New Bates Boots - two thumbs way way way up!
 

Another transplant from a different forum, what can I say - I'm lazy :D

Picked these bates up at the shot show. I don't know if they are still in the development mode or final production - but they felt great right out of the box. I strapped them on the morning of the 1st day of the shot and wore them every day (and night) for the whole thing. Not a pinch, rub or hotspot. Super grippy but not squishy sole - Great ankle support while being flexible.

I took them out into the mountains around Vegas a few days ago. 6 mile round trip up to Turtlehead peak. 1900 foot gain in elevation the last 1/3 of it. Mostly scree and gravel with big sandstone boulders and a 40ft wall to climb. Went up with a 55lb Kifaru Zulu on. After getting back down went for a 2 mile run with the pack on.

From the trailhead
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...o-far-away.jpg


Getting a bit closer
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...most-there.jpg



The way up
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...last-third.jpg



Me - not hungover in Vegas (a rare sight)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...r/So-tired.jpg



The final goal
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ing-closer.jpg



AND......the boots
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ates-boots.jpg



Yup - I won't put the oakleys on again as long as I have these.

Dan

OK - day 2.

Did about 14 miles (I think a litle more but no GPS to verify). Wore the boots - the same socks (ullfrotte - more on these later) and a 45lb pack - yup, I wussed out and had to go lighter for this hump. The route was through gravel, rocky washes, dirt, rock and snow. The elevation gain was 2,694 feet with a peak of 7,094 feet above sea level.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ittle-walk.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...great-gear.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ose-enough.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...nowy-trail.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/top-sign.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...g-way-down.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...s/Altitude.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...hat-a-view.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...per-Zulu-2.jpg



Our goal
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...final-peak.jpg

Check this closeup - so close yet so far away. Footprints should help give an idea of the scale
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...ak-closeup.jpg

AND - the boots after getting off the mountain and back to the hotel
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...walk-boots.jpg


Again - not a pinch, rub or hotspot. The boots felt great the entire way - up and down the mountain. Excellent anke support without compromising the abbility to clime extremly steep piches. Scaled some big rocks and I felt like a damn billygoat with these on. Would not want to wear any other boots than these.

Oh yeah - I used to make fun of hikers that used those ski pole looking hiking sticks - not any more. Those things are the HEAT!!!!!

Dan

I know this is about the boots, but...beautiful pictures!

ah, the new M-9

I have good experience with Bates boots as well. I wear the M-9 predecessor; the 8" Gore-Tex Enforcer with Vibram Eagle outsole. I've used it for running, hiking, rock climbing, stretching (swimming next).
The sole does "self-clean" as advertised and provide excellent traction outdoor (had no problem jogging outside last Sat when ATL was frozen), while indoor...
well, when it's raining outside I was up for some squeaky "ice skating" as I entered my dept building.

Tested it when car broke down and had to hike/run 8 miles up from Tallulah Falls to the nearest town along US 441. The boot + Thorlo combat socks gave flawless performance.
I was really thankful of the ankle-support after the sun sets down and the only light came from incoming cars: There were holes, trash, tree trunks etc. along the highway that caused my friends to stumble in their tennis shoes and hurt their ankles.
I'm going to have to ditch the pair in exchange with jungle boots for better conditioning, though

Questions, Sir:

- Does the boot sole squeaks when wet on the floor (esp. marble floor)?
- Did you take out the Gore-tex plate from the lace or did yours come without it?
- Does the protruding lace-holes/hooks lacerate the lace cord over time?

great review and pics, java - thanks for taking the time. good to see you here.
cheers,
MM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...per-Zulu-2.jpg

Not as high though!
Thank you for sharing!

Holy geeze! Don't call me sir - I respond just fine to "hey you" but Dan is OK also :cool:

I don't know about the wet sole but I'll try to find some wet and tile to play with today.

Gore Tex plate??? I guess mine did ot come with that.

I've only had the boots for a week so I don't know how the laces will hold up. These boots are designed so damn well that I can't imagine that the lace holes would be any less well made.



Couple more things. The Bates folks said these were made of pigskin. I asked if that had anything to do with the ongoing conflicts overseas and delivering good solid head kicks but they denied that and said it was because the pigskin breathes better - dries quickes and will dry soft as opposed to cow hide drying stiff.

Also - the 4th set of eyelets up from the tow are self locking ones - meaning you can pull your laces as tight as you want and they will stay that way - leaving the top 3 to be tied however tight you want 'em. Great little innovation.

MM - great to be here man!

