Forgive me if I am posting this in the wrong section, but I am interested in learning what your preferred footwear of choice is for classes (carbine/handgun). From what I have gathered, Salomon's seem to be a pretty popular choice as of late.  Are Oakley LSA's worth considering?

Your feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your time!

I wanted to like the Salomons. Tried on many pairs, just didn't fit feet well. I have been wearing Keen mid targhee II.  Very tough and comfortable.. my only complaint is that they don't breath well.

When it's hot, and it always is here in the desert. I just wear trail running shoe. Nike usually.

It really depends on where you live too. No rain here, so water resistance is of little concern.

I found that Vasque mid-height work well for me. Salomon just didn't fit me well.

I've been wearing various Salomon shoes for many years and I love them. The old standard XA Pro 3d are amazing for my feet, I've had multiple pairs and I'm actually currently about to purchase another. I also have XR Missions and a few others. I don't go through them for any quality control kind of reason, I'm just very hard on my shoes because of hiking in PA, a.k.a. Rocksylvania! I'd recommend them for anything. Though for some reason they seem to be hit or miss for some people. There are guys like me who absolutely love everything they make, and there are the people who just can't like them for whatever reason.

I'd go with anything made for trail running or light/fast hiking. Heavy boots would be a burden.

Merrill Moabs have been excellent for me over many pairs and many years of range work.

Whatever is comfortable for you and fits the terrain your going to be in....Don't get caught up in the latest and greatest tacti-cool shoe trend.

So I've got Merrell Moab Mid, Merrell Chameleon and Salomon XA Pro 3D GTX. I've used the Merrells through several classes and for range use as well as winter/summer in NE. I usually wear the MOAB mid during range duties at the indoor range I work at. They're both awesome shoes.

The Salomon's are super comfortable, but I haven't put them through any hard use. I'm excited to run them through several classes during the summer, though I'd have no issues with them I'm sure. Honestly a decent pair of boots with some ankle support will do you just as well as the "trending" tactical footwear.

Shoes won't make any difference. wear what you would normally wear. If you ever need to use the skills you get in a class you'll be wearing your everyday shoes.

It's not a fashion show, it's a class to learn skills in.

Cheers!
-JC

I have 2 pair Salomon Quest 4d GTX and 1 pair non GTX. Wear them shooting, backpacking, and every day to work for the past 3 years. I will get another non GTX in the newer Burro color this coming year. 4 pair should do me well. Also have a pair of lightweight coyote Oakleys... they are sort of cheap/cheesy but I got em on closeout from SKD so they will work till I get my 4th pair of Quest.

Interceptors from Wal-mart.

Cheap.

Solid.

Look good.

Some that I have worn overseas and in training:

Lowa Zephyr
Adidas GSG 9.3
Adidas GSG 9 assault boot (newer version)
Asolo
Danner

I do have a pair of boots that I wear if I'm going to be training in rain/mud, but 95% of the time I just train in tennis shoes. Im not a very "tactical" guy, I used to rarely wear anything other than gym clothes, but had to switch up the pants situation so I could carry my firearm every day.

In other words, wear whatever you wear now that works for you. Ive taken several courses in gravel and dirt, and the range I train at is the same general soil and ive never had any problems with my reeboks. Unless you just need new shoes and are looking for something different, I wouldn't sweat it man.

I wear Magnum Stealth Force 8.0 boots for training, but they are also my everyday boot for work and off-duty (I have several pairs).

I really miss the old Magnum Amazon boot, but they discontinued them.

This.

The only consideration should be how well they support your mobility.  Running shoes or lightweight boots both work fine for me, depending on terrain.

Scarpa GTX if it is really muddy or long hikes involved, Solomon Speed Cross for everything else, they are my go-to.

I'm kind of with the everyday crowd, but to a practicality extent.

If you wear dress shoes everyday, go for a sneaker/tennis shoe, maybe with a more aggressive tread. Dress shoes with slick soles could easily become a safety hazard and do you really want to screw up your nice shoes? A more aggressive tread may be necessary for dirt ranges or if brass isn't getting swept up frequently on pavement.

If you're casual and will typically wear sneakers, then go for it. See again, aggressive tread.

I wear boots for a living, so I wear them at the range too. I wear steel toe all the time, so I'm likely not going to wear soft toe. USMC issue Danner or Belleville have worked well for me. On those super hot days, Bates Lights, but their traction and comfort is limited.

If you're going to a dirt range, especially where it's rocky, ankle support is a must. If it's raining or muddy you may want goretex boots.

Choose your footwear appropriately, to what fits your needs. Don't worry about what brand or model as much as what it provides. Noone cares if you are wearing danners, solomons, or walmart, as long as it's appropriate.

Just got a pair of Solomon Speedcross yesterday.  So far I like the comfort.  I'm pretty picky with my footwear.  

