The Altama brand is very widely known, just like Leathermann, Colt or Zippo. It is an American classic, present on the market for a long time and embedded in the minds of the military-related community. Established in 1969 in Darien, Georgia, the company initially produced children's footwear, but after receiving an order from the government, began producing classic olive Jungle Boots. The famous footwear began its history on the legs of American soldiers in the jungles and rice fields of Vietnam and it continues because they remain in Altama's constant offer. Boots of this brand, in their more modern versions, are still delivered to the US armed forces and other uniformed services.

Three lines

Innovation is a feature that is necessary to stay strong on the market. Other American classics, such as notoriously bankrupt Colt or Remington, can say something about it. Therefore the Altama's offer has expanded significantly over the last 49 years and, as you can guess, children's footwear has disappeared completely from its offer.

Currently, three lines are offered - Elite, Defense and Tropical. In the last one the classic Jungle Boots are still available, in three varieties. The one known from Vietnam, with some minor changes, desert version made from velor, and black boots made completely from leather. In turn, the Defense line includes five models of more modern boots. The Desert Foxhound boots give the impression of been a modernized version of the Jungle Boos, three versions of the Vengance model (desert, black and lowered) have a side zipper and the armored Raptor variant has plenty of rubber added to its design.

This time however, we will be looking at the Elite line, in which we will find the Abbottabad Trail model in the LOW and MID variants, the Urban Assault model, also in LOW and MID variants, as well as the Maritime Assault model, which is the subject of this review. The first model is designed as "sneakers" and the second and third as "tactical sneakers" for the use during activities in the city and on the water.

Altama Urban Assault LOW

Altama Maritime Assault MID

Altama Urban Assault LOW (po lewej) i Maritime Assault MID (po prawej)

Altama Maritime Assault

As the name suggests, Altama Maritime Assault sneakers are footwear designed for combat operations on or in the immediate vicinity of water. Several pairs in the MID version, i.e. with a slightly elevated ankle, were sent to the WMASG editorial office.

The sneakers have a non-slip rubber sole with a low-profile tread. This material is also used in the production of climbing shoes. According to the manufacturer, the Maritime Assault model gets along well with fins, which is confirmed by users from beyond the Atlantic, both military and civilian. The sole also works great outside of the water. The sneakers grip the ground well.

A notch in the side of the sole is also noteworthy as it here where the water drainage has been placed. It should be noted that it was placed in a place where the classic sneakers' soles usually crack which most often means that they will soon be done for. There is no risk here, because there is nothing to break. It also improves the wearing comfort due to the lower resistance of the sole's material when walking.

The rubber sole is a single piece with a large toe, a typical feature of sneakers, which protects them against excessive wear. The improvement over ordinary sneakers is gluing and later sewing the soles to the rest of the shoe, which should drastically slow down the appearance of the initial damage.

From the outside

The body of the shoe is made of unusual material, that is 1000D Cordura in Multicam, Multicam Black, Coyote, Oliv, Wolf Gray, Woodland or black colors. However, you can expect more colors to appear, because these sneakers, especially overseas, are slowly becoming iconic. According to a group of American users, whom we have consulted, the use of Cordura makes the shoes tolerate high-speed rope rides. However, it cannot be denied that the use of such material has a negative effect on air permeability and thermal comfort of the foot at high temperatures. However, these shoes are designed for activities in water, where this is not a problem. The Urban Assault model was designed for other applications and its body and insole material are different.

On the outside of the shoe you will also find metal eyelets for laces, which in this case are made of very durable flat tape and a rear loop to facilitate pulling the shoe on one's foot. Its big and designed so that it can be used with gloves on.

On the inside

Altama Maritime Assault MID vs Urban Assault LOW - the difference in the insert used is visible at first glance

The interior is lined with a thin layer of foam covered with a breathable mesh, which slightly improves air circulation and wicks moisture away. This role is also fulfilled by a tongue that is not made of Cordura and consists just of the mesh. In his case, the air flow is clearly felt on the top of the foot. The insole is made entirely of Ultron type polyurethane, which is completely waterproof and quite slippery, but at the same time maintains proper foot and sock grip.

Impressions

Altama Maritime Assault sneakers certainly look great and are the definition of the term "tacticool". They are also very comfortable. Chosen in the right size, they can be worn over a longer distance without any problems. Moreover, they will dry relatively quickly when wet. The sole is flexible during walking and at the same time sufficiently hard to allow to walk comfortably on rocky ground.

A problem for the user, who does not use them in the conditions for which they were intended, may be increased sweating of the foot caused by the windproof Cordura and a moisture resistant insole. Part of the solution is to replace the insert with a more traditional one, which many people do. We have divided opinions on this matter. A great plus is the thoughtful placement of drains to increase the durability of the key sole area. Cordura, despite its drawbacks, should also remain undamaged many years, even when used excessively. This is confirmed by the reviews of owners of this model who regularly slide down on the so called "fast rope". The sneakers made of such materials will be difficult to wear down, which can be even more convincing in relation to their price and the price of regular sneakers.

Despite its drawbacks in everyday use of a military lover, this model has already gained a large group of satisfied users (civilian and military) beyond the Atlantic, the rest can try the Urban Assault variant which is not so pleasing to the eye, but is more practical for everyday use in dry conditions. We choose the Maritime version. Already during the use of the test pairs, we privately additional more pairs. Altama Maritime are comfortable and trustworthy - simply durable and, of course, tactical sneakers. We recommend them!

We had the opportunity to test and later wear the sneakers thanks to Altama.