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.

Light weight, close to zero drop boot with a wide toe box. It's the closest to a minamilist or barefoot boot I could find.The only issue I had was breaking in the boots. The leather is very stiff. I bought a leather softening spray and it made the break in period a breeze.

1 month update- these are my go-to boots- honestly one of my favorites. They are not Gore-tex, and it looks like the vendor fixed the title, but they are extremely water resistant. Everything I noted in the initial review still stands, but sometimes you like something despite the flaws! I would love a true Gore-tex boot, and I would love a better fit, but for what it's worth, this is one of my favorite boots for outdoor adventure.**************I bought the TR101 and TR103 as well in order to compare them. The natural colors have vents in the instep which would make them NOT as waterproof as this boot, if that is a concern. Also the natural colors are made with a roughed up, unpolished leather which creates a rough surface on the inside of the boot. This makes them feel a LOT less comfortable than the polished leather. Now over time, I am sure that the inside would polish itself with wear. However, I am interested in a waterproof boot, and the black boot not having the vents made it a shoe-in. ;) (I talked to a few people that wear Govt Issue for work, and they said that the black polished boots always hold up longer. My guess is that the black boots also use a higher quality leather? This would explain the slightly higher ratings you see here on Amazon.) But, a representative for the company said that all three styles, the TR101, TR102, and TR103 all use the same exact boot mold. So any differences between them come down to materials used.As for fit. It does feel minimal, and it is VERY lightweight, which is a plus. It does not fit like the Merrell or NewBalance Barefoot shoes, it fits decidedly like a boot. When the laces are snugged enough to cut off circulation, there are pockets of fabric that hang loose- mostly in the ankle area. This allows the ankle to slop around a bit. If you lightly kick at something, your toe will contact the end of the boot, it doesn't fit well enough to hold the boot to the foot. Also, the leather heel calls it quits about halfway up the ankle and transitions to fabric, so I can feel the seam carving at the ankle during full articulation. Perhaps this is the heel discomfort many are talking about? Dunno. I have full grain cowboy boots that articulate better and feel better in the ankle, so there has to be a more elegant solution.Anyway, we take away one star for not being Goretex as advertised, not fitting great, but overall not bad, and as I mentioned, wicked light and the only outdoor rated barefoot boot I know of in this price range.

Best boots I ever worn. The sole on the left boot started coming apart within 8 hours of work (police). They held up though and didn’t fall apart anymore. I’ve been wearing them somewhat regular for the last 2 years. Best boot, comfort, look, weight, I’ve ever had, but quality of material is junk.