I've been wearing my Merrel Moab boots and I do love them.  Very comfortable.  Since summer is coming, I decided to give the Speedcross' a shot.

A little late to the party but Salomon boots are what we are issued. I think they are the high top quest GTX ones. Anyway they seem to last a long time, have good grip and great mobility for a high top boot.

They take quite awhile to break in. I didn't like mine for about 2 weeks straight. Now, they are fantastic and I won't go to another brand. You really need to actually go be active to break them in. Just wearing them sitting at a desk for a couple weeks isn't going to do it. Also, they can be a little hot during the summer, but do breathe very well so I haven't had any issues with my feet or the insides of the boots being soaked.

Merrell's are good and comfortable too but don't seem to be as rugged as the Salomon boots I've used.

I guess I'm still the oddball. I like sketchers. The make shoes with good tread, they're comfortable, and they have always lasted me a really long time. I tried to get into the "everything must be tactically made by a tactical company for tactical operators" mood, but I really couldn't. The most tactical thing I wear outside of work are a pair of normal, cheap, Columbia hikers; and that's only because they have great ankle support for muddy/rough trails.

Solomon speed cross for me

I've got a 3-4 year pair of Adidas Terrex shoes that have the goretex lining.   Never had wet or cold feet in all kinds of mud, slush or snow.  As long as nothing wet is going past your ankles.  They're a slightly more athletic/trail running shoe as opposed to heavy boots
Also they look cool with cargo pants.

I also wear these... and when my pair now are trashed. i will get another pair of the same!

Belleville 390, 790, 795 depending on the weather.

Oakley's in hot weather and Merrill MOABs in cold.  My 2c

I usually rock the Salomons for the square range. Used them on a LandNav course breaking bush and that lasted all of the first trek and went back to the Danner Ft. Lewis. All sorts of shit in my socks and a few ticks.

The Danners though not as comfortable, didnt catch neary the amount of hang ons. They also worked very well during a Small Unit Tactics course in wet and rainy weather.

Ya'll don't just wear your regular boots?

I get it if you wear polished shoes to the office every day, but I know I'm not the only one that wears work boots on this site...

Sometimes I wear my old issued boots (usually danner RAT), but generally I just wear my redwings for any day of shooting. A "class" is no different...

Maybe you don't own work boots, but how do you not have a hiking or hunting boot then?

Just like the "is this rifle cool enough for a class" threads... if the rifle works, then it's good enough. If it doesn't work, fix it, get rid of it, or keep it as a toy.

Doesn't seem complicated to me.

Like others I wanted to like the Salomons tried 3 different pairs. My feet liked 1 pair of them.  I have since switched to Keens.  For my they are super comfortable.  They also dont scream tactical which I like.  I’ve test them out from Africa to the Rocky Mountains.  I’ve worn the Keen Koven mid and the Targhee models. In the end comfort is what matters to me the most.

I did a course in my bright blue Nike running shoes. Just wear what's comfortable. Most of a course happens on concrete or pretty flat gravel, big heavy boots are definitely not necessary.

Whatever helps you be comfortable enough that you can focus on the instruction, really.

I'm looking for a new shoe also. I wear Merrels alot for my match shoots but I've found over time the treads get very hard. If you step on concrete, asphalt or wood floors it's like ice. No good at all. Grass or other natural ground it's ok but you will bust ass on a hard surface. It's happened to different model Merrels too. I have about 8 different pairs. Some have held up better than others.

I did a Costa Ludus 3 day carbine in Vibrams Fivefinger shoes and Bellville Mini-mil boots. I had zero issues or problems with either shoe. Just wear what you have that works for you and try not to worry about the cool guy gear.

Everybody tells me that Merrill's have gone down hill, but the two pairs I have gotten of Amazon have held up well.

Cliff’s Notes: hiking boots are best.  I would highly recommend a pair of mid or high cut hiking boots that are waterproof.  The boots should be from a reputable company, and you’re going to need to be ready to pay $100-200 for the pair if necessary.  I recommend Salomon, Merrell, Lowa, Keen, Vasque, Arc’teryx and Columbia.  All are well-known and established companies with good reputations.

There’s a running joke from some years back that you’re not a real operator or experienced training student until you’ve owned at least one pair of Merrell Moabs.  It’s just a joke, but it points out the fact that a LOT of people have owned a pair.  I still have an old pair that I wear around when I’m doing chores or helping people with labor (moving, building, etc).

