Men's Bates GX-8 Desert Composite Toe Side-Zip Boots Tactical Reviews, Deals, Problems and Guides

Only down side is stiffness out of the box. Took about three months to break in. Worked three different jobs with these boots. From standing for whole shifts in a factory. To walking through woods and back yards over hills and trees and roots installing fence. To working masonry construction doing flooring. I have jogged (yes jogged) and walked hundreds of miles in these boots (no exaggeration) even in snow. The rubber bumper on the back has saved my heel from being seriously injured more times than I can count. The composite toe is a bit bulky but does its job flawlessly. I have rested heavy sections of wooden fence on the toes. I have had to kick things with the toes. I have dropped concrete block on the toes. The color will fade to a beautiful almost coyote color. Never had a single problem with the side zipper. They will keep your feet cool in hot weather(90+ degrees in factory) and they will keep them warm in the cold of winter. Although they don't do cold and hot climates perfectly, they do work pretty darn well in either. These boots are also mostly waterproof. I only say mostly because nothing is fully water proof. With that said I never had any problem in soupy back yards, heavy rain, or feet of snow. All in all they lasted me about 14 months. From jogging along snow and salted roads at the 14 month mark they finally got a rip in the leather at the edge near the sole (Not where they connect). I would recommend these boots to a friend and my wife loves them.

I work in property preservation and I have tried many different boots over the past 6 years. These Bates GX-8 boots are the best boots I've ever had. This is the second time purchasing these boots. They are the only boots to last over a year, and that's really saying something because most boots only give me about 6 to 10 months with all the walking I do. I still keep my first pair which are still in good condition. If you're looking for strong boots with good grip, decent price, and side-zip, then these are the boots for you.

GREAT boots!
Right out of the box they felt very good.
My foot is in between medium and wide, ordered a medium and this fits no problems. I usually wear a 12, ordered a 11.5 and it fits.
I added a coat of scotch guard heavy duty water protectant and it hardly changed the color.
The laces are good quality.
The design of the boot on the side with the ridges make the bend of the boot when you take a step unnoticeable.
The Velcro for the zipper seems pretty sturdy with rubber instead of fabric so I do not anticipate flapping away from the boot over time.
I had originally tried the Reebok rapid response but the ankle support dug into the back of my foot, very happy I chose these instead. Highly recommend this boot!

The boot is very comfy. Taking a bit to break in though. I've been wearing them Monday-Friday for almost 2 weeks now. The one thing I have an issue with is the areas where the ankle and along the sides are very hot. I would figure since it was a dessert boot. It would be much cooler being that it's a dessert boot. Also being that they are the 8 inch. It's a little uncomfortable with the thick padding around the top part. So I give them 4 stars due to being hot, and a bit uncomfortable around the top of the boot.

The composite toes seem on the outside, and feel on the inside, too narrow for the Extra Wide size and squeeze the toes enough to cause discomfort and eventual blistering.

Also, the bottom edges of the composite toes can be felt, and the padding inside the toe cups is thin enough that the toes feel like they're pressing against a solid, unyielding surface. This contrasts with the padding in the rest of the boot which is quite comfortable.

Otherwise a great boot that I really wish did fit, because it has all the features I want in a boot, especially that side zipper.

I debated how I should rate the boot, because it is so awesome in so many ways. But the greatest boot in the world is worthless if it doesn't fit properly. Especially in this particular case, I can't see a good reason for a poor composite toe cup fit. That's just sloppy.

Thankfully, TG has a great return policy. Though I regret needing to take advantage of it, I'm glad it's there and my RMA is underway.

The Bates Desert Composite Toe Boots are my personal favorite. I bought my second pair this year. I am a construction engineer and these boots do everything I ask of them. In SC where I work- the soil is the same color hence the desert preference- and the breath-ability is a must have. I look forward to putting these on everyday for the stability and feel at work. They are not water proof but the trade off for the venting is better for myself since it's usually 100+ in the summer. The zipper on my previous pair broke after 2 years.

Beat boot hands down I have ever owned, I walk threw mud an water with my job an the boots being gore-tex, my feet stay completely dry all day every day an they r very comfortable awesome boot, I recommend anyone looking for a good work boot to get these boots they work good for all working conditions....!!!!!

My husband loves these boots said they are very comfortable. He was expecting his feet to hurt within 2 days of wearing them as he is a mechanic and works on concrete all day and he said so far they have not started hurting at all. He just wishes they were water proof now that we have snow. But other than that he loves them. Will more than likely be getting another pair in the future.

Upon wearing the boots the first day I got blisters typical with new boots. Composite toes are hard to break in. After wearing them for three weeks they feel really good on my feet.The only complaint I have on the boots I wish they had the Gore-Tex linning so they were completely waterproof. I am very rough on workboots so for the cost of the boots not bad not bad at all

Very comfortable & very light weight, I could sleep with these on! I'm in the Air Force / CO ANG & also have the exact same pair in sage green. These boots are extremely durable whether spending all day on hardened flat tops, climbing over rocky terrain &/or evacuating the area with a great sense of urgency.