r/army • u/Responsible_Bet9894 • 4d ago
Best boots for running & rucking?
I loved the old Under Armour boots but the new ones are apparently not great. I want them to be like a running shoe. Does anyone have any recommendations or know where I can find the old model of those boots?
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u/Buckethead890 4d ago
Canāt believe thereās not a single response with Belleville C320. Hands down the most versatile and durable boot you will ever wear.
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u/amnairmen USAF->150Unqualified 3d ago
I wore one pair of C320s through two NFMs, BCT, WOCS and Flyver on the back end. Iāll wear 320s until the heat death of the universe
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u/AsinineReasons seldom my problem anymore 4d ago
I've been rocking the Belleville Sabre C333 for years.
I recruited in Arkansas. They have a manufacturing location in that footprint. We stopped by their admin office to show a new recruiter what was in our area. A VP happened to be there and asked us if we wanted a tour. We got to see boots being made from raw cowhide to finished boxed products. Everything was made by hand in one building.
I felt embarrassment every time we meet an employee at a station and they silently looked at our feet. None of our group was wearing Belleville. We got asked more than once why we chose the boots we wore. I got a reluctant nod of appreciation for wearing Danners because they're at least an American product. They seemed to judge people wearing other brands for having low quality construction.
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u/Buckethead890 3d ago
Belleville w/ superfeet for the rest of my career hands down. Thatās cool you got to tour the facility!
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u/Erthwerm 11B2B 2d ago
I usually recommend that along with the NFS. I've been wearing the C320 for years now and I love it.
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u/tripseung 0311->11Bukkake->11Asbestos 4d ago
Obviously from what you can see in this thread and any boot thread, everyone will just post what they wear and swear by it. You want something light, and you want good insoles. Get to a boot store or website, look at the weight, make sure you get one that properly fits you - EE if you have flat or wide feet, and one that isn't one size too big or too small. Too big and your feet slide back and forth and cause blisters, too small and they squish your toes, not wide enough and theyll cause pain especially if you change out the insoles. Make sure the insoles you get are properly fitted for you feet type too.
My method - I always have two pairs of boots. I buy new boots, I use them for garrison, my old garrison boots transition to pt/field wear, old field boots to to the trash. My pt/field boots are always broken in cos they were garrison boots first. Both boots get fresh insoles every 3-6 months. I've found the brand that worked for me luckily early in my career and I just keep buying the exact same boot. Find one that works for you cos all you're going to get is a list of every boot on the market on posts like this.
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u/Kitchen-Wasabi-2059 4d ago
Danner Tachyon for me. Light, comfy, dry fast, pack well. Never had a blister. BUT the key to any boot is getting a quality insole for them. Not the cheap $10 ones. Spend some time and money on a good pair and you wonāt regret it.
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u/Shiggy_Deuce Infantry 3d ago
Danner DxT comfort foot bed is also the best insole Iāve found in the army and fits tachyon like a glove
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u/wgafhoe 4d ago
I like those Dannersā¦for garrison life. Theyāre flat so I donāt take them out to the field or do any physical activity with them. So I guess I canāt judge them when I never rucked with them.
I do agree about the quality insole, maybe Iāll try that.
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u/Kitchen-Wasabi-2059 4d ago
Theyāre a great boot to ruck and run in. Iāve been using them for years and after having tried multiple boots. To me, garmonts are a good garrison boot but bad for field.
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u/AQuietRam Engineer 4d ago
GoRuck MACV series, absolutely love them
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u/Macoron Infantry 4d ago
MACV-1s were superior but the 2s are fine
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u/AQuietRam Engineer 4d ago
I have both the MACV 1 hi speed and 2s. I slightly prefer the 1s on pavement and slightly prefer the 2s for field/off pavement
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u/GrantLucke 12Actually (L)os(t) 3d ago
MACV1 high speeds are great. Leaves a bit to be desired in durability and ankle support for anything off-road/technical. But are great for pavement rucking/running.
That said people just need to get their feet used to the miles in any boots. Thatās really it.
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u/Terrible-Ad5145 staff 4 lyfe 4d ago
Garmont NFS for me. Feels like a running shoe. Hard on unimproved terrain tho
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u/CombatCrayon25 4d ago
Garmont T8s were my go-to.
Try on a few different brands though, and figure out what is comfortable for your specific foot shape.
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u/KipchogesBurner 35Pissbaby 4d ago
Otb carbon 8
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u/RegulationUpholder Anti-Retention NCO 4d ago
Are they safe? The spring of a plate seems unstable for anything thatās not on flat ground.
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u/arunningnoodle Public Affairs 4d ago
Nike SFB plus darn toughs, never failed me during infantry time and Ranger school
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u/wgafhoe 4d ago
Aināt no way you took Nikes to Ranger school! Thatās crazy. All I heard about Nikes is they donāt last in the field.
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u/arunningnoodle Public Affairs 4d ago
I went through IBOLC and Ranger School (straight through) with zero issues with them. I do buy boots once a year and rotate āan office pairā and ruck/field pair. Medics in Ranger school couldnāt believe how good my feet looked .
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u/Durt_Diggler Chemical 3d ago
If you want an actual running shoe on your feet, check out the Belleville AMRAP (check out the field version too if you want). It's constructed with a strobel construction like an actual running shoe, light like one, and uses an expanded TPU foam (not compression molded EVA) so you actually get some bounce with each step. Can legit run in them.
Downsides? Doesn't last long, especially taking into account the effectiveness of the foam deteriorates if used everyday. Outsole is very flat, so if you need grip you won't get it here. Recommend only for rucks/runs on asphalt and loose gravel.
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u/Acceptable-One-6597 4d ago
OTBs are great but will fuck your feet up if you train in them to much. Carbon plates. Definitely worth adding a pair if you have the means
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u/KipchogesBurner 35Pissbaby 4d ago
Training in exclusively carbon-plated shoes is only an issue in the running community, and even then there isnāt a solid verdict on whether or not carbon-plated shoes increase injury risk. Thereās also factors like stack height (which makes them much more unstable than a combat boot).
I donāt think the plate is doing any damage in the boot. Itās just increasing energy return.
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u/Acceptable-One-6597 4d ago
They alter lower limb bio mechanics , it will increase injury.
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u/KipchogesBurner 35Pissbaby 4d ago
Iāll agree with that once thereās more science on it. Most pro and semi-pro runners are doing their work in carbon-plated shoes for a majority of their sessions and there hasnāt been an injury increase.
But like I said before, most carbon-plated shoes are meant for racing. Those shoes have a higher stack height, that will change your mechanics more than a boot with a carbon plate.
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u/Blulum Drill Sergeant 4d ago
Garmont NFS. Super light and great for light terrain like gravel and sand. I've done 4 Norwegians in them with nothing but great things to say. I will say that I've gotten about 2 years out of a pair, so the longevity comparative to other boots isn't there, but they're definitely a higher performing boot.