Before I was asked to do this review, I had not heard of the company Burgan. I looked into the company when asked to do this review, and learned that they are based in Kuwait. They are well known and established in the region, and produce a number of combat style and casual wear boots. Being my first experience with the company, I was eager to see what they had to offer.

I was sent a pair of their Model 832 boots to review. Burgan states that the boots are made for both casual wear and for hard military use. The boots are your standard tan suede, but one thing I noticed right out of the box is that the shank is taller than I was used to. This was more evident once I tried the boots on, as the boots are 10” in height. The boots fit well, the soles were stiff but the boots were fairly comfortable right out of the box.

The boots have traditional eyelets for the laces, as opposed to the speed lace style eyelets commonly seen on military and work boots today. This was no hindrance and in fact reminded me of the many boots I had worn before speed laces were popular. The laces themselves appeared durable, and in use they were easy to tie and the knots held fast without loosening or slipping.

The Model 832’s do not have a padded collar, a feature I normally prefer in modern military boots. That said, I did not find the collar to be uncomfortable in testing however I think that if worn for more extended periods than I was able to use it for it could potentially cause some discomfort. There is also a nice quality YKK brand zipper running down the side of each boot for an easy on and off. I hadn’t ever worn a side zip boot until about 2 years ago, as the uniform reg’s for my branch of service didn’t allow for it. After leaving active duty and transitioning to the Reserves and my civilian career, I stuck with traditional boots (ie non-zippered) as I had become accustomed to them. Having given side zip boots a try a couple years ago I can say they are definitely more convenient to put on and take off, and are slightly faster than traditional tying.

The soles are very stiff, and grippy. They seemed to be more stiff than other boots I have worn but they were still comfortable. I’m not sure the soles would lose this stiffness even after breaking in. I prefer a big toe box to allow my toes room to splay and to have some wiggle room, and I found these Burgan boots provided ample space for me. The lug pattern on the sole was functional and would allow the boots to shed mud and debris fairly easily. There are no drainage grommets or ventilation type holes on the insteps of these boots.

With each boot weighing just 1 pound each, they were definitely lighter than many other boots I had been issued in the past. I appreciated this, as a lighter boot means less fatigue, less weight to move, and less effort required with each step allowing you to go farther and faster. They also pack well and with their light weight easily allow you to bring them along as an extra pair of boots for longer trips or when the packing list requires it.

As a casual boot, these fit the niche of military-inspired looks that are trendy right now. They pair well with jeans and cargo pants and the tan suede gives them a pop that black military boots just don’t have with civilian clothes. I would avoid wearing them with civilian clothes around any military bases though, lest you look like the new private just arriving from basic training! Another advantage of the boot is that it is unisex, it is designed for both men and women and the only thing required is that you convert your US shoe size to the European size equivalent.

Overall, the Burgan 832 is a sturdy boot that I feel would be best suited for casual wear and or for hiking and other outdoor activities. The soles strong traction combined with each boots light weight would make it ideal for many outdoor activities and for keeping in your pack. The height of the shank and the side zip may make this Burgan model unauthorized for wear with your uniform, depending on your branch of service.

Cost: 4/5

Comfort: 3/5

Durability: 4/5

Functionality: 4/5

Weight: 5/5

Overall Rating: 20/25

Material Disclosure

I received this product as a courtesy from the manufacturer via Spotter Up so I could test it and give my honest feedback. I am not bound by any written, verbal, or implied contract to give this product a good review. All opinions are my own and are based off my personal experience with the product.

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