Tactical footwear: boots

Within the world of tactical footwear there are big brands that get all the attention such as Lowa, Crispi, Salomon, Altama, Original SWAT, Garmont, Adidas..., each one has its pros and cons. In this article we are not going to focus on any specific one, we are going to review in general terms the characteristics to take into account when buying boots, whether for police, military, private security use, etc.

Upper part of the boot

The upper part of the boot is the portion that surrounds the foot and can sometimes reach the ankle or even higher, depending on the height of the high, medium or low shaft. It is made with various materials to adapt to the specific needs of each service or use. Here are some upper materials to consider when choosing your boots:

Suede: It is the most used material, it is highly resistant treated animal or synthetic leather.
Leather, whether natural or artificial: it can be combined with a waterproof membrane as is the case with Crispi boots, it is usually used in police boots.
Cordura: resistant textile material used in wear areas.
Waterproof membranes: the most used and popular is Gore-tex, but there are also other waterproof membranes such as eVent from 5.11.

Midsole

The midsole is the part of the boot just below the removable insole and its material directly influences your comfort level, it will help with cushioning, fatigue and many more factors. Frames or structures that surround the boot can also start from this area to give it greater resistance to torsion, as is the case of some models from Lowa, Crispi, Salomon, etc. Here are some common midsole materials:

EVA: EVA rubber is one of the most used materials for manufacturing midsoles thanks to its mechanical characteristics, it increases cushioning and reduces fatigue.
Polyurethane (PU): Serves to increase the integrity of the midsole, usually mixed with EVA to form a more complete midsole.
Reinforcement plates (Shanks): sometimes the midsole is reinforced with protection against spikes, and other types of protection according to need. For police and military use, the use of boots with puncture protection is recommended.

Sole

The sole is the part that makes direct contact with the ground and provides protection, traction and comfort. There are well-known brands of soles such as Vibram, Continental, Contagrip, etc., they are neither better nor worse than manufacturers' soles, they simply have different characteristics. Some features of the outsoles include:

Rubber: material with which the sole is made.
Lug pattern: it is an important point for choosing the sole, it is not the same whether we are going to use the sole for trekking or mountaineering, or for asphalt or all in one. The pattern must be adjusted to the use we are going to give the boot.
Fast rope capacity: There are boots that allow you to fast rope, this is a very important point to take into account for those professionals who use this technique in their work.

Certifications

This characteristic is a point that we must take into account, especially if we are going to use it for professional environments. We must check that the boot is certified as work footwear in accordance with the EN ISO 20347:2012 standard. With this certificate we ensure that the footwear has antistatic properties (Antistatic footwear helps protect the user and the environment from possible electrical discharges that could generate sparks).

It also assures us that the sole is insulating against cold and heat. In addition, the outsole must be non-slip (this is very important for police officers who work in wet environments, such as asphalt) and resistant to oil, gasoline and contact heat.