DF - nice pic!

Dan

Dan,
I called you Sir out of respect, age difference, and the prospect that I might have to salute you one day anyway, so I'd better get used to it.

The picture should show the location for the supposed Gore tex plate, or Bates website should show it better:
http://www.batesfootwear.com/Catalog...OIID=&StyleID=
Seems you got the "special edition." May I know how much you spent for those?

That self-locking feature is a great innovation IMHO.
Roller skates (esp. Hypno) have had that feature for years, 'bout time for the boot industry to catch up.

Not that I know anything, but I think this may be the greatest gear review posted here. Not because the gear itself was reviewed so thoroughly, but because its performance was documented without direct reference to the gear. Great pix, and great posts.

Welcome again to the Board.

Ha ha - buddy, handshakes work just fine for me.

OK - I see what you mean by the plate. These boots are not Gore-Tex boots, they are meant to be used in the desert and jungle and are extremly breathable and quick drying.

How much did I spend - OK, you may feel bad about this one. They were giving them away to us at the Shot Show - we just had to promise to beat them up and evaluate them for Bates. Yeah - in reality that's why I went SF, for the chick and gear :D

Dan

Hmmm - "greatest" is a strong word but I think my ego is inflated enough to handle it :cool:

If y'all trat me nice I just may post my Hennessy hammock and Jetboil/Dragonfly reviews here.

Dan

Hey Dan,
Thanks for the report on the shoes and the great tour.
It's pretty unheard of, in my experience, for shoes (boots) to wear that good on the first outings.
I wish those were around, with caulked soles, when I was logging.

Speaking of logging, it looks like they got it all done in the hills around there.

Sergeant:

Where can I buy a pair of these boots? (Link?)

(Earn your free boots!) LOL

RL

Tell ya what - I have never had boots feel this good right off the bat.


Well - I don't know if you can but them yet but I got 'em from this guy........

Onder Ors
Vice President & General Manager
Bates Uniform Footwear
PH - 616-863-3810
orson@wwwinc.com

Ask him your silly questions :D

Dan

Hey Bill, what did you do as a logger? I was a chokersetter for about 6 years. I got out of the woods a little over 3 years ago when I hooked up with Kifaru. The little woman said 53 was too damn old to be settin' chokers. It was good fun while it lasted. Sorry about the thread hijack Java. :)

Mel

On a side note, did you encounter any of those notorious mountain lions & were you prepared in case of contact?.... I wonder what that 55lb pack contained?

No lions but I was prepared for them I went hiking with a guy that I could outrun :D

I brought a lot of water (5 L) some chow, a Jetboil stove, MSR titanium Kettle, instant cider and coco, a Kifaru Parahootch, heavyweight wool top and windbreaker, extra socks, panel marker, folding saw, strobe, lighter, Gerber multi tool, cellphone, medi kit, Miox and water filter, camera with extra batteries, space blanket - that's about it I think.

Dan

I love this shit.

Do the Parahootch and the hammock, next, brother.

:)

Java-
I split the thread off to a new thread for your hammock review. It deserved its own thread as it was a very good review. I didn't want it to become lost in this Bates boot thread. :cool:
-Saca



Link to new thread: Review of hammock http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...ead.php?t=5552

Good morning Mel, This kind of relates to boots and I'll keep this hijack short (Sorry Java Guy). First, I thought you had that hardened look about you Mel.

I spent 10 seasons logging in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, this was back when I was a skinny kid at 220 lbs. I wrapped many chokers around logs, mostly on the high lead and skyline sides. This has to be some of the hardest work on the planet. I was a rigging slinger, worked as a high climber and ran cat. I also worked chasing the landing for the high lead and sky line which was a 9 hour a day contest trying to stay out from under flying logs and cables while keeping all the rigging straight.
In the middle of all the above I ran just over two ton of welding rod for that logging operation both in repair and fabrication of components of heavy equipment.

This was my true start in working steel.

Logging boots, we called "corks" or caulked boots cost around 200 dollars and would last about 6 months at best. They hurt like hell to break in, all hard leather construction. Some of the new boots had "squeak heal" in them. Every time the owner stepped down he would squeak from the pain.

This is what caused me to pay attention in Java's thread here. Maybe Java is too tough to notice his feet. I'll find him some logging "shoes" to try out and see if he notices any difference. I doubt it.

Oh yeah, Your "little woman" is right.

Thanks, Mr. Harsey. That was a neat glimpse into the logging world.

TJG, great review and pics!

I'm impressed by what i read. Great review.

