Belleville 880 ST 8 Inch Waterproof Black Leather Steel Toe Boots for Men - US Navy Flight EH Rated 200g Insulated with Gore-Tex and Vibram Fire & Ice Outsole; Berry Compliant

This is the Navy "Flight Boot" and is while more expensive than the normal issue(NWU) boot, is worth all the money and then some. I had repeated issues (pain, wear, leaking, etc) with the issued boots (also Belleville), until I finally gave up and bought a pair of these.Improvements:1) They are sized much more closely to my normal size. I wear a 10 running shoe, these are 9.5, which makes sense due to the insulation. I had to buy a 7.5W in the issued boot to get something that wouldn't slip and eat my heel, but due to the size it caused toe and foot pain.2) Much, much more waterproof than the issued boots. I've stood out in rainstorms in this for multiple hours supporting drydocking evolutions and my feet were still warm and dry at the end.3) The 200g insulation is about the right amount. My feet get a little warm with lots of sustained walking, but it more than makes up for it when you're standing around for long periods of time in the cold. (Something that the military is good at making you do.)4) Good build and lacing. The boot isn't particularly heavy, and with a combination ladder and infinity lacing, holds snugly. It does appear that the sole is slightly softer than the issue boot and therefore wears a little faster, but it also grips wet surfaces (like ships) much more firmly.5) Last and importantly: While the numbers and naval messages claim that this isn't a 9" boot, when measured side-by-side with the issued boots they are the exact same size. So, you can wear it with the NWU and be in complete compliance with the uniform regs.Summary: Best Navy boots I've owned, good replacement for the NWU issue boot. Go get a pair, you won't regret it.UPDATE 02MAR15: So, I've had these for a bit over 2 years now, though about 8 months of that was at a duty station where we didn't wear the NWU. As I expected, the sole is wearing a bit faster than the harder NWU issue boot, but there is still some tread left. The upper is still in good shape (except where I've damaged it), and the boot insulation and interior is holding up great. I'll probably buy a new pair over the summer, but these continue to be the best pair of Navy footwear I own. If you miss your old boonies, this is about as good as you're going to get.

Been wearing these boots on and off for the past 15 years. I work in the Industrial gas Industry, all day long kicking steel in a 4 season climate. whether heat, rain, snow, ice or cold these boots can take it. 200g insulate is enough to be comfortably worn in the summer with a thin sock yet extremally helpful in the coldest of days with a wool sock, if your not a fan of mass insulated boots then the the 200g is perfect choice for all conditions. The water proofing is tremendous, kicking steel cylinders all day long scuffing and even breaking the leather and they still remain waterproof, only time water will get in is when the level is past the boot by your upper calves, most boots compromise once water gets past the laces but not these. Lastly the steel toe, iv seen others compromise under certain pressure so its nice knowing they are flight deck approved to the highest of standard's and weights, I am constantly dropping steel cylinders on my toes and never was injured. Now I have recently tried other major highly recommended boots for cost savings reasons yet i come to the conclusion over time im spending the same amount due to them never lasting as long. I truly get about a comfortable 36-48 months out of these 12 hours a day 6 days a week, were other major brands only get me through about 6-12 months before leakage, sole holes and significant rips and tears. For this reason im going back to the tried and trues Belleville 880 ST and you should too!

2 WEEK REVIEW: They seem to be a good quality boot. The size I purchased is a little big compared to another popular brand offered for military standard boots, but because of the lining inside, they seem to fit well enough. My husband says they are comfortable so far. He did not have any blistering on his heels, and did not need to "break them in". They have a good shine to them, and do not seem to need polishing out of the box. I suggest getting a half size smaller in this style/brand. Overall a great buy and worth the money. We will see how they do long term to decide if I would buy them again.

Decent quality. I buy them because I have to in the Navy. This is my 3rd pair. Leather tends to be thin on the toe and will tear easily. Comfort is pretty good. Soles will wear out on the non skid on a ship. They beat bates anytime but the leather quality could be better

I bought these boots to replace a pair of Wellco Desert Boots I could no longer find in my size. At the advice of other reviewers, I purchased a half size larger than normal, which turned out to be wise-the boot does tend to be more snug with the insulation. So my "Fit as expected" response is based on that. The leather was soft and comfortable immediately, and break-in was minimal. I work as a lineman and these are my everyday boots, as they are not equipped with a high enough heel to climb in (that is not a complaint, as an extra pair of boots saves my climbers from unnecessary wear) I have not tested their waterproof capabilities yet, but for now, I can safely say these are at least extremely comfortable, and a good replacement for my Wellcos.

Bought these to replace my <1 yr old Bates boots because Bates' quality are less than acceptable. Anyway, these are insulated so I recommend getting half size bigger. The insulation is great and keeps my feet warm in the cold Virginia weather. It's currently 60-65 degree here and the boots are still bearable. I used mink oil/paste to moisten the boots for 2 days before wearing and they were broken in by the 3rd day. The leather seems like good quality but we will see. The soles are nice and bendy unlike the other brand that is standard issue buy the Navy.

There just as comfortable as the coyote brown steel toe boots. For reference I got the brown boots in the size 6.0R and I ordered these black boots in 6.5R and they fit perfectly.