Mission Capable Approved Footwear

Bottom Line Up Front: This post will cover what makes good footwear, which shoes I current own, and which brands I recommend. It is an enduring post which will be kept updated to reflect my current thinking on footwear and what I am actually wearing. Last updated July 2024.

This post is broken into four sections: the characteristics of footwear I consider important, which shoes I own and for what purpose, which brands I recommend and why, and some shoe buying pro tips.

I have already written about how I redid my entire footwear line, so if you care to hear which shoes I got rid of and why, check this out before proceeding. The below is an expansion on that post with more current information. I will keep this post updated to reflect changes as well to what I own and what I recommend.

Bottom Line Up Front

Nearly every pair of shoes that you can buy are bad for your feet and, thus, your body. Most shoes are made to look good or for performance. In order to get there, they are sacrificing your foot health which has negative cascading effects on your overall health. Don’t get it twisted; every pair of dress shoes, high heels (by far the worst), Nike, Adidas, Brooks, Hoka, On Cloud, etc. are terrible for you. Now, let’s find out why and which brands to buy to fix it.

What Makes Good Footwear?

Toe splay. The amount of ability your toes have to spread apart is the amount of splay they have. If you were walking barefoot, there would be zero limits on the ability of your toes to splay; they would be unconstrained. Most modern shoes have restrictive pointed toe boxes, which squish your toes into unnatural patterns, which can cause permanent deformities such as bunions and recurring pain. Read more here and here. 

Heel-to-toe drop. This relates to the amount of change in height from your heel to your the balls of your feet. A high-heeled shoe has a significant heel-to-toe drop. A flat sandal that is the same thickness across the whole sole with no heel has zero drop. The idea is to minimize the heel height, which forces your body into unnatural positions. It is effectively like tip-toeing or walking on your toes. This causes your body to be in slight lean forward, which causes your hips and spine to adjust to compensate. You are now walking in an unnatural position because of your footwear. I am looking for shoes with no drop or very minimal when I have to choose ones that have some heel to alleviate this issue. 

Stack height. Related to the heel-to-toe drop, stack height is effectively the thickness of the material below your feet. You could have a minimalist shoe with very thin soles and a maximally thick-soled shoe, which can both be zero drop. I used to always choose shoes with as little below my feet as possible (low stack height), but I have since taken a different position. I now feel stack height should be related to what you will do with the shoe. If you are picking shoes to run on pavement, you should have more stack height than casual walking shoes. Shoes to wear inside a gym should be low stack. I have some Altras that have very thick soles and some Vibram Fivefingers that have almost nothing below my feet. Different tools for different jobs.

Read more about heels, drops, and stack height here.

Arch support. Refers to the amount of support provided to the arch of your foot by the shoes on your feet. I used to believe in zero arch support at all times so your foot would have to get strong and not rely on some external help. However, as with walking on pavement, our modern environment forces us to make some changes. I personally had some pain in my foot caused by my high arches collapsing inward (pronating) in certain shoes. I got some shoes with arch support for overpronators and it stopped immediately. Same with my work boots. Minor recurring foot pain that I couldn’t explain. Put in some replacement insoles with arch support, pain stopped. I only choose shoes with arch support that I use to walk/run for prolonged periods of time on unnaturally hard surfaces. Thus, most of my shoes have no additional arch support. The ones I wear to run/walk on pavement and my work shoes (up to 12 hours a day in them) have support though. Arch support is to tolerance. But don’t think you need arch supports in everything. I am barefoot (or in socks) at all times in my house and almost all the time in the garage gym.

What is in My Closet?

Everything in my closet is a recommended shoe. I wouldn’t keep them if I didn’t wear them, and if I wear them, it stands to reason I’d recommend them to you. I list the sizes so you can use it as a reference across brands and models if you want to try a pair.

Athletic Shoes

Altra Torin 7. Size 11 US. Had two pairs of Torin 5 and now got the 7 because they are legit. These are my pavement running shoes. Thick soles for max protection from the evil concrete. If you are buying Hokes or On Cloud or any other stupid major running shoe brand, stop now and try Altras.

Altra Lone Peak All Weather Mid Trail Running Shoe. Size 11 US. Got these for off-road, rain, or snow. Walked my dog in these in the winter. They are mids, so they are not a boot but not a low top either. Also waterproof. They do a great job gripping the ground and keeping your feet dry. I wore these for two Tactical Games events too. Bombproof.

Altra Timp Hiker GTX. Size 11 US. I haven’t even worn these yet except to try them on, but I got them to replace my Lone Peaks which I have put through the durability test for sure. The Lone Peaks won’t die so I am going to keep wearing them because they are so damn comfortable. The Timps are water resistant whereas the Lone Peaks aren’t so if I have occasion to be in a wet field or hike, I will break these out.

