In this review the item was free and I get a commission for sales from the link in the blog but you will pay the same price as you would otherwise.  Thankyou for helping to support the site.

Super Speedy Summary Review

The Lalo Tactical Shadow Intruder Boot thinks its a runner shoe. Whilst many tactical boots for Military and Law enforcement come with similar features for protection, support and breathability what sets this boot aside is that its an armored foot fortress when you need it, but has the speed and agility of a running shoe when you need to really move. What this boot excels at is being all boots to all people so you can use this for work with the assurance of a reinforced toe and ankle support, but also use this as a comfortable boot anyway with jeans and use it on the trails when hiking in the summer or winter. This ‘3 Boots in 1’ ethos means you get far more bang for you buck from this high value brand than anything that the competition offer. 40 Miles on the Appalachian Trail and these boots didn’t have a scratch on them and neither did my feet.

PURCHASE $275

In Depth Review

I took the Lalo Tactical Shadow Intruder boots out on the world famous Appalachian Trail through CT for the weekend in 90F heat and torrential rain and Thunderstorms to really see if these boots live up to the Lalo claims. Over 2 days I covered over 40 miles over wet rocks and rain, tough mountain climbs and baking heat and what surprised me the most was just how well this boot faired in the face of everything the notorious ‘AT‘ could throw at it.

An armored foot fortress when you need it, but with the speed and agility of a running shoe when you need to really move . In wet, hot or challenging conditions this is a great place for your feet to be.

Silent and Grippy

The grip beneath is a no-nonsense compromise between trail and urban grip in all weathers and temperatures. Its also designed with stealth in mind so its not squeaky or noisy indoors on polished surfaces. There is ample cushioning beneath in a multi layer approach so you have a sturdy rock plate set up but ample cushioning if you are on your feet all day. I notice that when you pick up the pace in these you really notice how cushioned the heels are and at jog or run they feel like running shoes. On the trail I found the grip worked well on dry surfaces but also had very sure grip on huge wet rocks at unusual angles that are common in the USA.

Breathability

The uppers are made of leather and feature a ‘KPU’ grill that assists the moisture wicking away from your feet without letting debris into the boot. The outer fabric is lightly water repellent too and beads water away when there are light splashes. I found that I could stand in streams in water up to about 2 inches deep while filling water bottles without getting wet feet, and more importantly when my boots got completely saturated from hours of heavy rainfall I found that the boots did a good job of drying out quickly. I often find that hiking and military spec boots have trouble drying out quickly but these did a great job of drying fast after being soaked.

These boots got wet and stayed wet for a long time on trail and another thing I noticed is they avoid having the ‘death stench’ smell of a long wet boot. I suspect the inner fabric is treated with an anti microbial fabric to keep the mouldy boots smell at bay which is also a welcome feature.

Lace Pocket

The laces when done up tuck up neatly into an inverted pocket or pouch on the tongue that keep all the stray bows and laces out of the way which is a tidy and neat solution to stray shoe laces. I also found there wasn’t a load of excess lace which is common in a lot of ankle boots.

Foot Armor

The toe area is well armored, and the fit means your ankle gets huge amounts of support but in an articulated way so that they aren’t cumbersome when you need to be nimble. When scrambling over rocks I found they didn’t feel cumbersome, but when I set my foot down wrong and my ankle twisted they provided enough support to make sure I didn’t get injured. There is no zipper to compromise water integrity with the boot which I think is a nice touch.

Like a Running Shoe when you need it

The boot is also reasonably amphibious. It drains quickly when wet and as a Rebreather Diver I instantly noticed that the heel is set up to support bungee straps on a tactical diver fin too. The anti microbial lining also avoids the boots becoming a shocking smelly mess in the summer. My boots came in at just under 1lb 6 oz as well so I would rate these as the lightest boots I’ve ever owned which adds to them feeling like running shoes.

Fit and Sizing

I would say these come in a little smaller than expected. I would recommend buying these between 0.5 and 1 size bigger than your normal shoes depending on whether you think you’ll mainly be wearing in the winter with thicker socks or in the summer with thinner ones. If in doubt I’d suggest opting for 1 size bigger. Mine were 0.5 sizes bigger than normal and I still felt I would have liked a little bit more ‘wiggle room’ for my toes when I was on my feet for many hours in them.

Gripes

I can’t quite pin down the reason but I find these tactical boots a bigger struggle than normal to put on and off and have to undo a large amount of the ankle lacing area to slip my foot past the ankle area easily. I’ve checked against my RAF MK1 flying boots and I suspect its because the Lalo boot has a more supportive and adaptive support round the ankle. There is a 5 inch ankle version though if you want boots that are quicker to put on.

Verdict

The Lalo Tactical Shadow Intruder Boot thinks its a runner shoe. Its just as happy on a Thru Hike on the Appalachian Trail as it is at work all day or worn with jeans at the weekend. Whilst many tactical boots for Military and Law enforcement come with similar features for protection, support and breathability what sets this boot aside is that its an armored foot fortress when you need it, but has the speed and agility of a running shoe when you need to really move.

PURCHASE $275

What this boot excels at is being all boots to all people, you can use this for work with the assurance of a reinforced toe and ankle support, but also use this as a comfortable boot anyway with jeans and use it on the trails when hiking in the summer or winter. This ‘3 Boots in 1’ ethos means you get far more bang for you buck from this high value brand boot than anything that the competition offer.

Features

• Hidden lace pocket
• KPU Grill designed to keep out debris while allowing for breathability
• Full grain leather
• Sleek vamp profile to allow a secure fin fit
• Abrasion resistant carbonized rubber toe cap
• Slip-resistant injection molded rubber outsole
• Multi-density EVA designed to cushion at foot-strike and propel during toe-off
• Articulating heel and outsole shape for a quiet, stealth approach
• Moisture-wicking, hydrophobic antimicrobial lining
• Puncture-resistant composite plate with rotation for protection and fatigue reduction
• Contoured arch
• Rip-stop nylon accents
• Engineered Achilles flex notch
• Sleek vamp profile for secure fin fit and climbing
• Seamless, lightweight quarter protection construction
• This boot does not have a zipper

About Lalo Tactical

The company was founded to serve the needs of Special Operations Forces and NSW Operators. Their award-winning designers and developers have been creating innovative footwear for some of the world’s most popular brands for over 30 years.

They use top tier materials to create some of the best and hardest working tactical boots and athletic footwear for those that rise to the toughest occasions.

The LALO Tactical Athletic line is a direct result of briefings they received from their Special Operations Forces. The need was to build a lightweight, packable, breathable shoe they could cross train and run in – a shoe they could count on, whether training or deployed. The tactical athletic designs put an emphasis on noise reduction, support and game day performance; gear that hits the mark time after time.

LALO was created for the best of the best but why shouldn’t every day athletes, busy parents and weekend warriors also benefit? Every pair of shoes they create is for the end user who refuses to settle for the status quo.

Whether your path leads you to a career in the military, competing in an adventure race, cross training, tackling an urban athletic workout, or running a 5K, we’ve got the shoe for you.