Dehner Patrol Booted

Today, Monday, marks a holiday in the United States. I have the day off from work. It also marks the end of "leather weekend." While I did not attend any of the Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend events, I did have some time yesterday to take some photos of me in a new-to-me pair of Dehner patrol boots that arrived on Friday.

I was going to take a short ride on my Harley yesterday to break these boots in, but it was too darn cold, so I just leathered up, posted photos to my website, and enjoyed my partner's company.

What's special about these boots, and don't I have enough Dehner Boots already?

Read more »

Santa's Boots

Santa is getting ready to make his rounds. Have you been naughty or nice?

Read more »

Dehner Boots Go To Work on the Harley

When I woke yesterday morning at 4am, I felt chilled. I reached for the remote control to adjust the thermostat for more heat while snuggling closer to my partner for one last warm embrace. Dayum! It felt like winter. I'm not ready for it. Not ready at all.

There was a prediction the night before for some rain. I thought, then, that with wet roads and cold temperatures, that riding my Harley to work would not be an option.

We threw off the covers and went about our morning routine. As I dressed, I pulled on a pair of cowboy boots to wear with my dress clothes to work.

I stepped outside to retrieve the morning newspaper, and thought, "hmmm, it doesn't feel that cold. It didn't rain after all!" I went back inside and checked the thermometer. It was 43°F (6°C) -- above my riding threshold. Change of plans for the vehicle to use to drive to work -- the Harley! "Switch to motorcycle boots" was my immediate thought.

I went back to my bedroom, pulled the cowboy boots off, and as I was putting them away, I saw my tall, Vibram lug-soled Bal-Laced Dehner boots in the closet and said to myself, "sure, they will be perfect!" I pulled my socks up over the ends of my pants, then pulled the Dehners on over my pants. Comfortable! Great traction! Terrific feel!

I went downstairs to the kitchen. I handed my partner the lunch that I made for him, wished him a great day, and kissed him goodbye as he ran out the door to get to the Metro for his job in the city.

I got my lunch and other stuff that I needed to bring with me to work and went into the garage to get the bike ready to ride. I pulled out my truck and rolled the Harley out. After my usual T-clocs safety check, I donned my thick leather chaps, warm biker jacket, put on my full-face helmet, warm gloves, and off I went.

Okay, some of you may be wondering, "did he really wear his pants tucked into his Dehner boots around the office?" While I did tuck my pants into my boots before taking off on my ride, I did that in order to keep the pants clean. Somehow, road crap tends fly around and make my pants dirty, even if covered with chaps. However, when I parked the Harley and took off my chaps, I pulled my pants out of my boots and pulled the ends of my pants down over the boots. That way, my boots look much like laced dress shoes, and unless I sit across from someone and cross my legs, no one is the wiser.

It is possible, therefore, to wear Dehner boots at a typical business office with dress clothes and not have the boots be noticed (as an ostentatious display.)

Sorry for no photo -- I tried taking one with my cell phone, but I could not download it directly into my computer due to some technical problem which I do not have the time to figure out, and I am not about to pay the carrier's exorbitant fees to send photos to myself. (I will not pay for a data plan or a per-usage fee.)

Life is short: wear tall boots to work!

Dehner Boots 3 Years Later

I have mentioned before that I have a "love-hate" relationship with Dehner Patrol Boots.  I love how they look, fit, and feel, but I dislike that the shafts on stock patrol boots are made with plastic stuff that the Dehner Company calls "Dehcord."

While it is possible to custom-order Dehner boots with leather shafts and feet, the cost is prohibitive. Seriously, few guys have over $800 to fork over for a custom pair of Dehner boots, despite how seriously beautiful they are.

Since Dehner makes stock boots with a 1" wider calf circumference as a standard option, I have found that their stock boots fit me fine, and I don't need (or want to pay) for custom boots. I have only ordered custom boots from other manufacturers when I have had a sizing issue.

Three years ago, I ordered and received this pair of stock bal-laced Dehner Patrol Boots. It was my objective to see how they would wear if I wore them fairly often and yet was careful with them. I never exposed these boots to heat, including the hot exhaust or engine of my motorcycle. But I have worn them -- a lot. I wear them to work, I wear them while riding my Harley, and I wear them just around the neighborhood.

Every now-and-then, I spray the shafts with good quality furniture polish and buff them. Amazing how they shine up again. Also, about two or three times each year, I give the leather on these boots (feet and backstay) a good wax polish and buffing. I hate to polish boots, but in this case, I make an exception. They really do look good when they shine, though I don't go all crazy about shining them like some other guys do.

