No idea if theres a better forum for this, if there is I apologize.

I just took the first of what's going to be many training classes (with LAV!) This past weekend. Thanks to the inclimate weather the day before, I opted to wear my duty boots for work which are Belleville 700s. It was a good call because the firing line was mud, but at the end of both days my dogs were barking something fierce. By the end of day 2 my knees were killing me also.

What might you folks recommend for water proof boots that are light enough to be pleasant to wear and not destroy the feet and knees when standing and/or walking all day? I've been looking at hiking boots, but alot of them have a taller heel which is hell on the back (like the belleville mountain combat boots) when standing for long periods. Asolo, Salomon and Vasque all get alot of chatter but I dont know much about them.

Thanks in advance.

Garmont NFS boots are great.  I love mine.  I wear them to Steel Challenge, USPSA and club practice matches.  Waterproof, though, um no.

I really like Merrill.  They are comfortable and durable IME

Merrill Tactical

They have a few different profiles

I also buy there black sip ons for buis casual at work.  Much more comfortable than a lot of other dress shoes

Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it.

Salomon Quest 4D forces gets my vote- they feel broken in right out of the box

This,as well as light weight. I've been in mine for over a year in every season. Worth full price if you have to pay it. Got mine for $150 on clearance sale.

I've always had great experiences with Salomon boots as well.  Highly recommend them. I wear the XA Forced Mid GTX for most of my training.  Just my two cents.

KG

Salomons 4D Quest here as well, with a few exceptions. Taking a Team Tactics course in rainy weather and breaking bush on a LandNav course I switched to Danners Ft. Lewis boots. They take alot longer to break in, but my feet were dry and being 10" high had less stickers and foxtails in my socks and stress on my wrecking my ankles was greatly reduced. Far and above, I kicked myself for not putting them on sooner.

Full grain leather military boots have their place. Flat range or less "humping" thru thick brush, the Salomon's have been great.  But putting in work thru rough terrain and wet weather. Go Danner.

I like the Salomon trail runners for classes.  YMMV.

I wore Belleville 790 flight boots in Iraq in 2003 and 2004, and they were great for military purposes.  They were a comfortable boot and a massive step up from what I had been issued.  That said, understand that the 700 series boots are two decades old in design.  They’re a military combat boot, and they’re designed to last a long time, protect from punctures, stop water, and provide ankle support, all while adhering to military uniform regulations.  That doesn’t translate into a boot that provides all day comfort while bumming around on a shooting range for a day or two or three.

This is probably more information than you wanted, but the two major factors with long term foot comfort are a good midsole, and proper insoles.  An EVA midsole is beneficial because it provides shock reduction and cushioning.  What a lot of people don’t know is that EVA midsoles leech out acetate as they age and you wear it.  The constant compression of it as you walk/run causes this.  EVA is ethylene-vinyl acetate, which is a polymer closed-cell foam.  As EVA leeches acetate, it stiffens and loses it’s “spring”, which results in the foam not absorbing shock and losing the comfort that it affords when its new.  After about 2 years, the EVA has hardened enough that it’s basically worthless.   Part of the reason you feet may hurt is because of the age of the boots.  

The insole is also important, and a lot of traditional boot insoles do not provide adequate arch support.  When you have poor arch support, the pressure from standing and walking is concentrated on the balls and heels of the feet instead of more effectively distributing the weight throughout.  Depending on the age of your insoles, they’ve probably broken down enough to make this problem worse.  

Salomon boots are fantastic, and they are built with the best foot support I’ve found.  I’ve owned 6 pairs over the years, and I continue to come back to them.  I’ve owned a lot of other boots, and Salomons are among the best for durability and long-term comfort.  That being said, most modern hiking boots offer great support.  Go to an REI or any larger shoe store that has a lot of hiking boots and try out brands until you find something you like.  

Another factor to consider is that with training courses, you’re carrying extra weight on your body.  You have to compensate for that weight, and that gets directed into your feet.  I don’t know what kit you were wearing, but it’s a contributing factor.  Another factor is the surface you were training on.  Harder surfaces are harder on the feet.  These are important to keep in mind, as it’s not always the footwear that are the problem.  You can be on your feet all day long with the right shoes, but eventually your feet are going to hurt regardless.  The knees are naturally going to hurt also because they are part of your shock absorption system.  I’m guessing the problem is that your boots are shot.