5.11 Tactical "Boots & Utes"

One of the funniest things I ever heard my son say when he was a Marine was, “boots and utes.” I didn’t know when he meant at first and then realized he was shortening, “boots and utilities.” It was something they (Marines) said when referring to the common every day uniform of boots and whatever the basic non-dress uniform of the day was. When I recently received a box from 5.11 Tactical, “boots and utes” was what I was expecting. Having had conversation with them at IACP in San Diego, I knew there would be a box on the way.  When I opened the box I found a pair of their XPRT 2.0 boots and two shirts from their XPRT uniform line; one Rapid shirt and one Tactical shirt. No pants. I had boots and shirts.  THAT made my thinking change to the words of a song that were the exact opposite (don’t ask me why because I couldn’t tell you): No shoes, no shirt, no problem.  I HAD the shoes and shirts, PANTS are required for service no matter what the signs say.

XPRT 2.0 Boots

For the longest time many manufacturers were doing their best to avoid using the word “hiking” when they discussed any boot designed for the military or law enforcement market. It’s kind of silly when you think about it but “hiking” brings up mental images of woods, mountains, etc. Contrasted to that, law enforcement boots are usually visualized on a city sidewalk or in a dark warehouse, and military boots – because of the last two and a half decades we’ve spent at war in the middle east – are visualized in the desert (first) and then the jungle (because of Vietnam “back in the day”).

As with any pair of boots I receive for test and evaluation, I read the available information about the XPRT 2.0 first. I wanted to know what 5.11 Tactical’s intention was with this boot design. I was pleased to see that their online material, in the very first line of description included a reference to hiking: “XPRT 2.0 Boots combine the best features of high-performance European hiking boots with elite tactical boots.” The information describes the boot’s construction and materials and then gives two words of caution. The first is particular to this boot; the second is wise for ANY boot.

The first caution is that these boots do run narrower than most.  Their site says if you run “D” or wider, they suggest you go with a WIDE boot.  I have narrow feet so that wasn’t an issue for me.

The second caution is universal: “…you’ll also want a few days of break-in before you deploy on your next operation.” Since I tend to test boots by wearing them all day no matter what my “operation” is, I inevitably end up with the first few days of overly tight boots, stiff ankles, stretching laces, etc.  Take this caution to heart no matter whose boots you are wearing.  Never wear new boots on a mission if you have an option.

The rest of the description of the boot includes a few features that I feel it necessary to mention:

“…padded neoprene ankle, durable ripstop nylon frame…” The ankle portion of the upper is well padded, which provides both stiffer sides on the upper and some protection from anything that you might bang your ankle into. Some people like that; some people prefer a thinner profile on their boots. Be aware of it as you make your footwear choices. The “durable ripstop nylon frame” is the foundation upon which the rest of the boot’s upper is constructed. That upper includes nubuck, suede and leather cut and applied/stitched/glued in a design that is both professional looking and practical in its protection.

“…511 Kick Toe…” This was, at first, a point of discomfort for me. While the boots were a perfect fit for length and width, the toe cap felt (for me) like it was bent or cupping down into the toe area of the boot. It wasn’t just one boot, but both so I had to assume it was just a side effect of the construction of the boot.  By the end of the second day in the boots, I didn’t even notice it any more. As the boot broke in around my foot (which is good; it should never be the other way around) I noticed the pressing feeling of the protective toe cup less and less until I didn’t even feel it anymore. Be aware that you might feel it as a slight tightness in the toe until the boots are broken in; and then be thankful for the protection it provides to your toes.

“…Ghillie lacing…” I have a confession.  I’m not a fan of side-zip boots (these aren’t) and I’ve always found the need to lace boots up every time I put them on inconvenient.  The fastest and most convenient lacing system I’ve ever seen had metal hooks instead of eyelets so there was no need to put the end of the lace through a hole, pull it through, line it up on the other side, insert, pull, repeat. That said, if the boot laces are long enough you don’t HAVE to unlace them at all. You can simply loosen them sufficiently to get your foot in and out. That’s the case with these boots, but if you WANT to unlace them down to the top of the arch, the lacing system is quick and easy enough to access that lacing them isn’t a big pain in the you know what.

“…waterproof, breathable…” As with any pair of “waterproof” boots, they are only waterproof up to the point where the tongue separates from the body of the boot. In this case that’s about six inches up from the bottom of the sole. It’s impossible to make the boot waterproof higher without making them more difficult to get on and off OR without compromising the protective construction of the boot. These ARE waterproof up to that point – as my fifteen minutes standing in a five inch deep puddle proved.  As to the “breathable:” Even after several full days in them, I never pulled a sweaty foot out of these boots. They do allow for moisture to escape even while keeping your feet warm. (Average daytime temperature while I was wear testing them: 47F)

MSRP on these boots is $194.99, but a quick search online found them from various retailers for less than that, and your local retailer might have them for cheaper still. Be aware that 5.11 Tactical is opening dedicated brand retail shops all over the country and I highly recommend you try these boots on before you purchase a pair.

XPRT Shirts

As I said: I received one Rapid shirt and one Tactical shirt. Both are long sleeve. The primary difference is that the Rapid shirt uses a softer material (NYCO Tactical) for the main torso of the shirt. The Rapid is a pull-on design while the Tactical you put on like any other uniform shirt (but this is cool) and zip it up.  Additional hook-and-loop pin points keep the shirt closed together over the zipper for a cleaner look.

The design features that both shirts share are:

• Full zip up neck - that wraps and closes for protection farther up the throat than the “regular” uniform shirt.
• Articulated elbow pad pockets – which will hold soft elbow pads (and some hard pads if you find the right ones to fit).
• Bonded layer of abrasion resistant fabric on the elbows – which proves especially useful in extending the wear life of the garment if you’re using the internal elbow pad pockets. If you do, the outside layer gets all of the rub and abuse from the point of your elbow, so this abrasion resistant layer helps extend the life of the shirt.
• Zippered bicep pockets – with the zipper on an angle and the pocket body UNDER the outer layer of the garment so there’s less bulk and protrustion.
• 5.11 Tactical’s patented pen pocket on the left forearm portion of the sleeve.
• A small zippered utility pocket on the right forearm, reminiscent of some flight suits.
• Ortholite shoulder pads with textured surface for air flow – and I can’t begin to articulate how this padding affects comfort when wearing a vest full of equipment. Most of us take for granted that any body armor or equipment vest we wear/carry is simply going to put pressure on our shoulders and we have to live with it. This shoulder padding, which goes up and over the shoulder, offers the perfect cushioned platform for the weight to sit on, reducing the amount of “dig” you feel on your collar bone and the muscles across the top of your shoulder.
• Adjustable hook-and-loop cuffs at the wrists. While I know people who adjust both to the same size (and seem almost OCD about it), I also know people who want the left cuff to fit OVER their watch, so they adjust it accordingly.
• Sew on loop (the loop side of hook-and-loop) panels for the shoulders, a badge tab, epaulettes and a body camera loop are provided so that you can attach them IF YOU WANT. Having them NOT already sewn on also allows you to modify how and where you want them mounted to suit your operational needs.

The XPRT Tactical shirt has more pockets than the Rapid, with the addition of two more pockets, one on each side of the chest and it has a Kevlar reinforced collar which makes it a bit stiffer but also more protective.

I wore both shirts to test for comfort and fit.  My only recommendation for the Tactical shirt is that you wash it at least twice before wearing. The material is very durable and, as such, needs to be “broken in” a bit more to be fully pliant. I washed mine in cold water on “heavy dirt” twice so it got “scrubbed” the longest.  I didn’t use any fabric softener but – since I have a dog and the shirt is black – I used a dryer sheet to reduce static and help get some of the darn dog hair (which goes everywhere) off.

Both shirts are available in black, navy blue and TDU green (OD green as near as my old eyes can tell). They were comfortable enough and the pockets proved handy.  My iPhone 6 fits in the right sleeve utility pocket with a bit of room left over. I didn’t test my wife’s iPhone 6+ but I suspect it would fit unless she has it in its protective case. The pen pocket on the left sleeve fit every pen I have (from the plain plastic Bic to the assortment of metal/aluminum “tactical” pens) and several of my AAA-driven penlights.

For more information about the boots, shirts, or any other 5.11 Tactical products, visit their website at http://www.511tactical.com.  If/when I get the pants to test, I’ll report on those as well.

Stay safe!