Xero 360 Cross Training. Size 11.5 US. This is a great all around athletic shoe. I had the Xero Prio prior, which I wore out because I wore them so much and replaced them with the 360s. I would have bought another pair of Prios, but they introduced this more robust shoe to compete with the Reebok Nanos of the durable athletic shoe market. This shoe is unreal. 100% recommended for anything physical. I wear these on the treadmill when I run indoors. The only thing I would choose another shoe for would be long distance running on pavement. They would be comfortable to walk around all day in, but it isn’t as stylish looking. Other alternatives for that below.

Reebok Nano X Cross Trainer. Size 11 US. Normally I don’t buy major manufacturer shoes as you can tell, but I used to wear Nanos a lot when they first came out, so I wanted to give a new pair a try. These are actually really good shoes. Toe box is wide and they are very stable. These are not zero drop but still low profile with a 4mm drop, which is my limit. They are shockingly durable, so I wear these for sled drags, carries, rope climbs, etc. I got a few generations behind also so they were cheap relatively vs the newest model.

Reebok Nano 2.0. Size 11 US. This is probably my favorite shoe of all time. I remember when I got them in 2012 when I was bigger into CrossFit. It was like magic when I put them on. Wore them into the ground. They have since moved to Nano 14s now but have re-released the Nano 2.0 because it was such a fan favorite. I held off from getting a pair for a while because (surprise, surprise) I just didn’t need more shoes. I finally found a pair on sale for $80 so I had to do it. I got them at the same time as the Reebok Nano 2.0 Tactical Boots (read more below) so it was part of a thematic purchase. These are still awesome shoes even if they are using 2012 technology! They are around 3mm heel to toe drop, but I wish the toe box were wider. Put them on and immediately did some incline treadmill with a weight vest, totally good to go. Very happy with my Nano Xs still but will integrate these into the exercise rotation for certain things.

Vibram Fivefingers V-Alpha. Size 43 EURO. I wear these occasionally when off-road walking or running on trails. These have a tread to them, but any Fivefingers are great for wanting a near barefoot feeling.

Lifestyle/Casual Shoes

Altra Cayd. Size 11 US. Replaced my Van’s with these. Casual stylish shoe. Very comfortable for all-day wear. Looks like they stopped making these. I would recommend you look at the Lem’s Chillum or Xero Dillion or Xero Glenn instead. Never tried either of those Xeros since they are new, but I am confident they will be the next casual shoes I buy. May get a brown pair actually now that I am thinking about it…

Xero Dillon. Size 11 US. Awesome slip-on shoe. This is my new favorite shoe maybe of this past year – so much so that I got two pairs because I knew I would love them. I throw these on for a quick trip out or a walk. Almost always without socks. In the summer, a great choice.

Luna Origen 2.0. Size 9.5 US. These are a performance sandal, which could be used for running (I have done it) or hiking off road or just walking around shopping. I tend to wear them in street clothes a lot, but they are great for the beach or camping. I took them on a vacation as my only shoes. Wore them to the beach all day and then out in town for dinner seamlessly. Obviously don’t need socks and you can do a lot of physical activities in them. Due to the straps you can secure them to your feet really well.

Lem’s Chillum. Size 11.5 US. This is a comfortable and good looking casual shoe. Another Van’s replacement.

Lem’s Mariner. Size 44 EURO. First pair of Lem’s and since I loved them so much I got a lot more as you can see. These are boat shoes for casual summertime wear. I got them slightly smaller because I never wear socks with them. They don’t sell these anymore for some reason, but they are good shoes that fit a specific purpose.

Lem’s Boulder Boot Leather. Size 45 EURO. Little more dressy yet still casual. Very comfortable also, like slippers almost! Definitely could be used as actual hiking boots. I prefer something more rugged like the Altra Lone Peak though for real off-road work.

Dress Shoes

Caret’s Falcon Wingtip, Oxford. Size 10EE. Very dressy shoe to be worn with a suit. I had to wear dress shoes almost every day for a a year, so I had to buy new black shoes to wear with a suit. A little expensive. I was able to find these at Poshmark for $100 in near perfect condition. New they are $250. These as very very comfortable and look “normal” but are 100% MISSION” Capable approved.

Lem’s Nine2Five. Size 45 EURO. Need something a little more formal I could wear with business casual attire. These fit the bill. I shined them up with shoe polish and it really stepped the formality up, enough that I could wear them with a suit as my brown dress shoes. I had other non-approved brown dress shoes prior, which I was willing to suck up for the few times per year I wore them, but once I had to wear suits often, I had to find a new solution. I was going to buy two pairs of Carets, but when I shined the Nine2Fives, they were good to go.

Work Shoes (US Army AR 670-1 Compliant & Approved)

The boots below are the best wide toe box and zero drop/minimal tactical/military boots that I have found for those I am allowed to wear due to uniform regulations. Most others have huge thick soles, giant heel to toe drop, and very narrow toe boxes. There are other options for those not in the US Army, however, that you may want to consider.

