Our LOW price is $ 375  ( $65 below retail ! )

These are the 10" stock Firestormer boots. If you need a size outside the standard size range or options like steel toes they can be custom ordered. Custom made Firestormer boots are taking about about 12 weeks to build.

Wesco Firestormer™ Model # BKF310100F → $375 ← Lace-to-Toe

Features: Specifically designed and built as Wildland Fire Fighting Protective Footwear Versatile lace-to-toe configuration Optional regular toe or steel toe available on custom orders 10" Height (higher boots available on custom orders) Heavy (7 Ounce / 2.8mm) silicon tanned fire and water resistant leather (BKF) Black Kevlar® stitching throughout the boot Sturdy, fire-resistant black leather laces StitchDown Sole Construction Hard Toe Heavy Steel Shank New #100F Vibram® fire resistant heavy lug soles made from Vibram's FIRE Compound #316 - flame resistant, heat resistant -- these special soles are marked with a distinctive red lug above the Vibram logo. Snag-resistant Solid Brass Studs and Eyelets for durability and strength Full Gusseted Tongue - sewn all the way to the boot top OrthoLite® ventilated & cushioned insoles with moisture wicking Drilex® footbed Heavy Duty, 9 Iron Leather Midsole and Insole - no cheap plastic midsoles to melt on the fire line Removable "Kilty" or False Tongue Carried in stock in whole and half U.S. Men's Sizes 6 through 12 + 13 in D & E widths — larger range of sizes on custom orders Options: These boots can be custom made in U.S. Men's Sizes 2 to 16 — widths AA to EEE. Custom boots are built to order which is currently taking about about 12 weeks. Custom boots can be ordered in regular toe configuration Custom regular toe boots can be made with steel toes Custom boots can be made taller than 10"

What Fire Agencies Say About Boots:

Most fire agencies will issue you all the gear you need, except for the boots... they're your responsibility. Wildland protective fire boots are considered "personal gear".

To quote the U.S. Forest Service: "The Forest Service will provide you Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) clothing, hardhat and fire shelter, but you must provide your own lug soled, leather eight-inch topped boots."

What they mean is that your boots should be at least 8" high. We think higher is better since it offers more protection and doesn't add much weight... most of the weight in boots is in the tough sole and heel... so you can add a bit more height for protection without adding much weight.

The U.S. Forest Service Health and Safety Code Handbook (FSH 6709.11) Section 25.12 specifies the requirements for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be worn by personnel engaged in wildland firefighting. Here's the requirement it sets for the boots firefighters must provide: "Boots. Wear heavy-duty, leather, laced boots with nonskid soles and tops at least 8 inches (204 mm) high. Steel-toed (metal cup) footwear is not recommended for fire suppression." The handbook also specifies that fireproof pants be bloused over boots to protect legs against hot ash and cinders.

The Bureau of Land Management safety handbook says that soles must be "melt-resistant": "Personnel assigned to fires must wear 8-inch high, lace-type exterior leather work boots with non-slip, Vibram-type, melt-resistant soles."

Here's what the Fish and Wildlife Service has to say: "You must wear heavy duty, all leather, lace-type work boots with non-slip (Vibram type) melt-resistant soles and heels when working on fires. The leather top must be at least 8 inches (20.3 cm) in height, measured from the top of the heel."

About steel toes:

"Wear steel toe boots and your toes get fried." Another urban (wildland?) legend. Lot's of people worry about that and the USFS itself recommends against using steel toes in fire boots, but the NFPA likes steel toes in fire boots for both structural and wildland applications. Not the first time bureaucracies give conflicting advice... and not the last.

Here's the scoop... NFPA specifications for wildland fire boots include steel toes.

Military pilots wear Nomex flight suits and fire resistant, steel toe flight boots.

You're a grown up. Decide for yourself based on your experience and the advice of local people you trust. Remember that those bureaucrats wear Gucci loafers to work.

The stock Firestormer boots do not have steel toes. Custom orders can be made with or without steel toes.

Firestormer^TM Wildland Fire Boots:

This is the classic boot worn by wildland fire fighters, smoke jumpers, hot shot crews, forest rangers, forestry workers, park rangers, engineers, surveyors, oil-field workers, ranch hands, hikers and motorcyclists. If you've ever watched forest firefighters at work, you've seen these boots in action.

