Chippewa Motor Patrol Boots

I have a number of motorcycle cop boots. I like their appearance, style, and design. And I must admit that I was definitely influenced by "CHiPs" when it was on TV while I was in my teens.

Over the years, I have bought or received one dozen pairs of tall black cop boots. Not being a fetishist (as some might think), I got these boots for the purpose for which they were made: to wear (preferably with breeches) while riding my Harley.

One of the pairs of boots like this that I got more than a decade ago were Chippewa Motor Patrol Boots. They look nice, and even after all these years, are easy to keep shiny. That's because they are made of patent leather. That is leather with a plastic coating on it. Instead of using shoe polish, all you need to do is use a damp cloth or perhaps Armorall Leather Wipes and the boots resume their shine.

But that's the downfall of these boots, too. Because they are patent leather, they don't breathe. Thus, they get hot. I mean really hot, and cause my feet to sweat if I wear them in the sun. Because they're black, they absorb heat from the sun, and then become ovens for my feet.

Second, the sole that is used on these boots is just awful. It is called an "Alpha" sole -- that's the name of the manufacturer. The sole is a type of rubber, but I don't think it is vulcanized. That is, the rubber is soft and seems to get close to the melting point when used on a motorcycle and gets anywhere near hot pipes or the engine. The soles have left black marks on my bike's pipes. The marks have been the devil to remove.

Also, if you look really closely at the side of the boot in the photo with this blog, you will see that the patent leather looks like it has something on it. No, guys, it's not what you think -- it is damage from rubbing against a hot motorcycle engine while riding.

As I have attended a number of motor officer events over the years and have seen the boots real cops wear, I just don't see these boots on their feet. Probably for reasons described here. Nice looking boots, but not a good choice for wearing by a real cop or a real biker on a motorcycle.