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Store > TACTICAL FOOTWEAR > Select Here To Enter Footwear Section > HOW TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT FOOTWEAR

Advice on selecting footwear Advice on selecting footwear
HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FOOTWEAR FOR YOU.

This is not aimed as a definitive guide to choosing the correct footwear as we can not make that decision for you, my intention is to explain some of the features offered in the hope that this may assist you to make the correct choice, if in any doubt give us a call on 01621 778 900 if we can help then we will.

BUDGET.

Of course price is very important, and we always try to keep our prices as low as possible, you may have already noticed that we are often cheaper than a lot of our competitors.

Quality and price always go hand in hand; if you skimp on your footwear it may prove to be a false economy.

ANKLE or THREE QUARTER.

Choosing the height of the boot is really personal preference.
Ankle boots are about 6" in height; they offer good ankle support and increased flexibility particularly useful if you do a lot of driving.
Note that most specialist walking boots are ankle height.

Three quarter length boots are about 8 - 9" in height, they offer increased ankle support and better protection against the elements; they are slightly heavier than their shorter counterparts.
Note that all Military boots are three quarter length boots.

SAFETY STEEL TOE CAPS.

Footwear with safety steel toe caps is heavier, more restrictive and may conduct hot and cold temperatures.

It is not usual for Police officers to wear steel toe caps whilst performing everyday duties, if the user is engaged on specialist duties such as moving heavy equipment or a vehicle examiner, public order duties etc then they may choose to wear safety footwear for that purpose.

Crucially there may be evidential issues relating to wearing steel toe cap footwear, for example if someone was to get injured during a scuffle anyone wearing heavy steel toe caps could be criticised, to be honest if someone gets close enough to stamp on your toes, then they are too close !

FULL LEATHER or BREATHABLE SIDE PANELS.

Again personal preference reigns, a full leather boot may offer more protection, which is ideal if you spend all your time outside, boots with breathable side panels aid ventilation which is good if you are working indoors, in a vehicle or if the weather is warm. They are also lighter as the nylon used is very strong but also lighter in weight, in our opinion breathable is better and this is certainly echoed by sales figures.

WATERPROOF or RESISTANT.

We must differentiate between water 'proof' and water 'resistant'.

All footwear is water resistant but some boots have a waterproof lining built into the structure of the boot, typically this lining is made from a waterproof but breathable material, such as Sympatex©.

This is a 100% waterproof barrier lining, it is very thin, durable and is breathable which allows the foot to breath, boots with a waterproof lining often have breathable side panels which help keep the boot cool.

Both a full leather boot and one with a nylon side panel will have a good level of water resistance but only a boot with a specific waterproof lining can be classed as totally 100% water proof.

Therefore by nature of this waterproof lining such a boot may prove to be very warm on a hot day.

These linings are expensive and this increases the price of the boots, we have tried cheaper alternatives but they are just not good enough for the job.

FAST ENTRY SIDE ZIPS.

Recent innovations in zip design and materials have resulted in many manufacturers incorporating a zip on footwear, these zips are specially designed for footwear, and they have to be very strong and durable due to the demands placed upon them.

Boots with zips are easier to take on and off, they still have laces on the front to retain a conventional appearance and also to assist in adjustment for size and comfort.

COMFORT LEVELS.

There will always be a compromise between durability and comfort, the sturdier a boot is made the heavier it must be; a lightweight tactical boot will always be more comfortable than a heavy leather boot with a thick sole, but it will not last as long.
(You have heard the expression as tough as old boots).

EXTREME COMFORT.

Our range of Police tactical boots made by the Original SWAT Boot Company are a superb example of extreme comfort, these boots were designed for the SWAT, (Special Weapons And Tactics) Police units in America, they are constructed using the most up to date materials and technology borrowed from the sports shoe industry, combining the looks and performance of tactical footwear with the real comfort of running shoes.

AIR BUBBLES.

Some manufacturers have incorporated an air bubble in the heel of their footwear similar to those used on running shoes, the benefits are obvious especially when running or walking long distances.

Note that these bubbles are costly to manufacture and this should be reflected in the price of the boot, so in short, steer away from a cheap boot that has an air bubble in the heel.

TRAINING SCHOOL.
Most new recruits going to training schools choose a boot to suit their needs and a second pair of boots or shoes to 'bull up' or polish to be used for parade and special occasions such as court duties etc.

We sell a top quality oxford style shoe for parade use; it is in the shoe section (Code PS01)

We have divided our footwear section into smaller categories to try and make it easier to find what you are looking for.

Again as I mentioned before if you need any further help please call our sales line and we will try to help you.

Bob Gladstone.

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WHILST ON THE SUBJECT OF TRAINING SCHOOLS ETC I THOUGHT THAT THIS POLISHING GUIDE MAY BE USEFUL.

Gladstone Guide : Shoe Polishing

A quick guide on how to get high gloss parade standard shoes to be proud of!
Preparation:
" Remove any previous attempts to polish your shoes by using a shoe brush or some other drastic measure, like scraping the polish off with the edge of an old cassette case
" Dip your brush in Kiwi Black and polish the whole of the shoe. Brush off the polish with a soft brush or cloth. Repeat for the toecap only
Shining:
" Fold your cloth into a triangle and wrap it around your index-finger so that the cloth under it is smooth - this will avoid smears and scratches later
" Dab the cloth in some clean water, ensuring that the water soaks into the cloth
" Place a small amount of polish onto the wet part of the cloth and work the polish into the leather in a circular motion working in a regular pattern around the toecap
" You may need to put just a touch more water on the cloth if it feels like it is starting to grate.
" A good shine on a new pair of shoes should take anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes
Caring for your shine
" All you need to do now is to make sure nobody scuffs them, stands on them or spills anything on them.
" Keep out of reach of little peoples sticky hands
" Keep a cloth over them to keep off dust. Some people pull socks over but you risk scratching your toecaps that way. .
" To get rid of any swirls of polish on your toecaps, run them under the cold tap while rubbing the toecap with pure cotton wool.
Things you will need:-
" Some Elbow Grease !!
" 1 x tin of Kiwi Black Parade Gloss
" 2 x shoe brushes
" 1 x good quality cloth
" small amount of water
Useful tips
Once you start getting a good shine on your shoe, breathe over the entire toecap so that your breath condenses on the toecap. Continue rubbing the shoe with your cloth until there is no sign of smearing polish.
If your polish is old or has white specks on it then it is time to replace it as it will not be very effective.
Instead of using a good quality cloth, you could use small swabs of pure cotton wool. Make sure it says so on the packet as cheaper cotton wool is mixed with other coarser materials which produce scratches on highly polished toecaps.
Never use spit instead of water as spit is greasy and will make your toecaps look grey.
DO NOT use naked flames from any source to melt or light the polish! If any one ever suggests it then ignore them. It is highly dangerous and removes the nutrients from the polish that protect the leather. You will not be popular if your 'special method' goes badly wrong.
Why Kiwi?
Kiwi is not just my favourite shoe polish, it is used by and held in high regard by armed forces personnel all over the world.
The technique described here has been tried and tested and has stood the test of time

Best of luck

Bob Gladstone

 
Store > TACTICAL FOOTWEAR > Select Here To Enter Footwear Section > HOW TO CHOOSE THE CORRECT FOOTWEAR