Garmont was founded in 1964 and is now distributed internationally across 40 countries. With a reputation for quality, they are one of the best brands you can find when it comes to comfort, fit, and functionality. The release of the T8 series has turned me into a fan, and I have to admit Garmont is one of my favorite brands now. I would say their biggest advantage has always been their sense of style and using technology to progressively refine and improve their existing craft. All around, it's one of the best multi-terrain army boots you can find in the market. Garmont makes outdoor footwear ranging from running, technical climbing boots, and to what we will be covering here in our review; military boots. Given my experience with the boots, I am excited to share with you my AR 670-1 Compliant Garmont T8 Bifida Tactical Boots Review.

Garmont T8 Bifida Desert Tan Boot

Buy your pair of Garmont T8 Bifida Boots here

Garmont prides itself in being the ‘Best Supporting Partner of Your Will” and their Garmont T8 Bifida Desert Tan Boot is a true embodiment of this claim. On a hot day, climbing on a steep slope with heavy weight, you need all the ankle support and flexibility you can get complete the task. To better explain why the Bifida's are my boots of choice when it comes to hot weather and climbing, I will be going over features that will highlight it's advantages:

Features of Garmont T8 Bifida Desert Tan Boot

The most important feature of Garmont T8 Bifida that may concern the discipline conscious soldiers is that it is AR670-1 compliant. That means you can wear it without any fear of rebuke from your superiors. Other significant characteristics that make it stand out include the following:

• Top quality Vibram Bifida sole provides excellent grip and traction. Tread and texture of the sole has proven to withstand demanding conditions of urban warfare, muddy trails and steep slopes under heavy loads.

• Personally, I like the desert tan shade of these boots which makes it an elegant choice while staying within the AR 670-1. 1.6 mm suede leather is easy to maintain and is suitably incorporated with 250g nylon mesh for easy airflow and breathability. Reinforced by Texon and canvas the boots are rugged and durable. Italian craftsmanship and attention to detail has been known for ages and this is visible in this boot.

• The ankle is 8 inch in height and quite flexible. It is equipped with pull assist on top that makes the boots easy to wear. The boots are not very heavy, the pair weighing just over 2 lbs and feels like a high pair of tennis shoes.

• Excellent circulation of air makes the boots ideal for wet climate and the materials used in construction are quick drying so if you are happen to take part in any marine/amphibious operations or going for a rainy march, this Garmont T8 Bifida will be a great investment.

• The footbed is ergonomically cushioned with nylon that acts as a shock absorber that makes the boots easy to wear across stony tracks. Insole is about 2 mm thick. The support to knees and calves is great and one of my fellows declared these to be the “best military boots I ever wore in the last decade”

• The boots are equipped with zero optical refraction hardware along with hook-less rigging-proof hardware that supports shins and ankles in testing conditions through solid lacing. This has been performing flawlessly in surface and airborne exercises or operation.

Revolutions in military affairs have transformed the modern battlefield but feet on grounds remain a major operational requirement. For a modern soldier, no height is insurmountable nor any area impassable, and this requires him to be adequately equipped to perform to the best of his/her abilities. Quick means of transportation and aerial lift capabilities warrant that the soldiers are ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice and their personal kit, particularly boots should be rugged enough to with stand the modern battlefield challenges and this is where Garmont T8 Bifida surpasses its competition.

The Rocky S2Vs are another pair of fine boots. The durability/comfort-ability sets it apart from the rest. If you want to read more, I wrote an extensive review about them here. 

Additionally, if you have already made up your mind, you can purchase your pair of Garmont T8 Bifida Boots here. ​

Performance of Garmont T8 Bifida in Different Terrain

Designers have been confronted with the problem of creating a military boot with a careful mix of ruggedness, traction, comfort and support without adding too much weight. Use in wet conditions necessitates a quick drying material for construction but such materials used alone are poor in abrasion resistance. Garmont came up with following ingenious features to make their T8 Bifida to be a multi-terrain boot that is most suited for hiking, trail and mountainous terrain even under wet conditions:

1. Sturdy rubber sole with a complex matrix of lugs for better traction and grip

2. Heel retention strapping to provide support to ankle, particularly for negotiating gradients

3. Hook-less top to assist in rigging and hiking

4. Combination of leather, nylon and Texon to ensure that the bot dries quickly

The boot has received great feedback from customers who have tested it in mountainous terrain and urban environments. Below are a few of the strengths and weaknesses of the boots versus different terrains:

Hiking and Trails

During my Jungle warfare training, T8 Bifida never slipped for once even while going through the mud trails. They performed great in hiking and the heel retention strapping system came handy. I used them in mountains of Afghanistan under a heavy load and liked the way the sole kept its grip even in loose stony patches.

