I'm looking for some rugged light weight boots. Timberland Pros are the most comfortable boots I've found to fit my size 13 wide feet, but they're pretty heavy. The pair I wear weigh 4 1/2 pounds.
I have friends that wear military surplus boots, but I haven't found any in my size wear I live. I found some Smith & Wesson tactical boots as a sample of what I've been looking at so far. My brother has had good luck with Under Armour tactical boots. Does anyone have some suggestions?

Attached Images

Screenshot 2022-02-06 at 08-38-55 AmazonSmile Smith Wesson Men's Breach 2 0 Tactical Size Zip Bo.jpg (24.5 KB, 96 views)

Look at Red Wing, If used them over 20 years for work.Lots of styles to pick from.

The Military Surplus stores around here sell NEW surplus boots. I've bought several pair and will again.

Danner makes good boots.

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No baby we aint

I like Danner. most of my woods time above 35 degrees, I wear a pair of the 600 mountain Danners. They are light weight and feel great on my feet.

+ 1 on Danners.

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50 Years of Wish You Were Here

Re those wide size 13 feet, I've recently learned that one can take shoes that feel a bit too tight, say in the toe box, to a shoe repair guy and they can stretch them. If they're leather, that is. They put them on a stretcher for about a week.

I did this with a pair of Ecco walking shoes that I bought off eBay about a month ago. I liked the shoes, but found the toe area a little tight. The stretching cost $7 per shoe, and they asked where I wanted the shoes stretched.

They're more comfortable now.

Danner. Or else Danner.

5.11 Tactical boots. Lightweight, comfortable and good ankle support. I used to wear them when I was doing factory work and I'd spend up to 10 hours on my feet.
As a bonus, they polish up well too.

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Keep on Chooglin'

Ebay is your friend... I have bought at least a dozen new and lightly used military all made in the USA boots. Have never paid over $90 delivered and almost all the boots retailed for over $200.

Danner, Matterhorn, Bates, Belleville and even Rocky...

So far have only had one set that was too narrow. The company told me to keep them and gave me a gift certificate equal to the purchase price for my next purchase...

Bob

Carolina Comfort makes very comfortable boots, I have been wearing them for years.

Sent from my LGL455DL using Tapatalk

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Don

Best boots I ever wore were VN jungle boots. Took a while to break in well, but so comfy.

Agree on the 5.11 boots. I like the tactical with the side zipper - I like the insulated ones for winter, the regulars for warmer temps. lightweight, and last forever.

I'm a Carolina Boot fan. I broke my right twice and while I don't walk differently than anyone else the right shoe or boot is usually shot within a year or so, tactical boots last less no matter what brand I bought. I've had my current Carolina boots for going on 3 years now and they are holding up very well. I'll definitely buy them again

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While I was in the Army I was issued a pair of Danner Ft Lewis boots. After that I wore Danner boots for all my hunting and work boots. I had a sole blow out on a Deer hunt while about 2 miles away from Camp. By the time I got to camp the other sole let go and I had to walk back to camp with two flopping soles. Glad I had a back up pair of boots.

After the blow out I tried the Crispi boots on a recommendation from a friend that had been wearing them for years. They didn't run true to size so they killed my feet and I ended up looking for a size larger. I didn't find them and went with Kenetrek from a hunting guide friend of mine. They are extremely comfortable and warm. My feet don't sweat in them after hiking miles so they stay warm.

Another boot i've heard good things about but have never tried are Scarpa. Several guys I know are now wearing them and swear by them. None of these(Crispi, Kenetrek, or Scarpa) are cheap. You're looking at $400-$500+.

They're not light but they last a life time if oiled now and then
if'n you have a little moremoney in your wallet.

We Western guys like................. White's.

Hard to find size 6 1/2 to 7's. The smallest I can usually find are 7 1/2.

It's a chore finding shoes that fit.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

Belleville has been my go to since 2008. I worked as a security guard from 2007 to 2021. Almost every position I held was foot patrols. I walked an average of 8 miles every day, 1900 miles a year. All types of terrain all weather (except hurricanes or tornadoes). My first pair lasted 6 years and were resoled 3 times, after a while the midsole wears out and you can't fix that.

I live in Colorado Springs there are five military installations here. I can get Belleviles brand new for about 20 bucks.

For lightweight I would suggest Belleville 990 Mountain Boots

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Retired Career Security Guard

Not sure what you are using them for. When working I wore Red Wings, for field use I liked Danner.

Ariat work boots are very comfortable, but they tend to be heavy. I have a pair of Worx by Red Wing that are nearly as comfy and much lighter weight. I've tried a bunch. Bates and Wolverine have been the least comfortable for me, but everyone's feet are different. Frye makes some very comfy boots, but they are not inexpensive. Nothing wrong with Timberlands. Merrells are comfy, but their quality seems to have gone downhill. The last pair I bought fell apart rather quickly. Previously they held up well. If you do try Merrell be aware that they run small. You need to go up a size with them.

