GORUCK MACV-1 HI-Speed – Our Review

For a company that is probably best known for its line of bags, GORUCK certainly has a wide range of footwear options.

We’ve previously discussed all three of their (current) lineup of shoes to include the morning training-focused Ballistic Trainers and Rough Runners as well as the rucking-focused Mackalls.

Today, we’re upping the ante and looking at GORUCK boots for the first time, specifically the MACV-1 HI-Speeds.

The HI-Speeds are the second iteration of the MACV-1, offering a set of minor adjustments intended to make “them to be as lightweight and immediately comfortable as they can be” while also being “the most like an athletic shoe you can possibly make a boot.”

That first quote is kinda a try too hard type of statement, but that second one…that’s a pretty serious claim to make.

As a guy who leans much more towards “athletic shoe” than towards “boot”, I have to confess that this was one of my more intriguing tests…

…and after giving the MACV-1 HI-Speeds a good (second) test, I think they may just live up to that lofty statement.

I’m probably always going to prefer shoes to boots, but with these in tow, I’m gonna feel less out of my depth on the cold and rainy days or when the terrain is just too crappy for Mackalls.

Let me tell you all about my different rucking (and churchgoing) ventures in my MACV-1s.

“Pure” Rucking

The MACV-1 HI-Speeds aren’t the best boots for rucking on terrain, unimproved trails, or in crappy conditions.

…but they’re pretty good tools for the job.

To be honest, after taking a break from rucking in mine for a bit to try out some other boots and shoes, when I finally laced them up again, I was surprised at just how capable they are at handling non-pavement and non-treadmill rucking.

I probably do less of this type of rucking than a lot of other people do, but boots like these make me feel more comfortable with it when I’m feeling a bit more adventurous.

Personally, and as ridiculous as it sounds, boot “grip” is my top priority. In Outlive, Dr. Peter Attia mentions the importance of being able to “put on the brakes” when moving downhill i.e. not tripping and barrelling down like some Looney Tunes character. I’ve had trouble with my downhill “brakes” for as long as I can remember (hand railings are my best friends!) so having a boot that isn’t going to sabotage my footing on the way back down is a non-negotiable.

What I have found is that the HI-Speeds maintain grip (and can even provide a bit of traction) on the main types of terrain that I encounter. Wet leaves, uneven dirt/terrain, and thick brush…they navigate and keep a hold of very well. On rockier ground, whether scattered pebbles or actual rocks/crag, they do a decent job, but it’s pretty easy to tell that this ain’t their forte.

The advertised abrasion resistance is pretty much on point and I have yet to seriously scuff my boots and nothing has come close to piercing the leather upper materials. Additionally, and again, more important to me, this “feature” works pretty well at limiting the amount of “pokes” that I feel as I’m moving.

To some extent, I can appreciate a little feedback when moving through heavier, potentially hazardous terrain, but for more run of the mill foliage, nothing is more annoying than feeling every branch or ruck graze my ankle. With these boots, I don’t get that…which I’m thankful for.

The boots’ weight (or lack thereof) will be a theme that we come back to throughout this discussion and it is worth nothing here. I know I take heavier, and probably more “deliberate” steps in the woods than I do on the road so the last thing I want is a boot weighing me down, especially if I’m going to be out for a bit. At the same time, I know that extra material is shielding my feet.

This is where the MACV-1 HI-Speeds probably shine the most. They balance adequate, but not superfluous protection with being very lightweight boots. I don’t think I’d be able to go nearly as long in heavier boots before getting fatigued/growing uncomfortable. The weight difference is that stark (and noticeable!)

One last thing to note is that the HI-Speeds is that there is something in the combination of the dual density inserts, EVA midsole, and dual compound rubber outsole that makes them better than adequate for rucking under load. Truth be told, I don’t get super heavy, but my feet feel no less stable under ~55 pounds than they do when I’m walking without weight.

There isn’t any kind of weird, sole slippage or other kind of jerky movement and I’m my feet are able to strike the ground and keep moving (unlike some “supportive” boots that can take the weight, but are where your feet go to die).

I think some people might be a little disappointed with how these would hold up in really rough terrain and those in rockier regions (or those who plan on doing more mountainous rucking) might want to opt for a grippier boot. However, I think these would work just fine for the vast majority of more casual ruckers using, for lack of a better term, “standard” weights.

“Pure” Rucking: 90

“Speed” Rucking

Truth be told, the vast majority of my rucking is done on paved roads, sidewalks, and, at worst, part-gravely/part-dirt trails.

In order to make up for this perversion of justice, I try to ruck at a faster than average (whatever that is) pace. Although more favorable ground conditions tend to make this activity “easier” than other forms of rucking in many ways, many boots seem unable to strike a good balance between durable resiliency and, for lack of a better term, “speed”.

The MACV-1 HI-Speed boots do a pretty good job at this compared to many other boots of its kind, actually, if anything else, sacrificing a bit of protection for its speed-enhancing abilities. In many ways, it actually comes kinda close to feeling more like a general training shoe than a boot.

For one, at less than 14 ounces, they’re actually the lightest training boots I have ever worn. It wasn’t a surprise to me when I found out that they are only ~half an ounce heavier than the Mackall shoes.

This is something you may initially notice, but not really appreciate…until you’re 1/3 of your way into your ruck and you realize how not heavy your feet feel.

Of course, light boots are pointless if they lack significant support. Thankfully, I find that GORUCK has struck a pretty good balance with the boot’s midsole. Despite being relatively lightweight EVA foam, my feet hit stay in line inside of the boots (as opposed to rocking around with each step) and the midsole does a good job of absorbing each step’s impact.

This is apparent even at higher speeds or…dare I say…even when running (we’ll discuss this in much further detail in the next section).

To expand on the midsole, it seems to work in conjunction with the dual compound outsole to absorb the additional weight. To be fair, “dual compound” isn’t as resilient as (most) triple-compound outsoles, however, this type of thicker, more robust outsole generally adds a little more heft to the bottoms and makes more dynamic movements more difficult.

For the purposes of moving quickly on good terrain, dual compound is probably the best combination of “shock-absorbing” and “nimble”.

Because I’m not usually rucking in deeper terrain, I don’t need an overly aggressive tread. However, on steep (I’m not…the best at downhills) and slick pavement, I need a little bit of tread for a small amount of traction. The HI-Speed’s lugs are perfect in this regard (I would argue they’re actually less aggressive than most dedicated rucking shoes are); not intense, but enough to do what I need them to do.

One final thing to note is the heel drop. At 13 millimeters, it is in line with what most dedicated running shoes are rocking and for someone who is used to running in CrossFit shoes where 4-8mm heel drops (if not lower) are the norm, I honestly feel like I’m gliding when I move in these.

Overall, I’m on the fence about whether the MACV-1 HI-Speeds are better for moving fast under load or for “working out/running in boots” kinds of days. Not knowing for sure is a good problem to have; maybe I’ll be able to clear it up better in the next section.

“Speed” Rucking: 95

“Dynamic” Rucking

Now, I know I discussed “speed” rucking above, but I think it’s important to also mention the degree to which you can actually run in these. As in running without load.

I know most people are going to opt for athletic shoes, CrossFit shoes, etc. for these types of ventures/endeavors…but you could say the same for people doing any type of “functional fitness” or “dynamic rucking” in boots.

That aside, I have been pleasantly surprised with how nice these are to run in. Like, I am really impressed with these.

The first time I put these to test in an actual time trial, I planned on doing the first 10 minutes of my CrossFit Sentinel Training conditioning programming for the day and switching them out for my Savage 1s for the last half hour. For better context, the workout looked like this:

Not only did I not feel the need to change them out due to any type of discomfort, but I was actually also making halfway decent time in them.

Yeah, a little under a 10-minute-per-mile pace isn’t really fast, but considering that I had to walk for 10 minutes of the workout, was running on the notoriously difficult Assault Runner and, ya know, I was wearing boots…I can’t complain!

(For more context, I pretty regularly clock sub-21:00 5Ks and have gone sub-19:00 a few times)

I will say that my left foot started to fall asleep during the last 10 minutes (likely from lacing that boot up too tightly), but otherwise the run went well. One of my friends asked me if I had even worked out since I didn’t seem at all fatigued and, possibly most importantly, I had zero blistering or other common abrasions afterwards.

I’ve also put the boots through the rigors of some CrossFit-style workouts…and by this I mean metcons that involve some bodyweight work, kettlebells, dumbbells, and sandbags. I’m not ready to try any type of barbell work in these, yet alone more technically complex Olympic lifts because I don’t see a good cost-benefit ratio there.

As it is, I don’t find these to be as good at facilitating these types of movements/workouts as dedicated training shoes are, but they’re not overly burdensome, either. Having given these types of workouts a try in my Mackalls, I would easily rate the MACV-1s as the better option.

I still wouldn’t say they’re as good for running as the Oakley Light Assaults or as good for general training/dynamic rucking as the Belleville AMRAPs, but the GORUCK MACV-1 HI-Speeds are definitely up there for both of these closely related activities.

“Dynamic” Rucking: 95

Everyday Wear

I’m lucky enough to live out in farmland.

Everyday boot “wearage” isn’t as popular in my parts as it is in other, more rural areas, but I don’t get a second glance wearing mine with jeans or…with other clothing combinations…

Thankfully I go to church with a bunch of farmers!

Anyways, of all of the GORUCK footwear options I own, I rock my MACV-1s out and about…by far. As comfortable as they are when I have 30 to 50 pounds strapped against my back, they are that much more comfortable as casual wear boots.

I have an ever-growing collection of scuffs and other slight abrasions on them, which is expected with regular rucking, and it’s my own fault/laziness that they would have zero chance of passing any type of inspection. I wouldn’t say they are any more or less resistant to wear and tear nor would I say that they are easier or harder to clean and maintain than other boots.

The only real “downside” I see with the MACV-1 HI-Speeds in relation to everyday usage is that they aren’t waterproof. I discussed how this is actually an advantage (to many) in one of the rucking sections, but I have different priorities when I’m out and about and it’s raining. I’m actively trying to get away from water and doing what I can to keep rain out of my boots.

If the MACV-1s were waterproof, I’d be pretty well screwed if I stepped in a giant puddle or had my lower leg exposed in some way. However, I’d prefer to take my chances with the waterproofing and getting to my car or inside ASAP.

I know, I know; you can’t have it all, but this is the one (minor) area where my everyday wear boots lose me.

General Training: 90

Construction & Materials

Straight up, a lot of the boots in this sector are comprised of similar, if not the same materials. It probably comes as no surprise that much of the upper and outer materials of the MACV-1s are suede and like other non-waterproof rucking boots, there are numerous drainage holes to reduce rain water accumulation.

Finding a boot with upper materials also comprised of Cordura is less common, although many others are made up of highly comparable ballistic nylon.

The EVA midsole is another common feature, particularly in boots designed for more “dynamic” movements, running, etc. as these are more prominent in sneakers and other athletic shoes.

The outsole’s hard plastic dual compound is more than resilient for most tasks at hand, but as far as “pure” rucking goes, I prefer something like the Garmont Bifida’s vibram outsoles. These are a bit “grippier” on rougher terrain, particularly in craggier regions or those with rockier terrain (this is one of the main reasons why the Bifida’s topped our list of the best boots for rucking!)

As much I have an odd “preference” for narrower toe boxes, I know that this really bucks the trend. I wouldn’t say that the HI-Speeds have a “wide” toe box, but they are certainly adequate for normal-sized foot dimensions, relative to actual size…meaning you won’t have to worry about toe crowding.

I would argue that the most significant and impressive “construction” feature (or at least the one that sets these boots aside in from others) is the degree to which they are able to combine these attributes together into such a lightweight boot.

Looking, again, at the Garmont Bifidas, our GORUCK entry, at just under 14 ounces is a bit more than half their weight (~23.5 ounces).

Think about lifting another half of a pound with your foot during every step of a 10-mile ruck march…it’s gonna be a lot more tiring than the alternative!

One last thing I’ll mention are the MACV1’s speed laces. I know these aren’t all that different from what other boots come equipped with, but they do “work” with these boots. These laces also come standard on the GORUCK Mackall rucking shoes and…I’m not a fan. I recently switched these out for sneaker laces and am much happier…keep the speed laces to boots!

Construction & Materials: 90

Price

Price is a major area of consideration when contemplating a GORUCK purchase. Many of the company’s products tend to lean towards the higher end (in some cases, to the much higher end) of the spectrum than its competitors.

Interestingly enough, this doesn’t really apply to any of the GORUCK boot options.

The MACV1 HI-Speed boots aren’t ever going to show up in any type of “budget bin”, but you’re never going to feel like you’re paying some type of premium for the boots, brand name, etc.

With the mid-tops currently running at $155 (the high-top variation will run you $10 more), they are right in line with all of the entries in our list of the 7 best boots for rucking (except for our “affordable” option, that is).

Giving Amazon a quick look, it isn’t too difficult to find less expensive boots (some options will even run you $100 less!), but…rucking boot really aren’t the kinds of things you want to be messing around with. Get stuck with a cheap, crappy bag and you might be a little sore after (your one time) wearing it; go cheap on some crap boots and your feet might never forgive you.

If you’re determined to spend less on your rucking boots, there are certainly good options out there that cost less than the MACV1s. At the same time, if you do decide to pull the trigger on some GORUCK boots, rest assured that the price you pay is well within in the “normal” range.

Price: 85

Customer Reviews

It would be pretty easy and accurate to say that the GR1 ruck is GORUCK’s “flagship” bag and, arguably their flagship product.

It is the (self-proclaimed) “greatest bag of all time“, after all!

I think it is just as easy to make the case that the MACV-1 is the company’s flagship footwear product.

Despite being an arguably more niche product and with significantly less visibility, the GORUCK MACV1 has more customer reviews than the Ballistic Trainer…another one of the company’s most popular products.

…and of those (at the time of this writing) there are over 3,200 reviews for the boot on the GORUCK main site. Collectively, they report a score of 4.7 out of 5.

Pretty good, but keep in mind that this is for the OG MACV1. The MACV1 HI-Speed doesn’t have…nearly as many reviews. Thankfully, of those 64 reviews (so far) 62 of them are 4 or 5-star reviews, working out to a collective score of 4.9 out of 5!

I would be willing to bet that a lot of people probably simply went to the OG MACV1 page and left reviews for the HI-Speed there. Maybe it would score a little lower (with a larger sample size)…or maybe not.

Something that I am always mindful of when including customer review scores is the source. While it’s tricky. but by no means impossible to come across GORUCK gear on third-party sites (most notably, Rogue), I have yet to find any MACV1 iteration available anywhere else.

I definitely tend to believe the main site’s reviews if, for nothing else, they all appear to be written by actual people (questionable spelling and grammar and all!) and because there are just so many of them.

As such, we’ll take that 4.9/5 all the way to the bank.

Customer Reviews: 98

Customer Service

Over the years, my experience with GORUCK’s customer service wing has steadily improved. I have yet to have a significant issue with any of my orders and when I have had to return items (sizing issues), the process has been straightforward and easy to facilitate.

I will say that many of my customer service-related inquiries have probably been a bit more obscure than the norm; one involved securing a refund for the big Normandy events that I was, unfortunately, unable to attend (I sustained a pretty significant ankle injury a few weeks out) while another involved international shipping.

The most refreshing part? Never dealing with a bot or getting some kind of canned email reply. I mean, maybe AI is evolving faster than I think and I really am dealing with Data from Star Trek or something, but otherwise, I’m happy with my interactions with the Jacksonville, Florida HQ staff.

There are some limiting features with adjusting your order post-checkout, though. I know this isn’t probably that uncommon, but I had an experience where immediately after placing my order, I had to change the shipping address. I emailed the appropriate department and was told that they were cancelling the order and I would need to make a brand new one.

This seemed a bit superfluous to me; why couldn’t they just manually adjust the shipping address? However, this wasn’t a major issue (the “muscle memory” made it easy to quickly replicate the order…with the correct address).

Overall, generally very good interactions; it’s nice dealing with empathetic and reasonable people.

Customer Service: 95

Who are GORUCK MACV-1 HI-Speed Boots Really For?

It’s actually pretty hard to put my finger on who would go out of their way to look for a sure like this. Not because the shoe is “bad”, per say, but because it is just so…average. Let’s see who might best appreciate it:

Those who want their boots to feel like a shoe

I’ve mentioned in a few of my reviews (specifically ones discussing GORUCK shoes) how I am really not much of a boot guy, specifically in relation to any type of CrossFit/”functional fitness” training sneakers. Even if they may not be the best tools for the job, I just like the way shoes feel.

If you’re like me and can’t bear the thought of trading in your shoes for boots, the MACV1 HI-Speeds would be an excellent choice for bridging the gap and even serving as a form of “training wheels” for when and if you want to give other boots a try. Worst case, you like them enough that they become your only rucking/training boots.

People who want to do more than “traditional” rucking

As surprised as I was with how well the HI-Speeds were able to handle rougher terrain rucking, these boots really shine when you get them up to speed or when you’re using them to do other types of exercise in.

I never imagined doing a metcon that involved running, rowing, and fan biking in a pair of boots (especially when I had a number of training shoe options at my disposal), but honestly felt like they were more than capable at performing these types of movements. If you plan on running, jumping, lifting, and swinging in your boots, give these a look.

Not for those looking for waterproof boots

I know that waterproof boots were all the rage for a long time and that in many circumstances, they are still pretty popular. However, for a lot of different training modalities and environments, non-waterproof boots that instead rely on superior water drainage and moisture reduction are the way to go.

If you really prefer a good pair of waterproof boots, I don’t fault you. The MACV1s (and pretty much every other GORUCK boot) ain’t for you.

How we Reviewed the MACV-1 HI-Speed Boots

I have actually had the HI-Speeds for a quite awhile now, although I wasn’t regularly rucking in them (if I opted for ruck boots, I was much more likely to go with my MACV2s). I regularly wear them in casual settings, but not as much in training settings.

Over the past month, I have worked these in to my CrossFit training sessions a couple of times per week and they have become my go-to rucking footwear.

I have tried to mix up the types of workouts I have used them for, although, in order to get an idea of what they’re like to run in (probably the most common “dynamic” activity someone would use them for), my use has been biased towards these types of training sessions. I have also mixed up the terrain (streets/sidewalks vs. trails/fields/forest) I’ve worn them on.

As I tested them, I tried to keep in mine what other boots have felt like/do feel like for comparable activities as well as how they compare to training shoes.

GORUCK MACV-1 Alternatives

When it comes to rucking boots, we’re actually pretty blessed to have so many legit options to choose from. If you’re not sold on the MACV1 HI-Speeds but like where they’re coming from, give one of these three a look:

Frequently Asked Questions

A new pair of boots means a new decision-making process. Let’s take a look at a few last-minute questions to help you decide:

The GORUCK MACV-1 HI-Speeds…the best boots for “rucking”?

You have to be careful when you make definitive statements like the end of the question above. Dealing with subjective topics like this makes this tricky enough to define and considering that a lot of people aren’t into dynamic rucking or either pure or speed rucking just invites controversy.

With that being said, I feel comfortable declaring these to be the best boots for my style of rucking which does involve all of these activities with the HI-Speeds scoring very highly in each area.

If you’re only into speed or dynamic rucking, you might be served better with either of the boots that top these categories on our list. If you’re only into pure rucking, you actually have a lot of comparable, if not slightly better options available to you.

However, if the reason that GORUCK boots were on your radar in the first place is that you want to participate in GORUCK (and related) events where, in many cases, all of these styles of rucking are on the menu, I don’t really think you can do much better.