I’m not saying you need to buy a pair, but it points out a trend that started to really pick up about 10 years ago.  There has been a continuing shift away from traditional military style boots in favor of lighter, more comfortable footwear.  You can see this now with how many boot companies have ditched traditional boot construction and adopted EVA mid soles and more aggressive outsole tread designs that mimic those of hiking boots.  People originally started seeing it in the SOF community, and Dick Marcinko actually talked briefly about it in his first book when he talked about how when he was building DEVGRU, they bought all sorts of boots and tested them on different surfaces.  They had it nailed down to knowing what kind of boots were best for GOPLATs, naval ship decks, and even the decks of cruise ships and yachts.  They would wear specific boots for specific missions.  Now we see companies that have different outsole tread designs for different seasons.  I have a couple pairs of Salomons that have treads designed by Continental tire.  I have a pair of Columbias that have soles designed by Michelin.  The winter versions of those boots have tremendous traction on ice and packed snow, and I know this quite well living and working as a street cop in Minnesota.  It’s nuts that I now basically have winter snow tires for my feet.  Kinda cool.

Point being, there is no one right shoe or boot.

For what I DON’T recommend:  
Oakley is marginal and I have gotten mixed reviews of their quality from officers I work with.
Under Armour is garbage.  They fall apart and have poor quality.  
5.11 is also pretty low quality as well, and I’ve seen a continued drop in the quality of their footwear over the past 14 years.
Danner continues to decline in quality every year.  The Acadia boot is still their stalwart boot made in the US, and it’s a good boot for what it is.  Unfortunately, it’s an antiquated design compared to the stuff that is now out on the market.  I’ve owned other pairs of Danners over the years and my last pair bought was 5 years ago, and I wasn’t impressed.  Won’t buy another pair.

Cant say anymore in regards to preference. Figure out where you're going and what you're doing.

For me, my top two are the Lowa Zephyrs for more rigid protection  and Salomon Speed Assaults for lightweight traction (these always seem to get overlooked, as the speedcross is more well known)

I wear some New Balance trail runners with slightly aggressive tread I bought from Payless or some shit a while ago. They work well in the desert but aren’t obscenely different from the vans, allbirds, or gym shoes I normally wear.

Justin work boots. They are tough and comfortable and I am used to the way my feet feel in them. I bought a pair of swat boots 15 years ago but pretty much immediately stopped wearing them as I figured it was pointless to train with something you only wear in training. Same reason I never got into the Gucci clothing brands like Crye, etc.

Ariat Nighhawks, best lookin pups on the line!

Any good pair of trail runners.  By good, I mean durable enough and sticky-soled enough that actual "trail runners" wear them to run trails.

I wasn't aware tactical foot wear was a thing, but Dept training is all I have ever been to, and footwear is one of those things THEY tell you what to wear.
With the record number of days over 110 around here, (not a type, one hundred and ten degrees), I am usually wearing my Bates Mid Rush, which are feel cool even in blazingly hot weather. Otherwise, it's whatever is around, Sketchers work boots, etc. If I ever get the chance to attend a a high speed/low drag shooting academy, I'll worry f my Bates will be good enough.

Salomon X Ultra Pro Mid GTX if it’s wet or cold, XA Pro 3D Low if it’s not.

Merrill are generally my favorites (Moab non-goretex), followed by Salomons.  I prefer low top or maybe mid.  With proper socks, both brands perform really well for a reasonable price.

I’ve used both on ground guy deployments and use them for everyday wear.  I would wear shoes you’d actually wear on a normal day since that’s probably the scenario you’d find yourself in.

Danner Rivot TFX, love them for hiking/outdoors in general.  

Really anything that's solid.  No need for the new hawtness, just whatever works.

We've all got different feet.

My go-to were Sportiva BoulderX for years, but the Salomon forcesX are really comfortable for me, and they're better for all-around wear. The boulderX are pretty stiff-soled for walking around - they're climbing approach shoes.

Yes, this! That being said, what's worked for me have been Lowa Renegade GTX Mid's. The bulk of the terrain I use them in is Appalachian mountains/hills, and they've held up very well and are comfortable (with proper socks) in warm and cold weather.

Another good discussion!

I also wanted to like Salomon. But after 2 identical pairs of Salomon light hikers (mid GTX blah blah) i gave up. They were always a narrow fit. One sole delaminated, the other pair the outer shell spill at the big toe. Then i tried another popular boot Merrill MOAB 2. Good boot, but couldn't get the proper heel fit and toe box in the same size. Now? I'm wearing the Keen Durand 2. It's one of the few MADE IN USA boots and fits well. Overall, try as many as you can since we all have different fitment preferences.

In general, for square ranges, I suggest a light-weight hiker that covers your ankles. Most companies call these a "mid-" something. If you're getting off the square range and into the woods, I suggest a taller combat boot to keep debris out. Waterproofing is double edged. The keep water out up to about the 2nd eyelet. But they also keep water, ie sweat, in. Ideally it would be good to have one pair of waterproof boots if you know your going to be in wet terrain and one pair of non-waterproof for all other times.