What is the difference between Stellar tactical boots and Stellar Protect tactical boots?

If you are a true fan of Under Armour, you will, for sure, be a real fan of their tactical boots.

I have been a huge follower of this brand for a few years, picking myself everything from sport shirts, socks to sports shoes.

Now, I am on my feet with Under Armour Stellar tactical boots and I would say I will definitely buy them again and again.

No one loves the brand of Under Armor tactical boots without ever trying their UA Stellar tactical boot line.

This line is seen as the “National Under Armor” military/tactical boot by both its price and “excessive-value-for-the-money” quality.

The boots are super lightweight, comfortable, and hold up pretty well even when walking 8-10 miles every day on them.

They also can do well to withstand all kinds of terrains and weathers for those who perform tactical operations or law enforcement.

Above all, they are definitely waterproof in moderately heavy rains.

Yet, some people may claim better durability and protection for UA Stellar tactical boots to handle extreme working conditions and abuses.

That’s why Under Armor comes with its professional work boot, UA Stellar Protect tactical work boots – which have been upgraded from UA Stellar for better protection with added Composite toe cap.

Basically, the biggest difference between the two UA Stellar and UA Stellar Protect is the level of protection and a little difference in design to suit usability.

Wondering which one to go for? Keep reading to figure out their differences.

UA Stellar tactical boots vs UA Stellar Protect tactical boots

To get the best comparison between the two product lines, we’ll start with listing the similarities between the two first.

• UA Storm technology for great water repellency
• Leather & 900D nylon textile for perfectly lightweight
• Quick-dry minimalist construction
• Polishable toe for uniform wear
• Molded EVA midsole with reinforced TPU shank
• Low-profile rubber outsole for high traction and grip

Overall, these 2 boots have quite the same style and appearance (of course, they all belonged to the UA Stellar boot line). Even you can not figure out every single little piece of dissimilarity if no one notifies you of them.

From the Athletic style with black leather and textile, black polishable toe and majestic 1.5″ sole height for better waterproofness, all have built up a top-rated Under Armour UA Stellar boot line.

These two have also received so much positive feedback from worldwide customers for their excellent comfortability and lightweight right out of the box.

They may start out a little bit of discomfort but you will feel so good on your feet after breaking in totally.

According to my real experience and analysis, we make a table below based on several important criteria for you to visually consider both.

Read more: What Is The Difference Between Tactical Boots and Combat Boots?

The difference between Stellar tactical boots and Stellar Protect tactical boots

As noted above, UA Stellar Protect’s biggest difference is the addition of a composite inner toe for extra protection without increasing boot weight as much as the traditional steel toe.

Yet, no matter if they are all built in the same construction or are made of the same materials, but little differences in a part (the internal toe cap) and the function (used for working conditions) will lead to some other minor changes in their designs.

Let’s come closer to find out how much dissimilar they are as shown below:

The level of glossiness

The first thing we notice when seeing the two boots is that the UA Stellar Protect looks a little bit less polished than the UA Stellar. It may be difficult to figure out this thing with naked eyes.

This is likely because Stellar Protect is designed for use under normal to extreme working conditions and therefore has a high potential to damage the leather quality and shininess with chemicals, oils and industrial stains.

As a result, less glossy leather surfaces will increase the longevity of the material and are easier to maintain.

Experience overview

When we try on both types at the same size, we found that UA Stellar will fit tight as well as hold up better at ankles and toes.

While UA Stellar Protect will leave some comfortable rooms for toes and fit the ankles just right, not too tight.

Overall, UA Stellar seems to be more responsive to your moves whereas UA Stellar Protect is more comfortable when standing.

Toe Protection

Another straightforward feature is the toe part of UA Stellar Protect looks significantly larger and thicker than UA Stellar.

This is, of course, understandable because the composite toe will be added inside the toe, making this part literally bigger.

This will help prevent heat conductivity and better electricity resistance, helping to reduce the risk of dangers in harsh working conditions such as around the surface of fire, heat, and electricity.

In addition, composite toes also help keep feet warm in winter instead of feeling cold like with steel toes.

A composite toe is also much lighter than a steel toe, thus maintaining the best comfort for the wearers.

Outsole form

UA Stellar has a winding and slightly curved outsole while this part of UA Stellar Protect is usually flatter and more balanced.

This difference is because Stellar Protect is often designed for those who used to stand long during working even up to 12 hours per day. So, a flat outsole will help reduce foot fatigue better for the wearers.

Besides, UA Stellar’s winding outsole form with stiff arch provides better comfort and arch support for tactical operations with rapid and sudden moves.

The vamp, instep, and collar

The next difference is that UA Stellar Protect will have a slightly wider vamp and instep than UA Stellar.

Even insignificant and unclear to identify, it still provides a certain comfort to the wearer, especially when standing for a long time during work.

The collar part of UA Stelar Protect is tapered fit and holds the ankle well while UA Stellar’s collar is slightly wider, making the in-and-out process easier.

The outsole patterns

Another major difference is the design of the grooves on the outsole surface of both.

It is obvious to figure out that UA Stellar’s outsole patterns are designed to focus on reducing friction and increasing adhesion to the outer edge and heels as well as anti-shock in the middle of the foot.

This is suitable for wearers who often perform a variety of flexible movements at the same time such as walking, running, and jumping in different terrain conditions.

The outsole patterns of the UA Stellar Protect are designed to be more anti-slip and anti-shock for the entire foot.

Because these boots are often designed as work boots that are used by people who have to stand and walk continuously for many hours in a consistent-terrain condition.

Safety standard

UA Stellar Protect boots have satisfied ASTM F2413-11 M I/75 C/75 standard, making them authorized safety work boots.

The standard required work boots must contain permanent protective toe caps that are highly impact resistant, compression resistant and EH-rated.

For that reason, UA Stellar Protect can be an ideal work boot option for construction site workers, metal workers, machinery engineers or any manual factory worker.

Besides, UA Stellar Protect is 100% metal-free, so you can feel free to wear the boots to go through the factory security entrance (metal detector) and airport entrance without worrying about being stopped to check out.

In conclusion

Simply looking at the product description on Under Armour’s official site as well as reading throughout this article, you now know that UA Stellar is popular tactical footwear for all activities in a variety of terrain but not too focused on any feature so far.

While UA Stellar Protect is developed as a work boot line that is worn primarily in fixed working conditions.

So, if you’re looking for a pair of tactical boots to perform long trail runs, riding, climbing, hiking, trekking, or any other outdoor activities, UA Stellar is your best companion.

But if you are searching for high-performance tactical boots to work that greatly help reduce foot fatigue, we highly recommend these UA Stellar Protect boots.

Still wondering which boots to go for, we hope this article is helpful to you.