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View Full Version : The Ao Test Monkey Reviews: The New Dye ATC Shoes



DiRTyBuNNy
12-06-2002, 01:29 AM
Yes..welcome to a new episode of the AO Test Monkey Presents...and today I'm reviewing the new Dye ATC Shoes. How did I get a pair do you ask? Ah-ha good, quesion. Although us SoCal AO'ers may not get any love, but there are perks to being within biking distance to Dye Precision (not that i have stradled a bike in wwwwaayyyyy too many years.)I got a call today on my cell phone that the shoes were in so I hightailed it down to the Dye Factory during my lunch to pick up my new kicks.
http://pages.prodigy.net/danlathum/IM000517b.JPG
On first glance they do come in a rather attractive stylish box (hhhmmm..wonder if the X-Mag will come in a box like this..and these are just shoes) with a nice Dye and A.T.C. (All Terrain Cleats for all you noobs) logo on the front. The box actually closes with a small scrap of velcro; a nice touch on something that most people take for granted. Upon openning the box i was confronted with the smell of a new pair of shoes, just like new car smell, everyone can remember the time when we were kids and that smell of our new shoes right before the first day of school. Dye even packages a nice heavy duty nylon zippered bag for the shoes to go into. We all know how nasty our shoes look after a day playing paintball and I've just been using a regular plastic shopping bag to throw my current pair of paintball cleats in.
http://pages.prodigy.net/danlathum/IM000519b.JPG
On to the shoes, The nice thing about the ATC's is the
fact that they do not have a tongue like a normal pair of shoes, you actually slip your foot into a sock inside of the shoes which makes them very comfortable and I've heard of many reports of people wearing them without socks. Not my style; but hey, if you can do it, go right ahead. They have what seems like a zip up nylon cover over the laces which keeps them from getting either jacked up or covered in mud.
They've got a tread pattern on the bottom which i'm sure Dye has a cool name for, but all i know is that it seemed nice and chunky with what seemed like lots of grip but I won't be playing paintball for a week or two (and I think Capo can chime in about that part because she had a pair at WC).
Some people will complain that they're not hightops and I really can't explain why Dye went with the low skateboard shoe look with their first try at a paintball specific shoe. My only guess is that they were trying to get people to do what I'm doing. To buy a pair for paintball and a pair just to wear in place of normal "tennis shoes."
I threw on a pair of mine while still at work and wore them for about an hour while at my desk. They were nice and comfy and felt better than the Addidas shelltoes that I normally wear at my job (I may sound like a total Dye fanboy, but ask Bad_Knees. I am the AO Test Monkey and for testing purposes I purchased two pair, one for show and one for go.)
Well...here's where it all comes down to. They are expensive and I'm not going to hide from that fact. At a price of roughly $80 retail they're quite a bit more than the Nike's you can buy at your local sporting goods store; but when you buy Dye you're not only buying style but quality which is something these shoes have in spades.
This is the Ao Test Monkey signing off for now. Look for review in the future of the the new JT "Tourney Series" Pants and their new Bottle Covers (not just another ER or Smart Part Bottle cover rip-off.)

Clare
12-06-2002, 02:05 AM
but all i know is that it seemed nice and chunky with what seemed like lots of grip but I won't be playing paintball for a week or two (and I think Capo can chime in about that part because she had a pair at WC).

I got a lot of wear out of them at wc (both on and off the field) and they're great. They grip nicely and are extremely comfortable. I was worried that I may sprain my ankle, since they're pretty low, but that didn't prove to be a problem.

joeyjoe367
12-06-2002, 03:40 AM
Could you toss up some pics of the Zippered bag?

Also, it says "ATC" as in "All Terrain Cleats" but do they actually have "teeth" like real cleats do? I don't think I'd want to wear them around if they were actual cleats.

The Frymarker
12-06-2002, 08:10 AM
Ahhh I think I'll stick with my tactical assualt boots;)

hawpunch
12-06-2002, 09:02 AM
any chance you can post some pics of hte bottom of the shoe to show off the cleats? thanks bunny.

aloha,

jae park

JEDI
12-06-2002, 09:12 AM
My buddy on my team picked up a pair at World Cup. They look very comfortable. They dont have Lugs like a cleat, but they do have very agressive Multi-directional "teeth". He's used them on both wet grass, and mud. He said they performed just as well as a conventional pair of cleats. He did say they felt comfortable wearing them off the feild too, because, like I said, the Lugs aren't awkward.

Phil
12-06-2002, 09:46 AM
My DYE gloves fell apart after a couple of months. My DYE attack pack is falling apart after 6 months. My friends DYE gloves fell apart. I wont buy DYE clothing again.

