Salomons I've bought are worth every penny, even though they often cost quite a few.
I feel like not many people explain in depth the small things like boots, eye pro, gloves you name it. My longest serving boots I had since high school (I was that one kid lol) are some Altama Army issue boots with Vibram Sierra soles that are now my powerlifting boots. In my book, its like Converse but with ankle support.
@@TacticalHyve it’s crazy I was watching this video and at first I thought you guys were just two regular civilian type guys talking about military stuff, but then when the guy on the left said he’s green team the other guy said he’s a buds instructor I literally pooped my pants. Great video guys I would recommend Lowa Innox gtx as the kings of 2022 over Salomon/salewa.
Who knew two guys talking about boots could be so interesting? If my wife & her friends we’re talking about their shoes, I’m pretty sure I’d be running out onto the highway. Great job on such mundane subject matter!
I was a Corpsman with the Marines in Okinawa. Early 90’s. I always wore my all leathers in the field, kept them clean daily. I left my jungle boots for inspection because there’s so much less to polish. Still have the leathers, still comfy AF. I have new side zip Danners and they’re fine. Don’t yet get the hype, but I’ve miles still to go. Thanks for great content!
You two could take this show on the road! I feel like I’m in a team room with the two yucksters. Good stuff. If your feet aren’t happy, no one happy for sure !
I remember reading about how green berets would cut the soles off a pair of converse and contact cement them backwards to the bottoms of their jungle boots to confuse the NVA and VC which direction they were traveling.
Lowa Zephyr GTX Mid hands down. Best boots I've ever had. They're lightweight, durable, good ventilation in the heat but keep you warm enough in the cold, waterproof. Hard to go wrong.
They were my go-to boot for years but I got a new pair but the fit and design changed a little. The fit was not as good but I wore them anyway because I loved my previous pairs. The tread started tearing off on the first hike. I hiked that trail many times with previous pair of Zephyrs. Lowa denied the boot had changed, despite sending them pictures. I ordered them directly from Lowa. Lying sacks. They did replace them... With another pair that did the exact same thing.
Roman legionaries wore armour that weighted 7-11 kgs and a helmet of 2,5 kgs. depending on the type of armour. Segmented armour was lighter than mail. They marched with around 40 kgs of equipment. Their boots also had ankle support.
Never knew Dave Grohl was that into boots before... I kid, I kid. Thank you for your time and the video I learned way more than I ever would have thought. And, thank you very much for your service.
This was a cool video. I’m a cop of 28yrs. Funny how I had a lot of these same boots. They probably flowed downhill to us from the SF guys. I wore, Danner, Bates, Oakley, Merrell, Salomon, 5.11 and now Viktos.
I got the black Viktos Strife. I’ve been wearing them about a month. They feel like high quality leather hiking boots. Good cushioning with factory insole and I like the sole design and rubber traction. I usually wear 10wide or 10.5, but with Viktos a plain 10 fits me perfect.
I remember my first deployment to Iraq I bought a pair of Converse desert boots. Those things were great! Felt like a running shoe. After 6 months the bottoms literally fell off. I Remember by my third tour everyone who was anyone was probably rocking the Solomon's.
I bought my first pair of Solomons mid height boots about a year and half ago. I love em. I'm on concrete at least 60 hours a week and I wouldn't trade them for anything. You guys are doing a great job. May God bless you and yours and God bless America 🇺🇸.
Danner has been my go too for 20 years . Last year I picked up Salomon XA Forces GTX . They took a solid 3 weeks to break in . Now I live them but Danner is still my preferred..
Roman soldier kit was pretty consistent in weight. Generally 40 pounds, give or take a few pounds here and there. They didn't fight in it, but it was their marching load.
Their marching load was actually a lot closer to the weight of a modern soldiers equipment (full backpack, specialized equipment, weapons etc). Important to remember that the marian reforms (around 100bc) changed the way Roman soldiers carried equipment away from using ox carts and most baggage animals to carry their gear, making it so that EVERYTHING from tent posts and shovels and several days worth of rations would be carried by each soldier in addition to their armor, weapons and clothing. Weight was usually closer to 70 + lbs, and they could never rely on vehicles or anything but their feet to carry it. As for footwear, they didn't CHOOSE socks and sandals over supportive boots, supportive boots simply didn't exist in Roman times, even medieval times, they barely started existing until the last 150 years or so. There were a few advantages of the sandals they wore, but if they had an alternative that would give them some ankle support and protection around the side they would have taken that in a heartbeat. If there were actually soldiers who justified using the low cut boots by saying the Roman's didn't need boots, they're morons because the Romans didn't HAVE boots
love my danners ,the radical is my favorite for work , tree climbing ground work , waterproof sturdy , great ankle support. A winner . For colder weather , hunting in western, and northern Maine a insulated ft Lewis their Airbob sole is a great addition when the original sole wears out , but wears fast on hard surfaces. By the time you’ve put two,or three soles on they are like old friends on your feet 😎
Active duty Army officer here. In my prior enlisted infantry days my first team leader introduced me to panama sole desert boots and I gotta say I've tried just about everything through my last 18 years on active duty and to this day I am still wearing Altama panama sole jungle style desert boots. When you get them broken in they're like sneakers.
My first pair of Danners, I also wore them for a while with those goofy plastic heel riser nonsense in there until I learned better! Lol made my day, glad I wasn’t the only one.
Saw the Lowa’s in the thumb, knew y’all would end with them. They’re hard to beat. Also have an awesome pair of Under Armour with BOA lacing that are excellent.
