Bates FootwearReviews of batesfootwear.com

I'm writing this review specifically about the GX-8 Composite Toe Side-Zip boots. For context, I've owned approximately six pairs of these boots in various configurations over the years. The first few pairs were outstanding. As a commercial diver, I work in demanding environments that include underwater operations, rocky terrain, coral, snow and ice, and constant movement on and off boats. Those boots were incredibly durable and reliable. I even used them with aftermarket inserts for backpacking trips, and they performed exceptionally well. Unfortunately, my last two pairs have been a completely different story. Both suffered zipper failures in less than a year, despite relatively light use. The failures appear to be non-repairable, which is especially frustrating because once the zipper fails, the boots are essentially unusable. What makes this even more disappointing is that the zippers on my earlier pairs easily outlasted the soles themselves. In those cases, the boots wore out from years of hard use before the zippers ever became an issue. I also attempted to contact customer service regarding these failures, but my inquiries went unanswered. At this point, I will likely not purchase Bates boots again. A few years ago, I would have had no hesitation giving this company a five-star rating. Today, I'm struggling to justify even two stars. The noticeable decline in product quality, combined with the lack of customer support, has been a deal-breaker for me.

Bates went from the best boots I’ve ever had, to the worst. Wore them for many years as a courier. No break in, wore like iron. Something changed, quality went to crap, had to spend months breaking in a pair! The uppers on the my next to last pair began to crack, and peel. Replacement pair ids incredibly uncomfortable! The worst is, both squeak when you walk! Never went away! I assumed the would stop squeaking eventually, nope, still squeak to this day!

I had a pair of patten leather dress shoes. I wore them to a formal affair. The soles started coming apart on the host floor.

Bates sizing is unpredictable. They may run a size larger than labelled. This is mentioned in several online customer reviews. They dont acknowledge this, they arent very helpful on this matter. Their contact portals are limited and broken. Their pricing is also unpredictable. Different sizes have different prices. Inexplicable. I've not seen this elsewhere. Very expensive. They recently sharply hiked their prices upwards.

I purchased a pair of Bates E50501 Tactical boots with the Durashocks soles roughly 3 years ago to replace some older boots when they wore out. These Bates boots sat in my closet for close to 2 years before I started wearing them. Immediately the soles split from side to side across the ball of the foot area. I contacted Bates and was told this was normal if the boots sit for a prolonged period. I'll be exploring other brands and recommending that my co-workers do the same after this experience.

OMG this company has been awesome! FedEx lied about delivering package to my son and held it at a depot 2 hours away for pickup. When I told Bates about my dilemma, a rep named Patricia went the extra mile and contacted FedEx to deliver to a depot within walking distance. Customer service doesn't get better than this!