So here they are after three years of cautious care but regular wear:

BTW, the dimpling on the back of the heels is caused by my bootjack -- where it squeezes the back of the boot when I pull it off. The dimpling seems more pronounced in the photo than "in real life."

Oh, and before you ask, how "regular" is "regular" in how often I wear these boots? I'd say I wear them to work 3 - 4 times each month; I wear them when riding the Harley when I ride to work and also 3 - 4 times each month just tooling around the 'hood; and I wear them about 3 - 4 times each month otherwise. I'd say about 60 - 80 hours/month.

Life is short: enjoy your boots!

Observations: Cops Wearing Dehner Boots

Here are a few photos of dress instep Dehner boots on some motor officers. I took these pictures during the staging of Law Ride, which was held on Sunday, May 8, in Washington, DC.

The boots shown in the pride above (i.e., a group of lions is a pride, as is a group of boots worn by proud motor officers) are double-soled. The officers who wear them are from a county police force in Virginia. They have double soles added by a cobbler.

The boots to the right are well cared-for. Some cops know how to take care of their boots, although he didn't break them in correctly (see the left boot?  Bad ankle break; betcha it's painful sometimes.)

...and some cops do not care for their boots (like these on a cop whose jurisdiction includes the county where I live). 

Ouch! The sagging at the ankles! That cop didn't break them in correctly, and is making them worse by bending his ankles that way.

More to follow....

Life is short: know your Dehner boots.

Random Boot Shots

While organizing photos on my computer, every now and then I see some pics from the past that for whatever reason, recapture my attention.  Here are a few which have appeared on my website and this blog in the past. I am reposting them for no reason other than I like 'em.

Above, my Chippewa Firefighter Boots, which are a favorite for hot-weather motorcycle riding.

Above, Chippewa High-Shine Boots with Lug Soles that I saw on a cop in May, 2008 (this photo). I had lug soles added to a pair of them for myself. Great boots!

My old Wesco Boss Boots that still look and feel great, even after 20 years.

My newest pair of custom Wesco Roughout Harness Boots that are burgundy and brown in color. Very different boots that get many comments when I wear them.

My All American "Blue Knight" patrol boots. Very well-made and rugged boots made completely of leather.

My newest pair of Dehner Field Boots that a buddy thinks are "the bomb." I like them too!

My Dehner patrol boots with Vibram 100 lug soles. While these boots have shafts made of that plastic stuff called "Clarino Leather" (aka "Dehcord"), they still have a classic appearance that I enjoy wearing from time to time.

A random pair of Dehner motorcycle police patrol boots that I have seen among hundreds of pairs at police motorcycle competitions.

Life is short:  wear boots!

Dehner Field Boots

When I served as a judge at a police motorcycle competition this past September, I strolled around during the lunch break to see what various vendors were peddling.  I avoid the guns and ammo, but may stop to talk to vendors who have products such as motorcycle gear and boots.

One of the vendors was a small shop purveying motorcycle gear, including Dehner boots.  I own and wear a number of pairs of Dehners, and wasn't interested in any more... until two things happened:  I saw a very different and interesting pair of boots on display, and I got to talk to Jeff Ketzler about them.  Mr. Ketzler is the President of the Dehner Boot Company.  It's not often you get to meet the "head guy" and talk boots.

We talked about the various materials from which Dehner boots were made, and I expressed my opinions about that "Dehcord" stuff on the shafts of patrol boots.  Mr. Ketzler wasn't defensive, but he explained that he had heard the complaints about this plastic product melting, discoloring, and cracking, and told me that they have redesigned it so the color goes all the way through.  Okay, fine -- so when it cracks (and it will) -- you won't see white cracks, but black ones.  For cops who go through a pair of boots a year, that's fine because they dispose of the boots when they are damaged.  For people like me (not a cop) who wear Dehners and keep them longer than a year, the cracking situation isn't so good.  But overall, it's a balance between cost ($400/pair for the Dehcord shaft boots vs. $700+/pair for the all-leather variety.)

While European calf leather is their finest -- and most expensive -- Dehner boots can also be made with "Voyager" leather, which is a good grade of leather but not as expensive as European calf.

Long story short, while Mr. Ketzler was there, he measured me for custom boots.  Nothing like having the Company Big Cheese do it!  (You know the measurements will be right!)  And another good thing, there was no charge for taking the measurements, as there tends to be when you deal with them directly or through a third-party retailer like Stompers Boots.  Further, I got a good discount by making a commitment to buy during the event.

