Tactical Research Mini-Mil TR102 8 Inch Minimalist Tactical Boots for Men - Lightweight and Breathable Black Leather with Slip-Resistant Vibram Outsole

Let me start off by saying I have EXTREMELY FLAT FEET. I have worn over 20 different types of combat boots in my career in the military and in law enforcement. I have worn Solomon, Bates, Belleville, Rocky, Nike, and many more different brands. But this boot is by far one of the most comfortable and healthy for my feet. It truly is a minimalist style boot and if you have gone your entire life wearing boots and shoes that have giant soles, you may want to take it easy with this boot. There will most likely be a a weeks where your calves may be sore or your achilles tendon may be hurting due to your calf muscles being worked much harder than they used to be, but eventually your calves and feet will become stronger and these boots will become very comfortable. I have noticed for myself, that I could be on my feet for a much longer period of time without having my feet and knees becoming sore and thats mainly due to the boot allowing your feet to naturally do their job. The toe box is also worth mentioning that it is very wide. I do not ever feet like my toes are being squished, they always feel like I have ample room to move my toes around in the front of the boot.As for the build quality, the boot is actually pretty tough and doesnt fall apart easily at all. The only issue I have had regarding wear and tear of the boot is the black coating on the leather has already started to peel off where the boot bends. The laces are very strong and do not rip or wear out. They are speed laced.Another minor issue that I have had is the leather finish is not very friendly to polish. I have noticed that after polishing these boots, the shine seems to wear off a lot faster that other boots I have shined (and I have shined many many boots). I believe this is due to the black finish on the leather (like i mentioned it cracks and peels off at the creases).In conclusion, this is a fantastic boot, and although it has its cosmetic flaws with the finish, the boot is strong and holds up even though how thin and light it is. This is the only military/law enforcement minimalist type boot I have seen on the market and it truly lives up to its expectations. I wish more companies made boots like this.

I personally love minimalistic foot wear. I have several models of VFF and love them all. KSO, Signa's and Flows. This boot is nothing like wearing VFFs however it is a great step forward from the clunky boot designs. Compared to my Desert, Jungle and Winter boots I was issued this is by far superior. The boots are very light. The fit is very snug around the heel which is initially uncomfortable but as I wore the boot it became more comfortable and actually feels like true ankle and heel support. The feel of the boot while running, walking feels less like a boot and more of a sneaker. I feel more nimble in these boots compared to my others. The toe area is roomier than standard boots which actually makes a difference when moving around intensely. When I wear these boots I have a better feel for the terrain around me. One thing I hated about my Winter boots is they pinch my toe knuckles when I take a knee, these boots do not have that issue. After wearing these boots go for a walk in normal military grade boots and you will feel a difference in how "clunky" standard boots are, also they're very breathable. As far as people complaining about the interior being unlined, just wear dress socks or underarmor socks, you still feel barefoot but protect against the unlined interior. I would've rather deployed with a pair of these...Also these boots run small!!! I wear a size 10 jungle boot. These are 10 1/2 and are much more snug even though they're a bigger size. To be honest I should've got an 11. in VFF i wear 43. That should give you some sort of idea of sizing. I followed the instructions and measured my feet. I recommend sizing up half a size after measuring your foot.Oh as far as cold weather with these boots. It's currently below freezing and I wear these with dress socks and I remove the insole. My feet are not cold.I will update this review once I've spent a couple weeks on the mountain with them.