5.11 A/T Waterproof 8" Trail Boot Review
Greetings hikers! I’m Kyle, one of Wildland Trekking’s backcountry hiking guides. Just the phrase ‘backcountry hiking’ can make our feet twinge with discomfort. After all, multiple days of adventure and hiking dozens of miles can definitely make the feet scream in protest. So, good footwear is crucial to a successful adventure in the wilderness. To this end, I was pleased to put the 5.11 Elite Waterproof Boots to the test during my hiking season.
From the Smoky Mountains to Glacier National Park, I put some serious miles on these boots to see if they have what it takes to handle backcountry camping adventures. I’ll start this review with a basic overview of the boots and features, then we’ll move on to specific performance ratings for the Elites. So let’s see how they did!
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5.11 Elite Boots Quick Look
For starters, let’s review the A/T Elite Boots’ basic specifications.
- Price: $200.00
- Material: Polishable leather and suede upper
- Support: Ortholite insole with PU midsole and 5.11® Echo high rebound foam in the forefoot, and 5.11® Force shock absorbing foam in the heel
- Intended Activity: Hiking, backpacking, outdoor work environments, search and rescue, tactical
- Sizing: Regular and Wide widths available.
Intended Use
These boots are designed for rough outdoor use. From rugged outdoor work environments to multi-day backpacking trips, these boots pack significant foot and ankle support in an extremely durable construction. As we’ll discuss below, 5.11 focuses on tactical applications from military to EMS and everything in between. The Elite Boots align with this focus, featuring a noticeably tactical appearance.
Notable Features
The 5.11 Elite Boots include a couple of features that are worth discussing before we jump into the full review:
High-rebound foam in the forefoot and shock-absorbing foam in the heel – provide a performance boost by easing the stress on your body with each heel strike while optimizing your forward stride.
5.11 Tac-Dry– provides a waterproof layer to keep your feet nice and dry in all conditions.
Nylon Mesh Panels – add a little extra breathability and heat-shedding capability when you’re working hard.
5.11 Company Background
Although two separate companies now, 5.11 Tactical got its start with the famous rock climber Royal Robbins, and his namesake company. Royal initially developed 5.11 pants in 1968 as a purebred rock climbing product named after the Yosemite climbing difficulty scale, where a “5.11” route is considered difficult to climb. Fast forward several decades, and Dan Costa bought a majority stake in the Royal Robbins company in 1999. Soon after, Dan discovered that the 5.11 pants had become very popular at the FBI Academy in Quantico and among other law enforcement agencies. From that point, Dan sold the Royal Robbins brand back to Royal in 2003, but retained the 5.11 trademark to develop into a separate brand. Now, 5.11 Tactical was born, focusing on clothing and gear for the public safety and law enforcement fields with durable and utilitarian designs. More recently, 5.11 has been putting more focus into their outdoor pursuits clothing, developing the trail pant as an outdoor adventure accessory for almost any activity.
THE TEST – QUICK OVERVIEW
I tested the 5.11 Elite Boots while guiding hiking and backpacking trips in the Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, and Glacier National Parks. As you can imagine, I encountered a wide range of weather, spanning from warm and sunny to overcast with spitting rain.
This wide range of weather conditions gave me ample opportunity to see how the boots performed in both ideal and less-than-ideal conditions.
The Review
Now that we’ve covered the basic characteristics of the Elite Boots and 5.11’s brand background, it’s time for my full review. I’ll cover the main performance characteristics for hiking pants below (such as comfort, durability, breathability, and so on) and give each category a score from 1 to 5. The scoring key is below for reference, and I’ll back up each score with firsthand information from my field testing that led me to assign each score.
Test Score Key
1/5 – Poor
2/5 – Tolerable
3/5 – Fair
4/5 – Good
5/5 – Excellent
Durability – 5/5
5.11 built these boots to last, and it definitely shows.
The suede and nylon upper performed well in my testing, with no obvious scuffing or damage. Likewise, the seams held together without fraying or tearing, and the rubber outsole didn’t wear down or degrade. So top marks for durability!
However, the Elite Boot’s bombproof design spawned an unexpected drawback in terms of comfort, which we’ll discuss next.
Comfort – 2/5
While the boots are incredibly durable, this led to significant stiffness and a prolonged break-in period that noticeably detracted from their overall comfort.
Nowadays, we’re mostly spoiled with advances in construction and materials that have significantly reduced break-in periods or eliminated them altogether. For the uninitiated, a boot break-in period is the initial period after purchase, when the boot is stiff and prone to chafing. But with time and some gentle walks, this passes and the boots form to your particular foot shape.
But in this case, I found the Elite Boots to be particularly stubborn. The toe box, in particular, seemed chronically stiff and tight. It took many multi-day hiking trips for them to even begin to conform to my feet, but I still find them noticeably unforgiving to this day. Honestly, I think my next course of action will be to get them completely sopping wet and good for a long hike to see if I can get the material to finally break in.
