I really like these boots. I have worn barefoot shoes with toe spacers as a day to day thing for a year and was dreading putting them in duty boots. I've been wearing them for a few months now and they are SIGNIFICANTLY more comfortable to wear over a 12-24 hour shift compared to the gently used Haix boots I was gifted by a friend. I'd like to see a few changes: I need an extra wide option. My feet still bulge out on either side of the sole even with wide spacing. A water resistant fabric in the upper Center zip closure instead of laces I would pay good money and break in a new pair for these upgrades!

Data sent to company to assist with sizing and finding the right boot for someone with a size 15 foot.

Flat feet? Wide feet? Bad balance and "Accident prone" in tactical boots? If you have flat and wide feet these are the solution to the cruel and unusual punishment bestowed upon us by most boot manufacturers.
I can't speak to the target audience of the barefoot health obsessed marathon crowd, but If you are unique enough to have wide flat feet like mine, and perhaps a few doughnuts too many, while suffering endlessly with tired, achy feet, and have tendencies to randomly roll your ankles or lose balance doing the most mundane tasks in most tactical boots, please keep reading and get your credit card ready.

I am an odd width (6e ) with the flattest of feet and have to search hard to find boots and shoes that aren't actively painful or a liability, forget about trying to be comfortable. I've spent thousands over the years on boots, insoles, and orthotics, trying to find the holy grail of comfort and balance. I've tried custom boots and every manufacturer out there. I often let PT slide because I know after even just a few yards my feet will already be dying to stop and get out of the torture boxes long before I'm actually winded or tired at all, my feet will betray me. Try explaining that to PT instructors, I have, it didn't work out well for me! My wife surprised me with a pair of these TR102s and they are PERFECT. So perfect that searching this company's site and writing a review is a vitally important mission to me after a long and busy shift because if I can help just one guy that has suffered for years like me to end the suffering of most tactical boots then I've truly done my duty.
These boots are different, and I mean different. The lack of arch support is a HUGE benefit. It cannot be overstated what a difference it makes in comfort, balance and mobility. Virtually every boot out there feels the need to have aggressive arch supports and heels making us flat feeters suffer and think about our aching feet or scared to roll an ankle when we should be focused on staying alive and helping others. The near zero drop and crazy wide width in the toes and midfoot is PERFECT for my unique needs. The zero drop has notably improved balance and stance. I was skeptical that just a "wide" would work when most 4E's barely fit, but these fit like a glove right out of the box. Ever not wanna get out of the patrol car for your security checks or direct traffic because being on your feet feels like a personal attack from the devil? These boots are for you. Ever have a conscious thought about tripping up or rolling an ankle in a foot pursuit because you're accident prone? These boots are for you. Even without any extra cushion and thin outsoles these are comfortable standing around on hard pavement. Walking and running is a newfound appreciation, which I didn't expect. If you don't fit the description of "specifically for the conditioned warrior athlete currently training in minimalistic athletic footwear" get ready to be sore in muscles you never knew you had, as you can walk and stand naturally and let your lower body work the way it's designed to. It's a bit of a shock coming from standard boots, but if you're like me the newfound soreness in the calves and ankles is a welcomed event because for once my feet aren't dying, they are happy, I'm happy, I am so thrilled that 15 years of searching seems to have come to end today. These are the answer to every problem I've ever had with "tactical" footware.

I have had these for about a year and 9 months. Used them exclusively for law enforcement (patrol and SWAT team work). They are fabulous once you get used to them! I trained with minimalist shoes for a while first and these have made my feet so much stronger. Recently went on a week long training mission in the forest and my feet were going strong when everyone else was complaining. I would buy a half size larger than normal. Only thing I could hope for would be an insulated version for the winter.

I would love to have a pair of these boots; however, I see there isn't a safety toe option. I get that would probably defeat the purpose of a minimalist boot, but I believe a lot of people would buy if this were an option. As an aircraft maintainer, we're forced to opt for the safety toe boots which, are mainly heavy and uncomfortable.

These are without a doubt the most comfortable boot I have ever worn. They don't feel like wearing a boot, more like a pair of moccasins, flip-flops, house-slippers. I am a natural resource specialist and I wear these for everything from gator-hunting to hiking across rocky terrain and office work. I have $300 pairs of boots and I find myself continuously coming back to these boots. After four years I have only needed to replace the insole twice. I am only replacing this boot due to damage where something cut through the the leather and stitching on the left boot (which held up with cut stitching for 3 years) and damage where I accidentally cut through the nylon material recently.

Love these boots. 1 year of daily use and no issues. Wish there was a winter version.hint hint.

I LOVE these boots. I%u2019d like to be able to get them a little tighter down at the first two eyelets and have room between the upper eyelets for a lace in zipper. Still these are the best boot I%u2019ve owned in 20 years of fire/EMS service.

Very exellent boots, nice job ! keep going this way :)

Wore these boots for 2 years, and they are very nice. Used them both on duty and for hiking, and did have some separation issues near the end. Minimalist shoes and boot material just moves around more, so separation is more of a danger. Some extra attention to the seam between the sole and the leather would turn this boot from one of the best available to the absolute best.

At first, the perfect shoe. Then, after a few months, sole begins separating, and this, despite being used mostly inside. Disappointed in an otherwise perfect shoe. I've been gluing them together now for two years, trying to stay ahead of the separation.

These are great boots to wear for your knees and back. Working law enforcement and being on your feet 8-16 hours a day it means a lot. I've never had any boots that are as slip resistant as these are.
I'm on my second pair now (the first lasted well over a year).

