Leather Upper, Premium Sole
The ZigKick Tactical boots have an upper made of genuine cattle hide leather and 1000 Denier Cordura® nylon. Denier is a measure of weight of the fabric. A 1000D nylon has more abrasion resis- tance than 500D nylon, for example. Cordura has a more natural or cotton-like appearance. Cordura is the best name in nylon fab- rics. The built-in durability of the ZigKick Tactical comes from this use of a real leather and Cordura nylon upper. Made of genuine leather, the ZigKick Tactical has a polishable soft toe. The ability to take a bright Black polish is less of a factor for 8-inch boots in tactical use, but a big factor for 6-inch boots in patrol use. Lightweight mesh uppers with moisture-wicking nylon mesh lining provide additional air circulation to keep feet cool. The premium materials for the outsole, midsole, and insole of the boot are EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate), PU (polyurethane), and TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane). EVA is a foam that is light and gives excellent cushioning. PU and TPU are also foams, but they are denser, heavier, and more durable than EVA.
ZigTech Midsole
The heart of the ZigKick boots is the ZigTech midsole. The midsole is located between the outsole and the upper and is an extremely important part of the boot. It stabilizes excess foot motion and pro- vides cushioning and shock absorption.
The ZigTech design transfers heel impact energy into forward propulsion. In other words, the zig-zag midsole absorbs shock from the heel touching down and rolls that force forward. This unique midsole design transfers the downward impact into a forward roll. The result is a higher level of energy return. The insole sits directly beneath the foot. The insole helps distribute the weight of your body evenly over your heel and arch to reduce trauma. The ZigKick Tacti- cal boots feature the new removable Reebok FootFuel™-injected EVA cushion footbed. This provides arch support, stability and motion control, plus energy return. The EVA material provides a balance be-
tween comfort and stability. The footbed has perforated, vented airfl ow zones to cool the feet with every step. EVA is a premium foam that absorbs shocks but will not compress and crush for the entire life of the boot. The 100-percent non-metallic construction enables ZigKick Tactical boots to be worn in security environments. Electrical hazard protection provides a secondary source of protection from live circuits, wires, or highly charged electrical equipment.
Both of the ZigKick Tactical boots are avail- able in both Men’s and Women’s sizes and in both Medium and Wide. The 8-inch Side Zip boot and 6-inch waterproof Side Zip are avail-
The Reebok ZigKick Tactical Boots use a removable FootFuel-injected EVA footbed. The large tread blocks with small sipes give lots of contact for excellent traction.
The Reebok ZigKick Tactical Boots come in 8-inch Side Zip and 6-inch Weatherproof Side Zip. The upper is leather and 1000-D nylon.
able in Men’s Size 6 to 15 and in Women’s Size 7 to 12. The Reebok ZigKick Tactical was designed specifi cally for law enforcement, so for now, comes only in Black.
Reebok self-rates their own footwear in six categories. The ZigKick Tactical has a Better rating for oil resistance, and a Good rating for metal chip resistance, and for heat resistance. The ZigKick boots have a Best rating abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, and most importantly, slip resistance.
Field Test Results
A few years ago, Hendon Media Group tested 11 pairs of 8-inch tactical boots. These ZigKick Tactical 6-inch Side Zip boots were rated using that same 1 to 5 scale, with 5 as the best. In the Break-In category, the rating is 4.5
of 5 for the ZigKick Tactical with the mostly leather upper. All hard-use, long-lasting footwear has the design, materials and fab- rics that require a wear break-in period. The more leather, the more durable and the longer the break-in period. Don’t make the mistake of getting too large of a boot based on the fi t straight from the box. The leather upper ZigKick Tactical boots took a bit more than a week of daily wear to go from snug and tight to comfortable and supporting.
The Comfort category is based on day-long walking, hiking on rugged terrain, and run- ning with an LBV and gear. The ZigKick Tac- tical achieved an impressive 5 out of 5 rating. The rigid TPU heel stabilizer gave good ankle support and allowed less ankle roll. The Foot- Fuel EVA footbed insole, ZigTech-pattern EVA midsole, and rubber outsole made for a very cushioned yet supportive feel. These
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