Belleville Mini-Mil TR102 Minimalist Boot - Zero Drop Barefoot Boots - EMS Footwear with Vibram Tread - Tactical Footwear for Men - Breathable & Lightweight - Vibram Tarsus Outsole

They are as comfortable and functional as any of my street and hiking barefoot shoes I have. Which is to say, if I was interested in military style boots as everyday wear, I would have no issues wearing them every day. As it is, I wear them for 12+ hour shifts. At first, I did get the ankle bite like many people in military boots do, but that went away when I stopped tying them tight around the ankles. They haven't had any break-in period for me, but again, I have been in almost exclusively barefoot style shoes since Christmas. As for quality, I would say they are made as good as any military boot. They passed the scrutiny of my retired Marine husband. I would say they will be just as durable as any other military-style boot. I do wish the toe was rubber-wrapped, since we kneel down so much in EMS, but I will deal and just be careful so as to prevent scratching of the leather. The sole grip seems fine so far, I have been in a handful of greasy kitchens and wet floors, and they seem a bit better than my Haix and Danners were. Now that I have had them for a month or so, I can say that I really like them. For years, I was wearing Haix and Danner EMS/Wildland/Station crossover boots. I thought I loved those until I started with barefoot shoes earlier in the year. These may not have as much flexibility as true barefoots, but they have tons compared to regular boots, which is great. I will say, that like others have mentioned, sizing is a bit wonky. I am a woman and wear a women's 7.5 (men's 5.5-6)/37-38 in non-barefoot shoes, and 38 in barefoot shoes. I first got these in a 6.5 regular and they while they fit, they fit more like a regular shoe instead of barefoot. I switched to a 6.5 wide and they fit perfectly. They may actually be a little too long, but I am okay with that. Anyhoo, I am very glad I finally bought these and wish I had done it sooner!

The boots were comfortable out of the box. No issues with rubbing the back of the heel like I've heard can happen. The boots are minimalist. To me they're a combination of tactical boots and wrestling shoes. Exactly what I was looking for. They seem well made. The only thing I am not crazy about is that they don't seem to have a wide toe box, like I thought they would. My toes aren't cramped or anything, but they are about 1/2 inch narrower at the top box than my very comfortable Jim Green African Rangers. Would I buy them again? Probably not. But I don't regret the purchase.

1 month update- these are my go-to boots- honestly one of my favorites. They are not Gore-tex, and it looks like the vendor fixed the title, but they are extremely water resistant. Everything I noted in the initial review still stands, but sometimes you like something despite the flaws! I would love a true Gore-tex boot, and I would love a better fit, but for what it's worth, this is one of my favorite boots for outdoor adventure. ************** I bought the TR101 and TR103 as well in order to compare them. The natural colors have vents in the instep which would make them NOT as waterproof as this boot, if that is a concern. Also the natural colors are made with a roughed up, unpolished leather which creates a rough surface on the inside of the boot. This makes them feel a LOT less comfortable than the polished leather. Now over time, I am sure that the inside would polish itself with wear. However, I am interested in a waterproof boot, and the black boot not having the vents made it a shoe-in. ;) (I talked to a few people that wear Govt Issue for work, and they said that the black polished boots always hold up longer. My guess is that the black boots also use a higher quality leather? This would explain the slightly higher ratings you see here on Amazon.) But, a representative for the company said that all three styles, the TR101, TR102, and TR103 all use the same exact boot mold. So any differences between them come down to materials used. As for fit. It does feel minimal, and it is VERY lightweight, which is a plus. It does not fit like the Merrell or NewBalance Barefoot shoes, it fits decidedly like a boot. When the laces are snugged enough to cut off circulation, there are pockets of fabric that hang loose- mostly in the ankle area. This allows the ankle to slop around a bit. If you lightly kick at something, your toe will contact the end of the boot, it doesn't fit well enough to hold the boot to the foot. Also, the leather heel calls it quits about halfway up the ankle and transitions to fabric, so I can feel the seam carving at the ankle during full articulation. Perhaps this is the heel discomfort many are talking about? Dunno. I have full grain cowboy boots that articulate better and feel better in the ankle, so there has to be a more elegant solution. Anyway, we take away one star for not being Goretex as advertised, not fitting great, but overall not bad, and as I mentioned, wicked light and the only outdoor rated barefoot boot I know of in this price range.

Best boots I ever worn. The sole on the left boot started coming apart within 8 hours of work (police). They held up though and didn’t fall apart anymore. I’ve been wearing them somewhat regular for the last 2 years. Best boot, comfort, look, weight, I’ve ever had, but quality of material is junk.

Best boots I've worn. I've tried 100 different boots. These are straight foot power. Opposite of Rocky's or Lowa's.