I looked up the original study. Sorry I don't have the link. The study was done with 5 healthy males on a treadmill and only measured oxygen uptake.

On a treadmill, the pack essentially doesn't move, so it's no wonder 1 pound on the feet equals 6.4 pounds in the pack. The change was only .96% in oxygen use.

To make matters worse, they used a pack weight of 35% of the person's body weight and a boot up to 5% of the person's body weight.

I've been researching modern combat boots. They aren't what my mother used to wear. There are many types designed for specific uses from sitting behind a desk to duty in Afghanistan. They have 4, 6 and 8 inch ankles. The big ones weigh about 20 ounces more than my shoes.

The cost is very low. The good ones are about $100 to $150 at Ranger Joes. For those with access to a military clothing store, the prices range from about $70 to $109.

Popular brands are New balance Burkmaster, Belleville Kiowa and Blackhawk.

The wear is amazing. I spoke to a soldier who went to Afghanistan and used the same boot for 15 months. He was going out on almost daily patrols of 20 miles a day. I realize this sounds unbelievable. Read the reviews as some boots don't fare so well.

Break-in times range from right out of the box to very slow break-in with specific instructions how to do it without too much pain.

I've found socks are just as important as the shoe. The military doesn't just have the old black wool socks anymore. There are many other choices at about a third the cost of socks from backpacking stores. Just google military socks and you will find some.