How to Shop Wisely for Your Kids’ Combat Boots (and Make Sure They Last More Than a Single Season)

Kids can be tough on clothing and footwear, and kids’ combat boots are no exception. Not only are they hard on them but they tend not to take care of their own stuff, too!

Fortunately, this guide will help make sure you pick out an appropriate pair depending on intended use, and then how to make sure they last for more than a year!

Upper Material

The first thing you will want to evaluate is the upper material. Commonly, kids’ combat boots are either made with leather uppers, cotton canvas, or synthetic materials like ballistic nylon.

The former two are tough, natural materials that offer a high degree of support and breathability, but they are also intolerant of mistreatment. Ballistic nylon is affordable, lightweight, and low maintenance.

Nylon and cotton canvas uppers are generally better in hot, wet conditions because they are breathable, but insulation (see below) also plays into this.

With that said, any of these upper materials can result in an appropriate pair of kids’ combat boots.

Insulation Rating

Insulation rating really only matters if your kid is going to wear these boots in the cold but it is something to be aware of nonetheless.

You can skip insulation rating for boots that will only be worn in the summer months; give your preference to boots with lightweight, breathable uppers.

Stick with boots with a higher insulation rating for use in the colder months of the year, such as for paintball, airsoft, hiking, camping or hunting during the winter months.

Sole Type

There are two main types of soles on most kids’ combat boots. These are wedge soles and lug soles.

Wedge soles have a much smoother surface without deep treads. These offer better traction on flat, smooth surfaces, like pavement and indoor floors, than they do on earth. They also last longer because lug soles wear faster on paved surfaces.

On the flipside, wedge soles don’t offer the same traction on earth and unpaved surfaces as they do on flat surfaces, which makes lug soles better for use outdoors - as a general rule.

However, while lug soles will perform better and last longer outside on the ground, they will wear faster on paved surfaces.

So, the bottom line is this: if your kid is going to wear these boots indoors or in urban environments, go with wedge soles.

If he or she is going to wear them outdoors only or in the wild, choose an option with lug soles.

Eyelet Type

Some kids’ combat boots may have conventional eyelets, but if it’s all the same to you, get a pair of boots with speed hooks.

It is far easier for small, uncoordinated hands to manipulate laces around speed hooks than it is to work with conventional eyelets, and it makes it faster, easier, and less frustrating for kids to get their boots on and off.

With that said, either eyelet type can be practical in a pair of kids’ combat boots, just keep these notes in mind.

Maintenance Notes for Kids’ Combat Boots

The second half of getting a quality pair of kids’ combat boots is knowing how to take care of them, because let’s face it - both kids’ and adults’ combat boots won’t last more than a few months, a year at most, without proper care.

Here are some high-level notes to make sure your next purchase lasts at least long enough to make it worth it.

Keeping Them Clean

The first and easiest way to make sure your kids’ combat boots don’t fall apart after one season is to keep them clean.

This means any time that your kid comes in from the woods or fields and has a pair of wet, muddy boots, you need to get them cleaned off and dried in short order.

Take out the laces and pull the tongue forward; brush off deposits of mud or dirt anywhere they are caked on the upper or around the eyelets.

Pay close attention to the welt where the upper contacts the sole. You will want to make sure you don’t leave any sand or mud in there, either.

Then, clean off the soles with a stiff brush. Lug soles can trap a lot of dirt and mud so you will want to pay special, close attention to these.

 

After Wear in Wet Weather

If your kid’s combat boots get soaked, you’ll want to dry them off fairly quickly without stressing the material.

If they’re made of cotton or ballistic nylon, just put them near a heater or a fire, or use a dedicated boot dryer.

You need to be a little more ginger with leather, as leather can stiffen, warp and crack if you attempt to dry it out too quickly.

Never place leather near a direct heat source; rather stuff the boots with newspaper and change when they get damp, several times over the course of a few hours or a day, until the uppers are completely dry.

Special Notes for Leather

If you get a pair of kids’ combat boots with leather uppers, you’ll want to make sure you condition them periodically. This is because leather that is not conditioned will dry out, get brittle, and eventually crack. This damage is irreparable. It cannot be repaired, it can only be prevented.

The best way to do so is to keep the boots clean, dry, and conditioned with a special leather conditioner. Apply this as indicated by the manufacturer’s recommendations in order to keep the leather soft and supple, and to prevent it from drying out.

Here for a New Pair of Kids’ Combat Boots

Here because you need a new pair of kids’ combat boots? Check out our full collection here; we sell combat boots, jungle boots, hiking boots, and a bunch of other options in our catalog. If you have any questions about anything we sell, get in touch with us before buying and we’ll be happy to help you out.