Last Wednesday, the UPS guy was busy -- he delivered not one but two pairs of boots to my door.  I had to wait 11 weeks for these brown beauties, but aren't they cool?  

These boots are called "Dehner Field Boots" (more photos here) and I specified them as follows:  18" tall, made entirely of brown "Voyager" leather, and a Vibram®100 big lug sole (great for motorcycling).  The other features of this boot are that they open across the front and close with three straps and buckles.  They also have a bal-laced instep which, because the boots are custom-made and fit closely, I actually have to untie so I can put them on, then tie them again to close the fitting.  (I wonder if eventually they will break in and I won't have to untie and tie them each time I wear them. Doing that is a pain in the butt.)

I really like how these boots look, and their unique design.  I do not know anyone else who has them, so once again, I will set the example in my home crowd of having among the most unique and diverse boot collection around.  :-)

Life is short:  wear boots!

Comparison of Tall Chippewa Boots

Several weeks ago, a motorcycle police Sergeant from a U.S. county sheriff's department wrote me an email and asked a number of questions comparing Chippewa boots with each other, and with Dehner patrol boots as well. I thought the email exchange that we had was interesting. The Sergeant complimented me in the last email we shared by saying, "you are factual, unbiased, and well-informed. Thank you for helping me in deciding on my next pair of boots."

Well, you're welcome. I'm glad that you found my website and our email exchange helpful.

In response to that, I took some time last week to create a video where I compared and contrasted various tall Chippewa boots:  Hi-Shines (model #71418), Trooper boots (model #27950), and oil-tanned engineer boots (#27908 and #27909).  I also compared the Trooper (patrol) boots with stock Dehner patrol boots.

I hope you find this video interesting and helpful.



[Note: this blog post was written several days ago, and was scheduled to appear today while I continue to heal from surgery.]

Life is short: know your boots (and wear them!)

First Time for Dehner Boots?

So you made the purchase of a cool pair of Dehner (brand) police motorcycle boots. Very handsome boots, for sure! Congratulations on your selection of a great pair of boots.

As a Dehner-boot wearer myself (see my collection), let me share some insights on how to break in these boots properly, so you can wear them for years, comfortably, and laced right. (I can't tell you how many times I've seen non-cops wearing bal-laced Dehner boots that are laced wrong -- either tied like sneakers with laces in an x-pattern, or tied at the top, not in the middle.)

Dehner boots are classics, but the stock boots, which are most common, have plastic shafts (the company calls it "Dehcord," but plastic is plastic) which if not broken properly at the ankle, may break wrong and cause problems with comfort by rubbing and causing sores on the back of the ankle.

I have created a tutorial video that explains what to do right after you open that Dehner box, pull out those tall black boots, admire them, but before you put them on for the first time.

Yep, that's right: don't pull them on your feet right away. Watch this video, follow these procedures, then be very happy with your new boots.

Life is short: break in your Dehner Boots right!



If your browser does not handle this embedded HD video well, See it on my YouTube Channel.

Oh Officer?

Ooops... it finally happened. I had someone confuse me with a motor officer. Here's the story...

Last Friday, I rode my Harley while going about errands and grocery shopping for my aunt. I also wanted to break in a new pair of lug-soled Dehner patrol boots. It was comfortably warm, so leather breeches would be too hot to wear. I chose a pair of cloth breeches instead. I wore a t-shirt and a vest on top. Nothing I was wearing had insignia of any law enforcement agency on it. However, I do realize that striped breeches inside motorboots gives a message that others may misinterpret.

While in the grocery store, I was moving rather quickly up and down the aisles to get the various items that my aunt needed. After gathering all the items, I went to the self-checkout register and began using it.

A woman came up to me, and said, "gee, you're fast. I saw you and kept trying to reach you, but you moved to fast to catch up with. Officer, I have a question...." then she prattled on about something regarding what the police do with mentally disturbed people. I swear, she didn't even pause to take a breath.

I finally had a chance to get a word in edgewise, and said, "Ma'am, I'm not a police officer, but I understand the breeches and boots might have confused you."

She stopped, then looked me up and down and said, "well, I thought you were, because my brother is a motor officer and wears a uniform like that."

I really didn't want to get into a prolonged discussion, so I just said, "well, again, I'm sorry for any confusion. These are indeed police motor breeches and boots, but you see, I am not wearing any insignia and I'm not a cop. I ride a motorcycle almost every day, and find this clothing to be comfortable and practical, which is why cops wear it. It just works for me, that's all. Again, sorry to cause confusion."

