What is your preferred shooting foot ware, and why?

[CHA-LEE]

I went through the boots, cleats, and tennis shoe phases looking for the best type of shoe to wear at the matches. All of them were really good in one range condition but absolutely horrible in others. After a bunch of searching at local shoe stores I found a hiking shoe made by North Face called the Hedgehog GTX XCR. I initially got some in the low ankle height but they tended to let rocks and pebbles get in during stage runs. So I got some mid height ones and have been very pleased with their performance. They have a pretty aggressive tread pattern so they are able to dig in to make traction when needed but the sole is also made of soft rubber so they hook up great on slippery indoor concrete floors as well. They are SUPER light weight when compared to other shoes and they are also very comfortable. I can be on my feet all day with them and my feet are not hurt at all, unlike trying to wear cleats which pretty much cripple your feet after wearing them all day during a match. Aside from shooting in a mud bog or snow blizzard I think these shoes are the best overall performers. I have listed a link to them below.

http://www.thenorthface.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=10918&storeId=207&langId=-1&catalogId=10201&parent_category_rn=11706

Please share your findings in what you have found to be the best overall range shoes. Maybe there is something better out there that we can all use to make us better?

[Jadeslade]

I've been using Merrell Chameleons for a few months now-just the basic low cut ones with the pull laces. They work really well most of the time. They are soft-not structured and really let you feel fault lines and activators. Using Underarmour low cut cleats for muddy or wet sand. I usually have a pair of boat sneakers for places with a lot of wood platforms or props-mostly for when wet. Used my Danner Mountain light boots in SC in December-worked well in the cold and wet. I shot an IDPA classifier in Virginia once in tassel loafers .

[TruStreet]

I have Big & Wide (4E) feet I find New Balance Trail Runners

with motion control work the best for me. They are Mid lenght with Gore Tex

they come in leather or mesh.

Manny

Edited February 23, 2010 by TruStreet

[EEH]

I haven't found them yet,I will take two pair to range if it will be a long match,change about half way,that seems to help me more than just looking for just the right pair ,just my $.02

[bbbean]

Please share your findings in what you have found to be the best overall range shoes. Maybe there is something better out there that we can all use to make us better?

I haven't found one shoe that does it all, so I have Underarmour cleats for mud, Keen mid-height boots for gravel, and New Balance cross trainers for ideal conditions. The Keens come closest to being a universal condition shoe, but I wish they were just a bit wider.

[Sean Gaines]

I use Nike cleats, I guess they are high tops, or mid legnth, enough to cover and give some sort of ankle support. I like them because they are light, and have good traction on grass and all surface areas, they can be a little slick on wet wood, and you could become a figure skater real quick, if you are not careful. I am not a big fan of hiking type boots for uspsa. due to the weight of the boot. If you have ever ran with mud covered shoes, that how I feel about the boot type thing. For indoor matches I just use a some light running shoes with good traction.

[Glockcomma]

When it comes to footwear for shooting I put Amalda Marcos to shame. I have shoes for all range surfaces for summer and winter.

[ChuckS]

After an intense 1 minute title search I found these:

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18488&view=findpost&p=217309

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=92760&view=findpost&p=1063724

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42321&view=findpost&p=483032

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=36854&view=findpost&p=421424

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=30376&view=findpost&p=349735

http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19503&view=findpost&p=228425

The search function is your friend

Later,

Chuck

[Aglifter]

Muck boots are great for the mud, IMO. I used to wear Nike lineman cleats for strongman on grass -- I'm sure it'd work well for shooting as well - haven't shot in grass yet. If you're ever on a hard surface, my favorite strongman shoes were Chucky Ts. I'm certain they would work for shooting as well.

[GrumpyOne]

Guys, Guys Guys! Look into the most comfortable shoes on the planet! And, believe it or not, they are made here in the US! REDWING!

[Greg Bell]

Adidas Kanadia Trail in the dry

Wolverines in the cold, slop, or wet

[Graham Smith]

While this has come up many times, it's worth revisiting a couple times a year because shoe manufactures change styles so fast that what you have today may not even be sold 6 months from now.

Also, new things are always coming up and needs change as well. I don't care for boots, but I'm always looking because the ankle support becomes more appealing as I get older.

[zinnmeister]

I went through the boots, cleats, and tennis shoe phases looking for the best type of shoe to wear at the matches. All of them were really good in one range condition but absolutely horrible in others. After a bunch of searching at local shoe stores I found a hiking shoe made by North Face called the Hedgehog GTX XCR. I initially got some in the low ankle height but they tended to let rocks and pebbles get in during stage runs. So I got some mid height ones and have been very pleased with their performance. They have a pretty aggressive tread pattern so they are able to dig in to make traction when needed but the sole is also made of soft rubber so they hook up great on slippery indoor concrete floors as well. They are SUPER light weight when compared to other shoes and they are also very comfortable. I can be on my feet all day with them and my feet are not hurt at all, unlike trying to wear cleats which pretty much cripple your feet after wearing them all day during a match. Aside from shooting in a mud bog or snow blizzard I think these shoes are the best overall performers. I have listed a link to them below.

http://www.thenorthface.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=10918&storeId=207&langId=-1&catalogId=10201&parent_category_rn=11706

Please share your findings in what you have found to be the best overall range shoes. Maybe there is something better out there that we can all use to make us better?

