7 Lightest Tactical Boots: The Good And Bad

In this article we’re going to be going over the lightest tactical boots for military and law enforcement personnel. There are many things to look for in a boot, whether you’re wearing it for service in the military, law enforcement, trail trekking, or hunting. Having the lightest tactical boots may possibly be the most important feature for you to have.

From my time in the military, having a lightweight boot made all the difference for those lengthy ruck marches.

1. ONE XERO™ C320 Ultra Light Assault Boot

Specs

Weight: 1.25 lbs per boot
Height: 8″
Insulation: Non-Insulated
Manufacturing: Made in USA
AR 670-1 Compliant: Yes
Rating: 4.5/5 (500+ Reviews)

The “heaviest” boot (if you can even call them that) are the ONE XERO C320 Ultra Light Assault Boot sold by Belleville Boots. These boots are 8″ in height and is both AFI 36-2903 Compliant and AR 670-1 Compliant. On their website Belleville states the boot was “designed with the idea that lightweight is not just a feature but a requirement”.

2. AKU SELVATICA TACTICAL MID GTX

Specs

Weight: 1.1 lbs per boot
Height: 6″
Lining: GORE-TEX® Extended Comfort
Rating: 4.9/5 (40 Reviews)

The AKU Selvatica has a Ortholite insole, Vibram outsole, and Gore-Tex lining. Excellent traction and stability, this boot in my opinion is comparable to the Salomon Forces Mid boots, yet doing so with less weight. It’s excellent for cooler to warmer climates, rugged terrain and trails, and offers the ideal support and stability for those heavy rucks!

3. Tactical Research Mini-Mil TR105 8″ Combat Boots

Specs

Weight: 1 pound per boot
Height: 8″
Upper: Cattlehide Leather/Nylon
Insulation: Non-Insulated
AR 670-1 Compliant: Yes
Rating: 4.2/5 (1000+ Reviews)

The TR105 MiniMil Ultra Light Training Boot was designed to train your feet to land flat footed on the ground instead of heel first like traditional footwear. Some pros are that they have some good flex, huge amount of toe room, grips well, break-in fairly quickly, and the laces are paracord style material which feel very strong and should last the life of the boot! Because of the break-in period it’s been recommended to get a good pair of cushioned hiking socks.

4. GORUCK MACV Boots

Specs

Weight: 1 pound per boot
Height: 6″ or 8″
Upper: Suede Leather / 1000D Cordura
AR 670-1 Compliant: Yes (High Top)
Rating: 4.7/5 (2300+ Reviews)

Check out my full in-depth review here!

The 8″ Coyote Suede GORUCK MACV-1 Boots are AR 670-1 Compliant and were built for Special Forces who spend their careers on their feet with heavy rucks on their back. The inspiration for this boot was the Vietnam-era Jungle Boot, worn by MACV-SOG and other Special Forces combat units. The GORUCK MACV was designed for training, rucking, traveling, and assaulting.

On the inner side of the boots are drain holes for when your feet get wet from walking through water. This will allow the water to be pushed out with every step once you’re walking on dry ground. What’s really impressive with the MACV is that there is no break-in time! Put ’em on and get marching!

5. Under Armour Tac Loadout

Specs

Weight: 1 pound per boot
Height: 8″
Upper: Roughout Leather / Cordura
Outsole: VIBRAM with MegaGrip rubber
AR 670-1 Compliant: Yes
Rating: 4.6/5 (500+ Reviews)

The Under Armour Tac Loadout boots very well could be one of the most comfortable tactical boots available. Under Armour is well known for making athletic footwear, and if you take away the shaft of the boot then the Tac Loadout looks identical to some typical Under Armour footwear. One thing I noticed that is a nice feature of this boot is the pull tab on the upper back of the boot. Its in a position so that finding it and effectively pulling the boot up is quick and simple.

6. Oakley Light Assault 2

Specs

Weight: 0.9 lbs per boot
Height: 8″
Upper: Genuine Leather / Cordura
AR 670-1 Compliant: Yes
Rating: 4.6/5 (2400+ Reviews)

There’s not much to say of the Light Assault 2’s except for how comfortable people find them. The outer is made from a combination of Cordura and breathable synthetic which provides both protection and breathability. The nylon laces are pretty standard with tactical boots, but the boot has a lace lock system which will keep your boot nice and snug, allowing your foot to be kept in place which over long walks which will prevent blisters from occurring.

7. Danner Tachyon

Specs

Weight: 0.8 pounds per boot
Height: 8″
Upper: Roughout Leather / 1000D Nylon
Insulation: Non-Insulated
AR 670-1 Compliant: Yes
Rating: 4.5/5 (3000+ Reviews)

Read me full review of the Danner Tachyons here.

The Tachyons are possibly Danner’s most popular tactical boot. They’ve stated that they have 80 plus years of experience making boots, so when they set out to make a lightweight trainer they created a boot that acts like a shoe, not a shoe that acts like a boot. I have friends that have worn these boots and they said they were incredibly lightweight on their feet. Keep in mind that if you wear these in rigorous environments, they could start falling apart within a couple of years or less.

Conclusion

If I were to rank my top three from this list in order of personal preference, I would probably go with the GORUCK MACV first, given that the company is tailored to the Special Forces community, and their warranty is hard to beat.

My second choice would likely be the Under Armour Tac Loadouts, seeing as how many people have praised the boot for comfort. And I’m curious how well Under Armour did at making a combat boot!

My third choice would be a toss up between the ONE XERO C320’s and the TR105 MiniMil’s, since someone I worked with personally said how comfortable they were on their feet.

I hope this list of the most lightweight tactical boots has been helpful. If you have any questions, or if I missed an ultra lightweight tactical boot that should be on this list, please contact me!