Bates

Bates is a footwear brand built for people on duty: soldiers, police officers, security staff and other first responders. It sits within Wolverine Worldwide, the footwear group whose global headquarters is in Rockford, Michigan, in the United States, and its range is sold on the Wolverine web store under the Bates by Wolverine name. The line is led by tactical boots in tall, mid and side zip cuts, many of them waterproof, with families such as GX X2, GX-8, OpSpeed, Tactical Sport 2 and JumpStart. Composite toe and carbon safety toe versions sit alongside soft toe boots, and there are desert tan and coyote colors as well as black. The range also covers the classic 11 inch Paratrooper side zip boot, high gloss and high shine duty oxfords for parade and uniform wear, plus socks, bags and small branded accessories. Airsoft players mostly know the brand for its black and tan side zip boots, which they buy through tactical and military kit shops or direct from the brand's own online store.

4 shops No US store on Mexar lists them yet. Stores elsewhere:

• Airsoft ZoneRomford, Greater London
• ArmyKit.comManchester, Greater Manchester
• TacTreeTelford, Telford and Wrekin
• WWolf ArmouriesBishop's Stortford, Essex