She replied with, "well, you even had your sunglasses propped up on your head like cops do, your hair is cut like theirs, and you walk the same way they do, so no wonder I thought you were a cop." Then, believe it or not, she kinda bopped me on the shoulder and said, "I wish you were a cop. You have a nice smile, and you're making time for this old lady to ask you a dumb question." With that, she spun on her heel and walked away. ... left me with my jaw dropped and wondering what just happened.

The customer in the lane next to me said, "hey, man, those are nice boots. They look good with those ... what'd you call 'em? Breeches?"

Hmmm... he was a very nice looking guy.

I finished checking out as he did, and he walked with me to the parking lot. He admired my Harley and asked a bunch of questions about the bike and the boots. [Hey, Stompers, I think I sent another customer your way! LOL!]

I mounted up and rode off with a smile on my face, yet with some bewilderment, too, regarding the incident that started the whole series of events.

Life is short: wear what you like, but don't intentionally misrepresent. If someone makes an assumption, clarify!

Dehners' First Ride

For a long time now, Stompers Boots of San Francisco was offering a great price on Dehner Patrol Boots. I figured that the sale would have to come to an end, so I decided to buy a pair of these boots with a 1" wider calf and lug soles on them. Stompers doesn't carry Dehner Boots with lug soles, but can arrange to have the Dehner Company put them on and have the boots shipped to the buyer directly.

I like big lug soles on my boots because they help a lot when I need to maneuver my big, heavy motorcycle in tight spots. For example, yesterday I went to our local post office, and the only parking space available was on a slight downgrade. There was so much traffic around, I couldn't back myself into the spot. I knew when I came out, it would require a lot of strength and traction to move the bike out of the space. These boots performed superbly: like a snow tire, the soles gripped the pavement and helped me to push my bike out of the space. Had my sole slipped -- even a little bit -- it would have been very likely that I would have dropped the bike. That's enough of a reason why I wear lug-soled boots when I ride my Harley.

Now... to the video. Some readers may be "of a certain age" (like me) to remember the TV show "CHiPs" that was aired from 1977 to 1983. The show featured a couple of Dehner-booted bike cops. Every now-and-then, they would have a camera trained on one of the cop's boots from behind, as he was operating his bike -- usually chasing a bad guy.

I have that image in my mind -- of a Dehner Boot on a bike while riding. I have produced similar videos like this before, but this is the first one while I am actually wearing "Dehner" (brand) boots (not something else) on this model of Harley-Davidson motorcycle.

Enjoy the "bootcam" video. Try to figure out where my camera was. I assure you, though, that my hands remained firmly on the grips, and I didn't let go. Also, I didn't have a passenger or someone riding beside me. Okay -- go figure where my camera was. I'll reveal the answer later.

Life is short: get booted and ride!

Getting Reacquainted with an Old Pair of Dehners

Dehner Motorcycle Patrol Boots, called "Dehners" for short, are well-known and highly admired by many. Lots of motor officers around the country wear these boots. While there remains controversy in their price (about the highest of all patrol boots), and the composition of stock boot "Dehcord" plastic shafts is also causes many discussions, there's nothing like the appearance and the feel of these boots on your legs.

The boots shown here are an old pair of all-leather Dehner Boots with Vibram big lug soles on them. They are "traditional" boots, with a bal-laced instep. I have had them for well over 15 years. They were getting tight on the calves, though, so I had to either fix them to fit me again, or not wear them any more. I didn't want to give up a pair of boots like this, so I got out my boot stretcher. Over the past month, I slowly stretched the calf of both boots, and now they fit great again! Woo-hoo!

I spent some time shining them up with good quality boot polish and slow, steady strokes with a fine brush. The foot shows a little wear where my shifter of my old Harley rubbed against it, but to me (and some cops I know), that's a sign of well-worn boots.

I'll be riding my Harley with them on again in leather or breeches. Nothin' like a good lug sole when riding the bike... great traction.

I was dressed in a pair of leather jeans tucked inside these boots with a sleeveless leather shirt when my partner got home from work last night. He thought the boots looked great and complimented me on being able to wear them again. He thought, though, that the full leather gear was a bit much. Even though it wasn't all that warm, I did get a bit sweaty during my "greeting." (LOL!) The smell of leather & sweat added something to what became a spontaneous sharing of tenderness and intimacy.

Whew... gotta find some more "old" boots and get them all shined and in good shape for more such "encounters."

