 |
Structural Fire Boots |
 |
|
|
The Boots:
|
Fire boots used to be made of leather and weren't very waterproof. Then rubber boots came along and miraculously kept firemen's feet dry without requiring constant maintenance. But the rubber boots were heavy and got heavier as manufacturers added steel toes, thermal insulation, heavier ladder shanks, penetration protection in the soles and other features to meet the evolving NFPA safety standards. Not only that, the boots didn't breathe… so firemen's feet got hot and clammy
Come the 21st century and boot designers took a fresh look at the job at hand. They started making leather fire boots using up to date materials and techniques. The new, hi-tech materials showed great promise but most manufacturers didn't do their homework.
Many manufacturers used Goretex for waterproofing but didn't provide vents to let it breathe. Result was that feet felt like they were wrapped in plastic… hot and sweaty. The leather construction didn't take advantage of contemporary sole technology and the most basic details like the leather pull loops used to pull on the boots were so flimsy that they often failed.
We know boots. So we looked around for a different, well-designed boot which took advantage of newer technologies while retaining the traditions and skills of great leather bootmakers. Leather boots are lighter and stronger than rubber boots. They fit better and modern materials make them waterproof while retaining comfort and breathability and enhancing safety. The boot which met this goal was made by Cosmas.
We used to carry the Jolly line of fire boots which are no longer available in the US. We were impressed by these boots and by their parent company, Novation Spa. Novation Spa owns several excellent bootmakers including Cosmas, Jolly and TCX (formally Oxtar) who make motocross boots. All of the companies are known for their design of innovative new boots for safety and emergency service applications. Cosmas has entered the US market with several excellent NFPA fire service boots for structural and wildland fire applications. We were very impressed by these boots. Cosmas has innovated brilliant designs which integrate safety features into boots without compromising comfort.
We're proud to be carrying this innovative line of fire and emergency services boots.
How They Fit:
|
These boots are designed to fit like a shoe. So they match the standard US men's sizes. Unlike many fire boots, particularly traditional rubber boots, they are not loose and sloppy in their fit. Our advice for fitting these boots is to measure your feet to determine your US men's foot size then pick a boot in that size.
They don't include extra room which makes them larger. So, if there's any uncertainty on the size to pick, go up a half size. Some customers say the boots feel slightly small when new (maybe ½ size) but they often find the fit to be just right after the boots are broken in.
If you normally wear extra heavy boot socks, you should definitely go up ½ size from your US men's foot size when you order. In our wear testing we've found these boots to work well and fit comfortably when worn with lighter boot socks.
Finally, we always advise that you avoid cotton socks. See our FAQ discussion about socks here.
Available Sizes:
| 5 | ½ | 6 | ½ | 7 | ½ | 8 | ½ | 9 | ½ | 10 | ½ | 11 | ½ | 12 | ½ | 13 | 14 | 15 | |
| D | |||||||||||||||||||
| E | |||||||||||||||||||
| EEE |
Our LOW Price is $309
-
Order These Boots
- Frequently Asked Questions - Boot FAQ
- Measuring your feet
- Information about ordering
BIG BLACK BOOTS Home Page
Email questions or comments to
Last edited 00:41:55 1/9/09