Love chucks. You guys should check out the Altama OTB. Designed like chucks, made to fit inside fins for frogmen. Slip resistant as well so perfect for Mar-ops. Comfy, too.. 😀
Being a regular army guy, Garmont Bifidias will always be my go-to, they're great for swampy environments, they held their own in the mountains, and in the cold they pair nicley with some thick wool socks. for when I'm not wearing a compliant boot, the asolo fugitives are my next favorite.
I think matching the boots to the terrain always helps. I had the altamas recently and they were no bueno in the mountains/snow. Wish I had my gortex danners. Those Oakley were hot for a while and merril was the craze in 2012. But we weren't allowed to have them lol. I had the moon boots
Hey at 1:15, the gout makes no sense. What is a regular tread because boots have tons of different treads. Honestly you look lost for your words and the young guy looks like he could care less. Typical too cool for school Susan. I sure hope tac pack isn’t paying y’all too much. Because this video was sorely lacking in clear communication and enthusiasm for the subject matter.
My first two pair of boots (outside of training) were the issued jungle boots and a pair of the exact same original design Danner Acadias. In fact I still wear my Danners for fall hunting and I bought them in 1987. Best boot for the terrain in the northern US, Korea and other similar climates. I wore the jungle boots for work in the southern US and regions further south. I had no need for the “tactical boots” that started to become popular at the time. They just wouldn’t hold up or provide the support needed for the heavy field use we needed them for.
I was lucky enough to have a size 16 when in basic! Had to wear my dress shoes for the first 6 weeks at Great Mistakes in January!!!! But got to get a custom pair of Red Wing boots after service week.....talk about a transformation!!!
There is a "funny" story about Lowa. As you may know Adidas and Puma are two German companies of two brothers who drifted apart businesswise. With Lowa and Hanwag it's actually pretty much the same. Lowa was founded in Germany in the 1920s and the two brothers of the founder, founded their own company - Hanwag (which is also known for phenomenal boots) just a bit earlier. My personal favourites are also the Lowa boots - and I also have very good experience with Meindl boots.
Really appreciate you guys doing this video. I've been shopping for a boot for a while and there are no physical stores to try them on. It's really difficult to just shop, but to listen to experienced veterans is helpful. I guess these companies don't really advertise themselves. They just go by word of mouth.
I bought a pair of Rocky S2V boots several yrs. ago for a backpacking trip. Loved them. No break in period. Just put them on and go go go. Only problem is you can't get them resoled.
I'm glad you guys got to some proper operational boots, ie Danners and Lowas, most of the others are fashion accessories. The closing comments are spot on too.
I was taught that the health of your body start with your feet. You take care of your feet the rest of the body will follow. They were talking about running shoes, but still the same idea. I've had many of the boots that you showed, but I had to buy mine. But I think you guys paid in a different way. I like Danner and Belleville boots the most. You can now appreciate glues, and how heat impacts them. Just be thankful you didn't have to wear steel toe boots. Great video!!!
Great vid. I do wish you covered your boots going through Benning. Four of us USN EOD guys went in ‘82 and even utilizing the Boot Black, we were still in the Gig Pit every morning. 🤣
New to the channel - really liked your vibe - very laid back. As a former USAF pilot, I had similar experiences going from old-school leather to Bellevilles. Comfortable, dry boots make all the difference.
Love that Danner was a solid choice for the professional fighter. I have been wearing Danner since I first started working construction back in the 90's and have never felt the need to look anywhere else.
Rocking my second pair of Danner Acadias in my patrol car in Feb at 28F now. I love them! The only issue is getting the toe into chain link fence holes when hopping fences. So for the summer time track meets in the ghetto, I use the Adidas GSG-9.2’s…however the originals were the ultimate urban, foot chase or sneaky boots. Light and QUIET!!
Thanks for the walk (no pun intended) down memory lane. (93-04, 15-19). Still have the Danners from the late 90's. And occasionally will rock the Solomons riding the Harley or at the range.
We started wearing Danners in 87. I wore Israeli desert boots on Gulf War. The Marines started using and testing everything in the 80's. Sleeping bags, vortex, poly pro, stoves, gloves... 2nd ANGLICO, USMC.
I recently bought a pair of Salomon Quest forces boot. They are ranger green and seem pretty good so far. I hunt deer and have plenty of land to hunt on so I plan to see how well they hold up real soon.
I just bought a pair of Zephyr Mk2 GTX for myself. They are amazing and will definitely be getting a pair for my uniform come July. I am running the Salomon Quest Forces GTX and they are also amazing, I heard a lot of good things about the lowa boots and decided to test them out. Very comfortable.
They made the GSG 9's in tan. I remember them being like rocking horse sh** when everybody transitioned from black to brown boots permanently. Hated the Asolo's though, a lot of guys ran them but I always preferred the Salomon Quests, even if you're ere guaranteed an eyelet blowout in less than a year
With my years in Batt and in 7th group you are so correct when you say that if you choose right life will be good and if you choose wrong you can be crippled and a HUGE liability. Great video glad to see that someone really put out a video explaining about boots for the new generation.
Fantastic subject, extremely important piece of equipment. The weapon can't perform if his feet don't work. Always loved my Danner Pronghorns for elk and deer hunting, and for me hunting is usually just a bunch of hiking while carrying a bunch of extra crap and a rifle for a week. Can't imagine how many miles the two of you have put on your feet during your careers, but I'd imagine it's in the thousands to tens of thousands, which means we should listen when you talk about footwear.
