Bates Men's 8" DuraShock Lace-to-Toe Side Zip Work Boot

Boots arrived in 4 business days, which is great, because I didn't realize they had to pass through customs. They fit great, the insole is well cushioned. First work I did was in marshy wet areas of the farm and I was walking in water for hours and my feet stayed nice and dry. Even when the water level was above the tops of the boot, the water never got in. On unlevel ground I never felt any slip, the treads did a fantastic job of grabbing the wet ground. My wife was in her Mucks and her soles are separating and her feet got soaked. My toes stayed warm and dry! I would buy these boots again in heartbeat, except...I don't believe I'll ever need another pair of boots! As Terry Pratchett once wrote in a discourse on poverty: “The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. He earned thirty-eight dollars a month plus allowances. A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair of boots, which were sort of OK for a season or two and then leaked like hell when the cardboard gave out, cost about ten dollars. Those were the kind of boots Vimes always bought, and wore until the soles were so thin that he could tell where he was in Ankh-Morpork on a foggy night by the feel of the cobbles. But the thing was that good boots lasted for years and years. A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while the poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.

These are pretty good boots for law enforcement/corrections-type work. They keep my feet comfortable during long hours on concrete and steel surfaces and grip well when said surfaces are wet, which is often, since I work in a prison and flooding is a popular source of entertainment among convicts. I've had my oldest pair of these for over a year now and there's just now the slightest sign of wear on the heels. The leather and nylon are still in perfect condition and I've not had any issues with stitching coming loose or giving out. If you put some effort into your boot care, these do take very well to spit-shining. They're cool, although a bit heavier than some offerings on the market but that isn't a problem for me. I like them quite a bit, which means that Bates will probably discontinue them, like they do with everything of theirs that I've ever liked. They remind me of my Danners (Acadia, Ft. Lewis) that I had in the Army, without the $300.00 price tag. *UPDATE* So, if we fast-forward to 02/12/2019, these boots are still holding together well and look just as sharp as ever. I've been spit-shining my own boots since 1989 and I have to say that these Bates take to it more easily than any I've ever owned before. Here's a tip that I'm not even going to charge you for...... When your boots stop taking a shine, DON'T STRIP THEM. Just change the polish that you're using and keep working them. KIWI is my everyday polish but when my boots just won't behave and take a shine, I switch it up and work them with Lincoln and it has NEVER failed to get a breakthrough shine and, after getting the breakthrough, I can switch back to the much cheaper Kiwi. So, let's see..... If I've had this pair of Defenders since 2016, that makes them three years old. I haven't resoled them and still haven't had any issues with stitching or leather or nylon wear-out. I paid less than $150.00 for them, so I still can't justify paying over $350.00 for the Danners that these are based on. Just CAN'T. I'm completely satisfied with this product and may add another pair to my repertoire in the very near future. Oh...... One more thing.... Have I mentioned that I was a "grunt" in the Army, in "light infantry" and "airborne infantry" units for over 11 years and that I post under my wife's screen name because I'm too lazy to create my own account? Yep, fellas... I take my feet and my boots VERY seriously and I HIGHLY recommend these boots for anybody in the law enforcement/corrections/security business. I can't say that these Bates will hold up in a load-bearing role but, if you're just pounding pavement every day and need to look sharp, these are your huckleberries...... PS.... Don't be an idiot. Order Sorbothane Insoles. These boots are going to outlast your feet, so you might as well be comfortable.

Pro's: I am very impressed with these boots. I am writing this review nearly 3 weeks after my purchase. As soon as I took them out of the box, I felt as if these boots were designed for my foot. Very comfortable, and the break-in period was very minimal. I wore them for a full 10 hour shift the very first night I got them, and never had a single problem. The leather is very high quality, not the knock-off stuff that you get with cheaper boots. Con's: 1.) Although I stated these boots fit wonderfully (which they do) I would say however, that they run "slightly" big. I always struggle with finding the right size footwear for my awkward, flat feet. My foot ALWAYS falls between a size 9 and size 9.5. I took a gamble and bought a size 9 (Iknow, I like to live life on the edge...) and I found that the size 9 might be a hair too big, but so minimal that I don't notice it after walking around in them for a minute. Although it might just be me because I am very anal and like my boots to fit perfectly snug around my entire foot. 2.) There is no zipper for the lazy men like me that have to untie and tie them back up at the beginning and end of every shift. 3.) The shoe laces that come with the boots are longer than the Boston Marathon so I had to wrap them around my boot a couple times before tying them up. 4.) The shoe laces that come with the boots are almost too thick for the boot which makes it hard to loosen and tighten them, therefore making it hard to get your foot in and out of the boot. As you can see, the Pro's heavily outweigh the Con's. For the price, comfort, and quality of these boots, I shouldn't be complaining about the boot laces (However, I do highly recommend that you buy a pair of 72" thin black workboot laces, which will compliment these boots perfectly...) I WILL BE BUYING THESE BOOTS AGAIN once my first pair wear out! I highly recommend them!

