Bates Men's 11" Paratrooper Side Zip Boot

The delivery was on time. The boots were in perfect shape. I wanted a pair of boots that I could keep a nice mirror shine on, that were comfortable and were meant to last. I don't mind getting a great pair of boots resoled. The toes spit shined super easy and can hold a mirror shine with ease. I didn't care for the heal material as much but still not bad if you don't want to spend time polishing a heal. The leather was good quality. Breaking them in was not an issue as they were pretty comfortable from the start. I personally like to get polish worked into the leather to get them to break in easier. After two weeks of wear I did decide to get some Dr. Scholl's inserts and they fit and feel like a tennis shoe. I wear them for up to 8-10 hours at a time so I can honestly say they feel great. I read the reviews about the snaps popping off. You have to zip them up, snap them and then tie them. If you tie to tight the snaps do pop off. I guess this does keep me from make them too tight. I would recommend this boot for anyone wanting an all leather boot. As far as how long they hold up to long term wear and tear, we will have to see. I'm pretty hopefull from other reviews of this boot. At $99 a much better risk than good Cocherans at $150+.UPDATE. I have had these boots for about a year. Love them. I keep a mirror shine on them and they hold up super well to a LEO'S life on the street. Getting ready to order a second pair to switch off every other day. Haven't even had to resole the first pair yet. They broke in wonderfully.Second pair actually shined up quicker than the first pair. They look and feel fsntastic.

The boots were a little stiff on the first wearing, but quickly became comfortable. I have had several side zipper 11" boots, and never been able to use that feature to put on or remove the boots. Same with these, my feet will just not go around the heel area without unlacing. Other than that, the tread is good and on the whole the boots are satisfactory.

These are great. Rubber soles are thick and comparable to vibrams. They come pre shined, albeit stiff, so make sure to break them in. The toe box is wide enough with just a little room. I usually wear an 11 men’s shoe and a 10.5 size boot and it fit perfectly. The toe appears to have a firm insert. Assuming it’s composite but wouldn’t bet on it being safety rated. Great stuff and I plan to condition and shine the leather.

2015 Initial thoughts:Great, great boots so far!I've had these boots for about 5 days now and I have to say I love everything about them. The boots feel robust and seem to be of good quality but only time can tell how well they will hold up. However, based on other reviews here on Amazon I'm confident that they will hold up 2 or 3 years before the sole gets worn down and needs replacement.I really like the look of these boots. They have a slick and minimalist style and are very, very badass.I ordered the size 11.5 (EE) and they where pretty accurate, just little bit too long but the width was perfect. A negative aspect is that they are made in China and had to travel all the way a cross the globe. Not very Eco-friendly. I'm also not too sure about how well they treat animals in the meat/slaughter industry in China. Maybe this is something that does not bother you but the thought did cross my mind.Here goes some words of caution:These boots are though. They hurt my feet very bad the first day. I could barley walk back home after a 30 minute walk on asphalt, so be well prepared for a very though breaking period. Use a double pair of socks, hell, why not even use three thick ones and grease the inside of the boot with some sort of oil to be on the safe side. If you don't, then get ready to tear some flesh off your ankles. I was stupid enough to go out with one pair of socks the first day of use and I can guaranty you that I won't make that mistake ever again!On the other hand, I have been wearing biker boots for the last three or four years and I know that when boots are broken into they are the most comfortable shoes you'll ever have. Period. I'm looking forward to get to that point with these fantastic paratrooper boots.Highly recommended if you can endure the break in period.Update 2017:I have worn them everyday single day (90% city / 10% hikes) since I bought them three years ago and they are still alive and the most comfortable boots I have tried. I cleaned them every other month and given them plenty of grease when I do to keep the leather in good shape. The treads are starting to show some wear and probably needs to be replaced. A replacement would mean they are good for two more years at least.

Están muy bien solo que la talla es mucho más grande de lo que esperaba

Very happyEasy to put on and comfortable. I have Doc Martens, which I love, but they take too long to get on.

Se los vuelvo a decir me extraña que ustedes hagan esto

These are nice boots for the price. I got them on a flash sale for 65$, couldn't go wrong. I cannot wear regular shoes if I will be standing for any length of time so (laugh if you wish) these boots will go fine with my black suits and tux. Wear Magnums all the time but they are too thick around the ankle to go well with dress pants. Likely I will buy another pair of these if I see them on sale again.

These are super comfy for us wide foot individuals. Seriously break-in was a few hours. Love these.