A blog for Airsoft product reviews, how-tos and community.

Written by Benjamin Martin

I know as well as anyone about the importance of having good boots in the field. I served in the Marines for four years and had a wide range of boots issued to me, combat boots, jungle boots, desert boots, steel toed boots, you name it. My search for the ideal combative footwear has been ongoing since I left active duty; I’ve tried a variety from Danner, Belleville, and of late the Oakley Gatling 8″. Although the Gatling is extremely rugged and comfortable, the term “Moon Boot” comes to mind each time I wear them because they make me feel sluggish and clumsy.

Fortunately enough my search was cut short when one of our good customers, who works for Nike, informed us of Nike’s release of their Special Field Boot (SFB). After some initial testing he helped us become a vendor and soon enough I was wearing the SFB’s around the shop. It was hard not to notice how extremely comfortable they were from just walking around the store, they actually felt more like a shoe rather then a boot, and their non-fatiguing soles (based off the Nike Free technology which tries to emulate barefoot running) helped when I was on my feet for extended periods. Some people say that if you’re new to the Nike Free technology that you should allow your foot some time to get used to the added flexibility, but I didn’t notice a needed break in period for the SFB aside from stretching the sides to fit my wide foot.

Last Sunday (5/16) I was finally able to christen my Desert Tan Nike Special Field Boots in Airsoft Pacific’s Operation: Thunderstrike which was held at Splat Action in Molalla, OR. Splat Action is simply a wide cut of woods with a variety of large hills, cold creeks, muddy trails, and killer bunkers. Although my main purpose was to be a Platoon commander, my secondary objective was to test the SFB to see if it matched my expectations.

After I established a game plan with the other commanders of Alpha Company, it was decided that my Platoon (2nd) was going to capture and hold sector 5 while 1st Platoon maneuvered through the field. I told 2nd Plt that we were going to sprint to sector 5, engage anyone from Bravo Company, and capture the location; failure wasn’t an option since I planned my whole strategy around sector 5. The route to our objective was a muddy trail that started uphill then leveled out into a grassy field with a semi circle of barricades around the sector’s flag, all together the distance was probably around 150 meters.

I began to sprint uphill as soon as “game on!” sounded. The lightweight material and Nike Free running soles made the run uphill with my G&P M249 PARA quick and easy. The aggressive toe tread dug into the mud and found solid ground while the rest of the platoon initially slipped and struggled. I ran a solid 3 or 4 seconds faster then the rest of 2nd and was clearly the first person into sector 5 which allowed me to post my M249 closest to the enemies position. At this point I was able to suppress Bravo Co.’s initial wave which provided 2nd platoon time to set up in defensive positions.

The SFB passed the sprint, hill, and mud tests in the first minute of the game, I was impressed already.

Thunderstrike was well underway when the rain started to come down, the knee high grass at sector 5 quickly became watered down and soon enough my SFB’s were wet. This wasn’t much of a concern because my head was in the game since Bravo had pushed through sector 1 and threatened our rear. They chipped away at our defenses and eventually rolled our flank but couldn’t maintain their momentum without reinforcements. Alpha Company finally regained control of sector 1 and inflicted heavy casualties on Bravo during a brutal 15-20 minute firefight. Unfortunately our continued reinforcement to sector 1 left 2nd’s FOB (Forward Operating Base) at sector 5 weak, which Bravo capitalized on and attacked immediately. The radio chatter from sector 5 called for reinforcements from any available unit, and the quickest way for me to get there was through the creek.

What a perfect opportunity to water test the SFB.

Now I knew before I jumped into the rocky creek that the SFB wasn’t designed to be water proof but to be a boot that would dry quickly after being completely submerged. Once I was in the water I was glad to see, and feel, that the aggressive treads on the Special Field Boot were enough to grip and grab on to the slippery rocks that riddled the creek; I never once felt like I was going to slip, fall, or roll my ankle. Another thing I noticed was that the SFB didn’t absorb massive amounts of water which would have added a considerable amount of weight to my feet. The non-Gortex lining expelled the excess moisture and allowed the Special Field Boot to dry quickly contrary to holding the moisture and keeping my feet wet. Now I didn’t pay attention to how long it took the SFB to dry out, but I can say that I never really considered my feet “soaked” for a noticeable period of time.

Water test: passed.

Another player wearing the SFB’s at Thunderstrike was Airsoft Outlet NW’s Tech who also testified that the Special Field Boot was amazingly lightweight and comfortable to play in. He said that the SFB didn’t make his feet swell, excessively sweat, or fatigue after a grueling day of gaming up and down hills. A couple of other players on Bravo Company had reported that they weren’t getting as much ankle support as they had hoped from the SFB, but quickly found that double lacing them at the fourth eyelet secured their foot more firmly into the boot; so take note if you like a little more ankle support.

I suppose the only thing left to test is the SFB’s extended durability, which will only become evident later in to the season, but I can say after my first game playing in the Nike SFB that it is one of the most impressive boots I’ve ever worn. Aside from a quick break in period, these boots are ready to go out of the box.

If you’re in the market for a boot that not only performs well in the field, but also looks great as a daily shoe, then give the Nike SFB serious consideration.