Going to a soft toe or composition toe rather than steel toe will lower the weight regardless of brand.

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Or something like that . . .

I have been wearing Danner for 30+ years and I swear by them. USA made only. There off shore offerings have proven to be pure trash for me.
After my back surgery I was needing to get some lighter boots with good support for all around use. I work in the same boots I hunt in and I wear them everyday.
Bought a pair of Lowa Renegades. Very light, super comfortable for me and provide very good support.

I say Red Wings. Without a doubt in my mind they are #1 for anyone who has to be on their feet.

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ask questions- then shoot!

As someone with a EE width foot, I've felt your pain. Literally. The last 20 years I was working, I wore safety toe boots every day. 10-12 hour shifts standing on concrete. I wore many styles and brands. Since I was being reimbursed, I could afford good boots. Now a 12 hour day is gonna kill your feet, regardless of the boot, but I found that, overall, Red Wings were the most comfortable. Also, the composite or even aluminum toe safety boots are lighter and you will notice a difference from steel. But I don't have the safety toe requirement when I hunt, so I wear Danners.

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The best I can with what I got

I thought it was only ladies shoes where the sizes are squirrely? I know this from having dated or been married to a succession of shoes fiends. Watching them discard a pair in their nominal size for being too small, then five minutes later declare that a pair 1/2 size smaller fit perfectly still has me shaking my head. All I tell them is don't try that with ammo when we're at the range.

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Release the Kraken

I wore steel toe shoes for 26 years when I did construction work. I guess I've been wearing safety toe shoes as a Maintenance Manager for the last 23 years mostly out of habit. I'm sure they've saved my feet more times than I would ever guess.

Rock’in the Timberlands!

I just bought a pair of Merrill hiking shoes/boots to replace the pair I had had for several years. I can't even wear these without my arches hurting so bad I can barely walk the next morning.
I had the same thing happen with a pair of Danner hiking boots that had nothing but great reviews. The Danner's were more of an urban hiking boot and had no arch support. I decided to buy another pair of the Merrell but like you said they have changed and basically suck.

I have Plantar Fasciitis(Thanks Uncle Sam) and need boots with good Arch support. I can't buy these cheap boots anymore without having issues with my feet.

My favorite boots are Timberland chocura trail Gore tex Hikers. i have 2 pairs& they have lasted me almost 20 years!
Magnum boots are similar to the 5.11's and are good.

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S&W BG380, S&W 915 9mm

Timberland Pros are the only work shoes I've been able to wear for the last 6 or more years. They have the width and arch support I need. They also have the most comfortable sole and insole I've found. They're just darned heavy. If I was 40 years younger or 30 pounds lighter it probably wouldn't bother me

The best lightweight and super strong boots I've ever owned are LL Bean Kangaroo Leather Boots. They are about 40% less in weight and much stronger than Cow leather. My pair is the insulated version since I use them mainly in the Winter for Bird Hunting, Sporting Clays, Skeet and Trap. They are at least 20 some odd years old and still look, wear and work great. I don't remember what I paid back then, but although not cheap they were not really expensive either. They were worth every cent and I'd buy them again today if I needed a new pair. I believe they now run around $225 for the Insulated version - less for uninsulated.

When I started ag flying I looked all over for a suitable pair of boots (steel toes, reasonably flat soles to slide over the rudder pedals constructed of heavy leather and soles durable enough to let you run through a fire.

I could not find any boots meeting all three requirement from the usual new boot sources, so I looked for new surplus boots.

You need reasonably smooth soles to allow your foot to slide over the rudder pedals, so lug soled combat boots don’t cut it and that severely limited the options. I looked for a pair of US Navy Flight/Deck boots as they worked well for me in the 1990s.

eBay was the quickest and best way to find what I needed, but I discovered the Navy had changed their specs on how the boots were made. The recent production Belleville and Addison boots both had a much heavier sole. The Addison boots weighed 42 oz per boot in my 9.5W size, we’re much stiffer and had a lot less feel. The Belleville boots were a bit lighter at 38 oz per boot, but have a sole molded to the boot making it a throw away item when the sole wears out.

Eventually I found a couple pairs of new old stock flight boots made in 1994 by Wolverine with the previous thinner soles weighing 34 oz each for $99 per pair. 8 oz less weight per boot and thinner soles makes a huge difference.

“Old” 34 oz Wolverine boot on the left, “New” 42 oz Addison boot on the right:



The bottom of the soles on the Wolverine flight boots. The nice part about the older boots is the ability to get them resoled as the sole isn’t molded into the boot as is often the case with a new boot like the current Belleville boots.



A pair of the “old” Wolverine boots: