The Definitive Guide to GORUCK Boots – MACV-1 vs MACV-2

If you’re into rucking and, by extension, if you’re into GORUCK, you’re likely pretty familiar with the company’s extensive line of bags.

This is understandable. A “ruck” is the colloquial term for the bags used to “ruck” which also happens to 2/3 of GORUCK’s company name.

However, you’ve deliberately clicked on the link to this specific article…the one that doesn’t discuss bags or even the less extensive, but still formidable GORUCK shoe offerings.

Today we’re talking about GORUCK boots or, more specifically, the GORUCK MACV-1 vs MACV-2.

For those of you old enough to remember, you could say that it’s a “Return of the Mack” kinda post…

While the GORUCK boot offerings aren’t as extensive as their bags or shoes, in my experience, there are enough differences between these boots to warrant a deep dive. If you’re into more “trad” rucking, there is one line of GORUCK boots that will appeal to you much more than if you’re into faster or “dynamic” rucking.

Hopefully by the time we finish up, you’ll know exactly where you stand and which of the two will work best for you.

Before we started, if you’re also interested in GORUCK bags, check out our definitive guide to GORUCK backpacks, bags, and vests! Also, if you’re more of a shoe guy, check out our definitive guide to GORUCK shoes!

GORUCK Boots: MACV-1 vs MACV-2

It would be easy to make the argument that in the last year or so, the GORUCK boot offerings have been given significantly less attention than much of their other gear.

New rucks keep coming out, either in very high iterations of existing options or with interesting variations like the “Birdwell” or even the “Berserker Viking”. Also, with GORUCK’s new(ish) relationship with CrossFit, a lot of attention has been given to its shoes with its Ballistic Trainers and Rough Runner options being prominently displayed in high-level competitions.

Meanwhile, the GORUCK boot offerings have been chilling in the background. While the MACV-1 has seen some additional iterations (the beloved HI-Speeds and its own “Berserker Viking” option) and the MACV-2 has numerous “Safety Boot” variations, GORUCK boots seem to be content to keeping things consistent and sticking to what works.

Because what they’re doing does work.

Despite being an iteration of the OG MACV-1s, the MACV-1 HI-Speed boots have assumed the role as the boot’s “flagbearer”. Lighter and more in line with “functional fitness” and related training endeavors than the vast majority of other rucking boots, I wouldn’t be surprised if the people at GORUCK placed more of an emphasis on this style of boot to better reflect the preferences of its customer base.

“We took our classic MACV-1™ rucking boots and deconstructed them to be as lightweight and immediately comfortable as they can be. They’re the most like an athletic shoe you can possibly make a boot.”

Of course, GORUCK is never one to shy away from hyperbole, but I think the MACV-1 HI-Speeds have a pretty good argument in regards to that rather grandiose claim in the final sentence.

Interestingly enough, the current iteration of the MACV-2s are closer to the original MACV-1s than any other GORUCK boots currently on the market. Their heavier, more durable, grippier, and thicker materials make them ideal for “pure” rucking and it should come as no surprise that they actually are recognized as such on our list of the best boots for rucking.

“The MACV-1™ modernized the Vietnam-era jungle boot, and the MACV-2™ continues that legacy with an all-new outsole for unprecedented traction and even more support.

Suitable for the needs of Special Forces soldiers who spend a career on their feet, all over the world, with heavy rucks on their backs. And for all adventurers who are looking to support their feet on long trips, journeys, and in their daily active lives. MACV-2™ is ready when you are.“

Once again, GORUCK’s marketing team isn’t embellishing anything with that description. The MACV-1 HI-Speeds are some of the best training boots out there, but if your brand of rucking calls for moving under serious loads over serious terrain where durability and foot and ankle stability are paramount, The MACV-2s are going to be really tough to beat.

Those intros aside:

“Pure” Rucking

There are a lot of people who ruck on nice trails, streets, the sidewalk, or even on treadmills who get a perfectly excellent stimulus from this activity. I know that this is true because I happen to be one of these people.

With that being said, when I think more about “base-level” rucking, the kinds of rucking you fantasize about when you’re thinking about getting started with walking under load, or picking out your first bag…

…or your first pair of GORUCK boots…

When it comes to dealing with heavier terrain (ex. deep brush, crag, elevation ascents and descents, etc.) both the MACV-1 and MACV-2 boots are up to the task…but one of these is much more capable than the other…

The MACV-1 HI-Speeds’ most significant feature for this brand of rucking is there dual compound outsole. While dual compound hard, rubber isn’t exactly anything to write home about in this industry, it isn’t really below “standard” in this respect.

This outsole is not only sufficient for withstanding more intrusive elements that might penetrate less resilient outsoles, but also allows the boots to better grip uneven ground, rocks, wet natural debris, etc. With that being said, I don’t find the grip to be that impressive, especially on “obstacles” like wet leaves where I have had some near slips before.

The leather suede of the boots’ upper materials is thinner than most boots, but I have found them to be almost as resistant to the elements as other options are. The bottom cleats/lugs are significant enough to add a bit of traction, but they would need to be a bit deeper to better handle deeper and more significant brush, particularly over the course of a longer ruck.

Right off the bat, the MACV-2s separate themselves with the additional layer of their outsoles. The differences between the MACV-1’s dual compound outsole and the MACV-2’s triple compound outsole are extremely apparent in terms of the how much more secure the bottom of the boot feels (both inside and out) as well as in regard to how much grippier they feel.

The MACV-2s feel much better on terrain, more effortlessly adhering to odd or wet objects while at the same time better protecting vulnerable areas of the foot (most notably the ankles) as they navigate this terrain. The thicker, heavier suede of the upper materials is also noticeable; I may have just a few scuffs and abrasions on my MACV-1s, but I don’t have any on my MACV-2s.

The MACV-2s lugs are deeper and penetrate better than the MACV-1s do. While this can actually be a bit more of an annoyance, if not an outright liability on more even terrain, they work really well in the nastier stuff.

The overall weight of the MACV-2s is slightly off-putting, but only if you’ve grown accustomed to lightweight boots like the HI-Speeds. If you’re used to more “standard” ruck boots, you’re very unlikely to feel any significant weight difference.

Overall, the MACV-1s are certainly not bad “pure” rucking boots…but…the MACV-2s are simply superior in every measurable area in this category. I understand that this brand of rucking is less popular with the general/more “casual” rucking population, but if this is your preferred style, at least for decent percentage of your outings, the MACV-2s are clearly the way to go.

Winner: MACV-2

“Speed” Rucking

It’s probably a more loose definition than most people would appreciate, but we define “speed” rucking as rucking on sidewalks, street pavement, or even treadmills and/or Air Runner-like machines at a pace that is faster than the average ruck pace.

To be honest, if the aforementioned surfaces are where the majority of your rucking takes place, this is the category you should probably be most concerned with.

In the next section, the MACV-1’s adeptness at facilitating dynamic movements will be discussed at length, but, even though we have assigned it the same rating in both areas, this is where it really shines.

When you already have a significant amount of weight on your back, every extra ounce in your boots just makes each step more tedious. The MACV-1 HI-Speeds’ 14-ounce weight (per boot) definitely puts these in the “lightweight” weight class. Granted, this means that the upper material isn’t quite as thick, there is more webbed portions, and the rubber compound isn’t as robust, but on pavement…who cares?

The EVA foam midsole, which is present in both of the GORUCK boot options we’re discussing here, does a good job of absorbing the load and providing a slight rebound out of each step. As long as you’re not sporting, like, 100-plus pounds in your ruck, you should notice the impact of this rather thin material.

Considering the overall benefits you get from opting for lighter boots (only when you’re moving under load, though!) the MACV-1s are really tough to beat here.

GORUCK’s MACV-2 boots don’t do a bad job in the “speed” rucking department, but it’s pretty obvious that their utility in this area is nowhere close to its “pure” rucking utility.

Despite being a heavier, thicker boot, it actually takes a little while to notice its weight. Even then, if you’re used to rucking boots of a “normal” weight, these probably don’t feel all that heavy.

Things like the triple compound (grip, traction) and heel counter (ankle support, “alleged” blister resistance), which are great on rugged terrain, just kind of end up making the boots less functional for rucking on even terrain (I actually find the heel counter to be a little awkward on pavement).

I do appreciate some of the stabilizing mechanisms from the MACV-2s when I’m going downhill (my “brakes” aren’t great) as well as having the ability to plant a little harder during descents. However, this obviously isn’t an issue on a track, completely flat pavement or on a treadmill.

Overall, it probably isn’t all that fair comparing a GORUCK boot with “HI-Speed” (sic!) in its name against one that isn’t identified as such. However, considering the sheer number of ruckers I know who are exclusively “pavement ruckers”, I feel like its my duty to be as explicit as possible about the differences between these boots.

You wanna go fast (and we’ll discuss going really fast in the next section), go with the MACV-1s.

Winner: MACV-1

“Dynamic” Rucking

So many of the MACV-1’s qualities that lend themselves to excelling in the “speed” rucking category also apply to their “dynamic” rucking ability.

The whole “rucking boots that feel like sneakers” mantra that GORUCK uses to promote these…its legit. If you’re into CrossFit (and if you’re not, you should be) and are used to shoes like Nanos or Metcons or even Ballistic Trainers, don’t expect a similar feel and experience…but you’re not gonna be that far off, either.

Obviously, the boots being lightweight goes pretty far in making them at least “functional” for…heh…”functional training”. As expected, they’re heavier than just about any type of training shoe you’d ever want to wear, but this weight is much more manageable than when dealing with something significantly heavier (which we’ll get to shortly…)

I don’t have to adjust my running gait in my MACV-1s and can actually maintain a decently consistent speed in them. I’ve done legit runs (unweighted) of ~4 miles in these and my shins and legs in general have felt better than they do when doing something like Murph in most of my CrossFit shoes (which are, to be fair, almost universally notoriously bad for distance running).

They don’t do as well with shorter bursts and more agility-type of work, but I can appreciate the lugs/treads when training on grass (completely flat-bottomed CrossFit shoes are no match in this regard!)

As far as moving in them for more specific dynamic movements (ex. barbell work, kettlebell work, sandbag work), the less aggressive lugs makes it easier to remain “grounded” in them and in contact with the floor. I wouldn’t suggest Olympic lifting in these, but for more standard metabolic conditioning work, these hold up really well.

In contrast, the MACV-2s aren’t…bad at this type of stuff…but they’re really not made for it. The heft of the boots along with the superfluous (for these activities) additions like the heel counter just make dynamic activity awkward.

When I’m trying grabbing a heavy sandbag or other implement that requires a degree of balance and connection to the floor to facilitate…well…that MACV-2s don’t really do it for me. The thicker outsole combined with the more intense lugs aren’t ideal for this type of work.

Thankfully, the boots’ heft makes it difficult to turn an ankle, but at the same time, I’m not really willing to attempt the kinds of movements that I’m most likely to turn an ankle in when I’m wearing the MACV-2s for training.

No real argument here; the MACV-1s are the clear winners here.

Winner: MACV-1

Customer Reviews

NOTE: Because the “OG” MACV-1s have pretty much been phased out and the more niche offerings have so few reviews (and are likely less popular options), we used the MACV-1 HI-Speed customer reviews for this comparison.

GORUCK gear gets a lot of love from customers and GORUCK boots are no exception. Like the next category (“Price”), there is little separation between the contenders in this area and customers are overwhelmingly pleased with their purchases, whether these happen to be for the MACV-1s or MACV-2s.

However, as has become “customary” in this showdown, the MACV-1s come out ahead…again.

Sporting an incredibly impressive 4.9 out of 5 cumulative review score, the MACV-1s are almost universally adored by customers. What may be more impressive is that out of the current 75 review scores, 69 are 5-star reviews and another 4 are 4-star reviews (the odd, single 3-star and 2-star reviews round things out).

None of this is to say that the MACV-2s are slacking in this area or that people like them much less than the MACV-1s. Out of a much larger sample size (currently 680 reviews) over 550 give them a perfect score while just over 50 people give them a 1, 2, or 3-star score.

…so it’s pretty hard to go wrong with either GORUCK boot option…

One thing I will note, and that I almost always note with GORUCK products, is that it is really hard to find reviews for the company’s gear on 3rd-party platforms and other retail sites. Rogue has a pretty decent selection of GORUCK gear and Amazon recently started stocking some of their stuff, but you won’t fine GORUCK boots, or any substantial number of reviews, in these places.

