As the name implies these boots were designed for tactical assault elements operating in marine environments. More specifically they were designed so that units like the US NAVY SEALS could wear them under their flippers and quickly transition out of their flippers when boarding a ship or conducting other dry land operations. In the past, these units sometimes wore skater shoes like Converse All-Stars or Vans. Obviously this was not the purpose for which these sneakers were originally designed and the skater shoes faced some limitations when it came to durability and their ability to dry quickly. Enter, the Altama Maritime Assault Boot.
This is not your teenager’s sneaker. On the surface it bears a striking resemblance to its mainstream counterparts. But under this civilian silhouette is a boot constructed from high abrasion resistant and quick drying 1000D Cordura, features reinforced heel and toe, a contoured insole which is comfortable but will not absorb water, air mesh linings to wick away moisture, and front drain ports located at the front third of the shoe which allow water to easily drain when the boot is flexed. When you slide a pair of these on your feet you feel like you want to HALO jump into the Gulf of Aden, climb aboard a Navy ship, and rescue Tom Hanks from the grips of hostage taking pirates via the discharge of a few well places rifle rounds from the barrel of a silenced sniper rifle. Just try a pair, we promise you’ll be able to relate…
Of course we are not using these boots for any of that. We actually bought a pair of these because we happened to be in the market for new sneakers and love camouflage. But when we looked around at the mainstream offerings we were underwhelmed at the selection and a bit perplexed at some of the prices we saw. You would think Nike invented camouflage… With classic looks and a $85 - $120 price tag (depending on the style and color you choose) the Maritime Assault Boots filled our aesthetic and budgetary demands. What we probably should have been more prepared for was just how kick ass these things turned out to be. After a few days wearing them around town we were so impressed with their fit and feel we thought it a good idea to take them on some short hikes and day hunts. They have yet to disappoint.
In addition to being water-proof the soles are a comfortable and shock absorbent but also thin enough so you can feel some of the minutia of the terrain under your feet. This in conjunction with the noise deadening rubber material of the soles makes the boots great for stalks. They are also extremely comfortable. We’ve spent days in these things either in stands, on planes, or out in the city and even with horrendously flat feet we never cramped up. After spending a day checking game cameras in the flooded woods of central Florida we were also supremely impressed with these boots ability to drain water and quick dry.
Beyond being a great boot we are also big fans of Altama as a company. Supplying boots to the US military since 1969 the company literally supports our boots on the ground but they don’t stop once our troops come back from the front lines. Altama has partnered with the Boot Campaign and are one of lead sponsors of Ricky Raley’s Road Trip, a 1,500 mile hand cycle ride taking place this August. Ricky is a US Army veteran and the “Raley Road Trip” is taking place from New York City to Pinellas Park, Florida to raise money for veterans battling PTSD, TBI, insomnia, chronic pain, and the addiction which can often be brought on by self-medication. Also sponsored by Top End Wheel Chairs, and Millecor, Ricky is looking to raise $150,000 so that other veterans like him can benefit from the Boot Campaigns Health and Wellness program like he did. This is an absolutely great cause and one we’ve already thrown support behind and hope you do as well.
To learn more about the Boot Campaign, Rickey Raley, and Altama boots, check out the links below.
Boot Campaign: https://www.bootcampaign.org/
Ricky Raley: @Rickyraley on Instagram
Altama: https://altama.com/