Lowa Z8S GTX. Absolute best pair of boots I have ever worn. Going on 8 years with my current pair, soles are wearing through but I can't stop wearing them. Tried several pairs of Salomons, great boots but they don't hold up near as long as Lowa and they are not for wide feet. Even the extra wide versions don't fit me well.
I was issued Salomon Quest 4D GTX. For long rucks they were great. They were bulky though. I got some Vasque Juxt which were great but wore out quickly. Then I bought some Vasque St. Elias and I was in heaven... They were so comfortable, waterproof, and lasted a long time.
I have a couple pairs of Belleville’s and they’re absolutely amazing. If you’re a beefy dude then you’ll love them. Super comfortable and it’s real easy to wear them. Ive had a pair last well over 5 years as work boots.
I got issued Bates for bootcamp, moved to the Bellevilles after, but my favorites were my regular Danners and my Danner RAT that I wore for OEF I and II. I still have an unworn pair of Belleville with that EGA. You're right, we are pretty territorial about that. 😂 Btw, team guys like you put me onto the Merrells that I still wear today. 👍
Great video. Nobody on UA-cam seems to cover this. Your feet extremely important to keep healthy. I'm surprised that you don't see more suggestions for boots. Channels will post 20 videos on options for combat belt, but nothing on boots & gloves.
😂😂😂the bellevilles are fantastic boots. And yeah you didn’t earn my EGA! 😂 but our corpsmen wore them. If you were blending with us, I don’t see the issue. Also! I was in a boat company. We used to learn zodiacs and raid tactics in Coronado for a few weeks a year. One of my favorite things was getting flashed by all them hot ladies on the party boats in San Diego bay. They probably thought we were SEALs 🤷🏼♂️ it was a nice break from seeing everyone’s nutts flapping in the wind as we wore UDT’s. Great video fellas!
Call me a gear nut, I was looking for an everyday boot and saw the Asolo Fatigues being worn in the game MOH warfighter. Love those boots. I have a pair of Danner Acadias for work and those are the best boots for LE.
Man I wonder how close you were to my COP on the euphrates. We were right next to uday and qusay’s river house, near salman pak. No lie it was like “the nam”, full of palm trees, 6ft grasses & tons of fish farms.
I’ve never personally served but I have always been a huge fan of Nike and Oakleys combat style boots. I recently made a purchase (company purchased woohoo) and got the Oakley Coyote Desert Boots in a 1/2 size up from my normal size 12 and holy crap they are amazing! Yes there isn’t much support but they are extremely light. I work in trucking freight and normally have to wear steel caps but being flat footed they are great. Very limited now for Australia too.
Great video, guys! I clicked on the video intending to watch a few minutes but stayed for the whole thing. Coch - I met you around 20 years ago at WARCOM when I tagged along with Jeff Cahill from TangoDown who was test fitting some vertical grips on the MK46's. You were our gracious host and showed us around, with that winning smile on your face the whole time 🙂 You were amused I was so excited to hang out in the armory like a kid in a candy store.
I was issued the Army version of Belleville boots and wore them for 2 1/2 years before they wore out. Best pair I ever had. Reliable, comfy and broke in perfectly.
And I thought women were bad about shoes! 🤣 Honestly, the last 1.5 minutes of the video is where the “no truer words were spoken” stuff is - take care of your feet! No one shoe/boot works for all situations or environments. Lastly, the best part is the story telling (have a pair of boots just for when you are going in to get your butt chewed) and the obvious admiration these guys have for each other and what they did comes through loud and clear. Thanks (again) TH.
My mates swear on their Lowa boots. Where I got conscripted, we got issued Haix, so for my 2nd deployment I got myself the Black Eagle. Light as sneakers and as comfortable. Unfortunately the glue on the sole kinda dissolved. So now I'm considering either the Lowa, which in my eyes appear very clunky, being used the slim Haix. Or going for the Merrell Moab which suits like a glove but I don't know anyone rockin' them to tell me their experience in durability.
I’ve had 3 pairs of Moab’s over the years and I have liked them but the durability isn’t there. I probably would not buy them for combat applications, I don’t think they’ll last in that environment
Love my pair of bates, civilian stuff but my favorite boot during the winter. When I go to any kind of training or hiking I use by Lowa GTX something boots they are amazing, my favorite boot.
I had my USMC bootcamp issue jungle boots resoled 3x's (with cool guy tread) and made them my designated 'hump-boots' the entire time I was in service- for the simple reason that I never got a blister with those things, and at the time the only boots we were allowed were either jungles or our all-leather garrison 'Cadillacs'- After years of civilian backpacking/working outdoors, etc., and trying MANY various brands and styles of footwear, I also settled on Lowa (I guess great minds think alike?)- I have wide feet too and their wide size 'Renegade' are the shit- like Coch, I have 3 pairs in various states of degradation and at this point can't fathom doing anything significant outside in anything else. (although, based on the discussion here, I must admit to hiking barefoot here in the Pac NW (summer)- its been many years, but once you allow your feet to become conditioned and build-up, there is really nothing better). Awesome discussion/information/history gentlemen- Cheers!
You guys ever get issued the Altama Maritime Assault Boot? It's basically a Chuck Taylor but specifically designed to be worn with military fins. They have rubberized insoles to avoid soaking up excess water as well large drain holes on each side. The soles are also more grippy than regular chuck Taylor's and they come in various military colors. They're pretty comfortable too.
Man, I had no idea I was so interested in what you guys wore on your feet. No joke, you guys made me interested. Can't say exactly why your content is more enjoyable to watch, but it is.
Had OTB's in the ghan for the green zones - couldn't have asked for a better boot... the only downside was the soft soles when walking on those snooker ball sized moon rocks under load.
FYI. those plastic inserts in the Danner boots are supposed to be in them when you wear them IF you have a certain type of foot that needs it. They call them “airthotics” they can actually help about 1/3 to 1/2 the population. They even provide them with some of their more hard core hiking boots. I can’t wear them either.
Great video guys! I had the green Jungle Boots and black leather "Cadillacs" when I first came in, and went thru the slough of different Marine Corps Authorized boots after we got away from the old school stuff. From 2004-2007 I was with MAWTS-1 and spent a lot of time out at Camp Billy Machen near Nyland, Ca. and "Slab City". I think it was around Sept of 2005 and all the SEALS that were out there doing "stuff" with us in the Chocolate Mtn's for WTI were wearing and testing out the desert tan/flat dark earth Oakley boots. They looked pretty cool to me. Being a Marine I was forced to wear what we were allowed to wear and was immediately jealous. I asked one of the Chief's in the little Gym at Camp Machen about them, and I remember him saying " They make great sunglasses but their boots suck". LOL. The younger guys I spoke with seemed to like them tho. Now that I'm retired and can wear whatever I want, I wear Merrill Moab2 year round. Same boots but Breathable ones in the summer and waterproof in the winter. On another note...The Chow provided by the Cooks out there was amazing!
I like my Rocky Havoc boots. Nice and cheap but built solid. Ventilation could be better... thanks for the video. I'm interested in the operator perspective. I'm surprised you used actual chucks. Pretty neat stories.
My Solomon's were comfortable but didn't hold up well for backpacking. Went with Alico....heavier, but built like a tank and super stable in wet environments
I found some Welco temperate climate boots with a Vibram sole in an Army Navy Surplus Store back in like 2004. Those things were legitimately comfortable.
I have some 5.11 boots that I wore on duty for years. I wore them in the wet, and cold. After 10 years, they are just about ready to be replaced. I will look into some of the stuff you recommend. Thanks.
I've never heard chuck taylors described as having a "nice big wide toe box" lol id also like to mention that hooks can get caught on each other, i almost fell off a roof when it happened to me, i will not wear boots with lacing hooks unless there is absolutely no other option.
Active duty NCO in the french foreign legion, we just got the Lowa Zephyr, as a unit purchase,not officially issued, they are really that good!
@Russian Invasion of Ukraine They will teach you.
@Russian Invasion of Ukraine nope
@Russian Invasion of Ukraine and they'll see to that learn very quickly.
@Charles Northwest Such an odd piece of trivia... you must be speaking from experience.
What is the rest of the name…Lowa Zephyr ….GTF Mid TF or something like that?
Coch is always smiling. I like a dude who sports an array of deadly skills and experiences, and has a jolly demeanor about all of it. Nice!
Absolutely!-- But this other guy? Gives the impression he doesn't want to be there---- hard for me to listen to someone like that. For one thing he needs to show respect to someone who was probably risking his life before this dummy was born. Damn!
The guy next to Coch is very disrespectful and has a bad attitude.
@@loua.1462 There's a lot of these gear videos where Coch is talking and Dorr (the other guy) just stares into his camera without blinking and honestly, someone at Hyve should say something to Dorr or the editor should be cutting that shit out. The idea is that these guys are selling training, right? Why would I want to pay money to train under Dorr?
@@MindZye Woah, humble the drama and show some respect your damn self, these guys are not fast food clerks serving you with a smile, get real.
@@loua.1462 humble the drama, show some respect yourself. These guys are not fast food workers smiling when the take your order cuz they are too stupid to know they don’t owe you shit. These are grown ass men talking about boots. Its not a motivational seminar on how to smile big like a cheesy nervous ass civilian.
Rose Anvil did a great video on several "tactical" boots, where he does a bunch of test and cuts them in half to see how theyre constructed. he found the Lowas to be the best in his testing group for several reasons. a fascinating channel for footwear.
Never been happier than with my Salomon hiking boots. Loved my jungles, tolerated my Danners, tried a bunch of different brands once I started getting to buy my own, but every pair of Salomons I've bought are worth every penny, even though they often cost quite a few.
Good stuff
I loved the Solomons but with my weirdly shaped feet I would get bad blisters on the nub by my pinky toe and on my heel.
@@mmancino1982 Sounds like you got wide feet. buy accordingly.
@@mmancino1982 pour acetone on them blisters!
Salomon is my jam.
I'm really glad y'all are going into such detail about gear. Even boots. Thanks!
You bet!
I feel like not many people explain in depth the small things like boots, eye pro, gloves you name it. My longest serving boots I had since high school (I was that one kid lol) are some Altama Army issue boots with Vibram Sierra soles that are now my powerlifting boots. In my book, its like Converse but with ankle support.
@@TacticalHyve it’s crazy I was watching this video and at first I thought you guys were just two regular civilian type guys talking about military stuff, but then when the guy on the left said he’s green team the other guy said he’s a buds instructor I literally pooped my pants. Great video guys I would recommend Lowa Innox gtx as the kings of 2022 over Salomon/salewa.
Who knew two guys talking about boots could be so interesting? If my wife & her friends we’re talking about their shoes, I’m pretty sure I’d be running out onto the highway. Great job on such mundane subject matter!
A war may be lost for the want of a single horseshoe.
These videos of Coch & Dorr are just the best. You just feel like cracking one open to sit down and listen to 2 buddys talking
And I forgot: Salomon have a jungle boot, its a remake of the old altama made better.