WESCO builds these boots on special foot-conforming boot lasts expressly designed for building high quality, tough work boots. The boots are constructed with a special extra heavy, 7 Ounce / 2.8mm fire and water resistant leather. These boots provide superb protection for your feet in harsh environments.

The boot's comfort is further enhanced by OrthoLite^® cushioned and ventilated insoles. The OrthoLite insole uses open cell, high-cushion breathable foam with anti-microbial properties to fight fungus, bacteria and odor. Since the anti-microbial properties are built in, the liners can be washed without loosing effectiveness.

The OrthoLite insole is lined with advanced moisture wicking Drilex^® to enhance its performance and comfort.

These boots are sewn with heavy black Kevlar thread for extra strength and abrasion resistance. The black leather laces resist fire damage, are easy on the hands and are easy to find when you need replacements.

Finally, these boots are fitted with the new hi-tech Vibram #100F fire-resistant heavy lug soles. These heavy duty fire-resistant Vibram lug soles and heels are not just glued on, they are also sewn with heavy fire resistant Kevlar thread. Wesco has one of the few machines which can sew through the many layers of thick leather and heavy Vibram lug sole to make sure the soles stay on these sturdy boots.

The midsoles and inner soles of these boots are made of high quality leather instead of the delicate plastic materials often used in cheap logger boots. Those synthetic materials in poorly constructed boots can melt when exposed to heat causing their soles to come off.

Based on the classic Wesco Jobmaster Logger Boots:

People often ask us what makes the Firestormer boots so special. The answer is that these fire boots are the same in basic design and construction details as Wesco Jobmaster, Highliner lineman and Boss Engineer boots. The added features we described above specialize this boot to its task, but this boot is essentially an updated version of the popular Wesco Jobmaster logger boot which has been worn by wildland fire fighters since 1918.

Don't Delay - Get your boots now:

During past fire seasons, we and Wesco have both run out some sizes during the season.

If you need custom made boots, it will take about 12 weeks to make up a new pair. If we and Wesco run out of your stock size it can take weeks till more boots come out of production. So don't wait till you think you need them... get them early.

Most fire agencies will issue you all the gear you need, except for the boots... they're your responsibility. Wildland protective fire boots are "personal gear". You can always get a yellow Nomex fire resistant shirt on short notice but good boots are another story.

Don't worry about getting a pair of these great boots then not being called to the fire lines. These are boots for everyday wear because they're tough and comfortable. You can wear them to work, to the mall, to the theater or out clubbing. And... when you do get called to the fire lines you don't want to show up in a pair of flimsy, uncomfortable, imitation logger boots with plastic midsoles!

Our LOW price is $ 375  ( $65 below retail ! )

Take me to the secure order form for standard stock Firestormer boots.

Take me to the secure order form for custom Firestormer boots.

General information about ordering from BIG BLACK BOOTS

How do I know what size to order? Clue: Get the same size as your feet. Measure your feet... don't guess.

How to measure your feet

About the boot's sizing — How They Fit:

These Firestormer boots are stocked in a range of U.S. Men's Sizes

6 through 12 + 13 in D & E widths. Other sizes can be custom ordered.

Click here to see how to determine your true U.S. Men's size.

Wesco boots run true to your U.S. Men's size. They are designed to be worn with heavy boot socks and the sizing advice assumes you will be wearing heavy socks with the boots.. Order these boots in your true U.S. men's size or ½ size larger to accommodate extra heavy or multiple socks. It's OK for these lace-up boots to be slightly large since the lacing system will help ensure a proper fit. Being slightly large also gives you more latitude in choosing thicker or thinner socks.

Other sizes and widths are available on custom orders.

Note: To determine where the top of the boot will be on your leg, measure
up from the heel of your stockinged feet along the back of your leg.
This should be done while in a seated position with the knees bent at a 90 degree angle.

The initial height of Firestormer boots will be 1" shorter than specified.
e.g. if you order a 10" boot, it will come up 9" from your heel. This is normal
for ALL lace-up boots. Read about this in our Boot FAQ here.

As they break in, the boots will drop about a half inch depending on their initial
height. However lined boots will stay very close to their initial height.