Customer Reviews Bates Footwear 8" Durashocks® Lace-To-Toe Side Zip

These boots took about two full shifts to break in. We work 24 hr shifts so it was a rough week. That being said, these are now, by far, the most comfortable boots I have ever worn on the job. I have been a firefighter and a paramedic for over twelve years and I have worn all types of boots. These are designed with us in mind. The zipper goes all the way to the sole, making it easier to get on and off, without giving up any of the support you need. I can’t speak to how they wear over time as I have only been wearing them for a couple of months.

Great, but... The good: comfortable. Not too heavy with good padding and shock absorption. Great ankle support, which is important. The zip entry is very quick and convenient. They clean up well. They also look like boots as opposed to a tall pair of cross-trainers, which I appreciate. The bad: durability. The soles are quite soft and wear very quickly. If you spend a lot of time walking on concrete or any abrasive surface, skip these boots. I've had them for about eight months and the soles are already wearing completely flat in places. Also, the sole has begun to separate from the upper in the toe area on my left boot. Verdict: they were good while they lasted, but I won't be purchasing them again. I need something that will last longer.

Great pair of boots and they look awesome. I ride in a big bike group and the ladies think they look sexy and intimidating. Thanks.

Eminently practical boot. As other reviews point out, I needed to order this in a half size smaller than usual, but once I did, I got a perfectly-fitted boot. Really flexible and comfortable, and very durable. Really happy with these so far, comfortable and nice looking enough to wear daily to the office.

I bought these for my husband. He loves these boots. They are superior foot protection while riding as well as comfortable to walk in.

My husband is a Lt. in the Dept. of Corrections, and this is his second pair of these boots. He has very wide feet, and he says these are the very best fitting and most comfortable boots he has ever worn. Very durable. Good price. Delivered promptly. What's not to like??

Good solid boot... comfortable... excellent at the end of the day to remove... 99% water proof in ankle deep water when laced up tight... I will be buying another pair. Had these for a year and will probably last another or so... albeit I only wear for 6-7 months out of the year.

Nice shoe - Nice boot. Very comfortable. It run a 1/2 size bigger than actual size. Very stylish boot!

These boots are great. I just move to VA from Florida and needed something for the snow. They fit great and are easy to get on and off because of the zippers and velcro in addition to the laces. Plus, I look like a jack booted thug when I wear them! Added plus.

a really great boot that is easy to break in and tend to fit a little wider than thorogood brand boots. add some good insoles, and you can enjoy these all day every day for years.

Good boot -

I bought these for my husband to wear as a replacement for a pair he used for 15+ years. He is a police officer and is constantly on his feet. He has been wearing the same pair of Bates Durashocks without the side zipper and he was so excited for the additional feature. He will probably use tis pair for the next 15 years now.

What a great company the 1st pair were to big so I called got them switched out and to me the next day. They do what they call to take care of their customers.

Bought these to replace worn out Magnum work boots that I had for 7 years. This is my third pair of Bates boots, other pair were low rise work shoes and also steel to Navy Seal Durashocks. This pair fit perfectly out of the box and took maybe a day to break in. Great support all around, extremely comfortable as I have found all Bates to feel on me and a couple of added plusses were how they worked on my motorcycle. Good strong toebox that stood up to the shifter and super grippy sole on the pavement. I thought I was going to have to buy another pair of motorcycle boots but these work great at work or on a ride.

The boots themselves are very comfortable. I found the sizing to be correct for me. The side-zip is also a nice feature. I work ten or more hour days on concrete, walking back and forth in a repair shop, and these felt comfortable after about a day or so of break-in. The only issue I can say is they are quite bulbous in reality. I found getting my toe underneath motorcycle shift pedals to be difficult. Also have folks referring to these as my "clown shoes," but they are comfortable. Aside from the cosmetic, they seem to be very good boots thus far. Also, as someone mentioned, it is hard to find a boot that is mostly "normal" looking these days!

The boot itself was comfortable right out of the box save a little stiffness on the uppers. After two days of wearing them, they became quite wonderful. The only thing I personally would love to see changed is to see this as an all-leather boot. I am not a fan of the nylon panels on the sides. I must also note that the rubber treads are quite soft. I do not think they would hold up long on the non-skid covered metal decks I walked on for 12 hours a day as a US Navy sailor and offshore oil driller. That being said, however, they are perfectly fine for the civilian that works on land.

These are pretty good boots. They're longer and wider than expected, and took a long time to break in, but they're reasonably light and comfortable, and are quite sturdy / holding up well.

I ordered these to replace my current boots that I use for motorcycling. Wore them around the house to break them in, ended up returning them due to discomfort/ binding at the places where they bend. They look like something out of the Matrix (which I found to be a positive) but I can't imagine wearing them around all day.

The only problem I had was the sewing on the instep/arch has come loose and why did they sew the leather with the edges going back in instead of the edges overlapping like other boots doesn’t make sense

Overall, this is a pretty good boot. The shock absorption is really good. The boots run about 1/2 size big. I probably won't buy these again mainly because they soles can't be easily(or inexpensively) replaced. The shoe repairer I use quoted me a lot to do the job. I know it doesn't help retailers out much, but I'm tired of throwing away boots with good uppers and worn soles.

Bates durashocks is cheap, especially for military grade boot company. The inner material is glued on rather than being stitched and therefore does not support breathability. Sweat and heat retain in boot causing feet to sweat and discomfort. Glue is already coming off inside boot. Used for several days and not even a month has passed. I do not recommend Bates products - their boots are cheaply made and therefore look old and feel warn only have several days of use.

I bought these to wear on my motorcycle as I wear size 15 and all motorcycle boots I've found run small and don't fit me. They are comfortable and go on-and-off with the size zip very nicely. I really was enjoying these boots until the zipper on the left boot failed completely after only 2 weeks. Because of the way they bunched a little about halfway up the size of the boot the zipper broke in that area would snag going up or down. After another day the zipper totally let go and opened up while I was on the bike. It totally came apart with no way to get it to rezip. If not for the velcro at the top the boot may have totally flown off. Do not recommend.

Got these for my son last Christmas. Read these don't hold up to the stress of real working guys like EMTs but figured light duty like going to school would be fine. Wrong..... side zipper broke after a couple months. Looking for something better this year.