Out of BMT, of course the only uniform pieces I had were the ones I had been issued, including the boots.  The boots were heavy, and they were tedious to lace in a way that felt comfortable.  I decided to buy other ones to go with my ABUs, the Corcoran Men’s 10 inch Marauder boots.

One of their most obvious features is that they look different from the other boots available.  They’ve got cool suede leatherwork and look more streamlined than other designs.  (Although the newer version seems to have different colored suede pieces that don’t contrast as much.)

I got these boots six years ago, and they’ve held up pretty well.  The only part that I’ve had to repair was along the laces in the middle of the boot where there is the most strain, and that was after about two years of wearing them almost every day.  That’s a good run in my book.  Even though it started to tear along the suede piece, though, the boot didn’t start falling apart.  It’s made of several layers, and only the top layer tore.  I actually wore them like that for years until my wife made me get them fixed.  A shoe repair guy was able to easily sew up the tear and it works just fine again.  It was like a $6 repair, so no big deal.

Besides being hardy, they’re a lot lighter than the boots I was issued and they breathe a lot better.  My feet feel way cooler in these, which is a major plus in summer weather when ABUs are hot enough.  The top of the boot is comfortable, too.  It has layers of leather that are a bit more cushioned than the nylon of the other boots, so my calves don’t feel constricted.  The leather conforms more to my leg without strangling it.

A lot of people avoid wearing their uniform pieces when off-duty, but these are so comfortable that I regularly wear them on my off-days.  When I wear pants over them, they just look like a nice dress shoe, so I’ve been able to wear them to my office job in the civilian sector.

Overall, I’d definitely say these boots are worth the price.  I actually enjoy wearing them.  They’re comfortable, they fit well, and they last.  I highly recommend them!

Anybody else out there a Marauder fan?  How have yours held up?  Do you have other boots that you’d recommend?