The Garmont T8 Bifida Boots performance became a bit sloppy during a long march through mud trails during my training and although it did not slip a lot,  I felt that the handling became tougher with the build up of mud at the bottom of the boots. On further inspection I've learned that the mud and organic matter from the trail had accumulated on the lugs that affected traction. It was easy to clean, but still, it's worth mentioning. 

Urban Terrain

The boots feels great on dry conditions. It feels light, comfortable and the traction from the soles felt nice to the pavement. On wet and muddy surfaces the grips can be overwhelmed by the mud and that makes it slippery to stand on. On the other hand, the boots had great traction over wet pavement and small puddles. 

Amphibious and Airborne Operations

The quick drying nature of materials used in its construction make it suitable for use in extreme wet and amphibious operations. The hook-less top make it suitable for rigging and many of my friend commend its performance para jumps from aircrafts, particularly because of the ergonomic padding in the insole and foot-bed.

I always wanted to try out these boots in desert environments but I did not get any chance. And surprisingly, I did not hear anything about its performance in the desert from my colleagues who, like me, might have classified it to be a boots for mountains because of the sturdy lugs and prefer boots with plain sole for the sandy deserts.

Running

Garmont T8 Bifida boots are stable, athletic and offer the feel of normal running shoes so there is no visible difference in gait. Although I felt the boots to be slightly towards the heavier side, it did not cause any undue strain on my muscles. Being equipped with softer cushion of the insole and foot bed, the boots offer great impact resistance. Wearing these for a long day is comfortable with excellent breathability of the boots.

Sizing Recommendations for Garmont T8 Bifida

These boots are available in Medium (D) and Wide (2E) widths and being snug fit and comfortable, blisters and hotspots are uncommon. The difference in width of the versions means once you are ordering, you have to keep in mind the width of the toe because if you ignore it, you might get a boots that are either too tight or too loose.

I did not face any sizing issue while ordering 2 x pairs at different occasions for my nearly decade long deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. So I would rate them true to size but you must understand that a boot right out of the box may feel a bit tight and that is understandable because of the kind of support offered by heel retention strapping at the ankle. Being a quality military boots, these require very little or, in my case, no breaking in period at all.

Here is a link to different sizes on Amazon, take a look to see if they offer your size

Outsole, Key to Success of Garmont T8 Bifida

Rugged lugs of Vibram Bifida sole with a chunky pattern around the perimeter of the sole are the secret of excellent performance in multi-terrain environment. The pattern extends to the toes for better impact resistance. The lug pattern on the interior is kind of rectilinear waves and circles. Being made up of spongy, soft rubber these lugs provides better terrain grip. The heel extending nearly half an inch behind the arch and are custom made for heavy loads and long marches. The boots are suited to use in all kinds of military vehicles.

Overall wear and comfort

The Garmont T8 Bifida Boots are comfortable and lightweight. Impact protection through a quality outsole and carefully manufactured footbed is great for lower shins and arches. The abrasive resistance suede leather protected by Texon and the canvas make the boots sturdy and durable. The stitching is immaculate and excellent air flow keeps the feet comfortable and moisture free.The laces and eyelets are solid and boots are easy to tie because of the pull strap near the top.

Overall, the Garmont T8 Bifida Tactical Boots are one of my favorite boots in the market. They are AR670-1 Compliant, they feel great, and they do a great job at protecting my feet (like what boots designed for the military should do). I hope you enjoyed my Garmont T8 Bifida Tactical Boots Review.

​Buy your pair of Garmont T8 Bifida Tactical Boots today by clicking here

Boots Similar to Garmont T8 Bifida

Few of the boots similar to Garmont T8 Bifida are listed below:

	Tactical Research Men's Transition Desert Tan Boots	4.5 stars
	Garmont T8 NFS Tactical Boot	4.0 stars
	Nike SFB Field Leather Boots	4.5 stars
	Rocky Men's C4T Tactical Boot,Desert Tan	4 stars
	Danner Rivot TFX GTX 400-gram	4 stars

Garmont T8 Bifida offers a great combination of ruggedness and comfort that makes it particularly suited to humid, wet and mountainous terrains. Impact resistance offered by the outsole and the foot-bed handles well in para jumps and the tread pattern is just right for the urban combat. Superior technology and excellent craftsmanship makes this brand of military boot a booming success.

Looking for other options for Authorized boots?

• For a broader List of Authorized Boots, feel free to check out my list of favorites here.  The list is in matrix format to make it easier for you to both see and read about different types of brands and styles.

• I mentioned Rocky S2Vs and the Nike SFB Field Leathers, you can read about my reviews of my boots here: Rocky S2V Review and Nike SFB Field Leather boots Review. 

Photo credits:

Images in courtesy of our friends at US Patriot Tactical, Garmont and Amazon