Alloutdoor Review – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
Patrik Orcutt 03.20.23
Alloutdoor Review – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
To me, 5.11 has become n a company you could count on to provide you with quality gear at a reasonable price. For many years I thought of them as more of a brand for the mall cop, gray men who love to post on the internet about how they recon their route for Black Friday at their local Dicks Sporting Goods. All jokes aside, my opinion of the company really gets better and better with every product I use from them. One of the 5.11s mottos is that they provide purpose-built gear, and the purpose of today’s gear for this review is to keep your feet dry no matter what. 5.11 was kind enough to provide me with a pair of their brand new A/T™ MID waterproof boots when I visited them while at Shot Show this past January. If you watched any of the TFB TV Showtime range day footage from the event, you saw that I definitely needed them that day.
The 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT was provided by 5.11 for this review and while I am allowed to keep the product indefinitely, this will not change my opinion on this product or any of 5.11’s current or past offerings.
While I have not had as many miles on these boots as I would normally like for a review, I have been wearing them in a healthy amount of snowy conditions throughout New England and Utah these past few months.
In short, the 5.11 A/T™ MID waterproof boots are an upgraded version of the company’s A/T™ mid boots with waterproofing added. So if you were a fan of those boots I’m sure you will find these ones to also be to your liking.
Specs – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
Weight – 1lb 5oz per boot
Colors – Umber Brown, Dark Coyote, Black
Waterproofing – 5.11 Tac Dry
Country of Origin – Bangladesh
MSRP- $165.00
Comfort – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
Most boots have a break-in period where the sole of the boot adapts to your foot. During this time wearing said boot can be uncomfortable but thankfully these guys don’t have one and are comfortable out of the box. The sizing is right on and if you wear a size ten in a Soloman boot then a ten in the A/T™ MID WB will also fit you perfectly. One knock I do have against these boots is that if you wear them inside your feet will probably get pretty toasty so Id stick to wearing them outside when possible.
When wearing them in snow or wet conditions your feet will stay dry thanks to the 5.11 Tac Dry® Waterproof and Blood Borne Pathogen resistant membrane inside the boots. These boots also come with a removable Ortholite insole and I found the insole to be comfortable. One of the more interesting features of these boots is the inclusion of a removable support plate for heavier loads. If your rucking with a large pack, keep the plates in and if not, take them out and improve the comfort of the boots even more. I think this was a really clever idea on 5.11’s part and I actually don’t know of any other pair of boots that do this that I have ever owned.
Weight – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
Coming in at 1lbs, 5oz per boot, they are certainly not the lightest boots on the market but you gain that weight for a lot of durability in the sole. I’m not saying these boots are heavy by any means but they were not built to run marathons in.
Traction – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
The bottoms of these boots are built like tanks with a very rugged and rigged outsole. The full rubber outsole with ASTM slip and oil resistance keeps your feet where you want them to be regardless of the conditions and the multi-direction outsole lug pattern does not discriminate what angle your boots will keep their traction.
While wearing these in Arches National Park I came across a few icy trails and not once did I lose traction when wearing these boots. I can’t say the same for my friend with me who was wearing Lululemon shoes. I’m not recommending them as a replacement for ice cleats, but I am saying that these boots have great traction. I would also like to mention that these boots have a commanding thud to them when wearing them on hard surfaces so keep that in mind if you’re trying to sneak around your local meter maid while sporting these.
Waterproofing – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
5.11’s Tac Dry® Waterproof and Blood Borne Pathogen resistant membrane inside the boots kept my feet nice and dry in multiple snowy situations. They feature a waterproof breathable mesh upper construction with TPU welded panels for durability. I wore them to the range for a few hours running around in 6 inches of powder and did not walk away with wet feet. I will say that these boots are not insulated for wear in snow so your feet will probably get pretty cold if you do this as mine did. I can’t speak to how long the waterproofing will last on their boots as it’s too early to tell but I do think they will last for a few seasons.
Build Quality and Durability – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
While two months is not enough time to determine the true durability on a set of boots like this, These boots are built like tanks and the suspect will last for multiple seasons of high use. The 3D molded rubber toe cap and heel counter provide added support and durability to the boot and show very few signs of wear at this point. Unfortunately, I’m one of those people who walk like a crow and so I tend to scuff the inside of my footwear pretty easily. This is the only place I have seen any indications of wear on these boots. Some of the exterior fabric has begun to fray in this area on my boots. I know I’m a weird duck in this regard but maybe if 5.11 raised their rear heel counter a half inch, this would negate this problem.
Competitive Options – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
LOWA Innox Pro GTX Mid TF – $245
https://www.lowaboots.com/mens/task-force-tactical/innox-pro-gtx-mid-tf?v=37045
Soloman XA FORCES MID GORE-TEX EN – $210
https://www.salomon.com/en-us/shop/product/xa-forces-mid-gtx-en-lg3237.html#color=41068
AKU PILGRIM GTX COMBAT FG – $260
https://akuoutdoor.us/products/prilgrim-gtx-combat-fg?variant=32138046701621
LALO SHADOW INTRUDER 5″ Coyote – $295
https://lalo.com/collections/tactical/products/shadow-intruder-coyote
Likes
- Very well-priced and only $10 more than the non-GTX version
- Fully waterproof
- Great Traction
- Removable Foot Plate
Dislikes
- Not available in a High top or full-length boot
- Kinda Heavy
Conclusion – 5.11® A/T™ MID WATERPROOF BOOT
5.11 really knocked it out of the park with these boots in my opinion, they look great, are tough, and also waterproof. Great all-around boots whether you’re in the city getting a beer or on the range running through the snow. I appreciate the subtle branding on these boots also. Hopefully, 5.11 keeps these around for a while and does not discontinue them next season. For the price you really cant go wrong with these foreign-produced boots and Id recommend them to anyone looking for a tactical-style waterproof boot. If you want to read what everyone at Shot Show on the TFB team thought of the boots here is a link to a small writeup by Pete.
https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2023/01/31/5-11-boots-tfb-tfbtv-shot/
