REVIEW: Belville 650 ST

Who likes to rubs needs a thick skin. But not only that, particularly when bumping into stair edges or clumsy fellow human beings who like to step on your feet, toe or steel caps help in boots. Today we present to you the Belville 650 ST, the officially supplied work shoe from the US Air Force. This boot stands out through the combination of steel cap and a GoreTex lining from most other boots on the market.

These features make it quite heavy at about 1.7kg for the pair (size 9.5W). In addition to the aforementioned GoreTex, leather and flame-retardant treated nylon in foliage are processed. Color-wise, it goes perfectly with UCP or ABU (Digital Tigerstripe of the Air Force), as the leather is quite light.

Logo: The heel has the discreet engraving "Belville".

The lacing (for size 9.5) consists of 4 hollow rivets in the lower area and 6 eyelets in the mid and shaft area. This ensures that the boots, in combination with the nylon-coated round laces, can be tightened securely over the entire shaft with one pull.

The Vibram sole is made of firm Vibram and according to our research, is NOT puncture-proof! However, it is heat, acid, and oil resistant.

The tread provides good grip in damp forests as well as in the desert on sand and stones.

The relatively high shaft ensures a secure hold when laced correctly and provides good ankle protection. Since the shaft consists largely of nylon fabric, it fits very well and offers high wearing comfort.

Due to the Goretex processing, the shoe is 100% waterproof (tested by wading through a stream for about 7 hours, but at the same time this makes the shoe somewhat hotter in extremely hot regions compared to the 550 model without Goretex, although it was bearable at +45-50°C (tested over eight weeks in the United Arab Emirates and six months in Oman).

However, the installed steel cap provides a significant cold bridge in cold weather, here a plastic cap would be more pleasant (tested at 0-10°C), so neoprene socks are definitely recommended in snow!

Although the seams stand out slightly after only two years of daily wear on the construction site, they are excellently crafted and hold up like new. And this despite the fact that the shoe was purchased second-hand and it's uncertain what it had gone through before.

CONCLUSION: So far, it has proven itself in extreme situations (by German standards) and is highly recommended for temperatures of 5-35°C. Since I occasionally bump my toes against stair steps or require a steel cap for work, the shoe has become my most important piece of equipment that I wouldn't want to be without. Only in extremely warm conditions would I prefer a shoe without Goretex due to breathability, and in extreme winter conditions one without a steel cap, in which case the Belville 550 or comparable models from HAIX or Danner would be suitable.

These boots are notable for the steel cap and being 100 percent waterproof. The high shaft with quick lacing system provides good support. The Belville 650 ST is extremely durable and can be found at a very reasonable price when used. However, they quickly cause cold toes in cold weather and are only moderately breathable due to Goretex.

The Belville 650 ST can be found on Ebay.com for around 30 Euros used and in good condition. They cost around 150 dollars new.

Special thanks to Barthel for this review.