The Assault Boot is the overlooked member of the Elite lineup. Other than a relative lack of marketing, having CarbonX, leather, Lenzing and Vibram on your feet isn't as appealing as having titanium, carbon fiber or aluminum on your face or wrist. That said, the Elite Assault Boot is the most functional and best performing product of the Elite lineup.

Based on the designs of the current government-issued SI Hot Weather and Temperate Weather Assault Boots, the Elite Assault Boot retains the long term comfortability and style you've come to know and love. The metal speed lace loops as well as the normal eyelets and laces are a treat to work with. Shock absorption and ankle support are amazing and good as ever. Having fire resistant lining, slash resistance, chemical and oil resistance, puncture resistance, and an anti-microbial treatment isn't necessary in regular life, but these features certainly add to the "Eliteness" of the boot.

One of the first things I noticed about the boot was its weight. It's significantly heavier than its SI Assault Boot predecessors, yet it's not so heavy that it'll make a huge difference on long term wear. In fact, I like the novelty of having a heavier SI Assault Boot.

Another thing I noticed is the soles are stitched on rather than glued on. That makes a huge difference for durability and long term wear. The civilian version and some of the government-issued versions have durability issues because of the use of glue, so I'm pleased that Oakley went a step above for this release.

I've only tried it on for short period of time so far, so I don't know if it retains the infamous Assault Boot squeak we've all complained about.

The added material (eg. CarbonX) that makes the boot more durable also makes it very stiff. I find that the government-issued or even the civilian version are ready to wear out-of-the-box; there's really no need for a break-in period. The Elite Assault boot necessarily needs a break-in period before it will have the same flex as previous incarnations. Still, the stiffness in material provides a solid feel that also gives you a sense that nothing will break through its barriers and injure your feet.

Given its comfortability and durability, it's the most practical and best performing member of the Elite lineup (the members of which, IMO, have more pronounced performance issues than the Elite Assault Boot).

But while it performs well, it's clear Oakley didn't take measures to present the product as well as the other members of the line.

The other members of the Elite lineup come with faux wooden boxes with a metal Elite icon on the top of these presentation boxes. The Elite Assault Boot, on the other hand, comes with a simple massive black box that has a flat, nondescript Elite logo sticker on it. I was expecting and hoping for at least a metallic logo sticker on the box. Further, the C Six and TBII have laser-etched metal plates denoting the serial number and also have engravings on the product itself. The only thing denoting the production run on the Elite Assault Boot (which is limited to 100 across all 5 sizes offered) is printed on the size tags on the boots' tongue.

In short, the presentation for this Elite product is pretty sparse and cheap. The fact that it's an inexpensive product compared to the other Elite members diminishes this negative, but the product definitely loses marks because of it.

Those who appreciate the previous Assault Boots will absolute love this iteration. Overall, I give the Elite Assault Boot 4 Skulls out of 5. It's both comfortable and super durable (comparable to even Danner boots) while retaining the good aesthetics we're accustomed to. However, it loses marks for its poor presentation, which is somewhat mitigated by the fact that it has a relatively low retail price.

Review dated March 16, 2010

I saw a boot elite Dessana desert color someone there that has a black or desert ?

I saw a boot elite Dessana desert color someone there that has a black or desert ?