Wore these for nearly 2 years before changing to low cut minimal shoes for work. tried them again recently and was quickly reintroduced to the comfort and security of wearing a well made boot. My pair needs a replacement and yes, i am planning for one!

I am old and I hurt, but I did six static line jumps wearing these boots. They are good enough! Make them in black leather and canvas and I will buy them also!!
If they are burning your ankles, tie them loosely. Great boots, even for old guys.

My Minimil boots were just delivered. They are sooo comfortable. I work in law enforcement and have developed plantar fasciitis due, I believe, to my issued work boots. I have found zero drop shoes to be much more effective at relieving the pain than physical therapy, custom orthodics and other treatments. So I am very excited about these boots. I wish they were waterproof and had speed laces for the top two eyelets. Maybe next production round will upgrade the boots. They are advertised as quick drying. Law enforcement personnel often have to stand in a variety of liquids especially on a crash scene. Wet feet in freezing weather can be dangerous. Quick drying is nice for a leisure hike in the woods, not so good when on a long shift in freezing weather. Still, these are about the only option for close to zero drop boots I have found that are suitable for as a tactical, law enforcement boot. thank you Belleville! (Seriously, add Goretex to the boots PLEASE! and consider making them completely zero drop).

Rated a 4 out of 5 only because they are not waterproof.
Patrick

My husband and I are both law enforcement officers and both crossfitters. I am purchasing these for my husband. I've been waiting for them to make smaller men's size 5 or women's size 7.

Best for the feet and the weight is dollar for dollar perfect.

So far so good. I'm a minimal/zero drop shoe lover that prefers to be barefoot or in mary-jane style flats. I'm going in to EMS and was in need of a "sturdy black boot." Thank you Belleville for creating this option! My feet would be miserable in boots if it weren't for yours. This is a great duty boot! I wish these had been around when I was in the military. I should also mention that these fit true to size. I usually wear an 8 in men's shoes (I'm a female and typically wear a 9.5 in women's). I ordered a size 8 and the fit is perfect. Just how I like a boot to fit. Thanks for a great product. Please, never stop selling them. Also a gortex version would rock!

If you're on the fence about these boots, don't be. They are fantastic. Very little, if any, break-in period. Super light and feel like a glove. Being a 28 year veteran in law enforcement, these boots are a welcome relief regarding footwear that can be worn in uniform. They look sharp and will definitely make you feel lighter on your feet. I've been switching over to all minimal footwear over the last few months as I feel the difference in my overall well being and health. Kudos to Belleville for stepping up and creating these boots for those of us in law enforcement and the military. A gore-tex version someday would be the icing on the cake.

Had my boots for over a month now with no problems to report. They have served my feet very well.

They were a bit tricky to get on at first, you really need to loosen up the laces. But once they are on they feel like slippers. They're obviously not quite as minimal as my Vibram Five Fingers or New Balance Minimus, but the thicker soles will offer greater protection for work. Anyone that has never worn a minimalist shoe, you don't know what you're missing once you adjust to them. They are very lightweight and the size seems to fit similar to my Khybers. The only options I wouldn't mind seeing is a waterproof membrane and side zipper.

These boots are perfect for my day to day emt environment. I have worn Belleville boots for three years now and they a built like a Ford truck (built to last). Thanks.

nothing is perfect but these boots are close rated 4 because I cant get the color I need as an emt

I’ve acquired the Belleville TR 102 on Dec-13th-12 to gift myself this X-Mas. I did try them on, as I was extremely curious and they do fit rather extremely well. The TR 102 contours to the human foot like no other boot before it. I have to applaud Belleville for teaming with Vibram to tackle such a minimalistic (mini-mil) approach.

Just to lay down my own foot specs for you, I wear Vibram (VFF) 41 Euro, Merrell Trail 42 Euro/9 USA, and Bates 922 (Standard Issue for SEAL candidates) 43 Euro/10 USA. I bought the Belleville TR 102 boot in size 42.5 Euro/9.5 USA. The lateral toe (pinky) has enough room to grasp a normal semi-splayed out stance within the TR 102 toe box. I just would have preferred Belleville and Vibram to both agree to manufacture an extra wide model, not that I haven’t gained a more spacious toe box which I have compared to Bates 922 boots.

Overall if you understand a true fit for yourself, as well understand the true functionally of your foot’s biomechanical anatomy. Then by all means, purchase Belleville’s TR 102 boot with confidence! It’s the next wave to the revolution of the footwear industry as we know it, so… go ahead and jump on the bandwagon with the rest of the athletes, get yourself a pair!

Hope this 1st review helped!

Future SEAL candidate signing out, peace!

Finally! A great combination of minimalist features in a boot. I'm a retired vet, and adopted the minimalist gait to take the stress off of my worn-out knees, but still need boots some times. I'm a long-time Belleville fan, and the conventional 12.5Ws I've worn for a dozen years fit great, they're just not in line with the minimalist structure. I ordered 13W since there was no half size, but the geometry of the tow box means my second toe touches the front of the toebox. Rather than sloping downward toward the outstep right away, a bit of rounding first would accommodate the 20% or so of the population with a longer second toe. Not sure what size to order for the next pair - 14W seems like it'd be awfully long. All that said, they're *still* a great boot - can't wait for the goretex version (and maybe coyote brown?) PS--thought about a thin woven kevlar layer in the insole?

Minimalist is the only way to go. Best boot for the money I've found on the market.

I'd love to buy these, but the smallest size is a 7 :( Why don't the sizes start at 3 like the other colors?