Out of curiosity, did you hate your oakley boots? I have a couple pairs i picked up, and i'm not impressed. I was just wondering if these bates boots remedy the SERIOUS problems I have seen in my oakley "Assault Boots".

I'll be on the lookout for these if they are as good as you say. The autolocking lace thing is an awesome idea.

Doug

Java, great review and pics! I wish I coulda stayed out in Vegas a couple more days and went hiking with you. I gotta get me a pair of those Bates and see how they work for me ;) .

Bill, sounds like you did it all in the logging business! Last pair of boots I used while setting chokers, were some caulked Danners from Hoffman Boots in Idaho. I started working with them right out of the box, with no break in, and never had a problem with hot spots or blisters. Great pair of boots, and Hoffman Boots has outstanding customer service.

Mel

Next time you are out here I'd be up for a hike, but only if you loan me an "Express" to play w/ :D

Fellow Logger, SIR Mel, No I did not do it all logging. No one wanted me to run shovel (log loader). I'd pick up a big log, start it moving sideways fast and fail to find the swing brakes, hit the 110 foot tower on the yarder and rung it like a bell that could be heard for 10 miles. This caused much bad langauge and no small amount of ill will, especially if someone had to dive off the edge of the landing to keep from getting kilt. I also scattered the whole rigging crew on a couple occasions so they asked me to go do something else.

Danners are the best shoes made for the woods, I couldn't afford them while logging (or so I'd thought) so I bought West Coast boots. You have to be extra tough to have worn those.

No - I don't hate them at all. It's just that they are a super hyped up pair of sneakers with lots of room for improvement. These Bates are the boots for me from now on.

Dan

...
 

Anyone know the correct name for these boots?

Ive looked on the Net and find a few options for Bates boots... do they have a particular model / part number Java?

Dan, That sounds like good thinking and would sure be an unusual test of the shoes.

In Oregon we have a very healthy population of mountain lions. I live in the middle of one of those "population centers" and have the big kitty kitties close to the house on occasion.

After reviewing a few livestock kill scenes by the cats I've noted that they go ahead and kill as much as they want and I suspect they get the fastest ones (sheeps, calves and last year, a young horse) first so they don't get away.

Let the other guy run first to see what the cat does.

Where or when are these going on the market? I've looked on the bates footware web site but to no avail.

Good questions, looks like it's time for someone from Bates to give up some info.

Dan, Did you get a card from someone at Bates?

OK - this is twice, don't expect a third time ;)


Onder Ors
Vice President & General Manager
Bates Uniform Footwear
PH - 616-863-3810
orson@wwwinc.com

Dan

I've already got the other guys around here used to a neanderthal knifemaker...
Thanks and all noted.

Thanks for the contact info. I'm on it.

Great pics !!

Talked with the guy from Bates and here is what he said:

"Thank you for your interest. The new M-9 Desert Boots we outfitted some
of the SF teams at SHOT were for T&E and we only ran a limited
production. As you noticed the reviews have been exceptional. We will
have our main inventory sometime in mid May"

Has anyone bought a pair of these yet? I am thinking of ordering some from botac in California, but am a little leary of ordering them without hearing how they run size wise. Anybody have any new info?

Mine ran at LEAST a half size big. I got 9's and they have fit guys who wear size 10's WELL. I had to call them back and re-request a pair of 8.5's that fit well with my heavy wools socks.

I am not really a huge fan of them. Maybe it is how I walk, but they seem to put a lot of extra stress on my legs. I always feel like my muscles are much more stressed after using these boots for extended periods.

They are better than my oakley boots because they don't squeek on wet floors, but they don't get a lot of traction either.

One of my Cadre at drill this weekend made several comments after looking them over. He noted they would be very comfortable as truck boots or for PSD guys, but as far as anyone needing a boot for rucking and practical use they were lacking in stability and draining.

Everytime I use them they soak up a lot of sweat and don't dry out except when left overnight.

On the plus side: They are very soft, broke in easily and are VERY light. The lacing system is tits. Some very nice aspects.

These are just my observations with my T&E pair.

Thanks, anybody else have the same experiences? How about any feedback on the 5.11 desert boots? Im trying to find a good hot weather desert boot without any gore-tex or sympatex lining as my feet sweat a great deal. Any help would be appreciated.

Ive just ordered a pair of the Bates Desert boots for Eval.

Ill post it up after its completed.

perhaps it's time to resurrect this thread?
http://professionalsoldiers.com/foru...ght=5.11+boots