First off, I have been a loyal Bates consumer for years. I had a pair of quarter boots that lasted through 1 1/2 years of Corrections and EMS. The seams never failed. The only part that wore out was the rubber. I was quite impressed and became a loyal customer quickly. I have noticed over the years the boots don't last like they used too. The insides wear very fast and the leather wears out quickly. Regardless, nothing I don't expect. Now, I have never purchased this model before and have been wearing them for about a week. Here is my review from the ground up: Fit: I always order a half size bigger to accommodate heavy socks in the winter. These were a tad bigger than expected. Nothing extraordinary so its cool. I still like having a little wiggle room. Insole: Standard junk. I replaced them like I do with every pair of boots I buy. Weight: I am used to the GX-8 or Lightweight Bates. It was a small shock on how heavy these are but, I like it. They feel like they absorb more of my step and make it more comfortable to walk. Zipper: The zipper is pretty standard. Nothing new and exciting. Seams: Seem well constructed and solid. Waterproof: These are not waterproof out of the box. Some camping spray will do the trick but, they will get water in through the zipper. Don't go stomping through a foot of water and you will be fine. Overall: I would recommend to those looking for a solid boot. They look good and I think they will take a good shine. The only thing I don't like is the weight and that is not a deal breaker by any means. The break in period is relatively short, just don't wear them for 16 straight hours on your 3rd day of owning them (Not my choice. Mandatory OT). I would buy them again.

These are the 4th pair of Bates tactical boots that I have purchased, during my 13 years on the job. (Different styles each time.) I specifically chose this style, this time, because the soles can be replaced when they wear down. My previous 3 pairs of Bates were still in great shape, except that the soles had finally worn down. However, on the other 3 styles I have worn, you cannot replace the soles. I have always found Bates boots to be a great value. They are durable and comfortable, at a fair price. These new ones are no different. I feel comfortable ording Bates, online, because the size is consistent. (Actual sizes vary by manufacturer.) So, these fit great. They are confortable right out of the box. Yes, as new boots always are, they are a bit stiff. But, they begin to break in quickly. Now that I can replace the soles, I anticipate many years of service, from this pair. If you are debating how well the side zipper functions or the support it gives, you can rest assured that the zippers do not fail, and the support is maintained. With the exception of the first pair I wore, all of mine have been side zip. And, they have all provided years of trouble-free service.

When it comes to footwear I have been told I'm worse than a woman... Sorry ladies, but it comes from my fiancee... Anyway, if your like me and your tired of the crap-tacular shoes you find at your local shoe store, or tired of boots that are glued together, stop here. These boots are stitched to the rubber, NO GLUE! The past week I was on an almost endless search for a good pair of boots at a fair price. I hit 4 different local shoe places, and countless online websites. It seems no one had anything in a 13, if the did, it was either in a medium or a large. I went with a 3W because I will be wearing these boots for work, hunting, and other outdoor activities. I basically live in my boots. I work in security and generally have heavy foot traffic in all weather, so I need something comfortable, yet durable. While I only received these boots yesterday and cannot attest to their longevity, I may do another review at a later date. That being said, my current level of satisfaction is a 5, because they are comfortable, fit great, enough room for my big foot and a thickly cushioned hunting style sock. The thing I love the most is the fact they are not glued, I cannot stress that enough. Glued boots for me seem that once you get a drop of water on them, they fall apart. I hope this review helps someone in their quest for quality foot wear.

Leather is very high quality, soaked in conditioner very well. Took a few days to break in. Cloth portion is very cheap and punctures easily, obviously it was never going to be as strong as leather but come on. The stitching is of average quality, and the zipper is cheap and gets stuck easily. So overall they took a nice leather and put the rest of the boot together on the cheap, good for cosplay though.

I think these are the reason my right foot has been hurting for a month now. Not sure if I need wider or what but I have had intense pain so bad I cant hardly walk. In ad said waterproof and in reveiws it said not waterproof. I was hoping for waterproof but mine are not. Could of been waterproof with a little constructing here and there. Got for good price and they are good boots but unfortunately they are not working for me for some reason. I'm still trying to wear. I have a wide foot. Was in army 20 years ago and they was fitting me for boots and said it is unusual for them to run across my width of a foot, so I had to wait for my boots. I'm thinking I wore 10 n half EE in there at 160 pounds and I'm now 209 pounds so I think my foot got wider. I'm apparently a EEE maybe and have been trying to find a boot to fit forever. Not sure what's wrong. Love the zip side to were they are easy on n off without all that tieing. These boots usually will last me over 10 years. Should last me a lifetime. Overall a great lightweight boot for year around weather. Water resistant but not water proof. Not sure why my foot hurts but if found I will review once again. I got them cheap so I dnt know if they was made messed up or not, not sure. Still trying to wear by wearing once a week now instead of everyday. Had 30 day return and its 20 some days over so I'm stuck with them.

My husband said these boots are prefect. Good fit and extra wide. He was able to get his size E wide foot into them easily. Will definitely buy again when these wear out.

When I first opened the box and took out all the packing from in side the boots I was thinking there is no way these are going to fit so I continued on loosen the laces and tried them on and there was no way my foot was going in after loosening more finally I got my foot in all the way but very tight so I put them away and planned on sending them back. The next day I said I’ll try them again since all the reviews I read said get them the size you actually wear so I tried them again my foot went in easier but still tight along the side I ended up wearing them around the house thinking if they still cause me grief I’ll return them, another day came by I tried them on again and they felt better so I tried them outside went for a drive and a walk and they started to become comfortable and then I tried them on my motorcycle and it’s now at the point I don’t wanna to take them off. These are a great well built boot just put some time in to work in the leather and they well become your best friend.

Excellent boots great fit easy on and of extremely well made great buy

First impression, well made but I expected wider

They are a very good boot, but they are a little large for me. Will get a second pair in a size 9.5!