Frankly, finding a good duty/military/tactical boot for a woman can be quite a chore. When we began our Airsoft column some months ago, our female team member went crazy looking and came up so short, she began using a pair of boots designed for men. Thankfully, I remembered one of the most comfortable and light tactical boots I wore while at an academy was made by Bates. So, I directed her to look there. She came up with the Bates Women’s 8″ DuraShocks® Desert Hot Weather Boot. I sent them a request to check a pair out and we took to the recent Airsoft Nation tournament with them. Here are her thoughts…
Official Features
Rough side out leather desert boot for hot weather conditions.
- Rough side out leather and nylon upper
- Cushioned removable insert
- Bates DuraShocks® shock absorbing comfort technology
- Vibram® rubber lug outsole
- Durable direct attach construction
- Made in the USA
Airsoft Nation was a 1,700 person Airsoft game that took place over at Norco, CA’s SC Village field. The terrain varied from forests to swamps to everything in between and the weather was in the low nineties. So, we needed to make sure our footwear provided not only protection, but function as well. From outward appearances, the DuraShocks Desert Hot Weather Boot look pretty traditional for a desert/hot weather boot. The outer material is solid, yet pliable and the sole had a nice traction pattern on them. I found them to be deceptively light and I was even able to move at a double time for a respectable distance without issue.
Most boots do not have very comfortable or supportive insoles. In fact, every tactical boot I have owned has needed to get the stock insoles replaced by more therapeutic brands for proper support and comfort. The insoles in these boots were surprisingly comfortable and provided a decent level of support. If I had to wear these for several weeks straight, I would probably replace them but for an Airsoft game a few times a month, the insoles were more than fine and I give Bates some serious credit for including them in the boot.
The biggest issue I had with the DuraShocks Desert Hot Weather Boot was the lack of a side zipper. In fact, I cannot find any pair of female tactical boots with a side zipper. Side zippers are awesome because they promote a quick turnaround time in putting a pair of boots on (or taking them off), and I missed them here. That being said, they are just a rarity in women’s boots altogether. But, I digress…
Using the boots over the course of the Airsoft Nation tournament, I found them to take on the various types of terrain very well, and they provided me with a very functional amount of traction. Additionally, the 8″ height of the boots made it very easy to tuck my BDU pants into them for protection and the “tacticool” look I desired on the field. Also, it is worth mentioning that even thought it was a very warm day out in Southern California, my feet seemed to keep cooler than I expected. For arid environments, I could see myself using these boots for a long time to come.
Overall, the Bates DuraShocks Desert Hot Weather Boot for women is an excellent pair of hot weather boots that will not only provide protection from the elements but, also, a good deal of comfort. These boots retail for $224.95 and are available at Bates official website.
[easyreview title=”Bates DuraShocks Desert Hot Weather Boot Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″ ]
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