I was a Corpsman with the Marines in Okinawa. Early 90’s. I always wore my all leathers in the field, kept them clean daily. I left my jungle boots for inspection because there’s so much less to polish. Still have the leathers, still comfy AF. I have new side zip Danners and they’re fine. Don’t yet get the hype, but I’ve miles still to go. Thanks for great content!
You two could take this show on the road! I feel like I’m in a team room with the two yucksters. Good stuff. If your feet aren’t happy, no one happy for sure !
I remember reading about how green berets would cut the soles off a pair of converse and contact cement them backwards to the bottoms of their jungle boots to confuse the NVA and VC which direction they were traveling.
Lowa Zephyr GTX Mid hands down. Best boots I've ever had. They're lightweight, durable, good ventilation in the heat but keep you warm enough in the cold, waterproof. Hard to go wrong.
They were my go-to boot for years but I got a new pair but the fit and design changed a little. The fit was not as good but I wore them anyway because I loved my previous pairs. The tread started tearing off on the first hike. I hiked that trail many times with previous pair of Zephyrs. Lowa denied the boot had changed, despite sending them pictures. I ordered them directly from Lowa. Lying sacks. They did replace them... With another pair that did the exact same thing.
@@jackieonassis7438 Damn, how long ago was this? They recently did update the boot. I have a pair of the older zephyrs and they are awesome.
Mine are ridiculously slippery on wet surfaces...
Roman legionaries wore armour that weighted 7-11 kgs and a helmet of 2,5 kgs. depending on the type of armour. Segmented armour was lighter than mail. They marched with around 40 kgs of equipment. Their boots also had ankle support.
Never knew Dave Grohl was that into boots before... I kid, I kid. Thank you for your time and the video I learned way more than I ever would have thought. And, thank you very much for your service.
This was a cool video. I’m a cop of 28yrs. Funny how I had a lot of these same boots. They probably flowed downhill to us from the SF guys. I wore, Danner, Bates, Oakley, Merrell, Salomon, 5.11 and now Viktos.
Which Vitkos do you wear..just got some core trainers for the gym🙌🏼💪🏻
I was considering viktos to replace my danners, how is the quality on them?
Same here. I did 25 years. I still have some 5.11 boots left over. I still wear them all the time.
I got the black Viktos Strife. I’ve been wearing them about a month. They feel like high quality leather hiking boots. Good cushioning with factory insole and I like the sole design and rubber traction. I usually wear 10wide or 10.5, but with Viktos a plain 10 fits me perfect.
👍
I remember my first deployment to Iraq I bought a pair of Converse desert boots. Those things were great! Felt like a running shoe. After 6 months the bottoms literally fell off.
I Remember by my third tour everyone who was anyone was probably rocking the Solomon's.
I bought my first pair of Solomons mid height boots about a year and half ago.
I love em. I'm on concrete at least 60 hours a week and I wouldn't trade them for anything.
You guys are doing a great job.
May God bless you and yours and
God bless America 🇺🇸.
I only wore OD Green Jungle Boots in the days of woodland camo BDUs. Still my favorite.
Danner has been my go too for 20 years . Last year I picked up Salomon XA Forces GTX . They took a solid 3 weeks to break in . Now I live them but Danner is still my preferred..
Try a set of Quest.
Roman soldier kit was pretty consistent in weight. Generally 40 pounds, give or take a few pounds here and there. They didn't fight in it, but it was their marching load.
fully armored knights on foot didn't fight in high boots, either.
Their marching load was actually a lot closer to the weight of a modern soldiers equipment (full backpack, specialized equipment, weapons etc). Important to remember that the marian reforms (around 100bc) changed the way Roman soldiers carried equipment away from using ox carts and most baggage animals to carry their gear, making it so that EVERYTHING from tent posts and shovels and several days worth of rations would be carried by each soldier in addition to their armor, weapons and clothing. Weight was usually closer to 70 + lbs, and they could never rely on vehicles or anything but their feet to carry it. As for footwear, they didn't CHOOSE socks and sandals over supportive boots, supportive boots simply didn't exist in Roman times, even medieval times, they barely started existing until the last 150 years or so. There were a few advantages of the sandals they wore, but if they had an alternative that would give them some ankle support and protection around the side they would have taken that in a heartbeat. If there were actually soldiers who justified using the low cut boots by saying the Roman's didn't need boots, they're morons because the Romans didn't HAVE boots
@@restitvtororbis5330 'Marius' Mules'
You guys are super entertaining....never thought I'd enjoy watching a longish video about guys talking about boots....but I did.
love my danners ,the radical is my favorite for work , tree climbing ground work , waterproof sturdy , great ankle support. A winner . For colder weather , hunting in western, and northern Maine a insulated ft Lewis their Airbob sole is a great addition when the original sole wears out , but wears fast on hard surfaces. By the time you’ve put two,or three soles on they are like old friends on your feet 😎
Active duty Army officer here. In my prior enlisted infantry days my first team leader introduced me to panama sole desert boots and I gotta say I've tried just about everything through my last 18 years on active duty and to this day I am still wearing Altama panama sole jungle style desert boots. When you get them broken in they're like sneakers.
My first pair of Danners, I also wore them for a while with those goofy plastic heel riser nonsense in there until I learned better! Lol made my day, glad I wasn’t the only one.
Do you know the exact name of the pair of Danner Boots from the Video.
Greetings from Germany.
@@macgyver2161 6 months ago, but they are Danner Acadia boots if you never found out.
Saw the Lowa’s in the thumb, knew y’all would end with them. They’re hard to beat. Also have an awesome pair of Under Armour with BOA lacing that are excellent.