Philip

JEDI
12-06-2002, 10:03 AM
I won't dispute that your DYE stuff is falling apart, but I've never had any problems with any of my DYE gear. I've got a lot of it too. I am a DYE whore! I wont insult you with the whole "user error" explaination, but would you describe the treatment of your gear as "reasonable"?

the123
12-06-2002, 10:30 AM
I was about a 1/2" away from buying a pair at WC also. Usually, my brain isn't seated properly and I end up buying buying buying. The reason I didn't was when closely examining the shoes and stitching, especially the neoprene laces cover, they didn't look like they would hold up as good(or as long) as a basic pair of Nike football cletes. The Diggers looked a LOT more durable, but I saw someone who had a pair of Diggers for about a year and the tread was about gone. I punish all my equipment, I feel that if I can successfully use a product for years that it's it for me to buy again. My last pair of Nike football cletes lasted about 6 or 7 years. Outside of paintball The ATC shoes are very stylish and when I tried it on at WC, they felt very comfortable.

Will Wood
12-06-2002, 11:04 AM
I am the only real monkey....

But I only have one pair of shoes, and it will stay that way. One pair is one too many..I'm not a big shoe fan. But good job on the review anyways.

DiRTyBuNNy
12-06-2002, 11:26 AM
I can posts a picture or two of the sole once I get home from work today. I've had diggers, I've had jungle boots, and really they aren't that comfortable. The Dye shoes are comfortable and I can't take that away from them. As I said, I haven't had a chance to play with them yet. I will follow up with a little mini re-review after I've beat them up a little and we'll see if they really can hold-up to the abuse that paintball can dish out.

and Phil; If your dye gear is falling apart, did you ever try to speak with Dye regarding this problem? I have someone at Dye I can direct you towards in QA who can speak with you about your issues.

BTw, Will..you are the one true monkey..the name actually comes from a joke between Bad_Knees and myself. I didn't think the Ao Test BuNNy sounded that great..but i may post under that heading in the future.

hawpunch
12-06-2002, 01:05 PM
hey bunny,

how light are the shoes? would it be comfortable using them for jogging (like for distances exceeding 2 miles)? thanks for the info. and do the shoe sizes run like regular shoes?

aloha,

jae park

DiRTyBuNNy
12-06-2002, 01:55 PM
They don't seem heavy at all..no more than any other skateboard styled shoe. The shoes seem to run pretty true from my own experience but i would say to try them on before you buy them.

hawpunch
12-06-2002, 02:16 PM
thanks!

aloha,

jae park

DiRTyBuNNy
12-06-2002, 03:41 PM
No problem. and you'll see a lot more reviews from me in the future.

EsPo
12-06-2002, 03:56 PM
man.. imo those are fugly... i think ill just stick to the old size 6 etnies... btw, im size 8.5 now

personman
12-06-2002, 04:02 PM
Hmm..
Let me know how they feel just walking around, maybe update us after a month and update us on how well they are holding up, their comfort, ect..
That inside sock thing sounds just like my current timberland shoes.. we spent about 80 on that pair too..
For paintball cleats, IMO 80 is a tad high, but for regular walking shoes combined.. thats pretty good..
Hey, maybe I'm looking at my next pair of shoes here..
(Mine are falling apart, but they can last a little longer methinks)

DiRTyBuNNy
12-06-2002, 04:51 PM
Well...the reason i write these reveiws is so people can be more informed regarding a lot of new products like these. I'm not apprehensive at all to trying new products so i just give my opinion and you can take it or leave it. An informed consumer is an intelligent consumer.

and btw. They're fugly because they're size 13.5 shoes...nothing on my feet looks nice..that's why comfort is so important to me.

FalconGuy016
12-11-2002, 11:37 AM
<img src="http://store6.yimg.com/I/actionvillage_1717_263925162">

Army
12-11-2002, 02:50 PM
Thanks Bunny! I was trying to decide between the "Avalanche" Vans, and the new half boot sold by Paintball Daddy. But these new Dyes look pretty sweet. I checked them out in Vegas, and they seem well built and able to take the sliding and grinding that is paintball.

Good report, waiting for the "I used them" report:)

wyn1370
12-11-2002, 03:03 PM
hey army
I don't know if paintball daddy even sells the half boot anymore. I looked last week sometime at their website and they aren't there anymore.

Army
12-11-2002, 03:29 PM
He just told me that his site took a bad hit, and is in the process of being re-built. The current site is actually an older version.

wyn1370
12-11-2002, 03:32 PM
good cause I was looking at grabbing a pair of em

PaInTbALL zAcH
12-11-2002, 08:22 PM
i bought mine at cup in october and they are great. Really comfy and they keep your feet clean. the zipper is great fro keeping your shoes tied