If you have been involved in the Special Forces community or are somehow connected to a Navy SEAL, you’ll probably be familiar with Combat Chucks. No, I’m not messing with you, SOF guys will rave about these even if Converse Chuck Taylors were never made to be a combat boot. Why are they a favourite of special operators? Simple. They are relatively inexpensive, comfortable and will drain much faster than a regular combat boot. While they are not as good with traction, they do not catch on ship seams and doorways because of their flat sole and no heel.
If you find it hard to believe that the US Navy and other highly respected military forces would allow members to wear “Combat Chucks”, you should know that SOF teams like the SEALs are given way more leeway. They can pretty much pick their gear and what they wear within reason. But surely, there is a more appropriate product that fills the Combat Chucks need with a more tactical approach? Enter Altama with the OTB Assault boots.
Altama is an interesting company as it originally started life as a children’s shoe plant in 1969 in Georgia USA. However, when Vietnam came around, the plant was switched to manufacturing olive drag jungle boots for US soldiers. That would be the turning point for the company as from that point on they focused on Mil-Spec boots and rather than selling to children, they sold to the US Department of Defense.
With such a close relationship with the US Department of Defense it was only a matter of time before Altama heard there was a market for a more tactical approach to the Combat Chucks, and so they answered the call. As a result, they launched the Altama OTB Assault Boot a few years ago and after hearing the feedback I thought a proper review was in order.
OTB stands for Over the Beach, which is a reference to military amphibious operations, which of course involve working in and around water or wet conditions. Altama understood the Combat Chucks performed well in these environments so they made the OTB Maritime Assault boot to specifically work in all water operations and they even designed them as a fin friendly boot with the ability to fit any dive fin used by the US Military (and presumably any military in the world).
Starting from the outside of the OTB Maritime Assault boot you will notice the ruber outsoles which are sort of sticky and have a wave-cut tread pattern for additional grip on wet surfaces. The tread lugs are still flat and have rounded edges so they minimize any snagging but still provide traction. The top cap is rubberized so it provides some additional protection for the toes. It should be noted you can also get these in a variety of colors and options including low and mid cut options, with black, coyote, multicam, and multicam black as colors.
Inside the shoe you’ll notice the aero mesh lining which completely lines the inside of the shoe and will work to wick away moisture from your foot. It also aids with breathability and helps the OTB Assault boots dry out quicker when wet. There is also a full length one piece ABS shank which provides the supportive structure between the insole and outsole so you have added stability and support. This shank was actually specifically designed with the idea that a special operator such as a Navy SEAL would have to climb a ladder while wearing 80-100lbs of gear. With support and comfort in mind, the insole is Ultron PU contoured and rubberized so it will not absorb any water. This is great because it provides the water protection of Combat Chucks but arch support and comfort of a traditional boot.
There are a few other secondary features which are quite handy, such as front drain ports for pushing water out when flexing the boot thus preventing it from being water logged. The outsoles are non-slip rubberized, made from a SEAL rubber which is a compound originally developed for rock climbing shoes. It is easily the stickiest, highest traction rubber on the market and I can’t think of a better choice for a maritime boot. Finally, the pull loops on the OTB Assault boot are made oversized to allow the operator to be able to locate them even when wearing dive gloves and making adjustments in water while wearing fins.
Now I will get to my only negative about this OTB Assault boot which is the sizing. As the OTB Assault boot is designed to be worn with fins the tip of the boot is narrow. As such, you will need to get a size higher than you normally wear. The good news is Altama manufacturers them in half sizes so you can get a snug fit still. For example, I typically wear a size 10 but when I tried on a size 10 OTB Assault boot my foot barely fit inside so I went up to a 10.5 but, even then it was a bit too tight. I finally settled on a size 11 and it was just right. From doing a bit of research online I realized really the only major complaint about the OTB Assault boot was the sizing, but this can be easily fixed if you follow my advice.
Finally, the price point. The Altama OTB Assault boot retails for about $100 which is in the ballpark of a good pair of Vans or Chuck Taylors. If you were looking for a tactically designed version of the Combat Chucks then I recommend you grab a pair of Altama OTB Assault boots. 9.5/10.