I use Oakley Assault boots for cold weather, cold feet not conducive to good day of shooting. Otherwise I wear Adidas corner blitz (favorite) or Nike Land sharks both low top very comfortable for all day wear. I don't feel the need for the ankle support and like the freedom of movement with the low top shoes. Also we shoot on a lot of wooden boardwalks and these both supply excellent traction.

[G-ManBart]

I use Oakley Assault boots for cold weather, cold feet not conducive to good day of shooting. Otherwise I wear Adidas corner blitz (favorite) or Nike Land sharks both low top very comfortable for all day wear. I don't feel the need for the ankle support and like the freedom of movement with the low top shoes. Also we shoot on a lot of wooden boardwalks and these both supply excellent traction.

+1 on the Adidas Corner Blitz. I have them in low and mid-cut. I've used them on grass, sand, packed sand, wet sand, mud, wet wood (decks/props) and never had a problem. They wouldn't be good for an indoor range, but pretty much everything else they seem to handle fine.

I actually ran a comparison between shoes on a range with just packed dirt (no grass or gravel)...Merrell hikers and the Adidas (two shots, move 15yds to another box, another two shots) and I was consistently a couple tenths quicker with the Adidas. I could leave harder, run hard an extra step or two, and stop quicker with no sliding around. R,

[CHA-LEE]

Thanks for the feedback guys. One of the big challenges I have with finding good shoes to wear is finding ones that fit my wide feet. There are a lot of the Nike, Underarmor, and Adidas shoes that have great tread patterns but are just too narrow for my feet. The only cleat type of shoe I found works for my wide feet are called the Gator II made by Easton. I really like that the cleats go all the way to the outer edge of the sole and they make really good traction on really loose range conditions. But man, they MURDER your feet if you wear them all day long. At least the Easton cleats are cheap ($30 - $40).

I am sorry if this topic has been talked about extensively before. But as another poster said already, shoe companies are always releasing new shoes all the time and discontinuing the old ones. It sucks when you have a shoe that you really like then go back 6 months later to get another pair and they are nowhere to be found. I like the Hedgehog shoes so much that I have bought three pair just in case they discontinue them. Hopefully by the time I use them all up there will be something else that is better on the market.

[ncboiler]

I've been using Merrell Chameleons for a few months now-just the basic low cut ones with the pull laces. They work really well most of the time. They are soft-not structured and really let you feel fault lines and activators. Using Underarmour low cut cleats for muddy or wet sand. I usually have a pair of boat sneakers for places with a lot of wood platforms or props-mostly for when wet. Used my Danner Mountain light boots in SC in December-worked well in the cold and wet. I shot an IDPA classifier in Virginia once in tassel loafers .

Agree on the Merrell's.... I like wearing the low cut hiking type shoe. Not sure of the model but after this pair, I've become a Merrell fan.

The Adidas shoes look nice, just haven't seen them in person, yet.

[2MoreChains]

I'm a boot guy. I wear White's for work, but Asolo hiking boots (520's) are my go-to footwear for just about everything non-work related. Lightweight, comfy, durable, and even waterproof. I think I've shot 90% of my matches in 2009 wearing those, including Area and Sectional. I'm not very fashion conscious, but they even look OK with shorts.

[VegasOPM]

I have tried everything from tennis shoes to cleats to combat boots. I keep going back to my Bates side zip boots. They give me very stable footing and lots of ankle support. The only issue is that they make it a little harder to feel the 2"x2" fault line when I am leaning way out for a shot. Let's just say that my footwear isn't the primary thing keeping me from moving quickly.

[Corey]

Ive only shot matches on indoor semi-slick concrete but my Nike Shox worked out perfectly.

Looking at a lightweight boot or possibly football cleat like the Nike Landsharks for outdoor use.

[calishootr]

for yrs I shot in Teva sandals, yr round, matter of fact, 01 nats when we were all aboutto drown in the rains that came down everyone was worried about their footwear, not me, hehehe

forthe fat of foot(that would be me 6E wide) so far besides the Teva's new balance makes a pair of running shoes(kinda pricey, butthey fit) and they also make a set of cleated shoes as well, not in 6E but i unlace em and it works ok for me

used to have a pair of nike sharks, that I liked, but it got to be like cinderella's sister tryin to get intothe glass slipper....cram all ya want, but still 2 toes left outsidethe shoe hehehehe

[Chills1994]

If the range bays are grass or mud, then the Nike Landsharks are the best $30 to $35 I have ever spent on anything shooting related.

For gravel covered bays and in this cold weather, I like my Hi-Tech all black hiking boots. They look actually more like basketball high tops until you turn them over and see all the lugs on the sole.

[Graham Smith]

I'm trying to find a pair of lightweight 8" boots, preferably under $100. I've looked through a number of the suggestions made in several threads and am finding that many of the boots listed are either no longer to be found, are way out of my price range, or are too generalized a description to determine which of several shoes are being referred to.

I've found that both 5.11 and Converse have 2-3 boots each that would seem to fit the bill (both with and without side zip). Anyone have either the 5.11 ATAC or the Converse Tactical boots?

[xcelr8n]

I have Big & Wide (4E) feet I find New Balance Trail Runners

with motion control work the best for me. They are Mid lenght with Gore Tex

they come in leather or mesh.

Manny

Good tip since I'm a size 14 4E myself!

[Bear23]

Merrells or Keens.

In thick texas mud, nothing works.

I gave up on cleats a long time ago.

[salilus]

I use landsharks in uspsa and a pair of asics trail running shoes for IDPA.