The guy responsible for military boots ar Lowa used to be my neighbor. I let him know about your opinion on the their boots, when I see him again
Love chucks. You guys should check out the Altama OTB. Designed like chucks, made to fit inside fins for frogmen. Slip resistant as well so perfect for Mar-ops. Comfy, too.. 😀
Being a regular army guy, Garmont Bifidias will always be my go-to, they're great for swampy environments, they held their own in the mountains, and in the cold they pair nicley with some thick wool socks. for when I'm not wearing a compliant boot, the asolo fugitives are my next favorite.
How cold can they handle? What about snow? They got drainage holes, so I imagine they let snow inside.
I think matching the boots to the terrain always helps. I had the altamas recently and they were no bueno in the mountains/snow. Wish I had my gortex danners. Those Oakley were hot for a while and merril was the craze in 2012. But we weren't allowed to have them lol. I had the moon boots
Gotta do uniforms next. Really interested in that evolution
Agree 100%
Hey at 1:15, the gout makes no sense. What is a regular tread because boots have tons of different treads. Honestly you look lost for your words and the young guy looks like he could care less. Typical too cool for school Susan. I sure hope tac pack isn’t paying y’all too much. Because this video was sorely lacking in clear communication and enthusiasm for the subject matter.
I wear my Lowas every day for regular patrol. I wear Adidas terrex 3 for jump out stuff in the city.
My first two pair of boots (outside of training) were the issued jungle boots and a pair of the exact same original design Danner Acadias. In fact I still wear my Danners for fall hunting and I bought them in 1987. Best boot for the terrain in the northern US, Korea and other similar climates. I wore the jungle boots for work in the southern US and regions further south. I had no need for the “tactical boots” that started to become popular at the time. They just wouldn’t hold up or provide the support needed for the heavy field use we needed them for.
I was lucky enough to have a size 16 when in basic! Had to wear my dress shoes for the first 6 weeks at Great Mistakes in January!!!! But got to get a custom pair of Red Wing boots after service week.....talk about a transformation!!!
Damn! That's a huge foot! How tall are you?
Salomon boots are awesome! Schnee's make some really good boots too, they're my go to heavy mountain boots
There is a "funny" story about Lowa. As you may know Adidas and Puma are two German companies of two brothers who drifted apart businesswise. With Lowa and Hanwag it's actually pretty much the same. Lowa was founded in Germany in the 1920s and the two brothers of the founder, founded their own company - Hanwag (which is also known for phenomenal boots) just a bit earlier. My personal favourites are also the Lowa boots - and I also have very good experience with Meindl boots.
My grandfather who fought his way across Europe told me how important shoes are. Always get the best !!
Really appreciate you guys doing this video. I've been shopping for a boot for a while and there are no physical stores to try them on. It's really difficult to just shop, but to listen to experienced veterans is helpful. I guess these companies don't really advertise themselves. They just go by word of mouth.
I bought a pair of Rocky S2V boots several yrs. ago for a backpacking trip. Loved them. No break in period. Just put them on and go go go. Only problem is you can't get them resoled.
I was issued jungle boots, and I did appreciate how quickly they would drain swamp out.
I'm glad you guys got to some proper operational boots, ie Danners and Lowas, most of the others are fashion accessories. The closing comments are spot on too.
Aku spider 2s are absolutely incredible if you looking for something light highly breathable with really good support ahev a look at them
I was taught that the health of your body start with your feet. You take care of your feet the rest of the body will follow. They were talking about running shoes, but still the same idea. I've had many of the boots that you showed, but I had to buy mine. But I think you guys paid in a different way. I like Danner and Belleville boots the most. You can now appreciate glues, and how heat impacts them. Just be thankful you didn't have to wear steel toe boots. Great video!!!
Also the lowa, have the 8 inch high ones. Loving it for rucking and tapping up and down the hill's
Great vid. I do wish you covered your boots going through Benning. Four of us USN EOD guys went in ‘82 and even utilizing the Boot Black, we were still in the Gig Pit every morning. 🤣
I still have my spit shined BDU combat boots, ACU boots, ASU boots....and I still use them to cut the grass.
New to the channel - really liked your vibe - very laid back. As a former USAF pilot, I had similar experiences going from old-school leather to Bellevilles. Comfortable, dry boots make all the difference.
Lowa are excellent boots, had a few different pairs.. highly recommend
Love that Danner was a solid choice for the professional fighter. I have been wearing Danner since I first started working construction back in the 90's and have never felt the need to look anywhere else.
Rocking my second pair of Danner Acadias in my patrol car in Feb at 28F now. I love them! The only issue is getting the toe into chain link fence holes when hopping fences. So for the summer time track meets in the ghetto, I use the Adidas GSG-9.2’s…however the originals were the ultimate urban, foot chase or sneaky boots. Light and QUIET!!
Ha, I wore tanker boots! Today, I wear Oboz I picked up from REI. They are great.
Outstanding! Was just looking for best boots after buying a bunch of high quality socks. Perfect timing. Thanks
Check out Keen too, if they're just for a good boot and not for the military. Sadly keen hasn't yet made uniform compliant boots.
Thanks for the walk (no pun intended) down memory lane. (93-04, 15-19). Still have the Danners from the late 90's. And occasionally will rock the Solomons riding the Harley or at the range.
We started wearing Danners in 87.
I wore Israeli desert boots on Gulf War. The Marines started using and testing everything in the 80's. Sleeping bags, vortex, poly pro, stoves, gloves...
