Night Ops

Footwear is crucial night ops, and I have been doing a great amount of research on it. I will soon be buying a pair of "boots", called "Altama Maritime Assault", specifically the high top version. They are a mixture of a running shoe and a boot, offering stability and flexibility. I believe that this makes these perfect for an urban environment, where stable boots are unnecessary for the most part. I will purchase the maritime version for two reasons; one, they offer the color grey which they do not for the urban, and two, I sometimes must traverse wetlands and the drainage system will be beneficial. These shoes are similar to the ones issued to British commandoes in WWII because they have a rubber sole and are flexible. For additional silence, gray socks can be slipped over the outside if necessary.

They'll need a break-in period to become flexible & quiet, so wear them out when you first get them.

Update, I returned them. If you operate in the middle of nowhere, they are probably a good shoe, as they enable some flexibility while retaining a tactical look. However, for an environment where people are present or for the operative who wants perfect silence, these are not the shoes. They are not flexible enough for quick AND quiet movement, and the inside material, no matter the conditions, make a consistent squelchy sound. The material is best described as what you would find on the inside of a knee pad, it is very airy and would dry quickly. As for fall use, I guess they would be suitable, but I live in Florida where seasons are essentially non-existent. I just break up the seasons into "Hot" and "Cold".

Told you they need a break-in period. Have that same squeaky problem with nearly all my boots, but a few days of wear & tear softens them to near silence.

Unfortunately, there was no breaking these in. While they would have eventually become more flexible the problem was mainly the material. The only way to move mostly silently in them was to traverse at a stalking pace, so approximately one step every thirty seconds or minute.

I ordered these(https://xeroshoes.com/shop/activity/per ... /prio-men/) instead. They are highly flexible, low to the ground, and I can use them for other stuff outside of operating. A good excuse for my mother, who pretty much questions everything I buy regardless of whether it is night ops related or not. I additionally am trying out some Under Armour heat gear stuff, as it is tight and silent. I think I may look a little goofy though...

Thermals, even just on their own, can get uncomfortably hot in warmer temperatures. Especially when doing anything physical like night ops and especially in humid climates. You'll probably want something more breathable & quick-drying - cycling or MMA tights should do the job better than thermals and, since they're designed to be outerwear, you can find them in a lot more colour options than underarmour thermals. I got myself one of these (the Kryptek Typhon one) and it works great:
https://www.aliexpress.com/i/32754050893.html
Tight-fitting, good pattern, flexible, silent and has breathable panels where you tend to sweat the most. Haven't used it in any particularly hot weather yet (it's currently winter here) but I've had good results so far.

I just got the Under Armour stuff today, and it fits very well. They make little to no sound except for when the material rubs together fast, and they are in the "HeatGear" category. That means that they are not thermals, but are meant to help control body heat, increase performance, and are meant for heat. While I doubt the supposed health benefits, such as an increase in performance, people say they work very well in hot and humid climates. UnderArmour additionally makes "ColdGear", which is obviously meant for cold weather. So while I value your experienced opinion, I still think that these will work well. I would not ever wear Kryptek, especially the "Typhon" pattern, because it is more tacticool than anything. At a distance, they work fine, but up close they start to fail, especially in an urban environment. Additionally, the Typhon pattern is just for looks-It serves absolutely no function in terms of camouflage. I have been doing a lot of research and preparation for a video, and possibly post, on camouflage for nighttime. However, Kryptek Typhon is better than solid black or human skin. Camouflage does not matter too much for an average night opper, but if one wants to look like a "professional" would, black is not a good choice, but certainly not as bad as the couch ninjas say.

I must admit I'm somewhat of a sucker for anything Kryptek, but as far as dark urban patterns go Typhon is as functional as any other. At a distance or even up close, if one is hiding among similarly textured terrain (gravel, concrete, marble, rubbish, construction/building equipment, etc) it works a little better than solid black.

It does work better than solid black, but what is the most predominant color in an urban environment? Grey, and a lighter shade than most people think. Now add depth with a camouflage, preferably a digital one, and you have the best pattern. This is research not my opinion, but I plan on showing the research sometime in the future, along with actual testing. Kryptek Typhon is also more effective than Black Multicam. I will speak about camouflage more in-depth later, because even more elements need to be considered, such as light, shadows, clarity, human vision, and the human ability to pick out different shapes and silhouettes that are familiar. I am not trying to argue, I just have a different opinion. Camouflage is also not a huge deal breaker for the casual opper, but for someone who wants to emulate a professional in real life, black is not the correct choice.