When you wear military tactical boots, you know your feet are protected. These boots are designed for servicemen and women, who will wear them in the most hazardous of situations. Because they are worn by law enforcement and military personnel, where any risk of injury is severely amplified, military and tactical boots are made to overcome any challenge.
However, besides providing stability and durability, tactical boots need to provide comfort. After a twelve-hour shift, even slight discomfort becomes a problem. That is why all of the military and tactical boots in our collection are stable, durable, and supremely comfortable.
Military / Tactical Boots for Any Occupation
While military and tactical boots are designed with special occupations in mind, there’s no reason you can’t wear them to any other workplace. They are some of the best work boots out there, so you might as well utilize them to their fullest. However, like with any pair of boots you want to get, you need to know the key features before you make your choice.
How Many Grams of Insulation Do You Need?
You must know the degree of insulation your boots have. This is not a situation where more is always better. Think about the conditions you will wear them in and make your choice based on that. The principle is obvious - don't wear winter boots in hot weather. Or vice versa. Let’s say you buy black tactical boots with 1200G of insulation, but you plan to wear them during summer.
What’s going to be the outcome? Well, your feet definitely won’t be cold. Quite the opposite – you’ll constantly have sweaty feet and no way to deal with it. The best military / tactical boots have a lining that lets your feet breathe and wicks away moisture, but even that won’t be enough if wear the wrong boots in inappropriate weather.
At the end of the day, it about your comfort. It’s best to wear military boots with no insulation when it’s truly hot, but up to 200G won’t cause you too much discomfort. Anything upwards of 200G is made for colder weather. Any tactical boots with 800G of insulation or more are effectively winter boots. Let's continue on to other key features.
Picking the Right Protective Toe
Most military and tactical footwear comes with a soft toe – that is, no steel or composite protective toe. They are designed to keep you light on your feet and comfortable through long shifts, so the added weight of a protective toe is avoided so as not to decrease your durability.
It may not seem like much initially, but once you’ve been on your feet the entire day, you’d definitely feel a steel toe. Military boots are meant to keep you maneuverable, and that’s why the soft toe is the most common design feature. Of course, that means that you trade in impact and compression protection for mobility. The leather itself will provide some protection, but it's nothing to write home about.
However, if the safety provided by protective toes is what you are looking for, you can find military and tactical boots with a steel toe. You won’t be as light on your feet, but you are less likely to get injured by falling objects. Protective toes are key features of boots, so don't dismiss them when you are making your choice.
If you need protection, but don’t want the weight of steel slowing you down, consider tactical boots with a composite toe. The composite toe is a sort of compromise between a soft and steel toe – less protection than steel, but also less weight; not as light as a soft toe, but more protection. Consider what you need your boots to do for you and make your choice.
Are There Any Downsides to Waterproof Tactical Boots?
In short, little to none. Most military and tactical boots are waterproof, so you won’t have to think too hard about that. The only issue with waterproof tactical boots could be when this feature is combined with too much insulation. Waterproof boots seal your feet in, to a certain degree, and comfort could be a problem.
Because of the advanced technology that is used in producing them, this is not something you will ordinarily feel. However, if you wear boots with a lot of insulation when it’s hot outside and the boots are also waterproof, then you’ll have issues. Your feet will sweat because you are wearing footwear inappropriate to the temperature and waterproofing will amplify it.
How to Break in Tactical Boots?
Finally, let’s get to breaking in leather tactical and military boots. If you’ve had tactical boots before, you know that they can feel a bit stiff when you first put them on. If not, this feeling may be new to you. That doesn’t mean you have the wrong size – it’s a common occurrence with military and tactical boots. They don't reach peak performance until you wear them a bit.
The most straightforward method is to wear them continuously for a few days. The leather will mold to your feet and they’ll fit like glove. However, you likely want to speed up the entire process and not get any sores or blisters. Wearing thick or double socks will help.
Then, you can get a leather conditioner. This will make the leather more supple and mold to your feet quicker. It is a good idea to use conditioner on leather boots, regardless of whether you are breaking them in. It hydrates the leather and makes your boots last longer. Finally, you can use a boot stretcher.
It’s meant to mimic your feet so that you don’t actually have to wear them to stretch them out. Simply find one that is the size you want and put it into the boot. Just be careful not to leave the stretcher in for too long, so that the boots end up being too big. It’s best to leave it in overnight and try the boots in the morning. Repeat the process until they’re the right fit.
The Best Military / Tactical Boots for Any Situation
Because military and tactical boots are primarily designed for people who need to be prepared for any and all situations, they fill multiple roles. They are the definition of an all-purpose boot. If you are looking for boots that are specialized for very specific situations, tactical boots may not be the choice for you.
Military and tactical boots won’t be as protective as heavy-duty construction boots with a steel toe and metatarsal guards, or as light as a running shoe. But they will fill all of these roles admirably. It's no accident that military, police, and public safety professionals wear them. If you want good, comfortable boots, with a wide scope of uses, these boots are right for you.
