James Menta is an expert reviewer of outdoor equipment. He is an enthusiastic hiker and has a real passion for anything camping. Currently head of a team of hikers reviewing the best hiking boots.
Best lightweight tactical/combat/army boots
Best lightweight tactical boots – TOP 3 We would really like, just for once, to have something to show for these two months since the last update in the lightweight tactical boots category. No such luck! Under Armour Valsetz 7” is still holding the lead with Bates Ultra-Lites and Maelstrom’s Tac Force breathing […]
Waterproof Tactical/Military Boots – Top 3 Best Rated
Waterproof Tactical/Military Boots – Top 3 Best Rated This is the 5th bimonthly update to the guide on best waterproof tactical/military boots and, to be honest, we haven’t seen that much of a change in the rating or rankings.The Bates GX-8 still reigns supreme and has been at the top since we first compiled the […]
Review of Under Armour Men’s Valsetz Side Zip Tactical Boots
Valsetz Side Zip Tactical Boots – review This UA eye candy of a boot is by far the best-rated Under Armour tactical boot (in the last 6 updates – full year). It’s also up there at the TOP 3 of the Best Overall tac boots, along with Danner Acadia. Our experts & featured […]
Best steel toe tactical boots (2020 update) – reviews of top 3
Those of you who are our regular reader will know, but for those of you who stumbled upon this guide on the best steel toed tactical and work boots let us recapitulate the changes that we’ve seen in the ratings over the last two months (the updates to this guide are bimonthly). What changed in […]
Finding the right hiking boots – in depth analysis
As I sit in my comfy armchair and reminisce, I can almost hear my friend Pete’s ecstatic voice resonating in my head: “We gotta do this James, come on!” “This” was referring to hiking one of the most challenging trails of the Swiss Alps. It starts from a place called “Fierst” and ends at Platte […]
6 reasons why using trekking poles is a must
The more you hike the greater the chance that you’ll meet characters who will tell you that hiking and trekking poles are for sissies. Before you go BraveHeart on your joints, take a moment and think about what this conversation would look like if you had it with your knees or ankles. You should absolutely […]
All You Need To Know About Tactical Boots
Tactical Boots – the Complete Guide There’s a saying that a lie would be halfway around the world before the truth even gets its boots on. All we can say about it is that the truth probably doesn’t know how to pick a good pair of boots. So yes, we finally gave in to your […]
Teva Women’s Omnium Sandal – is this the best women hiking and trekking sandal ever made?
Here at Sole Labz we take pride in how thorough, and more importantly, unbiased our reviewing methods are. But if we have to make a confession, within our team, it’s always the short straw method that decides who reviews and works with our testers on reviews of women hiking and trekking sandals and finding the […]
Prepare for your hike like a Pro – 8 Essential Tips
If there’s anything you can be sure of when planning a hike, it’s that it will almost never go as planned. So, let’s make a concise list of good hiking habits that will prepare you for the unplanned. For experienced hikers this guide might read as boring, but for a beginner and a hiker with […]
Keen Men’s H2 Newport Water Sandal
Review of Keen Men’s H2 Newport Water Sandal This hiking sandal for men has been voted best for 3 consecutive updates now. And believe me, this is a big deal, no other water sandal for men has done it since we launched the guide for best men’s sandals and started updating it every two months. […]