Navy SEAL Tactical Boots: "Coch" and Dorr Talk Operational Footwear

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Retired Navy SEALs "Coch" and Dorr talk about operational footwear, from tactical books to bare feet.
If you're into tactical gear and its history and evolution, you'll like this video!
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[@BabaNovac792]

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!

[@Baseplate-hr2eq]

@Russian Invasion of Ukraine They will teach you.

[@ActiveBelligerence]

@Russian Invasion of Ukraine nope

[@CaveLife652]

@Russian Invasion of Ukraine and they'll see to that learn very quickly.

[@demokratiaperemoje]

@Charles Northwest Such an odd piece of trivia... you must be speaking from experience.

[@Fred-wt9fp]

What is the rest of the name…Lowa Zephyr ….GTF Mid TF or something like that?

[@karlmadsen3179]

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!

[@loua.1462]

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!

[@captains5182]

The guy next to Coch is very disrespectful and has a bad attitude.

[@MindZye]

@@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?

[@_c_y_p_3]

@@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.

[@_c_y_p_3]

@@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.

[@cocowonderdog]

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!

[@krookedrazor4219]

A war may be lost for the want of a single horseshoe.

[@AisAL321]

I'm really glad y'all are going into such detail about gear. Even boots. Thanks!

[@TacticalHyve]

You bet!

[@abbybonilla4511]

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.

[@MobileAura]

@@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.

[@turdferguson7686]

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.

[@RollieFingers59]

My grandfather who fought his way across Europe told me how important shoes are. Always get the best !!

[@stumpyhigginbottom3466]

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.

[@TacticalHyve]

Good stuff

[@mmancino1982]

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.

[@Alphonselle]

@@mmancino1982 Sounds like you got wide feet. buy accordingly.

[@investigativeoutcomes9343]

@@mmancino1982 pour acetone on them blisters!

[@notyouraveragegoldenpotato]

Salomon is my jam.

[@DoWork316]

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 !

[@BallZakc]

Gotta do uniforms next. Really interested in that evolution

[@staysafe1096]

Agree 100%

[@PD-we8vf]

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.

[@jean-micheltanguay8664]

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

[@jean-micheltanguay8664]

And I forgot: Salomon have a jungle boot, its a remake of the old altama made better.

[@WhiskyTangoFoxtrot33]

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.

[@jackieonassis7438]

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.

[@XbenXdoverX1337]

@@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.

[@jimk8592]

Mine are ridiculously slippery on wet surfaces...

[@jackhargreaves3670]

Aku spider 2s are absolutely incredible if you looking for something light highly breathable with really good support ahev a look at them

[@scrubadiver]

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.

[@Scott-qq9jd]

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.

[@shockwavecity]

fully armored knights on foot didn't fight in high boots, either.

[@restitvtororbis5330]

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

[@petesheppard1709]

@@restitvtororbis5330 'Marius' Mules'

[@camerongunn7906]

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.

[@PieterBreda]

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.

[@adamnickel]

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.

[@macgyver2161]

Do you know the exact name of the pair of Danner Boots from the Video. Greetings from Germany.

[@davegrove795]

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!

[@abelincoln8446]

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.

[@chrisb9478]

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.

[@EverythingFilmmaking]

Which Vitkos do you wear..just got some core trainers for the gym🙌🏼💪🏻

[@Cam-se9sw]

I was considering viktos to replace my danners, how is the quality on them?

[@jhutch1470]

Same here. I did 25 years. I still have some 5.11 boots left over. I still wear them all the time.

[@chrisb9478]

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.

[@briantruck2284]

👍

[@Badhagis]

Who would have thought this would be such a fascinating topic...Great stories!! Thanks much guys!!

[@travisbond635]

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 🇺🇸.

[@sonatine3266]

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.

[@benjamingamache6441]

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.

[@Wlvrtnjm]

I wear my Lowas every day for regular patrol. I wear Adidas terrex 3 for jump out stuff in the city.

[@charlesm.2756]

I only wore OD Green Jungle Boots in the days of woodland camo BDUs. Still my favorite.

