Footwear for cqb.

[emilianoksa]

Strong military style boots seem like overkill for indoor venues, but ankle support is also useful.

I started with boots and grew to hate them. So I switched to lightweight trainers.

Is there a decent compromise between the two which allow good speed and general mobility but also provide decent protection against ankle injury?

 

[Lozart]

Merrell do a lightweight "Tactical" version of the MOAB boot, higher collar than the walking boot but just as light and with the same sole (Blacks do them). Otherwise it's tactical hi-tops like the Under Armor Valsetz or lightweight boots like the Lowa Zephyr.

 

[mcwimbo]

Most desert boots provide a good trade off between protection and weight. 

 

[Interloper393]

I use karrimor hiking boots, there soft and supportive and also have great grip, waterproof too

These.. they are great

View attachment 37487

 

[emilianoksa]

Thanks a lot for the suggestions.

I'll look into them all.

 

[Rogerborg]

I prefer boots as the tread is more able to swallow up BBs rather than doing cartoon slippery skids on them.  Last time I wore trainers I had a few near oopsies, and we had a marshal wearing trainers take a tumble recently.

So that's a nope, it's stompy boots for me all the time now.

 

[Prisce]

I use karrimor hiking boots, there soft and supportive and also have great grip, waterproof too

These.. they are great

View attachment 37487

+1 to this. I do exactly the same.

 

[Neilbarker]

I got a pair of Northwest Territories boots. Cheap, about £35 but light, waterproof and decent support. I’m not exactly light and treat them crap and they’re absolutely fine after 3 years 

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

Salomon Quests.

Loads of support, extremely comfortable and I can run like I am wearing trainers.

 

[Mathias33]

AKU’s support like a boot and feel like a slipper ?

 

[Druid799]

Can’t go far wrong with a pair of lightweight Karimor hikers from sports direct , best thing is they have them in half sizes as well so you can really fit the right ones to your feet , have a few pairs in different colors.?

https://www.sportsdirect.com/karrimor-mount-mid-mens-walking-boots-182105?colcode=18210522

View attachment 37492

 

[mcwimbo]

AKU’s support like a boot and feel like a slipper ?

And soon to be found on the surplus market. 

 

[Mathias33]

And soon to be found on the surplus market. 

So I’ve been told

 

[mcwimbo]

So I’ve been told

 Seen with mine own eyes!

I've not got the right biff chit though. 

 

[Huxley]

I'd imagine these would be very good.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Salomon-Ultra-Climbing-Shoes-Monument/dp/B07171NXGQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_31?ie=UTF8&qid=1534434549&sr=8-31&pi=SL140_SY180_CR0,0,140,180&keywords=salomon+speedcross+4+gtx+mens

 

[Jayjay]

I can recommend Adidas GSG9s as being lightweight and flexible whilst still giving the support of a proper boot. 

If not Underarmour Valsets, Merrel MOABs or any generic low cut (or high cut if not rigid) light weight walking boot would be good for support, flexibility and speed.

Alot of studies at the minute are starting to suggest high cut boots are very bad for your achielles. Especially if they are rigid round the back.

 

[Mathias33]

 Seen with mine own eyes!

I've not got the right biff chit though. 

Soon they’ll be no need for a biff chit, they’re going to be issued to all.

 

[TheFull9]

If truly 'all' I will be surprised, pleasantly so of course.

Indoor - personally I've spent a lot of time running around in trail running type trainers.  Pretty gap'y soles compared to normal sneaks, so never had an issue with BBs.  I don't personally think 'ankle support' is near as big of a deal as the mythology would imply.  TONS of sports are played at top level in trainers with no ankle support - athletes performing at a level and moving in ways/at such speeds that I'd wager 99% of us here can't even imagine it.  Granted they tend to push for performance and maybe slightly take a risk of injury but for airsoft I've never found I needed boots myself.  If there are any sneaky pot holes at the mall (for example) I've never seen them; I think sealed eye pro is waaaaay more of a safety concern but many people just wear glasses with gaps way larger than a BB around the edges, so everyone makes their own risk assessments.

 

[Druid799]

 I don't personally think 'ankle support' is near as big of a deal as the mythology would imply.  TONS of sports are played at top level in trainers with no ankle support - athletes performing at a level and moving in ways/at such speeds that I'd wager 99% of us here can't even imagine it.  

Playing devils advocate your professional sports man spends hrs training to do this kind of aggressive movement at speed and there lateral/posterior tibiofibular ligaments are ridiculously strong (I know from experience trying to plaster them !) where as ‘joe public S’ofter’ at a Sunday scurmish has tendons that usually have the tensile strength of string cheese ? ?

But do totally 100% agree on the eye pro point ! ?

 

[Rogerborg]

I think sealed eye pro is waaaaay more of a safety concern

Unsealed and unretained.  When our marshal did his slip-and-slide, his eyepro flew off and that's what actually caused the cease fire and everyone sitting around until he'd been magic sponged and found his glasses again.