YDS Tornado Combat Boots On Test

The latest pair of combat boots we have on test are the YDS Tornado GTX from Turkish manufacturer Yakupoğlu Deri Sanayi A.Ş., writes Bob Morrison.

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The YDS Group, the parent company of Yorkshire technical footwear brand GOLIATH for the last 20 years, not only has a history of footwear production dating back to 1880 but is a major supplier of both NATO combat boots and European blue light services safety shoes and boots. Additionally, in the not too distant past the YDS Falcon and YDS Kestrel boot models have been supplied in quantity for British Army Desert Lightweight Patrol and Patrol boot categories respectively.

The new YDS Tornado GTX model, currently available in both Brown and Coyote Tan, has Nubuck leather and textile uppers over a Gore-Tex membrane lining sock on top of a dual density polyurethane and rubber Vibram composite sole unit. Intended for operational and tactical use, I suspect this model may comply with the UK MoD Combat High Liability footwear category requirements.

As a full-on combat boot, the YDS Tornado GTX model would have been overkill for my last assignment (a 28-hour visit to Nuremberg for the Enforce Tac 24 expo, with cross-UK travel by train before and after) so I have only been able to subject this pair to light use so far. However my initial thoughts are positive and I look forward to taking these boots off somewhere more suitable for some decent testing in the not too distant future.

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