2nd ANGLICO, USMC.
this is my favorite type of video. the on;y thing I hate is that I know of these times from personally seeing it
Can't believe you still have a pair of the GSG9s but they certainly ready for the garbage. Loved those shoes
I may look in to getting a pair of these, but only for a substitute.
Stores stopped selling the boots I actually like 300 years ago.
I recently bought a pair of Salomon Quest forces boot. They are ranger green and seem pretty good so far. I hunt deer and have plenty of land to hunt on so I plan to see how well they hold up real soon.
I just bought a pair of Zephyr Mk2 GTX for myself. They are amazing and will definitely be getting a pair for my uniform come July. I am running the Salomon Quest Forces GTX and they are also amazing, I heard a lot of good things about the lowa boots and decided to test them out. Very comfortable.
They made the GSG 9's in tan. I remember them being like rocking horse sh** when everybody transitioned from black to brown boots permanently. Hated the Asolo's though, a lot of guys ran them but I always preferred the Salomon Quests, even if you're ere guaranteed an eyelet blowout in less than a year
With my years in Batt and in 7th group you are so correct when you say that if you choose right life will be good and if you choose wrong you can be crippled and a HUGE liability. Great video glad to see that someone really put out a video explaining about boots for the new generation.
Fantastic subject, extremely important piece of equipment. The weapon can't perform if his feet don't work. Always loved my Danner Pronghorns for elk and deer hunting, and for me hunting is usually just a bunch of hiking while carrying a bunch of extra crap and a rifle for a week. Can't imagine how many miles the two of you have put on your feet during your careers, but I'd imagine it's in the thousands to tens of thousands, which means we should listen when you talk about footwear.
Lowa Z8S GTX. Absolute best pair of boots I have ever worn. Going on 8 years with my current pair, soles are wearing through but I can't stop wearing them.
Tried several pairs of Salomons, great boots but they don't hold up near as long as Lowa and they are not for wide feet. Even the extra wide versions don't fit me well.
I wore Korean and Panama jungle boots for most of my time in the Infantry. In cold weather I wore the "Speed lace" boots.
I was issued Salomon Quest 4D GTX. For long rucks they were great. They were bulky though. I got some Vasque Juxt which were great but wore out quickly. Then I bought some Vasque St. Elias and I was in heaven... They were so comfortable, waterproof, and lasted a long time.
I have a couple pairs of Belleville’s and they’re absolutely amazing. If you’re a beefy dude then you’ll love them. Super comfortable and it’s real easy to wear them. Ive had a pair last well over 5 years as work boots.
Thank you guys for a dedicated video on footwear. The most important piece of gear
I got issued Bates for bootcamp, moved to the Bellevilles after, but my favorites were my regular Danners and my Danner RAT that I wore for OEF I and II. I still have an unworn pair of Belleville with that EGA. You're right, we are pretty territorial about that. 😂 Btw, team guys like you put me onto the Merrells that I still wear today. 👍
Great video. Nobody on UA-cam seems to cover this. Your feet extremely important to keep healthy. I'm surprised that you don't see more suggestions for boots. Channels will post 20 videos on options for combat belt, but nothing on boots & gloves.
😂😂😂the bellevilles are fantastic boots.
And yeah you didn’t earn my EGA! 😂 but our corpsmen wore them. If you were blending with us, I don’t see the issue.
Also! I was in a boat company. We used to learn zodiacs and raid tactics in Coronado for a few weeks a year. One of my favorite things was getting flashed by all them hot ladies on the party boats in San Diego bay. They probably thought we were SEALs 🤷🏼♂️ it was a nice break from seeing everyone’s nutts flapping in the wind as we wore UDT’s.
Great video fellas!
Call me a gear nut, I was looking for an everyday boot and saw the Asolo Fatigues being worn in the game MOH warfighter. Love those boots. I have a pair of Danner Acadias for work and those are the best boots for LE.
Hello. Very enjoyable watching the pair of you talking about a subject. Looking forward to the next one
I love my Crispi’s But I’m going to try the Lowa’s For sure thanks for the great information as always.
Awesome review. I love the fact that you’ve hung on to this many pair of retired boots. So many miles, so many stories. If those boots could talk…
Man I wonder how close you were to my COP on the euphrates. We were right next to uday and qusay’s river house, near salman pak.
No lie it was like “the nam”, full of palm trees, 6ft grasses & tons of fish farms.
I’ve never personally served but I have always been a huge fan of Nike and Oakleys combat style boots. I recently made a purchase (company purchased woohoo) and got the Oakley Coyote Desert Boots in a 1/2 size up from my normal size 12 and holy crap they are amazing! Yes there isn’t much support but they are extremely light. I work in trucking freight and normally have to wear steel caps but being flat footed they are great. Very limited now for Australia too.
Great video, guys! I clicked on the video intending to watch a few minutes but stayed for the whole thing. Coch - I met you around 20 years ago at WARCOM when I tagged along with Jeff Cahill from TangoDown who was test fitting some vertical grips on the MK46's. You were our gracious host and showed us around, with that winning smile on your face the whole time 🙂 You were amused I was so excited to hang out in the armory like a kid in a candy store.
I was issued the Army version of Belleville boots and wore them for 2 1/2 years before they wore out. Best pair I ever had. Reliable, comfy and broke in perfectly.
In the British Army in the 90's danner boots were beyond cool. Boots where the stand out kit for those who want to be cool. I still love a cool boot
And I thought women were bad about shoes! 🤣
Honestly, the last 1.5 minutes of the video is where the “no truer words were spoken” stuff is - take care of your feet! No one shoe/boot works for all situations or environments.
