Law Enforcement & Tactical footwear

Police and tactical boot manufacturers keep the innovations coming in comfort, durability and safety features.
By Paul Bubny

ccording to one story, FBI operatives gave birth to the tactical apparel category by wearing clothes on the job that were originally designed for mountaineering, i.e. outdoor garments designed for ease of movement. A similar if opposite crossover effect applies in tactical footwear, where civilianor at least non-militarypersonnel benefit from the ruggedness as well as support that G.I. boots provide. Therefore its not surprising that some of the leading military boot contractors also manufacture boots to meet the requirements of public safety personnel. One of the reasons that transitioning military veterans often

gravitate to jobs in law enforcement or public safety is that the terrain is familiar and the skills are transferable. So it is in the realm of tactical footwear. A rundown of some of the latest product introductions in this category offers an illustration of this dynamic. There are new products derived from outdoor use and those that incorporate design features originally devised for the military as well as new safety requirements. Theyre listed alphabetically by manufacturer. Altama Footwear. This Atlanta-based manufacturer has served both the military and law enforcement markets since the late 1960s. Taking a page from its experience in develop-

ing hot-weather combat boots for the military, b t f th ilit ili lit Altama has produced three series of tactical boots intended to resist heat and reduce fatigue. Altamas LITESpeed, EXOSpeed II and Ortho-TacX series are the result, and each brings something different to the party. The LITESpped is intended expressly for hot weather, the EXOSpeed is said to mix the attributes of trail running shoes and combat boots and the Ortho-TacX is said to be particularly well-suited to tactical operations. Bates Footwear. The uniform boot makers C3 tactical boot features its patented Cross Channel Circulation technology, intended to
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keep feet cooler and more comfortable. As the wearer moves about, air is forced through the patented cross channel construction, providing improved breathability. Bates is continuously unveiling new technologies with the goal of being a clear innovative solutions provider, said Ron Woznick, vice president and general manager of Rockford, MI-based Bates. Comfort and footwear breathability remain high priorities for the law enforcement profession. We are looking forward to seeing this new technology on the streets where it will provide noticeable comfort differences in the everyday lives of men and women in law enforcement. Condor Outdoor Products. A well-rounded brand for tactical clothing, footwear and accessories, Duarte, CA-based Condor offers tactical boots such as the 802, an 8 model w/ YKK side zipper. Along with the dide zipper, the boot also includes a leather upper with padded collar, cushioned EAV removeable contour insole, stitched outsole and steel shank. The boots are popular both in real-life tactical situations (i.e. cops making life-ordeath decisions) and incredible simulations (i.e. airsoft games). Gore-Tex. W. L. Gore & Associates say its improved its Crosstech footwear fabric to enable boots to meet both NFPA 1971, 2005 edition, and NFPA 1992, 2007 edition certifications. According to W.L. Gore, its currently the only footwear fabric on the market that facilitates this dual certification. Along with offering protection against liquids and the common chemicals specified in NFPA 1971, Crosstech also protects against the more aggressive chemicals required for NFPA 1992 certification, such as 98% sulphuric acid, the company says. As a result, footwear manufacturers can use various materials including leather in their boot designs, resulting in a lighter, better fit. According to Bill Candy, North American footwear product specialist at W. L. Gore, the chemicals specified in NFPA 1971 are those most often encountered at fire scenes, automobile accidents or home emergencies. Toda, though, first responders are frequently

being called to large-scale incidents, where they unexpectedly encounter chemicals other than those specified by NFPA 1971, Candy said. The unique construction of this new Crosstech footwear fabric prevents penetration of approximately 75 chemicals specified in NFPA 1992 along with water, blood, body fluids, and the five NFPA-1971 common chemicals. He added that Crosstech provides this level of protection while maintaining breathability, which improves comfort. Haix. The Lexington, KY-based manufacturer law enforcement, fire fighting, and rescue footwear recently brought out the GSG9-S for SWAT and tactical use. Haix says the GSG9-S was developed in cooperation with police and SWAT teams and features an all-new design to fulfill the many varying needs of tactical officers. It was named after the elite unit of the German Federal Police, GSG9. The 8 GSG9-S is constructed with Haixs new Sun Reflect leather, which is said to reduce the heating effect of the leather by direct sunlight while at the same time providing leather that is water resistant and breathable. Magnum Footwear. Headquartered in Modesto, CA, Magnum features Superfabric materials in its recently introduced Spider and Sidewinder ranges. According to Magnum, going the Superfabric route was the very best way to protect tactical boots uppers from abrasion damage caused by fast roping. Magnum describes Superfabric brand technology as an advanced, multi-step engineered process that takes ordinary fabrics and transforms them into a variety of unique, protective solutions, known collectively as Superfabric Brand Materials. These new protective fabrics can be engineered for optimum resistance to cuts, punctures and abrasions while remaining highly flexible. Optional properties such as flame resistance, specialized grip and more make for a compete customized solution. Original S.W.A.T. Footwear. The Stock-

ton, CA-based manufacturers collection of waterproof boots now meet the ASTM F1671-07 standards for blood borne pathogen resistance. All of the waterproof models have a waterproof breathable internal membrane that effectively protects the wearer from blood borne pathogens. Included in the line are the WinX2, the Tactical Waterproof and the Air M.T. insulated side zip boot. All three boots also meet ASTM F 489-96 standards for slip- and oil-resistance, while the Air M.T. Side Zip boot is insulated as well with 200-gram 3M Thinsulate. Wellco. Forty-six years ago, this Knoxville, TN-based military contractor introduced the jungle boot. Late last summer, the company introduced Guardian GTX, a new series of footwear for law enforcement professionals. As one of the lightest-weight boots on the market today, this new line of footwear combines comfort with excellent traction and protection against the harsh elements that patrol and tactical officers encounter on the job, according to Wellco. Wellco incorporated Gore-Tex footwear fabric into the boots construction to provide waterproof, breathable protection. We chose Gore-Tex footwear fabric as the waterproof barrier because of its reputation for delivering long-lasting breathability and protection, said Kerry Ferguson, director of marketing at Wellco and Smith & Wesson Footwear. While working with Gore during the design and construction of these new boots, we found that their commitment to delivering high-quality products is backed by years of expertise in barrier design and some of the most rigorous performance testing available in the industry today.

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