Bates Men's 8" Ultralite Tactical Sport Side Zip Military Boot - Lightweight Comfort for Tactical Movement

CFR. RoryCFR. Rory: Price. Quality. Comfort. Side zip. Lightweight. As I'm usually on patrol, a lot of walking around, these provide great ankle support while being tough yet light. Which makes running easier and safer.

United Kingdom on Sep 03, 2023

Jonathan: I have been wearing this boot regularly for work and hiking during the past year and it has held up very nicely. The side zipper makes it super easy to put on and take off. If you like your boot to be tight the zipper doesn't impact this. The zipper does slip during usage at times but overall I found tying the laces tight can prevent this. The boot is very light and the ankle support is good making it very pleasant to walk in over long distances. The colour makes this boot easy to clean and only minimal thread loss can be expected which can be easily burnt off with a lighter.

Canada on Jan 26, 2023

Stevo: Fit as expected. Shirt break in time allows for very comfortable boot. Zipper access excellent. Would purchase again unquestionably. Highly recommended for those on their feet for long periods of time.

Canada on Jul 14, 2022

jim roth: Boot is good for walking but do not last for more than a year

Canada on May 04, 2022

Paul Rako: The Bates men's 8" Ultralite Tactical Sport side-zip military boot is a replacement for the slightly taller zippered paratrooper boots I used to get from the military surplus store. The fit is perfect, I really need the 3E size. I was very pleased with how comfortable they were, as compliant as tennis shoes. There are also much lighter than those paratrooper boots I used to buy. I love how the zipper pull has a slight bend so it is easy to grab, even when I am wearing gloves. One niggle is I think the little velcro patch that covers the zipper pull when it is up is a bit silly. I would much prefer they used the little bit of leather to make a pull loop on the rearward side of the zipper, so I can pull the boots on while standing. As it is, I like them so much, it is a small thing to sit down to pull the boots on. Another minor niggle is the heel is not very tall, so they might not work well with motorcycle pegs, but I think the small hell will work fine. I don't know if this Bates is related to the old Bates motorcycle seats, but the quality is excellent. I hope to get a lot of use out of these boots.

United States on Apr 07, 2022

Clifton kerns: This is my first review on Amazon. I just wanted to help ppl that may be on the fence. I needed a very light tough boot. I'm on my feet 8+ hrs a day. Some of which I'm pulling carts with 350+lbs on them. This boot is near perfect. Out of the box they are super comfortable. Came true to size. There's little to no break in time and are extremely light. One of my old boots weights more then these boots together. I have walked thru snow and rain. Great traction and no wet feet. Although these are not a winter boot. I wouldn't take a hike in freezing conditions. But in fairness my feet get cold easily. I did put in heat reflective insoles and that helped a lot(I got those on Amazon as well). The zipper on the boot is well made and will last but doesn't make much of a difference in taking off the boot, as far as speed. Seem to make it a bit easier to take off though. I've only had them for around 2 weeks, so I can't talk much about durability. I will say though everything seems to be of good quality so I'm pretty confident they will last a good amount of time. In closing I have worn boots like these for almost 30yrs. I don't own any sneakers. So I know good boots and this boot will not...

United States on Mar 12, 2022

Medic.WV: I wear nothing but 8" boots; decades when on duty, and now as everyday footwear (I need the ankle support!) I bought these as summer boots to replace a well worn pair of Hi-Tec boots, which seem to be of lesser quality and durability than these Bates. Also, unlike the Hi-Tec, the side zipper goes down low enough to remove and put on the boots without unlacing the boot. These Bates were comfortable on day one, and by day three, were feeling reasonably broken in for even more comfort. The toe box is generous, and the heal area is narrow enough to keep lateral movement to a minimum. Looks like I found new favorite summer boots!

1 YEAR UPDATE:
I've won these almost every day for the last year, nearly 12 hours a day. They are still structurally intact and clean up like new! I've come to love the toebox room, and the functional removal of the boot with the highly durable zipper system. I've replaced the pads twice (using the priciest Dr. Scholls Sport/Boot insoles), which is normal for this much use by a 280lb guy. I'm planning on buying a new pair and keeping the old as backup pair in my truck.

14mo Update: Well, after 420 days of use, 12+ hours a day, one of the...

United States on Mar 14, 2021

Heriberto Avelino: ok

Mexico on Sep 24, 2020

Mike, just Mike: I've been wearing Magnum boots for 7 years now. My last 3 sets had quality issues with the side zip so I decided to get a set of these.
For what they cost, they're pretty good boots. They had some break-in period for about a week. They were very stiff and abrasive for a few shifts at work, but once they softened up, they fit and wore well. They have a standard look of pretty much any boot most of my LEO guys wear, nothing special. I can't comment much on their grip or performance; I work in a jail so I'm not out hopping fences, running through the streets or anything like that. They hold up nice in a concrete building though and they take a polish on the toe as needed.
My only complaint is that for something called Ultra-Lites, they're heavier than the Magnums I was wearing. I still think they're pretty light in general, but there are lighter options in the same price range. I like that the side zip is straight up and down. The issue with the Magnum side-zip is that is curves and causes the teeth to rip out of the mesh after a while. I think the Bate's zipper will last much long as it is just straight up and down.
Otherwise, these boots do what I need them to for half the...

United States on Sep 02, 2013