Bates Boots M-9 Desert Assult Boot

[Rentax]

I have been wearing the same pair of Belleville gore-tex lined boots for a little over 3 years now. They were worn in by a friend of mine who served in the military before being passed down to me. I loved them and let me tell you I wore them out. I've re-laced them, restitched the uppers, multiple times, and re-glued the soles twice, but knew they were on their last leg so I finally threw in the towel and decided to get a new pair of boots.
I've talked to many people about their boots, from Danner to Condor, Oakley to Nike. Finally decided to try a pair of Bates.
Bates Boots M-9 Desert Assult Boot
http://www.batesfootwear.com/US/en-us/Product.mvc.aspx/10134M/0/Footwear/Mens/M-9-Desert-Boot?galleryId=G-F

Bates Boots makes Military and Police boots, as a sister company to Wolverine Boots they have been building boots for 125 years.
The M-9 has:
* Dirt, oil and water resistant Wolverine Warrior Leather® upper with 1680 denier nylon
* Breathable mesh lining
* Cushioned removable insert
* Multi terrain Vibram® Mutant rubber outsole



My fist impression was good. Made with quality leather and nylon product, alot of double and triple stitch work, good color and no scuffs or unusual markings. They are heavy at all, but they did seem a bit stiff. Putting them on proved easier than I thought it would be, my foot slipped right in. As I tied them I noticed that the laces were square. They fit snug around my leg and ankle but with the soft leather upper near the toe didn't push into my foot at all as I walked, which I appreciated. I walked around my apartment on both the carpet and the linoleum, and they felt great, not only comfy, but quiet, with only little rubber squeaks across the hard floor. I found the amount of padding around the ankle area a nice feature, so even if you bang into something their is a good bit of padding there.
This after noon I went for a jog in them. They stayed snug through out the run and actually felt more comfortable than many running shoe's I've run in in the past. The thick sole caused the heal to toe push seem easier to me.
When arriving home I took my boots off. My feet were VERY warm but I had no foot discomfort or odd wear and tear on my feet. The boots were a bit hard to unlace, until I realized that the 4th lace loop from the bottom (the biggest one in the picture there) has a locking mechanism to it, to help keep the boots tight during lacing and if they should come untied.

Pros
Built with Quality Product
Easily to put on
Comfortable to wear

Cons
they didn't seem breath all that well
which means they won't release water that well wither


I'll be interested in seeing how they do this fall and winter in the rain around here. And will update this as I acquire more information.