Lastly, the best part is the story telling (have a pair of boots just for when you are going in to get your butt chewed) and the obvious admiration these guys have for each other and what they did comes through loud and clear. Thanks (again) TH.
My mates swear on their Lowa boots. Where I got conscripted, we got issued Haix, so for my 2nd deployment I got myself the Black Eagle. Light as sneakers and as comfortable. Unfortunately the glue on the sole kinda dissolved.
So now I'm considering either the Lowa, which in my eyes appear very clunky, being used the slim Haix. Or going for the Merrell Moab which suits like a glove but I don't know anyone rockin' them to tell me their experience in durability.
I’ve had 3 pairs of Moab’s over the years and I have liked them but the durability isn’t there. I probably would not buy them for combat applications, I don’t think they’ll last in that environment
Love my pair of bates, civilian stuff but my favorite boot during the winter. When I go to any kind of training or hiking I use by Lowa GTX something boots they are amazing, my favorite boot.
I had my USMC bootcamp issue jungle boots resoled 3x's (with cool guy tread) and made them my designated 'hump-boots' the entire time I was in service- for the simple reason that I never got a blister with those things, and at the time the only boots we were allowed were either jungles or our all-leather garrison 'Cadillacs'-
After years of civilian backpacking/working outdoors, etc., and trying MANY various brands and styles of footwear, I also settled on Lowa (I guess great minds think alike?)- I have wide feet too and their wide size 'Renegade' are the shit- like Coch, I have 3 pairs in various states of degradation and at this point can't fathom doing anything significant outside in anything else. (although, based on the discussion here, I must admit to hiking barefoot here in the Pac NW (summer)- its been many years, but once you allow your feet to become conditioned and build-up, there is really nothing better).
Awesome discussion/information/history gentlemen- Cheers!
Gentlemen, Look into the Garmont line of boots. I like the T8 Extreme GTX, T8 Bifida, and T8 NFS as full BOOTS. That NFS is like a running shoe.
You guys ever get issued the Altama Maritime Assault Boot? It's basically a Chuck Taylor but specifically designed to be worn with military fins. They have rubberized insoles to avoid soaking up excess water as well large drain holes on each side. The soles are also more grippy than regular chuck Taylor's and they come in various military colors. They're pretty comfortable too.
Man, I had no idea I was so interested in what you guys wore on your feet. No joke, you guys made me interested. Can't say exactly why your content is more enjoyable to watch, but it is.
Had OTB's in the ghan for the green zones - couldn't have asked for a better boot... the only downside was the soft soles when walking on those snooker ball sized moon rocks under load.
Who would have thought this would be such a fascinating topic...Great stories!! Thanks much guys!!
FYI. those plastic inserts in the Danner boots are supposed to be in them when you wear them IF you have a certain type of foot that needs it. They call them “airthotics” they can actually help about 1/3 to 1/2 the population. They even provide them with some of their more hard core hiking boots.
I can’t wear them either.
Great video guys! I had the green Jungle Boots and black leather "Cadillacs" when I first came in, and went thru the slough of different Marine Corps Authorized boots after we got away from the old school stuff.
From 2004-2007 I was with MAWTS-1 and spent a lot of time out at Camp Billy Machen near Nyland, Ca. and "Slab City". I think it was around Sept of 2005 and all the SEALS that were out there doing "stuff" with us in the Chocolate Mtn's for WTI were wearing and testing out the desert tan/flat dark earth Oakley boots. They looked pretty cool to me. Being a Marine I was forced to wear what we were allowed to wear and was immediately jealous. I asked one of the Chief's in the little Gym at Camp Machen about them, and I remember him saying " They make great sunglasses but their boots suck". LOL. The younger guys I spoke with seemed to like them tho.
Now that I'm retired and can wear whatever I want, I wear Merrill Moab2 year round. Same boots but Breathable ones in the summer and waterproof in the winter.
On another note...The Chow provided by the Cooks out there was amazing!
Black leather is all I ever wore in the 80's.....good stuff, thank you guys..
Once they got broken in with enough sweat and/or water they really formed to the foot & were super comfortable.
@@bodidley5015 yes they were!!! They were HOT in the ft. Polk sun though!!!
@@americanpatriotbill there is that bro. Black leather sucks up heat. I missed the generation of desert boots that didn’t need a shine.
Lowa, Meindl and Haix are the best out there!
I like my Rocky Havoc boots. Nice and cheap but built solid. Ventilation could be better... thanks for the video. I'm interested in the operator perspective. I'm surprised you used actual chucks. Pretty neat stories.
I can't believe there isn't more viewers and subscribers this is great content with these guys
I enjoyed watching this video on ur tactical boots, very informative. I can use this info when I go to purchase my next pair of boots. Thanks
My Solomon's were comfortable but didn't hold up well for backpacking. Went with Alico....heavier, but built like a tank and super stable in wet environments
Of all the ex-military guys on youtube, these two are the best!
I found some Welco temperate climate boots with a Vibram sole in an Army Navy Surplus Store back in like 2004.
Those things were legitimately comfortable.
I have some 5.11 boots that I wore on duty for years. I wore them in the wet, and cold. After 10 years, they are just about ready to be replaced. I will look into some of the stuff you recommend. Thanks.
I still have a pair of Oakley Assault boots they’re like 6 years old now still holding up great.
I've never heard chuck taylors described as having a "nice big wide toe box" lol
id also like to mention that hooks can get caught on each other, i almost fell off a roof when it happened to me, i will not wear boots with lacing hooks unless there is absolutely no other option.
DuraShocks i had, from a refurbish place $29.99. Favorite boots i left in a company vehicle.