[@DimitrosSJ]

My Zephyrs are now 7 years old, they survived 13 monthes of war with ruzzia, 5 monthes back in 2015 and 8 monthes of current war,where they help me kill ruzzian nazi. . But those Zephyrs were also used as casual every day boots for years, still going strong, just week ago one lace failed, so I bought the new Lowa laces for em.

[@mavrikmavrik3032]

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.

[@DimitrosSJ]

Lowa, Meindl and Haix are the best out there!

[@ironteacup2569]

this is my favorite type of video. the on;y thing I hate is that I know of these times from personally seeing it

[@jacobkilman8444]

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.

[@ShadeSlayer1911]

How cold can they handle? What about snow? They got drainage holes, so I imagine they let snow inside.

[@PeterKNoone]

You guys are super entertaining....never thought I'd enjoy watching a longish video about guys talking about boots....but I did.

[@seanwhite304]

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..

[@abm2958]

Try a set of Quest.

[@tagwache88]

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

[@edwardanenberg349]

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 😎

[@JSMachine1]

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.

[@scottloutner5253]

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.

[@effu9375]

I still have my spit shined BDU combat boots, ACU boots, ASU boots....and I still use them to cut the grass.

[@thetruebatman4632]

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.

[@matthewedwards1089]

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

[@grandfaultimperceptor]

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.

[@donaldadams4713]

Can't believe you still have a pair of the GSG9s but they certainly ready for the garbage. Loved those shoes

[@6daemonic6]

Outstanding! Was just looking for best boots after buying a bunch of high quality socks. Perfect timing. Thanks

[@mmancino1982]

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.

[@stovepipe8966]

Lowa’s are def super comfy and very durable IMO - Not cheap but ya get what you pay for

[@joshuatall8134]

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!!!

[@mmancino1982]

Damn! That's a huge foot! How tall are you?

[@xero724]

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.

[@scottlin777]

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.

[@kylem3424]

Salomon boots are awesome! Schnee's make some really good boots too, they're my go to heavy mountain boots

[@research903]

The "Coral" boots look very much like my old rock climbing shoes I wore in the 1980s. We would lace those things up as tight as possible so they would easily conform to our feet.

[@craigdevin6978]

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.

[@paulwilson8672]

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!!!

[@rom14141]

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.

[@stellocut99]

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.

[@jonathanking8314]

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.. 😀

[@getaswordactual8766]

Lowa are excellent boots, had a few different pairs.. highly recommend

[@AlreadyDeadInside83079]

Great video. Nobody on KZbin 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.

[@fubar1984]

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

[@americanpatriotbill]

Black leather is all I ever wore in the 80's.....good stuff, thank you guys..

[@bodidley5015]

Once they got broken in with enough sweat and/or water they really formed to the foot & were super comfortable.

[@americanpatriotbill]

@@bodidley5015 yes they were!!! They were HOT in the ft. Polk sun though!!!

[@bodidley5015]

@@americanpatriotbill there is that bro. Black leather sucks up heat. I missed the generation of desert boots that didn’t need a shine.

[@ericrumpel3105]

Great info. there !!! - Thanks fer sharing !!

[@TacticalHyve]

You bet!

[@hansblitz7770]

I was OPFOR against SEALs in training and a few had on Vivobarefoot minimalist footware. That was all urban though.

[@joshroten3997]

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.

[@kenh7181]

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.

[@haliwoods3461]

I can't believe there isn't more viewers and subscribers this is great content with these guys

[@mj_b23]

Of all the ex-military guys on youtube, these two are the best!

[@keithwright9608]

Hello. Very enjoyable watching the pair of you talking about a subject. Looking forward to the next one

[@SgtRock-LeatherNuts]

Most important piece of gear, period. Great video gents. Loved the "EGA" fun at the end, OOH RAH :)

[@leroybishop2245]

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. 🤣

[@maxfalconi6995]

Thank you guys for a dedicated video on footwear. The most important piece of gear

[@canadadelendaest8687]

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.

[@philipstowers4741]

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.

[@charlieghague]

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.

[@BirdDogey1]

Ha, I wore tanker boots! Today, I wear Oboz I picked up from REI. They are great.

