- Maelstrom Men's Tactical Work Boots with Side Zipper – Lightweight Leather Military Style, Comfortable, Durable and Breathable for Outdoors

Well, this was a win! I am 60 years old and having some trouble with my feet and flexibility. Additionally, I lost my right hand when I was younger. Getting in and out of a pair of hiking boots can be a bit of a chore. It can also be a bit embarrassing to need other people to help me with something that is so simple for most. I like going for walks but have not found foot wear that fit my needs. I had a trip to Germany coming up and wanted a comfortable pair of "hiking" shoes or boots. I looked around Amazon and found these. I was a little suspect of how well the zipper would work. After reading the reviews, I bought them. They fit perfectly both size and width! Hard to believe you can do that on-line! The arch support is good. The loop on the top back of each shoe make them easy to pull on. The zipper is very sturdy and extremely easy to use! Even with thick socks it zipped up comfortably! There is a leather flap that covers the top of the zipper and is Velcroed down. I tightened up the laces, double knotted them and never worried about them again! Taking them off is also very easy. The zipper is on the inside panel of each boot making it easy to reach for me. Even someone with serious flexibility issues can use these comfortably. They are light! Surprisingly so. I read about that before I bought them, but I was still surprised. It made packing them for a long trip all the better. Light does not mean flimsy! They are very sturdy and I did not have trouble walking over heavy gravel, rocks or the many cobble stone streets of Europe! My feet are ultra sensitive with nerve problems as I age. Again, these were very comfortable. The heavy canvas side panels allow the shoes to breath well. I had no problem with hot feet. As I flew back I wore them on the flight. They are so easy to take off and put back on, it helped as I went through security. Otherwise, that can be a very awkward and embarrassing spot for me. I was able to remove then on the long flight over the ocean and but them back on easily from my tightly packed seat! For those of you with flexibility problems... you know what I mean! Yes, this was a win! Now, next time I go to Tokyo... where you have to take off your shoes and put them back on over and over throughout the day... I'm going to be ready! Thank you for developing this fine product! (I was surprised to learn after I received them that my son who was in the military has a zip up pair just like them!) Wayne

Awesome boots! Lightweight. Tied them once & zip in/out of them every day in seconds. Hike @ 5 miles every week & wear them regularly walking 2-3 miles / day with the pup throughout the week. Water proof, comfortable & so far no wear & tear after 7-8 months. Wore them through snow & zero degrees. My old military boots were getting to be a pain to get on & off. If your getting a little older 50's +, then these are your boots!!

Good: Extremely comfortable boots. Lace system is fire and forget. Side zip makes it easy to slip in and slip out. Nice and warm in winter paired with wool socks and just as comfortable in summer with wool socks. Good feel and grip. One of the most comfortable work boots i have ever owned even for the price they are amazing. Its so good that just realized that I never thought about purchasing inserts...that's how comfortable these boots are out the box. Bad: The wear and tear. It will start showing signs of wear and tear pretty fast. If you use this boot sparingly it still shows it. Use it a lot and it will wear fast. The soles and side zip seem to be the more problem prone issues. Seams near zipper can go. Laces fray. The soles wear fast. Ugly: When it falls apart it is catastrophic. Soles come completely apart. The thread becomes a hazard as it has no grip and hydroplanes in wet weather. The zipper becomes jammed. Side strap loses its grip. Laces fray completely. At times the waterproof feels like it loses its properties. Overall I feel like its a great boot for the price. Its not going to win any long term test since by 6-7 months of heavy use it will fall apart. But the one thing that it will stick out its the comfort and ease of use. You might spend twice as much for similar boot that might last similar time or more but the comfort level might not be on par. These are great boots to fire and forget. Comfort is key when wearing work boots and these are a 10/10 in that department but as far as longevity and durability these are 4 out 10 or at best 5 out of 10. For about $100 a year for comfortable work boots...Its a great deal really.

The boots are comfortable. I work in corrections. I'm on my feet most of the time. I do believe the inside pad will get old I'll just buy a new one, but for the price the boots are amazing. They are true to size. My feet are wide so if you have that issue, I do recommend getting them in a wide.