These Boots we're made for Walking (and Airsoft hopefully!)

First review.... theres a lot riding on this.  For me anyway.  I started this blog to enable me to document my experiences getting started in Airsoft both good and bad and to review the kit that I buy.  When I sat down in a local cafe with my latte and started to write this it dawned on me I'd never actually reviewed anything before.  If I stink then I guess the blog probably dies here and my hopes of taking Blackjack to Youtube probably go out with it so lets raise out latte mugs in a toast ........ to not stinking!

So with this first review comes the first thing I bought which was my boots.  I know from days of hiking and my first experience wearing old work boots that a comfortable pair of boots is essential.  I also know that through the years I've gotten started in hobbies and then drifted away over time so I had to fight the urge to buy the best boots out there and temper my enthusiasm by buying inexpensively but wisely.

Now doing my research theres lots of boots people will recommend but nothing in that "just testing the water" range so I guess that's where I fit in here.

The boots I bought were these bad boys...

They looked like this for 5 mins

I knew I wanted tan boots purely for the aesthetic of them and that I wanted the higher style (8" I now understand) rather than more of an ankle boot so that narrowed down my search.  After checking out every website going and seeing boots ranging from £15.00 to £215.00 I was a little worried about buying online and them not fitting then having the hassle of sending them back so that led me to look local where I could try before buying.  That proved fruitless so I took back to the inter webs and found these on Amazon.  As a Prime member I'm always keen to take advantage of free next day delivery and free returns so I thought I'd take a punt on these.  They look very similar to the Kombat UK ones ... possibly even the same?

how they look after a couple of outings

The customer reviews on Amazon were positive in general although they did mention about being slightly large fitting.  I took a chance on my normal size 9 and intended to insert a gel insole and thicker socks.  The price was £27.99 so cheap enough to throw in the car for muddy days if the Airsoft bug left me and not so expensive that I'd regret buying only to upgrade later when the bug really bites (as I expect it to).  Order placed and fingers crossed I waited.

Well initial thoughts as I opened the box was...... positive.  They looked solid enough.  The uppers are made of a suede cow leather with heavy duty 1150D Cordura nylon on the sides.  This does help with flexibility when being worn.  I wasn't sure how waterproof they'd be so I did cover them with NikWax prior to first use (remembering my old Boy Scout days!).  The stiching looked strong and probably the only negative at this stage was what I would say were probably cheap laces.  They seem a bit stretchy and this makes it difficult to lace the boots up tight but no reason not to buy.  I also bought some gel insoles from Sports Direct which I'd used previously in running shoes and buying on the cheap side I assumed they wouldn't be the most cushioned.  The insoles in the boots aren't that padded so I'd recommend adding some in.

Look rubbish - comfy as hell

So down to the nuts and the reason you've read so far ..... what are they like to wear on game day. 

Well I've worn them twice for full days Skirmish which was a combination of outdoor CQB and woodland and I can honestly say I'm impressed.  They're comfortable, they support the ankles well, the treads grip the track and the rocks paths and give confidence that they'll not slip and best of all they look badass!  The inside and the tongues are well padded and really do feel comfortable.  My feet felt great when I took them off.  No blisters and not overly hot.  How long will they last?  No idea but at this price and given I'm just starting out I'm more than happy.  I'll probably replace the laces at some point but given the value for money I can really recommend them for someone just looking to get some boots to start out.  I agree they probably are a little bigger than standard sizing but with my extra insoles and thicker socks (which I intended to wear anyway) they fit great so bear that in mind.

Cant faulty them at all but will review again once I've got more usage under the belt.  I've only played on dry days so far and I also NikWaxed them so can't comment on what they're like on a wet day but time will tell.  Even better is they've dropped in price since I bought them so can be picked up for £25.99.  Well worth it if you just want a back up pair or a cheaper tan pair.

Boots - one left, one right ..... nun said!

If you want to check them out heres a link to the Amazon page  http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0114PPV3U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00