Let me start by saying I’m not really a “tactical boot” guy. I did have a pair of 5.11 low boots about a dozen years ago, which were actually pretty decent, but this is the first pair of boots in this style I’ve owned, so I don’t have anything else to compare them to.
Not that I’m not a boot wearer, I’ve had many, many pairs of different types over the years. My go-to boot for the last 40 years is the classic Doc Marten boot, the good old 1460. In fact, I’ve got 2 pair of those at home that I still wear routinely, but decided to try something a little different for a change.
During the “Plague” years I went a little overboard on my ‘prepping’ as I’ve discussed here before, and one of the things I went a little crazy on was footwear. Considering everything is manufactured overseas and imports were slow, if at all, I figured a ‘lifetime supply’ of footwear would be a good investment. It’s not like I’m going to keep growing in my mid-50’s, so why not?!?
I purchased a few pair of Doc Marten boots and shoes, several pair of Van’s and because I’d heard good things about Bates and I found a pair on deep discount (sometimes wearing a size 13 gets you a good deal!) I decides to try them out.
I purchased them in January ’22 for $74.89 plus tax, which even then was a screaming deal. Not compared to the USGI “Jungle Boots” I wore as a youth, mind you – I used to pick those up at our local surplus store for $15-20 – but for modern footwear in the 2020’s, boots for under a hundred bucks is a bargain! Then they sat in the closet for about 2 years. Saving them for a rainy day, Zombie Apocalypse, or Mad Max scenario I suppose…
But when I started my new job a year ago, I broke them out. It seemed like a good place to put them to work. And I’m glad I did!
So, for my “review” prep I did some super unscientific data gathering. I picked 4 random weeks over the last year, added up my mileage from my step tracker for each week – Monday through Friday only – added those 4 weeks together, then divided by 4 to get my weekly average, then multiplied that number by 52. The number that I got after a year of work in these boots was 1206.66 Miles. Put into perspective, that is almost the same distance as walking from my house in the SF Bay Area to Amarillo Texas! Now it’s possible I’m a little under/over on the mileage put on these boots, but for the sake of argument, let’s just say I put between 1,200-1,500 miles on them thus far. I didn’t ONLY wear them at work, just primarily.
During my review period, temps ranged from high 20’s to a peak day of 107 degrees. Terrain varied considerably, from blazing hot blacktop and concrete to mud and muck, dirt, gravel, ceiling joists in attics, tromping around over construction debris, through pouring rain and the occasional hail storm. A few times, I even tracked through both wild turkey and goat scat in ’em, unfortunately. They’ve pretty much been through everything except snow. And while I’m not a huge guy, I’m no pipsqueak at 6’1″ and averaging 230 lbs. Which is the long way ’round of saying, these boots were not pampered.
Maintenance has been pretty low key… I wipe them down with a damp microfiber towel every couple days and give them a quick polish every two weeks, give or take. (Side note – I’m a big proponent of shoe polishing, but these babys only get the Kiwi “cheater” polish, the liquid stuff with the sponge applicator.) They still have the original laces, since I rarely use them due to the side zippers.
My overall impression of these boots is that they are well made, extremely durable and quite possibly the most comfortable boots I’ve ever worn. No joke.
I was concerned that the zipper would be a weak point, prone to failure, but I’ve had no problems with them whatsoever. There were a few thread ends that popped loose when I first started wearing them, but I snipped them off flush and they did not continue to unthread. I suspect it was just a little excess material from the manufacturing process.
That being said, they’re kinda ugly. I certainly don’t get any style points with them, for sure! They wouldn’t have been appropriate in my previous office jobs, but for a construction gig they are perfectly suited.
On a scale of 1-10, I’d give these Bates boots a solid 9. I only take a point off for two reasons. One, they are a little slippery on slick surfaces, such as polished tile or hardwood floors. Also, due to them being manufactured in Bangladesh, rather than the US. But compared to about $250 for a pair of US made Redwings, I’d say I’ve got my money’s worth out of ’em, and they’ve still got some life left. I might throw a new set of insoles in them, otherwise they are still up to the daily grind. Certainly not ready for retirement!
I just checked ol’ Amazon today, and they are still available for $104.05 as of April 7, 2025. Considerably more than I paid for them, but I’d still consider them a bargain, even at that price.
If you find yourself in need of a GREAT pair of boots and don’t want to break the bank, give these a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed!
Thank you Bates for making a solid, reputable product, and thank you Dear Reader, for stopping by!
The Boring Old Man 
Bates were the boots issued to me at Parris Island. We soaked them overnight in water and saddlesoap mixture before we were allowed to wear them, then we wore them for a full day, doing PT, marching, you name it. When they were dry (and yah, it did suck for a day) those things were literally formed to our feet.
I wore them almost daily from 87 until the leather finally gave up the ghost in 96: that with 2 resoles. No idea how many miles I put on them, but I can tell you this. They survived bootcamp, Kuwait, salt water survival courses, and drunken mayhem nights.
Little secret, don’t cut the strands that pop loose. Burn ’em. Let the nylon thread form a crust at the leather and it will never come loose again.
I do find it sad to hear they are now made overseas, but not surprised. The ones I was issued were made in NC.
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Bates were the boots issued to me at Parris Island. We soaked them overnight in water and saddlesoap mixture before we were allowed to wear them, then we wore them for a full day, doing PT, marching, you name it. When they were dry (and yah, it did suck for a day) those things were literally formed to our feet.
I wore them almost daily from 87 until the leather finally gave up the ghost in 96: that with 2 resoles. No idea how many miles I put on them, but I can tell you this. They survived bootcamp, Kuwait, salt water survival courses, and drunken mayhem nights.
Little secret, don’t cut the strands that pop loose. Burn ’em. Let the nylon thread form a crust at the leather and it will never come loose again.
I do find it sad to hear they are now made overseas, but not surprised. The ones I was issued were made in NC.
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