PalladiumBoots Men's Pampa Hi Originale Canvas Boots

I got my first pair of Palladiums when I was on active duty.Having worn (and worn out) dozens of brands and styles, I can say definitively that most of the tactical footwear out there is bulky, badly designed for wear (probably due to designers trying to make them look "indestructible" with huge stitching and webbing) and they were super tough on feet and knees. This was especially apparent when I was standing or travelling on foot while doing 12+ hour shifts or deployments.One day, a visitor came to the base where I was working wearing a pair of Palladiums. I asked about them because they looked like the old, cheap canvas "Israeli commando boots" I used to see in surplus catalogs, but these were nowhere near as cheaply made. The visitor knew a little about the brand, advised me that Palladiums had indeed made boots at some past time for the IDF, but that they currently sold boots as a fashion brand. The key takeaway was that the visitor swore on them as the most comfortable footwear they ever owned. I decided to try some out and managed to find some that passed within our uniform requirements.Short end to a long story: I now *live* in these. High top, baggy, pampa, doesn't matter. Every pair of about 7 or 8 I have bought since then has fit superbly, are light weight, and has held up to plenty of punishment for at least 2-3 years. Usually I replace them for cosmetic reasons rather than because they were genuinely worn out.They look great, meander the line between tactical and streetwear well enough that it's no problem to put them with either a uniform or any casual outfit. I sometimes even have strangers compliment them or ask about them, which is not a usual thing with boots.If I have on critique, I just wish Palladium could get their act together with the supply. These things are onky sold in a few places and they are constantly running out of most sizes and colors. I generally have to hunt for a few weeks until what I wanted is refreshed in a tiny run or in a slightly different style.TLDR: These *are* the boots you are looking for.

I'll update this as I continue to wear them.Day 1: UnpackingThese boots were comfortable out of the box. The fit is exact and perfect in comparison to the Converse All-Star high tops. Do yourself a favor and get fitted for a pair of Chuck T's if you're unsure about Palladium fitment. They're exactly the same in both room and feel. Obviously the Palladium Pampa Hi's have a more aggressive tread; but that's beside the point. The higher tread and more pliable sole make these about 1.4x more comfortable than a pair of Converse Chuck Highs. These are, also, not much heavier than the Converse. I'll repeat this comparison further, I'm sure.The wear-in isn't as bad as other hiking boots I've encountered. There's no sore ankle or ball-of-foot skin wear for me. The upper mate-stitching isn't obvious when walking / wearing for the first time. The upper canvas is, too, pliable just like the lower soles. The laces seem tough now but I wonder how much pulling / tugging will adversely affect their reliability. I'll continue to keep my focus on these; as I don't typically trust cotton bound laces on boots. A length of paracord might fit better and last longer.I'm only 3 days deep into these boots but, so far, am impressed. The light-weight mixed with obvious flexibility and military-style looks are great so far. Next week I'll continue to test, outside an urban environment, with a short hike with mild grade. My previous all leather boots proved to be too heavy and non-flexible for a comfortable walk through the light grade.Great gear thus far..Day 7:These boots have only become more comfortable! There's a small seam overlap in the right boot on the outer side where the upper meets the forward canvas that bent downward and caused discomfort until forced in the opposite direction. Otherwise, I've worn these EVERY day for about 9 to 10 hours straight and have not felt any other discomfort. The sole is very forgiving and rather soft; which helped on the trail today. I walked mostly dirt path but took my dog up into some sturdy rocks and had no trouble keeping up with him. The ankle support isn't strong. I'm sure to either pack or pre-wrap my ankles with athletic/waterproof wrap on my next hike just in-case. I've not noticed much wear on the sole tread, either, which is entirely surprising. I tend to wear the insides of previous shoes and soles quicker than the outside; I've not seen this same wear pattern with these.. YET. I'm not sure that they're entirely worn in, as I've not noticed any age marks in the top/upper yet. Though, these are surely more pliable than any other canvas-upper boot that I've purchased yet. Not bad at all for $55.

Very decent little sneaker things. A lot of folks probably bought these for fashion purposes. I can see why; they're not bad looking at all. They'd look cool with some jeans or dickie's-style slacks or if you could pull it off, some trimmed shorts. They have kind of a hybrid urban-meets-hiker vibe. I feel I'm a bit too old to sport these casually without looking like I'm putting too much effort into staying current, so I don't think they'd make it to my wardrobe. However, I didn't buy them for that. I bought them for yardwork and general outdoor activity around my house. I'm sick of heavy, leather boots, and I'm equally sick of non-secure flip flops and well, I just don't do sandals.My yard is big, more of a field, really. I wanted a cool (meaning temperature) shoe boot that would keep my feet dry if I walked out into the wet grass. My previous canvas sandal-slipper things are fine if the grass is dry, but I need something for those dewy mornings or post-storm afternoons. These look like they'll suit me nicely for that. They're as well made as you'd hope, and I can tell will be very comfortable, once I have the right size. I wear an 8.5 in RedWings, Timberlands, Ariat, Sanuk, Clarks, and many others, and this shoe is definitely snugger than I wanted. It's slight though, and may not be a deal breaker if you want to wear thin socks. For me, I'll be sending them back for a half-size bigger. Then I think they'll be great.