Additionally, I found the ankle area to be strangely tight. I’ll admit that this offered phenomenal support (discussed below), but it did feel constricting and uncomfortable at times. With these two downsides to comfort in mind, I’m inclined to think these boots may run chronically small, and I’d recommend trying them on before purchasing.
Quality – 4/5
Overall, I found the quality of the 5.11 Elite Boots to be quite good.
The upper, made of suede and nylon mesh, looks good and appears very well put together. This quality extends to the lacing, the comfort insole, and the supportive midsole. Everything seems crafted with longevity and durability in mind, and I really appreciate that in hiking gear.
However, I did notice that these boots have a peculiar habit of being squeaky when hiking. I’m not sure which components are rubbing, but it was definitely noticeable. This is barely a complaint, but more of an oddity for these boots.
Support – 5/5
Truly outstanding support!
These boots honestly have the best ankle support I’ve ever encountered in any footwear. For consistent hiking and backpacking, this is a particularly valuable trait that impressed me very much. This excellent support extends to the insole and foam midsole, which work together to provide great arch support and comfortable cushioning.
The only caveat to this category is that the ankle support sometimes felt like too much. My ankle often felt like the boot was gripping too tightly, which, when combined with the boot’s inherent stiffness, felt somewhat limiting and uncomfortable.
Weight/Bulk – 3/5
I found the overall weight of these boots fair, given the durability and support they offer.
They’re not an ultralight pair of hiking boots by any means. Quite the contrary, they definitely have some heft to them. However, the durable materials, good-looking suede, and incredible support all combine to make the boot’s overall weight well-balanced.
So if you’re looking for a pair of super-lightweight boots to move fast and light, I couldn’t recommend these. But for a bombproof design with outstanding support, these boots definitely earn the weight they bring to the equation.
Price – 1/5
Based on competing prices for similar boots, I have to say that I consider this particular product decidedly overpriced. I may sound like a broken record at this point, but I would expect a $200 pair of boots to have a much quicker, smoother, and less painful break-in period. That initial hike is the first impression for a pair of boots, and I have to say that that preliminary introduction fell flat due to the boots’ stiffness.
However, I’ll be the first to concede that waterproofing, durability, support, and quality materials all justifiably add to the price tag. But I still feel these boots are overpriced considering the stiffness and painful pinching.
Breathability – 3/5
As with any fully waterproof boot, the breathability for the 5.11 Elite is so-so.
Waterproof membranes work wonders at keeping moisture out, but they also tend to trap air and moisture inside. While testing these boots, I didn’t notice my feet emerging particularly smelly or sweat-drenched, which tells me there’s some breathability at play. However, I definitely felt the heat building while hiking hard. Therefore, I rate the breathability as right in the middle, and quite average for any waterproof boot.
Waterproofing – 4/5
Unfortunately, but not really, I didn’t encounter much rain on my trips to test the boots’ waterproofing.
From the few sprinkles and damp creek crossings I encountered, I can report that the boots’ waterproofing seems effective. However, I need to head out in a rainstorm or a very dewy field to see how these boots handle significant moisture.
Bringing it Together
We’ve covered a lot of aspects of the 5.11 Elite Boots in this review! To help keep these boots’ strengths and weaknesses clear, I’ve compiled the pros and cons from my testing below for our review.
Pros:
- Bombproof, durable design
- High-quality materials
- Waterproof
- Outstanding foot and ankle support
Cons:
- Stiff with a very long break-in period
- High price
Final Thoughts
Overall, I found the 5.11 Elite Boots provide reliable support in an extremely durable build. These are two of the top three traits I think good hiking footwear needs to incorporate. From the suede-nylon upper to the high-traction rubber outsoles, these boots truly seem built to last, and I’d expect them to endure season after season. Add to that one of the most supportive shoe structures I’ve ever encountered (with particular emphasis on ankle support), and these boots seem well-designed to handle the outdoors.
I’ll temper those positives by noting that the third trait I’d expect in a pair of hiking boots is plush comfort, and the Elite Boots fall short, in my opinion. I found the overall boot to be extremely stiff, which in turn spawned a significant break-in period. The toe area, in particular, seemed very stiff and unforgiving, which definitely led to noticeable foot pain. Additionally, I noticed that the extreme ankle support was almost too aggressive and too tight, which occasionally felt restrictive and uncomfortable. Now, boot stiffness aside, I’ll concede that these issues may be partially sizing-related, in which case I’d caution that the Elite Boots run small and/or narrow. But in any case, I’d recommend trying on these boots if you can, or being prepared to exchange sizes if you order online. But these extra steps may certainly be worth it, since the 5.11 Elite Boot offers some of the best foot support and durability I’ve encountered in a pair of hiking boots.
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