Duty boots

[03rubicon]

Hello all,

Was wondering if I could get some input on recommendations for duty boots/socks. What have you found comfortable and has some actual shelf life. Obviously we are all diff shapes, sizes and various preferences, just looking to see what has worked good for you. I have fallen arches so if anyone else has found a good solution/boot that supports or has the room for an arch support. Not a requirement, I get a long fine with out it them. I have a pair of thorogood tactical jump boots on hold as I've heard good things about the company.

Thanks!

[L-2]

I've had and still have so many boots. Here are some of my favorites:

-Thorlo, for socks; over-the-calf length when worn with 8" boots.

-Danner "Acadia"; do some research as there are various models with and without insulation. These can be resoled once the soles are worn-out. I think mine have the lighter-weight insulation. These are in black with nylon uppers and polish well. These have a good combination of dressy, but purposeful looks, but not as dressy as a parade/jump boot with a highly polished toe and heel cap. These are a bit heavy. My right-side boot did develop a squeak when walking, but I lived with it.

-Matterhorn (apparently Corcoran is the same company). I had a couple 10" tall safety toe with insulation pairs issued to me in 1995 and I still have one pair which I'll wear in the snow or walking/hiking through big puddles. My specific boots seem to be discontinued but are similar to the Corcoran #1949 model. Mine aren't made for polishing as the toes have some sort of rough-textured polymer over the safety toe. These are also heavy.

-Magnum. I've had two or three pairs over my career. This was my first brand & pair of duty boots. The current model series seems to be named "Stealth" which have various models (zippers, no zippers, waterproof, not waterproof). I've worn these the most in uniform and had just the right amounts of lightness, ok-to-polish, daily comfort, zero break-in.

-Tan, rough-out. I wanted these to go with my tan-colored alternate uniform pants and tried the ORIGINAL SWAT side-zip boots which my local dealer had in stock. As the name sounded a bit stupid, I'd never tried the brand, but the comfort and quality seemed comparable to the Magnum-brand boots.

-(USAF) Green, rough-out. I bought these to go with my o.d. green-colored alternate uniform and tried and liked the ROCKY "S2V" boots. These come in other colors, including a polishable black. These are also very good. With the off road looking sole, they may not be as "dressy" as the Danner Acadias.

I've had other boots which were just OK, but wouldn't necessarily recommend from Under Armor, Rocky, Red Wing, or 5.11.

I tend toward an E or EE width, but depending on the shoe/boot, can sometimes go with a D width. I often use an aftermarket insole although some of the boots might now have ok insoles, at least to start.

Each brand will have several models which may fit better or worse for a person than others.. Also, any particular pair may have one boot which just doesn't fit right.

[Atomic Donut]

Does your policy require Leather boots with polish? If not the Solomon XA Forces Mid are a winner. I currently wear them on patrol and they are comfortable and easy to keep clean with a basic shoe cleaner. I also wore a pair when deployed overseas and they held up well.

https://www.us-elitegear.com/collections/salomon/products/salomon-xa-forces-mid-gtx?variant=669471113230

As for socks, I just wear basic under armor high socks from my local UA outlet or Marshalls/TJ Max.

[toddytguns]

[03rubicon]

All great info, thanks for the breakdown L-2

I have several pairs of Salomons for every day wear, hiking and running, had no idea they made one like that atomic, I will look into that.

[wp700]

I'll second Donuts suggestion. I have the XA Pro forces mid GTX. Runs like a shoe, but has the support of a good hiking boot and it's waterproof without being too hot. I still love the Nike SFBs, but Nike will not getting my money in the near, and possibly distant, future.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I do not personally care for Danners. They are heavy and very hot for me. Not the cold weather boots, the regular ones seen at local shops. I have had much better results with Rocky boots that look identical to Danners but are cheaper and lighter. I can put a gel insert in them, but it requires taking out the factory liner first in order to fit right.

[robocop1051]

[SoCalSurvivor]

Look into Darn Tough socks. Tons of options, made in the USA, and they have a legit lifetime warranty. They're the best socks I've ever owned. They're pricey, though you can usually find a deal through GovX if you've got an account.

[pistolero805]

Danner Acadia and 5.11 USA socks

[P5Ret]

I picked up a few pair's of Wrangler boot socks for pretty much everyday wear except when it's cold enough to warrant heavier socks. For colder weather Danner Arcadia, and Carhartt cold weather boot socks are my go to socks. I wore Magnum boot's for year's, but it seems that the quality has dropped off recently.

[micro911]

I used to wear Rocky boots when I was on patrol duty. I bought 2 pairs and rotated them. It served me well for several years. They were light and fit like tennis shoes.

When I went to the training bureau, I wore Danner Acadia boots. I still have a brand new second pair that I have not worn.