These shoes rock for everyday wear in an urban environment. I’ve even taken them on the occasional day hike, and they proved to be very comfortable and provided more-than-adequate ankle support. Though I wouldn’t use them for day hikes that involve difficult terrain, they’re well-made shoes, and possess a high cool factor.
Colors: MAS (Maritime Assault Suit) Grey was introduced by London Bridge Trading as a color variant that would provide optimum environmental blending for Navy SEALs to wear while conducting VBSS (vessel boarding search and seizure) and maritime operations. The color gray has a history of working well to prevent identification, and works well within most environments due to its lack of contrast across the color spectrum. Given the obvious benefits of the color, and this shade in particular, Navy SEALs began utilizing MAS Grey for nighttime operations in addition to maritime operations. Originally developed for SEAL Team 6/DEVGRU, very few MAS Grey items were ever issued to Naval Special Warfare operators.
Sizes available: Standard 7 to 14
Weight: I couldn’t locate an official weight on these shoes, but I’m not too worried about that. It’s not like you’re walking around with cinder blocks on your feet. These shoes weigh just enough to let you know you’re wearing a built-to-last, rugged pair of shoes.
Upper material: Premium pig suede and MAS Grey ballistic textile paneling with blueish-grey suede overlays.
Outsole material: Rugged reverse waffle tread outsole for increased traction.
Fit and sizing: Fit is true to the standard sizing. No need to order up or down a size.
MSRP: $180. If you shop around, you can find them as low as $160.
Unique features: The tongues have velcro patches that can fit 1 x 3″ moral patches, allowing you to customize their look (the lightning-bolt patch shown in the photos is included with the shoes). They also have the LBT logo tag on the inside stitching and a subdued American flag on the outside. The soles have an inverted waffle tread which sticks out, providing much more grip than the usual flat waffle pattern found on Vans.
Application: Everyday wear, skateboarding, “over-the-beach” shoe, casual day hikes.
Pros: These shoes are badass and will make anyone feel like they’re about to embark on a classified mission. These shoes fuse tactical performance with skateboarding style to produce all-terrain skate assault weapons for your feet.
Cons: These can be hard to find, but they are out there. You just have to search for them.
-Scott
(featured image courtesy of LBT)
