boot

Curved side-zips, BAD! I learned this on my last trip out to Kingman when the zipper on my Thorogood Omega split right open from the middle. Before this, they’ve always seemed to have a bad habit of unzipping during heavy activity since the zipper does not lock down. It’s kind of a bummer too, they were my favorite boots so far, but with this bad a design flaw there’s no way I’ll buy another.

Enter the Tru-spec 4050 Side-zip boots, still on sale at LAPG for $30 it was perfect timing to try out some cheapos and cover my boot emergency. These understated, logo-free boots are surprisingly good for the price. The straight zipper is a superior design, keeping the stress of wear evenly spread to prevent failure. They’re hard to scuff, handle very well on slippery wet rocks, and are quite comfortable for moderate hiking or light climbing. So far, I have not needed to change out the insole. The boots stay nice and cool in hot weather, and actually grip so well I found myself stumbling a little when they did not slip as expected. Oh, and these zippers do lock down so they aren’t coming undone on their own!

These boots do lack full waterproofness, though they’ll shrug off a good thunderstorm with no leaks. They can also be a little difficult to lace up in a hurry, as simply grabbing the ends of the laces and pulling is not enough to tighten them. I’ll be putting these in my overnight bag when I pick up my new (waterproof) 5.11 ATACs.