Tactical Research Mini-Mil TR102 8 Inch Minimalist Tactical Boots for Men - Lightweight and Breathable Black Leather with Slip-Resistant Vibram Outsole

Let me start off by saying I have EXTREMELY FLAT FEET. I have worn over 20 different types of combat boots in my career in the military and in law enforcement. I have worn Solomon, Bates, Belleville, Rocky, Nike, and many more different brands. But this boot is by far one of the most comfortable and healthy for my feet. It truly is a minimalist style boot and if you have gone your entire life wearing boots and shoes that have giant soles, you may want to take it easy with this boot. There will most likely be a a weeks where your calves may be sore or your achilles tendon may be hurting due to your calf muscles being worked much harder than they used to be, but eventually your calves and feet will become stronger and these boots will become very comfortable. I have noticed for myself, that I could be on my feet for a much longer period of time without having my feet and knees becoming sore and thats mainly due to the boot allowing your feet to naturally do their job. The toe box is also worth mentioning that it is very wide. I do not ever feet like my toes are being squished, they always feel like I have ample room to move my toes around in the front of the boot.As for the build quality, the boot is actually pretty tough and doesnt fall apart easily at all. The only issue I have had regarding wear and tear of the boot is the black coating on the leather has already started to peel off where the boot bends. The laces are very strong and do not rip or wear out. They are speed laced.Another minor issue that I have had is the leather finish is not very friendly to polish. I have noticed that after polishing these boots, the shine seems to wear off a lot faster that other boots I have shined (and I have shined many many boots). I believe this is due to the black finish on the leather (like i mentioned it cracks and peels off at the creases).In conclusion, this is a fantastic boot, and although it has its cosmetic flaws with the finish, the boot is strong and holds up even though how thin and light it is. This is the only military/law enforcement minimalist type boot I have seen on the market and it truly lives up to its expectations. I wish more companies made boots like this.

These are currently my favorite minimalist style boots, but they are not perfect.I'll start with what I don't like. The main issue is that they are not as waterproof capable as all-leather boots would be. I use Huberd's Shoe Grease on almost ever leather item I own, and it even helps the water resistance of canvas. But since so much of this boot is canvas, I can't achieve the level of water resistance I get with other, all-leather boots. I ride motorcycles in Southeast Alaska, where it rains more often than not, and even freshly treated these boots don't provide the water resistance I need to keep my socks dry for short commutes, so I have to swap boots when getting on and off the motorcycle.Secondly, they aren't built to last. I am currently on my third pair. My first one lasted over a year before one of the side toe seams burst and the second lasted under a year before the heel part of the sole broke away. The third one I just received so I expect it to last another year. This is in line with the lifespan given by other reviews, and this is with both the shoe grease treatment I use (which increases boot life) and a large amount of walking (security officer and farm work, both of which decrease boot life), so you may be able to get over a year if you treat them more lightly. Still, this isn't a $300 pair of boots, so I'm not that concerned.Thirdly, these aren't true minimalist boots. They still have a heel life, though it's minor, and the sole isn't as thin as most minimalist footwear on the market. If this is your first minimalist piece of footwear your feet WILL need to adapt, but if this isn't, your feet won't be used to it either.With all that said, I still recommend these boots. They're probably the best value for your money for minimalist boots on the market, lasting longer than certain other more-expensive brands. The sole is dependable, grips well, and lasts a long time (it's where the sole meets the leather that's failed the two times). They're also not garishly colored; I can't stand brightly colored or multicolored footwear, so a plain black boot appeals to me. It's nice that there's at least one of those available for people who don't want shoe coffins. They're comfortable. If I'm wearing them casually, I don't even tie up the laces; I have them speed tied so I just loosen them, slip my foot in, and walk around. They are light, a pair of these wears less than a single shoe in some other popular styles.Wearing these, even though they're not truly minimalist, still feels like freedom, and it's freedom you can experience even while shoveling oil-soaked asphalt, patrolling lonely stairwells at night, chopping firewood in winter, or pulling fence in summer. I recommend them, even as I occasionally look for better alternative. There just isn't one yet.

These boots are great!!! As for everything I buy in Amazon I shop around for a quality goods at a fair price & these boots although the are not cheap they are quality made... if you buy them you are going to love them. One thing before your purchase you should know, these boots run small. My initial purchase I bought a size 12. Because my past experience with shoes a size 12 has always been a perfect fit. These boots however that was not the case, wearing the size 12 my toe hit the tip of the toe box so I sent them back. Now you may be thinking why didn't I deduct a star. Well because Amazon makes it so easy to return something that I felt it wasn't worth deducting a star; even though the size 12 weren't a perfect fit I knew I'd love them the next size up (which is the size I'm reviewing). So I returned the size 12 for a size 13. I wear double boot socks & they fit wonderfully with plenty of room in the toe box to spread my toes & wiggle them around. I've been wearing minimalist foot wear for years now, but never considered a minimalist boot. I love the extra support it gives my ankles. Alsothe lack of a heel I feel more connected to the ground & therefore I feel more agile than I do if I were wearing traditional heeled boots. These boots look great, they are comfortable & offer great support.