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You know what, my $15 US issue Desert Storm-2006ish surplus desert boots have been running strong with a moderate amount of care for about 6 years now. They ABSOLUTELY NEED an aftermarket insole and some breaking in though.
I wouldn't buy them used, but if you can buy them new I'd absolutely recommend them, but that's all good advice or any surplus boot.
Don't buy used (you need to break them in yourself to match YOUR foot), if you do buy used try that motherfucker on first, take care of the boot, buy a goddamn suitable supportive insole (cushy gel shit is not good; but an insole which supports the arch and leaves no room for movement of the heel).
A boot which flexes and moves the way your foot wants to move is what you want. What you DON'T want is a boot which allows your ankle and arch to move in an uncontrolled way. Your boots are your boots, and your feet are for life. All the brand advice in the world can't help you if you don't buy boots which don't work WITH (not for) your feet.
An absolute must with any boot is to wear it under heavy regular strain (walking, running, standing etc) before you field it, so that you can get used to the weight, feel, and dynamics of the boot vs. feet so that you don't have to think about them during a game.
Boots are helping you, or hurting you. There's no middle-ground.
I will support previous posters, though, by saying that you should be prepared to drop heavy coin on a boot regardless, and the difference between a good boot and a dead boot is the level of care which you apply to it.
Nike runners should die in a year or two because they're built that way, for that purpose.
If a boot dies in a year or two, it's because you fucked up somewhere.
If a boot dies in a year or two even though you've done all you can to treat it well, you still didn't do enough, or they were shitty boots and you learn from the prchase and moved on to a better boot.
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