Delta-8 Side Zip Boot

Comfortable, don’t need shoe inserts (yet) for my high arches, lighter than my Throroughgood Boots. Haven’t attempted to shine these yet, but they are a comfortable field boot. Fits as expected

I started wearing Bates boots for police work more than 10 years ago. I started with two pairs of Magnum Stealths and found that they fell apart under my perhaps unusually rough and rugged use in all seasons on all terrains. Trey also didn't look as good. My third pair was the Bates Delta 8, and I am just retiring them after 6 years of walking or running 5-8 miles per day on pavement and trails with loose stone and therefore significant slip risk. I just ask a Bates rep to visit the sample wall after thinking I was upgrading to a Shock 8 and finding that the sole is too stiff for me. She tested the flexibility of all the soles on the wall for me and said that the Delta 8 is the most flexible (which means it will move most naturally with the foot muscles). This should be in the product description to better distinguish it from other models for those of us who find maximum comfort in that flexibility. I read when I started having problems with my feet six years ago that too much support and too much stiffness in soles weakens muscles in the feet that are needed to maintain healthy feet over time. I got rid of my stiff hiking boots and extra cushioned sneakers and started wearing the Delta 8 primarily and the Nike Free, which also has an excellent but much shorter wearing flexible sole for less rugged activities. My foot problems disappeared, so there's something to that research. There's nothing wrong with the Shock 8 and I may keep them for inclement weather because they seem to have great traction and are waterproof. However, I'm definitely ordering a new pair of Delta 8s because they're as comfortable as a sneaker, hold up to heavy wear, and in my opinion offer greatly superior comfort.

Good

I usually have to put my inserts in every boot, except this one. With the adjustable heel it keeps my feet perfect with a slight raise to keep the stress off my arches. I went from code 6 bates which were super light, to these slightly heavier boot but after a while wearing them i got used to the weight difference and now can barley notice it. So far, these soles have held up better than the code 6.

My Husband recommended these to me, after seeing these Bates Boots at Sturgis this year. I have been trying to find boots for over a year. Best thing I ever did was buy these, they are very comfortable and I love to wear them all the time. Whether I'm riding the motorcycle or not! Every woman needs a pair of these!!!