Belleville Mini-Mil Minimalist Combat Boots (Coyote) TR105. Size 11 US. I have been wearing these since I found them in 2014. Closest thing to minimalist and zero drop you can get as far as I am aware with its 2mm drop. Pretty good for military boots! I have had four pairs so far – changed to coyote color when our uniforms changed. Still have my last pair for yard work. They are so broken in they are like slippers at this point. Have yet to wear out a pair. I am a more…senior…officer now, so I am not putting these through repeated field exercises, so I can’t speak to their durability in all situations. The pair I got this last round in July 2023 were wider than normal and they weren’t the wides either. I have to lace them up pretty tightly to get them in a good position. They are broken in nicely now that I have had this last pair for a year.

Reebok Nano 8″ Tactical Boot. Size 11 US. I have no good excuse for why I didn’t buy these when I saw them last year, but I just got them last week finally after telling myself I didn’t need them. These are built on the Reebok Nano 2.0 chassis, which I LOVE (as noted above). They are basically zero drop, probably between 2 and 4mm in reality like the shoes, which is good to go. They are very comfortable, lace up well for performance or just office wear (sadly, this is how I use them…). They are more narrow than the Bellevilles in the toe box, but it’s not too restrictive or I wouldn’t wear them. I have been wearing Belleville Mini-Mils for a more than a decade at this point, so they are tried and true, but these are definitely fighting for my new favorite minimal combat boot. I just got them so stand by for updates.

Recommended Brands

As per the specific models in my closet, I highly recommend the following brands. You can find many other shoes they make that may work better for you then the specific models I own. You probably can find shoes for everything at Xero, Lem’s, or Altra, but I listed a few others too.

Xero Shoes
They have athletic shoes, sandals, and casual shoes, all made with natural foot position in mind. If I didn’t have enough shoes, I’d try more of these! NO try and return policy unfortunately, so do your evaluations indoors.

Lem’s
This brand is very simple: they only offer a few different styles and they do them well. They do NOT have a wear and return policy, so be sure you like them before you wear them outside.

Altra
A ton of varying styles for many different uses. I have tried six different styles of these and returned three. The three I kept, I love. The three I returned or sold, not so much. For example, the Escalante 1.5 caused me pain and were uncomfortable due to their sock-like upper and squishy sole whereas the Provision 3.5 are the opposite – study, solid sole, and very comfortable. They DO have a 30-day try and return policy that I have personally used. I got a pair of Provisions in a slightly smaller size to test out if they’d stretch. Wore them for 3 weeks outdoors every day and opted to return them. Got a full refund. Bought a half size larger and kept them! You have to buy from Altra directly for this guarantee though.

Vivobarefoot
A lot of interesting shoes here to try. I have never used it, but their website says they offer 100-day returns. I assume this means you can wear the shoes and return them within 100 days and not just that you can return new shoes within 100 days. If you plan to test it out, I’d verify.

Luna
They have a lot of very cool sandals to choose from. I got the Origen because I wanted the tire tread soles for more durability. You can really use them as running shoes too. If I ran on trails more, I would wear them for sure. The sizing is very specific, so don’t try to use your regular size. Use their actual guide here. I needed 9.5 and wear 11 in most of my other shoes. They DO have a 30-day try and return policy also so try with confidence!

Shoe Buying Pro Tips

1. Be sure to choose whether to buy from the manufacturer directly or a third party. I will tell you I have found great deals at sites other than the manufacturer and then also directly at the company site itself, usually around the holidays. Of note, I got some shoes recently at REI and they have an amazing return policy – 90 days for non-members and a year for members of try on/use them and still be able to return! I found some pairs I wanted on sale there and jumped on it. Will look at REI much more in the future because of this. This return policy is better than any manufacturer, so if you can get them from REI, even if you pay a little more, you can actually use them and return them if needed. You can get Xero shoes at REI, for example, and return them after trying them out whereas you can’t if you buy them directly from Xero. They have Altra too. I haven’t ever tried to use this myself, so I maybe it’s harder than I imagine. But from my experiences with REI, I feel like it’s pretty easy.
2. Wait for holiday sales. They come all the time. When you are spending more than $100, 20% is worth the effort. Sign up for their email newsletters to get notified.
3. If you find a pair you like but are on a budget OR you want to sell some shoes (or clothes) to fund new ones, try Poshmark.com. I have bought and sold more than ten items there myself. Lot of people selling lightly used items there at great discounts. Ebay is also a good option too. I like Poshmark better of the two.
4. If you are buying online and trying the brand for the first time, buy two or three sizes to compare. Many places have free returns so there is no penalty to returning. Much better than wondering if half a size up or down is right and not being able to tell immediately like a shoe store.
5. Two great resources for shoe reviews are That Fit Friend and RunRepeat. Jake at That Fit Friend does tons of in depth reviews and goes deep into each one. RunRepeat has truly next level data though. I can’t believe I didn’t know about this sooner because it is unreal. They take data to a whole new level for anyone who is enough of a shoe geek to be looking for this amount of analysis. Check each out. You don’t be disappointed.

Do you have any other brands and/or styles you recommend? Post thoughts/questions to comments.