SHOP ‘TIL YOU DROP

WE’RE QUITE LITERALLY STEPPING AWAY FROM THE USUAL FORMAT THIS MONTH AS POSH HAS BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE A PREVIEW OF SOME NEW FOOTWEAR THAT IS JUST NOW COMING INTO STOCK AT MILITARY1ST, AND IF YOU’RE IN NEED OF SOME NEW “LPCS” THEN SOME LIGHT SHOPPING MIGHT WELL BE IN YOUR IMMEDIATE FUTURE!

I’m five weeks into the testing phase of the Magnum Ultima 6.0 WP Boots and so far, so good! I’ll be honest from the outset, when I got a message from the kind folks over at Military1st asking if I wanted to review the new (then unreleased) Magnum 6.0 WP boots I wasn’t overly enthusiastic.

I’ve not had great experiences of Magnum Boots in the past. I had a set of the originals way back in the day and they were superb, however their replacements a couple of years later were at best, awful if I’m honest. The sole separated from the upper so I had it repaired, then the zipper broke on the other boot, eyelets pulled and stitching separated. The build quality wasn’t fantastic at all which left me with a sour taste in my mouth and more importantly a significant dent in my wallet. From then on, I decided I wouldn’t wear another pair. I’m a one strike and you’re out, kinda guy when it comes to kit that’s designed to protect me. That said, the guys over at Military1st know their stuff and I thought I’d give the Magnum Brand another shot.

I’m glad that I did. The Ultima 6.0 WP is the latest edition to the Magnum range and to their credit, are the first pair (as far as I’m aware) of boots made from 100% recycled materials. They are an ultralightweight pair of boots which are suitable for *almost* all kinds of outdoor activities and rapid response situations. The boots are the “just above the ankle” style and are ridiculously comfortable due to the padded collar and tongue, blown EVA midsole and the Hi-Poly PU anti-bacterial footbed. They have ten punched holes, two material loops and four metal swivel loops for the laces which allow you to really get a good cinch and secure fit on each boot. They really do fit my feet exceptionally well and I’m fairly certain that they are wider than your normal boots. The upper is made from nearly three recycled 380ml plastic bottles and has a waterproof and breathable membrane that keeps your feet dry and protected.

TASK ADAPTABLE

I’ve recently had an IRL career change and have had to embark on some fairly strenuous training, so I needed some hardy footwear that could cope with all kinds of abuse ranging from fitness assessments to self-defence and take down training. I was glad I chose these for the task. In the dojo they stuck to the floor like the well-known proverbial item did to the blanket and in the field they provided ample support to the arch of my foot and kept my ankles upright but

“I WAS GLAD I CHOSE THESE FOR THE TASK. IN THE DOJO THEY STUCK TO THE FLOOR LIKE THE WELLKNOWN PROVERBIAL ITEM DID TO THE BLANKET AND IN THE FIELD THEY PROVIDED AMPLE SUPPORT TO THE ARCH OF MY FOOT AND KEPT MY ANKLES UPRIGHT BUT ALLOWED FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT.”

allowed freedom of movement. They didn’t let in any water and much to my surprise, they didn’t bake my feet like some of my other boots would have. As an added bonus after a fairly hard day, with my sweaty feet in them, they didn’t smell, they still don’t.

Win!

As an aside, I like to get out and about and hit the trails on my mountain bike. I’ve found the Ultima 6.0 WP to be hands down the BEST MTB shoes I’ve ever owned, absolutely knocking my Adidas FiveTen Trailcross out the ballpark and with the added bonus is they’re £60 cheaper than the Adidas.

There have been a few niggles that have caused me some concern though, that’s why I starred the “*almost* all kinds of outdoor activities”. Due to the lightweight nature of the boots, they don’t have the most sturdy or grippy of soles in the world. When out on frosty or icy concrete and tarmac I found myself losing my footing every other step and they don’t fare well in wet mud, in fact, the traction on some sections was non-existent. This isn’t because the boots are bad, it’s just that to allow them to be light, there have to be compromises. One such compromise was the tread depth and its ability to eject mud and water. Once the frost dispersed and I got onto less swampy ground, they were outstanding. I could move freely and with an agility that I wouldn’t have achieved with something like my Lowa Elites (which I absolutely love adore and are easily my favourite boots of all time).

Despite the upper being of a woven construction, they’re ridiculously easy to keep clean. I had to clean them each day as we weren’t permitted dirty boots on site and a quick rinse under the tap and a wipe over with a rag, hey presto-sparklo!

All in all, I’m genuinely taken by these boots. They’re light, they’re comfy, they’re waterproof, they help to reduce waste and go some way to preserve the environment. Oh, and they look smart enough (when clean) to wear out to the pub after a wellearned *cough* lemonade. For UK£105, which I appreciate might be a bit too far for some folks, I think they’re outstanding value.

Thanks to www.military1st.co.uk and Hi-Tec Europe for the opportunity to change my mind on the Magnum Brand. I look forward to many happy miles travelled in these boots!

We’ll be back to our usual format next month as there’s another crop of new AEGs and GBBs about to hit the stores, and of course “new gear” season is getting into full swing with shows now back on! Watch this space, the AA crew have got your six! AA