Duty Boots

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Comfy Feet = Happy Cops.

I really enjoyed the level of attention to detail paid to our work in the movie End of Watch. There’s a great scene where the two heroes find themselves babysitting a drive-by vehicle before detectives rolled out to conduct their investigation. They took hours processing the scene while the two officers maintained a perimeter. In a comic moment, the Zavala character says, “Comfortable footwear. Policing is all about comfortable footwear.” I laughed out loud, but the more I thought about it, the movie really got it right. It couldn’t have been closer to the truth. Life is miserable when you’re working a beat and your feet are killing you.

Patrol cops face all kinds of situations — every call is different. Maybe it’s a traffic post, a hike into a canyon, clearing a large commercial building or running someone down through who-knows-what kind of terrain. My department recently brought back the walking beat in some areas. Officers on those beats are on their feet upward of 10 hours a shift — wearing 30 pounds of gear. It can get a little painful.

Yes, policing is all about comfortable footwear.

There are literally hundreds of excellent boots are out there suiting a variety of situations. This year I’ve rounded up a couple of old standbys and a few new editions. Testing was simple. I took them out on patrol and used them for weeks. I worked as much variety as possible into those weeks. I got into a couple of foot pursuits (drunks), some training runs, some range days, several baseball game details, boardwalk patrol and bike patrol. Let’s take a look at what performed.

Blackhawk!: Black ops

The BLACKHAWK! Black Ops boots have been around a while now. These boots are the most rugged of the bunch. They project an “I-don’t-mess-around” attitude. They’re constructed to maintain their shape and provide optimal support under the toughest conditions. Black Ops feel superb when slipping your foot inside — as if BLACKHAWK! found some government classified foot-cushioning material and sent it out to the public.

The steel shank imbedded in the base of the boot helps distribute weight evenly throughout the boot, and it’s especially helpful on bike patrol. Most good cycling shoes have a steel or carbon shank to help direct power to the pedals.

I’ve had several range days and training days in these boots and I can tell you, putting them on is like putting on your favorite pair of slippers — they feel great. They’re good in the office too. The full-grain leather set at the toe and heel polish up beautifully, making them ideal for any Class-A occasion.

Rocky boots: Ram Level 1

I never tried Rocky Boots before. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but they wowed me from the moment I slipped my foot into the boot. I knew the RAM (Rocky Athletic Mobility) Level 1 boots were aimed at warm climates so I expected the lightweight airy feeling. What I didn’t expect was these boots to mold to my foot so well without a break-in period. Chalk it up to all high-grade synthetic materials. Nope, there’s no leather to shine.

The RAMs got a lot of wear on patrol. I used them on a canyon search for a robbery suspect. Walking around in near-black conditions while following a K9 handler is one of the more precarious situations a patrol cop can expect. Out in that canyon I learned how great these boots perform. I was out there for hours — my feet never felt the wear and the reinforced toe and heel guards not only protected my feet, they added traction while descending in loose dirt. The RAMs made for excellent hiking boots and when I was done in the canyon I was able to wash them down and quickly bring them back to like-new status.

Under Armour: Valsetz 7″

Under Armour is new to the Patrol/Tactical Boot game. These boots aren’t aimed directly at patrol, mostly because they don’t have a shineable toe, but they make a fantastic tactical boot. The Valsetz are the featherweight of the bunch. They’re cushy and breathable and they make walking all night with 30 pounds of gear an almost enjoyable experience — almost. One chilly night I did find them lacking in the insulation department. A better wool blend sock might have helped.

Running is this boot’s forte. I haven’t come across a lighter, more comfortable running boot with better cushioning. That said, I’d prefer an 8″ version for more ankle support. Grip is also excellent. I ran across a few wet slippery surfaces where other boots would have failed to keep traction. The Valsetz always felt planted. Hats off to UnderArmour for a successful first dive into the patrol boot market.

Bates: 8″ Annobon

I was pleasantly surprised to open the Bates box and find such a great looking boot; Bates’ photos didn’t do them justice. They don’t just look cool, they feel great on your feet and provide an immense level of traction in just about any terrain. Pebble roads? No issue. Oily roads? No problem. Rain? Whatever.

They remind me of a paratrooper boot. The sole is well cushioned, extremely stable and gives a wider than average footprint for excellent traction. The upper area of the boot is thin and breathable with a perforated liner and rubber skeletal structure for support. It hugged my ankles and lower shin like a sock and made it noticeably easier to wrap my backup holster around the boot.

The 8″ Annobon is definitely not waterproof with all that perforated mesh, but it breathes wonderfully. Finally, the leather toe area shined up perfectly, allowing me to take these boots straight from a night of patrol to a morning interview with the Captain without worry. What more can you ask for?

Original SWAT: Chase 9″

The Chase 9″ Zip is the newest member of the Original SWAT lineup. Original SWAT took lessons from their other boots and applied them directly to the Chase. These boots are truly as waterproof as a boot gets. Not an easy feat considering they’re one of only two pairs of boots evaluated featuring a zipper for easy donning and doffing. Getting them on and off quickly was easier than any zip boot I’ve ever tested. The zipper is gusseted with a waterproof barrier that doesn’t get in the way.

The Chase boots are the Cadillac of this lineup. They boast Scotchgard-protected full-grain leather, a lightweight nylon shank, premium EVA insole and non-marking rubber soles with a Siping feature. Siping sucks water from the surface and directs it outward like a tire. This noticeably increases traction on wet surfaces.
I gave this boot the ultimate torture test — I walked the boardwalk after a particularly high tide washed up all kinds of salty mush on the walkway. It’s 2 miles long with plenty of places to slip if you’re not careful. The Chase boots held up brilliantly, kept me from slipping and when I was all done for the shift, washed up beautifully. The full-grain leather toes shrugged off the salt and grime with no residue. Another coat of KIWI and I was back in highly shined black.

Thorogood 8″ ASR Side Zip Boot

When I received Thorogood’s box in the mail I thought someone had made a mistake. The logo on the box was one I recognized as belonging to the company who makes dress shoes. They are my Class A, super high gloss, reserved for funerals and graduations-type shoe. Not only does Thorogood make an excellent dress shoe, they also make hundreds of different styles of boots. They sent their new 8″ tactical ASR (Athletic Slip Resisting) Side Zip boots. These boots did not disappoint.

Once set-up, the zipper made it fast and easy to get the boot on and off. The ASRs have a straight zipper going almost to the foot bed. Several other zipper designs out there are frankly more cumbersome than simply loosening the laces on most boots. And let’s face it, those few seconds it takes to put on your boots can make it or break it when it comes to making lineup on time!

I use these boots day-in and day-out now. They were extremely easy to break in, taking about one 10-hour shift. After a long day, their light weight will reward you with very little foot fatigue, and they breathe well so you don’t overheat out there. These boots are not going to win a cold weather competition though, so keep them in mind for spring/summer temps.
By Ben Douglas