Where firefighters come to talk training
Leather Boots Vs Rubber Boots
Hello brothers. Our department is in the process of trying to phase out rubber structure boots and switch to leather boots. I personally own a pair of pro warrington leather boots but I am trying to sell the department on why leather is better than rubber other than the comfort and durability. I think they are the best boot ever made and I will never go back to rubber unless,of course, my cheif tells me I have to. The main issue is the cheif does not agree in the cost of the boots, $200 to $300 vs $119 to $130 for rubber boots. So I am asking all the brothers to sound off on this topic. Thank You!
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Brent Sanger on -
That would require my county administration to think of someone besides themselves and something besides what I said before. When your previous fire chief, who had the attitude "We didn't need it then, you don't need it now" retires because he was elected to the county commission, and now heads the Finance committee, you can't get anything beneficial. I hate to gripe, but our department is managed by the county commission and the county manager, not the fire chief.
-
Permalink Reply by Scott Richardson on -
Hey Brent,
It sounds like you are in a tough spot with your County Commission and County Manager; are they both elected positions? Our department has gone through some pretty tough times with elected officials and Chief over the last 15 years. Our firefighters association worked very hard to get qualified, neutral candidates and endorse the for the elections. Our association is about 178~ with a district that is about 56 square miles (at the time). Our district is mixed urban/rural with the usual customer base that comes with the territory. We do have some areas with strong conservative Republican views. We have had success in numbers getting our candidates into office and driving change from there.
I tell you this long winded story to demonstrate one possible way to get strong, progressive candidates to run and win elections. I hope this helps some. Other resources are the IAFF and the NVFC, check out their websites for election information.
BE SAFE and hang in there Brother!
Scott
-
Permalink Reply by Stan Mettinger Jr. on -
Leather boots are more expensive but they seem to outlast rubber boots by two or 3 times. I have used Black Diamond and Pro Boots. I like them both. I find that folks wearing leather boots seem to last longer in terms of endurance and performance and are quicker to rehab. There has always been the question of decon after a Haz Mat. Dont know the answer to that one, but I can say that if you run a haz mat and trash your leather boots, bill the responsible party for their replacement!
-
Permalink Reply by Michael Leonard on -
I had a pair of Warringtons for a few years. I thought that they were great. The local fire equipment store cut ties with Warrington and went to Globe Boots. Apparently the new styles of Warringtons were not holding up as well as the old ones. I was skeptical to say that least about the new globe leather boots. However they are the most comefortable things I have ever had. They are much warmer in the winter, and feel/fit more like a sneaker. They are Great!
-
Permalink Reply by Damian Emerick on -
Last year we field tested the Warrington Pros also. Has great responce on every set. You will gain many years of service with leather better comfort and manuverability. I was told that for every pound you take off your boots you save 12 pounds off ypur back. Less injuries and better F/F performance. Spend the money!
-
Permalink Reply by stephen new on -
the only downfall i ever had with leather boots are they weren't pathogen resistent but i believe a few companies now make leather's that are.
-
Permalink Reply by Dennis Aguayo on -
For argument sake let's say a pair of leather boots will last a member 6 years, at a cost of $250.00.
Rubber boot will last 2 years and a cost of $130.00.
Over 6 years the cost of rubber will be $390.00.
The city of would save $140 per member over 6 years. Some of the leather boots won't last 6 six years and some will last longer.
It would be large investment up front.
-
Permalink Reply by Steve Miller on -
Our department will never go back to rubber boots. Our department was fortunate to receive a grant a few years ago and we purchased a few pairs. Everyone like them so we included them in last years grant and now we have 100% of our guys in leather. The main selling point on the rubber boots is number one comfort and our firefighters do not get fatigue as much as wearing the rubber boats. When our firefighters get fatigue from wearing something heavy the can get complacent and that's when accidents happen. Tell your Chief our guys need to be in the best gear possible. If you don’t have the funds go get grant money for them.
-
Permalink Reply by Damian Emerick on
-
Your rite, several manufacturers use "CrossTech" as their barrier for pathogens, Wellington being 1 of them.
-
Permalink Reply by William Anderson on -
Years ago a big problem with the leather boots were the soles on them and this led in some cases to the wearer slipping on ice or extremely wet conditions. I'm a Black Diamond man myself, and every pair of these I have had ( on my third pair now in 9 years) has been excellent. They have the Vibram soles and to me they fit like a shoe. In terms of durability of the boot, I go through a pair about every 3 to 4 years, but they depends on how you keep them up. Wash them with some saddle soap every now and then and maybe toss a little bit of polish on them. But your right on cost being your main drawback on these boots.
-
Permalink Reply by Joey Lambert on -
can anyone tell me where i can go to find a study and/or comparrison on rubber boots vs leather boots?
-
Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on -
Recently there have been studies by many agencies about the decontamination factor of leather vs. rubber boots. It has been proven that when decontaminated properly, leather boots retain less contaminants than rubber boots. I believe that OSHA did the studies, but don't quote me. If you talk to a leather boot representative, I am sure they can quote the exact study.
A Message From Bobby Halton
We are excited to have you participate in our discussions and interactive forums. Before you begin posting, please take a moment to read our policy page HERE.
Badge
Fire Engineering Features
NFPA 1403 Live-Fire Evolutions at Fire Service Training Centers
Live fire training is an essential part of a firefighter's education, but there are significant differences between training at gas-fired versus non-gas-fired structures. Mike Gurr takes a closer look.Fire Engineering University: Online Continuing Education for Firefighters
Fire Engineering University is changing the way fire service professionals approach continuing education. Our goal is to provide you with relevant, topical educational content that is easily accessible. For a full listing of courses with descriptions, credits, and fees, go to www.fireengineeringuniversity.com.New Vehicle Extrication: 2010 Lexus HS250h
The first compact hybrid luxury sedan, this hybrid only model contains several unique features, including numerous air bags. Jason Emery reviews considerations for vehicle rescue operations.© 2009 Created by fireeng
