Klobba TPR Trail boots - waterproof, sizes 6-12 available, cost £24.99

As fine and popular as 'tactical boots' are, they do have a few drawbacks when winter draws in. For a start, the standard tactical patrol boot - made of soft thin leather and cordura - isn't the warmest (although mid-range models do now seem to come with a 'thinsulate' lining these days). Additionally, they were never really made to endure the mud soaked and boggy conditions of British woodland sites at this time of year.

Tactical and patrol boots are primarily urban footwear, and they make very little concessions to the soggy British winter weather especially where deep mud, snow or shallow wading is concerned.

So, I have changed over from my summer season patrol boots to something a little more suitable for the sites I have visited recently. I have bought a rather nifty pair of TPR Trail Boots. These boots are probably familiar to any of you who go fishing, as they are very popular among bank side anglers. They are, in fact, a hybrid boot - half hiking boot and half Wellington boot.

The top half of the TPR Trail is a padded ankle section of waterproof material with the familiar metal eyelets for lacing. This hiking half of the boot is both very comfortable and - most importantly - very supportive of the ankles. This is crucial as al UK airsoft sites demand ankle supporting boots as a prerequisite to playing.

Wellingtons might sound a little peculiar as a choice for 'military' footwear, but the TPR Trail bottoms are uniquely practical for woodland sites after rainfall or snowfall. Thick soggy mud, sometimes up to than ankle or deep snow are both play havoc with lightweight patrol boots, never designed to deal with continuous drenching. The boot tongues of cheaper patrol boots are usually separate and thus allow water to leak leaving you with wet socks - yuck!

Left: Klobba also do a high lacing version

(Incidentally, Wellington boots are widely used by the military of many nations around the world where deep sticky mud is the norm. From the FARC guerrillas in Colombia, to the Russian Army in Chechnya.)

The boot tongue of the TPR Trail is joined and sealed to both halves of the boot, meaning that the boot is completely waterproof and will not let in the wet.

I had a rather unexpected chance to try these boots out this weekend as Britain was hit by a cold snap and snow fell across the country. Being a temporary winter aberration we got the full gommet of snow to play in - from thick dry powdery snow (with thin ice underneath) to dirty slush later in the day when the sun melted the snow.

The TPR Trails handled the snow, ice and sludge fantastically well, and as they are insulated they kept my feet toasty warm as well. The deep grips on the sole were excellent and I didn't slip once, and unlike leather boots I didn't have those nasty white stains that you get after a day in the snow (nor did I worry about what the salt on the roads was doing to my boots).

Finally, when you consider how clogged up with mud your boots can get in boggy woodland the TPRs have the advantage of just being able to be cleaned with a high power hose and no polishing is required (I like low maintenance). Additionally, along with the boots I bought a boot storage bag, so I don't have dripping dirty boots mucking up the pristine upholstery of my mates BMW! :)

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> Fishingrepublic.org - Klobba TPR Trail Boots (£24.99 - size 6-12 available)
> Fishingrepublic.org - Hiking boot storage bag (£7.99)
> Klobba Clothing Ltd.