I’m generally not quite as high on GORUCK’s gear as the people who are leaving reviews on the main site are, but other than a few select items, I think the reviews are reasonable enough to take at face value. (after all, “the people” rate the MACV-1s higher than the MACV-2s…they obviously know something!”)

Winner: MACV-1

Price

If you have any previous knowledge or experience with GORUCK’s…”pricing structure”, you probably know that their gear certainly ain’t the cheapest on the market.

The, on average, higher-than-normal price tags on GORUCK products is partially due to the higher production quality (not to mention the Lifetime Guarantee that comes with each product) of its goods and partially due to the name recognition.

While this price disparities between GORUCK and other companies can actually be pretty large, in the boots department, these price differences are actually pretty reasonable.

To be honest, the price differential between the GORUCK Boot offerings is very unsubstantial and is not likely to be the deciding factor for anyone. However, all of the MACV-2 variations fall into the incredibly common $160-$190 range. In contrast, there are multiple MACV-1 options that are just under this, clocking in at $155.

The MACV-2 high-top boots are also at least $10 more expensive than the MACV-1 high tops (and $20 more than mid-tops).

We can get into the weeds with the different “Traveller”, “Safety”, and “Berserker” options, but, for the most part, the MACV-2s are going to run slightly higher than the MACV-1s.

Winner: MACV-1

Overall Winner

According to our metrics, the GORUCK’s MACV-1 HI-Speed boots are the winner.

You know, I kinda feel bad about declaring a “winner” here since we didn’t intend to make this a formal “competition” between the current GORUCK boot offerings. While the MACV-1 HI-Speeds “won” in a large number of scored areas, the intention of this post was to showcase each boot and to provide some essential information to help you decide which one is best for you.

That last part…”is best for you” is the operative phrase here.

If you’re never setting foot on anything other than pavement or even the rubber material on your treadmill, you probably don’t really care about the MACV-2’s superior grip and all-around resiliency on terrain.

In contrast, if you know that your preferred (or even “assigned”) rucking environments are going to throw everything and the kitchen sink at your feet…well…I don’t suggest you gamble with boots that you can move really quickly in over boots that are going help are going to hold up (and that will help you hold on!) when the going gets really rough.

Worst case, you cover all of your bases and opt for both GORUCK boot choices.

I mean, I did…and I’m not (that) crazy!

Our Testing Process

I’m lucky enough to live in an area that I describe as being “the perfect environment for rucking”.

Forest trails, large open fields, hills, farmland, well-paved roads, and even mountains…there are truly opportunities for all types of rucking out here.

(…you can probably see where I’m going with this)

Over the last year, I’ve put my GORUCK boots to the test on what has probably turned out to be a weekly basis. I ruck a bit in my Mackall shoes and even did a bunch of rucking in my Rough Runners (although, after rolling my ankle pretty badly in them last April, I’ve been gun shy for a bit!), but the boots are in my rotation at least once per week, even more in the colder months.

Between putting them through the rigors in these elements, I’ve also experimented with different loads (to include unloaded training, particularly when I’m in more of a “speed” or “dynamic” rucking situation) and a lot of different bags.

In most cases, I wouldn’t even call my experiences “formal” testing; I just like to try different gear during my workouts (as long as it doesn’t suck, of course!)

Frequently Asked Questions

You still got GORUCK boot questions? Let’s put these agonizing inquiries to rest, once an for all…

Conclusion

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…I am not a boot guy…

However, when dealing with the boots that were named the best boots for “pure” rucking and boots that are top-of-the-line “speed” and “dynamic” rucking boots, I’m open to make some exceptions…

The GORUCK boot offerings may not be the most extensive; there are a few different variations of each boot, but only 2, distinct models, but each one has significant appeal to its target demographic.

If you’re into rucking of any persuasion, either the MACV-1 or the MACV-2 will do what you need for it to do. If, for some reason, neither of these boots can do what you’re looking for…you’re probably not looking for rucking boots!

On a final note, if you’re also interested in GORUCK bags, check out our definitive guide to GORUCK backpacks, bags, and vests! Also, if you’re more of a shoe guy, check out our definitive guide to GORUCK shoes!