Fire Critic An Unadulterated View of the Fire Service
Come on in and sit down. I have some boots to tell you all about. I wrote about what boots I used to wear around the station and on calls which did not require turnout gear here.
The Fire Critic is here to tell you that I have two new friends. I have found these magnum ion mask boots to be extremely pleasant to wear while working. They are definitely Fire Critic approved!
The boots came out of the box and were immediately put on my feet…kinda like a kid on Christmas morning. The following day I went to work. I again put the boots on. Here is the deal…The boots I used to wear have zippers so I can take them off quickly. I tied my magnum boots tight all the way up. I don’t always have to take my boots off quickly because I drive usually (a quint that is). One thing I noticed was that these boots would need a break in period. They were pulling the hair (very hairy) off my legs. This did not last too long and I realized that they boots would work better tied loosely. I can actually slip them on and off like slippers, yet they still allow for decent support. The low v-cut in the back of the boot is especially helpful in getting the boots on and off quickly!
The boots have been worn ever since I got them at work. Their lightweight design is very nice and breathe ability is an added benefit. No more smelly dogs (funky feet). The boots are exceptionally great at repelling water and keeping the water in the creek I walked through on the outside of the boot. I don’t normally walk through creeks, but I did want to give a fair test since there weren’t any puddles around!
Here is a quick rundown of the pros and cons:
PROS:
- lightweight
- water resistant
- leather construction
- v-cut in back of boot for easy donning and doffing
- awesome sole that wraps around boot and higher in the back
CONS:
- no steel toe (required on fireground)
- no zipper (personal preference)
So there you have it. The Fire Critic loves his new Magnum Elite Force 8.0 WPi boots with ion mask. The boots are very well designed and have a great feel to them.
The Fire Critic shall continue wearing the magnum boots around the station and on calls. I can slip easily into my turnout gear on calls requiring steel toed boots! Steel toes are not required around the station but are required on many calls.
For all you readers who want more information on what is keeping the feet dry:
Ion-mask is a patented plasma based technology, originally developed for the military to protect soldiers during chemical warfare. It permanently alters the surface of fabric at a molecular level to repel water and other liquids – which are forced to bead and simply run-off.
As a surface enhancement technology it works by invisibly binding polymers to each individual fiber. The benefits are as transparent as the technology itself, with minimal consumption and negligible waste, ion-mask enhancement represents a big leap forward in footwear technology.
Please follow the link to the magnum ion mask for more information. There is also plenty more information here on the boots.
Medic 999 also did a review here
Anyone else out there wear these boots?
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