Foot Wear

[ramtough47]

Hey everyone give me some advice on foot-wear for the range,IDPA matches going to shooting schools,etc,etc,etc... I'm looking for something that will be comfertable,lightweight,have good traction, and look good. I'm not interested in a combat boot or a Swat boot or a boot the 101st airborne uses to jump out of planes with.I also would like to not have to go get a small loan to pay for this foot wear.Oh yeah,i have tennis shoes[and they are good ones]but i'm looking at something similiar to a low cut hiking boot.Let me here what you got.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[cmbthgun]

101st doesn't jump out of planes anymore, as for your question, cant really help, just thought I would update you.

[P95Carry]

I am a self confessed cheapskate - I have boots but, unless knowing I'll find thick mud etc - it's currently a very comfortable pair of sneakers from WalMart!!!! They are higher sided ones and only IIRC $25!

See - I'm cheap - with shoes. Guns are different!

[The Tourist]

I wear Teva hiking boots/shoes. At first glance they appear to be tennis shoes. They were invented by a guy who likes to do 'extreme' sports like hiking and kayak racing.

By pulling two straps at the sides of your feet, they center your foot snugly but firmly into the correct position for comfortable support.

I also have their sandals. These are great for wet, slippery jobs, like washing my bike or truck.

[rocky]

I still suggest leather boots. The tac boots I have from Original SWAT are compfy , have good traction and easy on/off for under $60. Best of all it will be much harder to twist my ankle than wearind ankle high hikers.

[Bumper]

Reebok Classics, a black hightop tennis shoe. Comfortable, light, good traction and you can wear them with jeans or Docker type slacks....

[ExSoldier]

Hey everyone give me some advice on foot-wear for the range,IDPA matches going to shooting schools,etc,etc,etc... I'm looking for something that will be comfertable,lightweight,have good traction, and look good. I'm not interested in a combat boot or a Swat boot or a boot the 101st airborne uses to jump out of planes with.I also would like to not have to go get a small loan to pay for this foot wear.Oh yeah,i have tennis shoes[and they are good ones]but i'm looking at something similiar to a low cut hiking boot.Let me here what you got.

Surplus JUNGLE BOOTS with the Panama tread pattern can't be beat. You can get them from Brigade QuarterMasters: http://www.actiongear.com/cgi-bin/ta...alog/index.tam or The Cavalry Store or Ranger Joe's. Civvie style, you can't go wrong with either Danner or Bates brands especially in a low quarter or lightweight day hiker. Trust me, I used to be an Infantry Captain and made my living on my feet and in the mud. And never EVER go cheap on footwear or socks or you'll seriously regret it. Back in 1980, I spent $199 on a pair of Chippewa -40's and never looked back. I was always dry and toasty no matter where I toddled around Washington state!

[ramtough47]

Thanks fellas for the input. Can anyone comment on the 5.11 6" A.T.A.C. boot.

[CombatEffective]

Watch the bargain bin at your local sporting goods stores. I have a pair of Addidas hiking boots that cost me $30. They have lasted me several years and are still in good shape.

[fatbobrob1744]

i'm partial to red wing boots.

[Betty]

The fit of the boot is extremely important, so if you can, go to a proper bootfitter at a reputable shoe store instead of buying x-brand in x-size online (if you do online shopping), otherwise you can end up with a cool looking boot that isn't a good fit for your shape and size foot, and then you've got sores and bunions. What's good for one person may not be good for you.

I have a pair of mostly synthetic Vasque Ion hiking boots that are durable, lightweight, breathable, and the Gore-Tex makes them waterproof. I got them at the REI store here in Nashville (it's the only one in the state, IIRC). I use those for hiking and general outdoor use; they kick my Altama combat boots all over the place. They didn't cost an arm and a leg, either, and I can wear them on any casual day without looking like über ninja. There were solid leather hikers there also, but I only intended to do light/medium hiking and chose a lightweight boot.

The bootfitter there gave me some good guidelines on choosing a proper boot. Most people automatically go for a very snug fit, and that's a mistake; your foot swells when it's really active. I put on a pair of boots, and she had me step up on an incline and with the feet one on front of the other like I'm walking downhill, she had me force a downward motion to test if my toes were squishing into the front of the boot. If they did, the boot was too small/big. I turned around and did the same thing, to test if my foot was shuffling to the back when going uphill.

Here is a guide and boot review section that may be of some further help.

[ramtough47]

Thanks Betty.

[HiWayMan]

I spend most of my waking hours in my boots, easily 14-16 hours a day. I have found that nothing is more comfortable to me than Wolverine Dura-Shocks. I would also suggest than you invest in a pair of steel toes. If doing training indoors or outdoors I consider this a must have option. You will be concentrating on things other than where your feet are, and a baddly stubbed toe can make for a terrible extended training excercise.