[@dflo4165]

I was station at the naval station in San Diego. I was an “Opticalman”. We did optical equipment for the fleet. Big eyes, binoculars, telescopes and night vision (sars) they are big! Not your goggles. When repairing big eyes, we would see the SEALS training on Coronado. They would get on a helicopter in pairs, fly out into the channel and get dumped. The swim was at least a half mile or more. They then had to run back to the helicopter and do it again. I swear they did that all day long! We could see that they had some kind of boot with high ankles. Ok, another time I’m going to the gym for aerobics, and here come the SEALS who had run the LONG WAY from Coronado, about 20 miles, and they have the tiny shoes that was shown on this video. They were carrying fins, mask, snorkel and bags of goods. I admire the way they ran with arms downwards to conserve energy, and an efficient stride rather than the run everyone else does. I tried it going to the gym, but I would have to get used to it. Now, they all had there own choice of footwear custom picked by each man. Still, 20 miles!! They did this a lot, just like the helicopter drops. Desert Storm was just about a month away and we were extremely busy, even coming in on weekends to keep up with demand. It’s all good, nobody griped and also put in long days. Come In while dark, and the same going home. The SEALS were very busy, the big eyes made it easy to see what they were doing. Respect to these two men! Heroes in my eyes!

[@Heywoodthepeckerwood]

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.

[@0fficer47]

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.

[@shiumai]

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.

[@JLatzMD]

Great job imparting priceless information. Appreciated the historical perspective as well. A++

[@victorfranco6457]

As a lifelong Danner customer, the plastic "inserts" when you receive the boots are not to keep the boots' shape. Its actually practical..."the Airthotic is a half- length, molded polyurethane instep that cups the heel and supports the arch area of the foot. More rigid than a foam footbed, the raised arch support won't compress over time, and is perforated for improved air circulation and comfort."

[@winniethepooh2947]

Also the lowa, have the 8 inch high ones. Loving it for rucking and tapping up and down the hill's

[@jayneal8154]

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.

[@DickHitsWater]

Funny thing about those plastic inserts that come with certain Danner boots is they actually are meant to be worn. It’s an airthotic and suppose to help with air circulation and comfort.

[@PreparedPathfinder]

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.

[@williamhartsell6390]

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

[@SS-jj1fp]

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. 👍

[@sing759]

Try this one "Norwegian M77 Combat Boots"....everything you need it there .. light, strong, comfy and tactical

[@Valorius]

I wore Korean and Panama jungle boots for most of my time in the Infantry. In cold weather I wore the "Speed lace" boots.

[@SquidGunman]

Great video, and a surprisingly interesting topic. Thank you two so much for your service!

[@TacticalHyve]

Our pleasure!

[@dirkstaff1732]

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!

[@twinglock40z]

Rocky paratroopers for my favorite cheaper boots. Last forever. I loved the Solomon quest 4d or whatever they’re called. Awesome freaking ankle support. I thought they were a little heavy but for how versatile, supportive and comfortable they were I was game. But… man them things would not last me that long at all. I blew out the sides more than anyone. I hated Bates boots. They were pieces of crap. When I started policing, we got issued Bates for free once a year. Or they gave us 50 bucks to buy our own. I took my 50 bucks and stuck with Rocky Paratroopers.

[@jamesjams5085]

I love my Crispi’s But I’m going to try the Lowa’s For sure thanks for the great information as always.

[@popogie22]

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.

[@jasebrown5983]

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

[@permagenix]

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…

[@AeraYoo]

Love you guys talking story about all your different boots and which ones became your favorites. Thank you so much for sharing! 🌺

[@calpilot7]

Love and respect for these guys. Great video. Thanks.

[@TacticalHyve]

Thanks for watching!

[@thomas_jay]

Wow ... there is so much valuable information in this video by just talking about shoes and boots.

[@upgrade1015]

Solomons for me , just a random on the you tubes.

[@davids11131113]

I still have a pair of Oakley Assault boots they’re like 6 years old now still holding up great.

[@MrSabram07]

Thanks for these videos I love when you go over your old equipment and how equipment evolved

[@zacharyfindlay-maddox171]

I wear the Altama Maritime Assault boots! They're basically "combat chuck Taylors". I love em!

[@esmith3438]

I have them too. i do swim with fins with them on, so much comfortable swiming with fins on

[@ericyoungoc]

😂😂😂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!