Introduced in 2015, the Series 300 Boot by Propper is footwear intending to meet the exacting needs of the US military, law enforcement, and civilians. Its key elements ensure breathability, support, and positive traction for any mission or all day wear. The provided pair for review were worn for a period of over 30 days and several shooting matches.
From the top, the Series 300 is designed to meet or exceed the exact specifications of US Army Regulations 670-1, and is fully Berry compliant.
The collar of the boot is padded for comfort, while the laces and track feature a friction-resistant design. Elsewhere, each boot has quadruple-line stitching at all stress points to ensure strength and durability.
At the midpoint, the suede and nylon material allow for breathability and rapid moisture wicking in light-to-moderate moisture environments, and include nylon-coated brass drainage vents.
The foot and sole designs are the most critical in footwear and the Series 300 offers extensive features that ensure comfort and performance. The surrounding material includes a dual layer of memory foam with an antimicrobial outer later. The footbed is contoured for arch support and an active application by the wearer. The bottom interior of the Series 300 features Dri-Lex® (a moisture management lining) and Aegis® Shield (a type of coating that aids in antimicrobial defense).
Inside the sole is a polyethylene plate that gives the Series 300 rigidity and support necessary when carrying extensive loads or long-distance use. On the bottom of the sole are several unique aspects that ensure a positive grip regardless of the environment. The Vibram® dual density rubber outsole includes self-cleaning lugs that prevents the buildup of debris. The heel, outsole and toe are lined in a V40 rubber compound to resist abrasion, while the heel and toe are serrated to aid in grip.
The Series 300 Boot comes only offered in tan suede (the only authorized color/material under AR 670-1) and comes in sizes 5M to 15W.
Product Evaluation Scores:
- Cost – Average (3/5): At a listed MSRP of $179.99 the Series 300 is a basic field boot with an explicit design on supporting the military. This makes the 300 components and materials of sufficient quality to meet rigorous testing and evaluation before being considered milspec compliant. It also means that the materials are appropriately priced for the quantity used (not too expensive, not too cheap). Alternative footwear that is similarly designed would be Oakley’s Field Assault Boots ($170) or Light Assault Boot ($150), Garmont’s T8 Boot ($154), or Danner’s Tachyon ($149). These were all boots that met the same AR 670-1 compliance and were of roughly similar materials. It also demonstrates the range of cost in footwear and that the Series 300 is in the higher spectrum (although not the most expensive, such as Danner’s Rivot ($339) which includes a steel toe and waterproofing).
- Comfort – Good (4/5): Worn for over a period of 30 days, the Series 300 was noted to be a soft upper boot with light ankle support. The boot’s tongue was attached and padded to boot almost to the top which made it very comfortable and aided in protecting the ankle from laces or being pinched. While not needed, the Series 300 came with Fast Fit inserts to help those needing the added support to achieve the perfect fit. The boot’s tread provided solid grip on rock and in mud, and was worn during at the Red October Match at Sparta, IL wherein it rained the entire time. While the boot was saturated on the exterior, the light moisture did not penetrate the interior and foot area. It is likely, given the nylon and lightweight materials, that the boot would become saturated throughout if worn in heavy water, such as a stream or pond, and given its padding in the sole the boot would take some time to dry out. The rigid polyethylene plate gave good arch support and held enough flexibility to allow flex when taking a knee or articulating during movement.
- Durability – Good (4/5): For durability the Series 300 boot held up well through hard use, but the suede on the exterior of the toe area and heel scarred easily (something common to boots using this type of material). This is attributed to when moving from firing positions, digging in the toe or heel to get initial traction or support. While superficial, this scarring did not penetrate to the deeper layers of the outer suede. The tread held up well over rock, sand and mud and easily cleared any rocks stuck in the lugs. The track laces held up well and did not burn the nylon laces through friction when tightened.
- Functionality – Good (4/5): Functionally, the Series 300 Boot was lightweight and wore well. Over the course of several matches and as EDC wear the boot performed admirably. The dual external material of suede and nylon had the same performance as traditional jungle or desert boots issued by the military up until the early 2000s. The drainage vents also had an adequate, if average, performance and afforded the foot sufficient breathability but did little to aid in wicking the moisture out of the boot once the material was saturated. If one recommendation could be made to Propper on improvement to the Series 300, it would be to rubberize the toe and heel (similar to Blackhawk’s Warrior Wear boot) to both add reinforcement to high stress/impact areas while further protecting the material.
- Weight – Average (3/5): Each Series 300 boot weighed approximately 1.15 pounds (or just over 18 ounces), or just about four pounds for the pair. This weight is attributed to the added elements of reinforcement built into the sole. In comparison, the Field Assault Boots (14 ounces per boot), Light Assault Boot (9.2 ounces per boot) demonstrate how some manufactures balance overall weight, with less reinforcement features or thinner material that the Series 300 had. Other boots, such as the T8 Boot (19 ounces per boot) have that added reinforcement and materials, and come in at comparable weight. These give the Series 300 boot an average weight for its features that will ensure its longevity in performance.
Overall Rating – Above Average (18/25)
Product Link: https://www.propper.com/propper-series-300r-boot.html
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