durable | The Loadout Room

A quality pair of boots can make a massive difference in comfort and performance in the field or for everyday wear. In the military, I owned many pairs of high-end combat boots for different environments that are still serviceable to this day, but as a civilian, I prefer boots that are non-tactical looking to keep my profile down. For warm weather (multi-season) boots, I turn to the Astral TR1 Merge for several reasons.

They are remarkably breathable and fast-drying – very important features for me in warm weather hiking. I absolutely hate when my feet are soaking wet from sweat. The TR1 Merge does an excellent job of allowing moisture to escape while bringing in airflow from multiple directions. With vents on the toe, both side of the insole and is combined with a quick-dry canvas material – the TR1 Merge do an incredible job of keeping my feet dry and comfortable. If you are into kayaking, these boots would be worth looking into for a boot that would drain quickly.

They are also super lightweight while being very supportive and durable. They are designed to last. I am impressed with how sturdy the construction feels considering the thinness of the insole materials. The grip on the TR1 Merge is on a different level. Well-balanced and comfortable, the stabilizing heel counter, EVA foam midsole, and the rest of the G.15™ non-marking rubber outsole combine for an outstanding result. Color options include the Storm Navy option featured in this article and Rasta Black. They are both pretty bold color choices, so if subtle is your thing then these may not be for you. I personally am a fan though.

My time in the military taught me to appreciate quality boots, and as a result, I learned that they are worth the added cost. My favorite aspect of these boots are the cooling effect that they had on my feet from the ventilation features. Even in 90 degree Midwest weather. While the insulated high tops were understandably a bit warm on my ankles, my feet stayed strangely cool and comfortable. At $140 MSRP, the Astral Designs TR1 Merge boots are worth the expense based on my own recent experience. For a boot that offers lightweight, great stability, durability, and top-notch ventilation – I’d stack the TR1 Merge up against anything in its class.

Advertised features include:

Intended Use: Hiking
Uppers: Breathable, quick-dry canvas with protective TPU overlays at toe and heel cap, stabilizing heel counter, padded mesh tongue, removable Polygiene® treated insole, brass hardware.
Midsole: EVA foam, level heel to ball, medium arch with Top Shank™
Outsole: Aggressive 5mm lugs with flex grooves, made from G.15™ high friction Rubber Non-marking
Foot to Ground Distance: 21mm heel, 20mm ball
Weight / shoe: Men’s 9 = 12.2 oz
Sizes: Men’s US 8-14
MSRP: $140

*All photos courtesy of the author

The Ocean Crawler Champion Diver Barracuda Point is one of the rare watches in the sub-$1000 price range ($949 to be exact) that I would consider a true everyday watch. Virtually all watches can be transformed by simply changing out the strap or band, but the Barracuda Point accomplishes this transformation better than any others I’ve worked with. Sure the full name is a mouthful to say, but man, what a watch.

The Barracuda Point manages to morph into a dressy-casual watch with a leather strap, a dive watch (which it is at heart) with a NATO strap, a vintage style watch with an appropriate leather or NATO strap, and the fourth style that I feel makes it unique – a sport watch with the available rubber straps. By combining all of these styles into one, I feel that this watch offers a great value for the quality and reliability that it also offers. As I mentioned before, yes other watches can have a strap changed out, but Ocean Crawler watches do this effortlessly. My personal example is when my wife first saw the watch with the rubber sport strap (my personal favorite) which she hated. I switched it out with a brown leather strap without her knowing and showed her later to which she stated it was one of her favorites.

With only 75 of these pieces produced, Ocean Crawler powers the Barracuda Point with a Caliber OC729 – modified Seiko 4R36b – movement. It has an increased power reserve of 44 hours instead of the standard 41 hours. Each watch passes ten different drop tests along with water resistance testing surpassing 1000 feet before being sent to customers, including a high impact hammer test. Ocean Crawler claims the following about their testing. “This shock testing equipment submits the watch to an impact equivalent to 6,000 G – Hundreds of times more than a car crash test. Yet the watch has to remain unharmed and fully functional afterwards, maintaining a high standard of accuracy”.

My absolute favorite feature on this watch is the 4.50mm domed sapphire crystal that adds a vintage element to the overall appearance. The simple 120-click unidirectional bezel complements the crystal and face and a very nice movement with no play or wiggle. The bezel and case are black PVD finished 316L stainless steel and have a diameter of 44.2mm excluding the crown. Case thickness is 15mm, 51.8mm lug to lug, and fits with 22mm straps. A lancette-dauphine style on the hour and minute hands accompanied by excellent lume really stands out in a positive way against the flat black watch face. Little touches of orange on the second hand, minute hand, and Barracuda Point signature contrast well with the greenish tint of the luminous dial markers. Ocean Crawler manages to fit their logo, the watch model and name, date window, water rating, and automatic indicator on the dial without cluttering it. That alone is no small feat to me.

Another interesting fact about the dial is that the color (black) represents the water color of the dive site at Barracuda Point. Other watches in the collection – Blade Wakatobi and Kona Mantas – have their own colors represented. Each watch comes with a black NATO strap and an additional brown leather band. There are also rubber sport straps available for an additional cost. Remember, each item in all three Champion Diver categories is limited to a small number of pieces so if you’re interested in picking one up don’t wait too long.

*All images courtesy of the author

Get a grip with the Astral TR1 Merge boots

One watch to rule them all? Ocean Crawler Champion Diver Barracuda Point