Life is short: wear boots!

Even Cops Have Trouble with Dehner Boots

I posted instructions on how to break in Dehner patrol boots about six months ago, here.

It is unfortunate that motor officers, much like anyone else, just pull on a new pair of Dehner boots when they get them, rather than take the time to break the ankles properly. Photos of this post are of motor officers wearing Dehner boots. (Real cops in their actual boots.)

One of the cops whose boots are shown below told me that his boots were very uncomfortable. I can understand why. The sideways-turned bend at the shaft of the boot where it meets the foot must rub his ankle on the inside and cause sores.

Anyway, if you get new tall police patrol boots, take time to break them in correctly before wearing them. Otherwise, you'll be very sorry with the permanent, uncomfortable results.

<==== sideways ankle break         =====>
boot shafts not wide enough for calf circumference, causing the boots to sag badly at the ankles because they cannot be pulled on all the way up, as well as the fabric of the breeches to bunch up at the boot tops because the fabric cannot fit inside the boots due to lack of adequate room.

Life is short: wear Dehners well!

How Heat Damages Dehner Boots

Shown here and below are photos of boots worn by motor officers who participated in the Law Ride that was held in Washington, DC, on May 9, 2010.

Look at the areas on the side of each officer's right boot that is inside the red circle. You will see that the boot shaft in that area is a dull gray. That dull gray area on the boot demonstrates what happens to Dehner's Dehcord (Clarino) product when it is exposed to heat of a motorcycle engine.

I have often pointed out that such damage occurs, and now can show visible proof.

It's kinda a love-hate thing about Dehner Boots. They style is great. The quality of the material on the shaft of stock boots cannot withstand ordinary exposure to the heat of motorcycle engines. Why? It is plastic, not leather. The change of color and loss of shine is due to the plastic slightly melting and changing its composition just a little bit. Unfortunately, once damaged, the material cannot be repaired, fixed, or restored to its once lustrous shine.

Many cops have told me that they like stock Dehner boots because they are easy to care for. A quick spray of furniture polish and a wipe-down restores the boot shafts to a very shiny appearance. All except the area exposed to the hot engine, which dulls out rather quickly. Some cops don't care, and some do. Those who do replace their boots quickly enough that it doesn't matter to them if the boots "show character" from such damage incurred when worn on a police motorcycle.

I have to point out, while I am a Harley guy (thus the name), this damage occurs to Dehner boots worn on a Police Harley. The other manufacturer of police motorcyles -- BMW -- has its engine, engine guard, and exhaust pipes configured in such a way that the rider's boot shaft doesn't get close to the source of heat, so the boots do not discolor like they do when worn on a Harley.

If you like Dehner boots but don't wear them while riding a Harley, then the stock version should suit you well. They are much less expensive than the all-leather version, which costs more than twice as much.

Life is short: know your boots.

Motorboots

Someone asked me once, "are all boots that the police wear black?" Well, for the most part, the answer is, "yes." There are a few exceptions in the United States and in some other countries where tall brown boots can be found. But at all of the events where motor officers participate that I have attended, their boots have been uniformly black, tall, and ... black LOL!

As I was watching the (relatively few) motor officers arrive at the Law Ride in Washington, DC, I was (of course) looking at their boots. I giggled to myself at how quickly I was able to determine which brand and style of boots were on the cops -- Dehner Boots, Chippewa Hi-Shine Engineer Boots, Chippewa Patrol Boots, and a few Wesco Motor Patrol Boots. There seemed to be a relatively even split this year between Dehners and Chippewa Hi-Shines among the some 200 motor officers who were there. The numbers of officers who rode in the Law Ride this year was significantly less -- about 40% from the number who were there the year before.

I discussed this with my fellow boot blogger, Cliff, at lunch yesterday. Gosh, it was great to see him and enjoy catching up with each other. Cliff was also at the Law Ride and remarked about what I had noticed about the vast drop in motor officers attending. He agreed that the economy had something to do with it. Amusing aside: as Cliff and I were seated at the restaurant, the waiter noticed our boots. He said, "nice boots! Want to trade for my shoes?" We laughed and said, "of course not!"

Anyway, why did I post this blog post with the title "motorboots?" Because, that's what cops call their boots. Simple as that. Enjoy the galleries of the cops and motorboots that I just posted to my website.

Guide to Motorcycle Police Boots

One of the most popular tutorials about boots that I have ever written, my Guide to Motorcycle Police Patrol Boots, has been updated.

This Guide receives visits on the order of 300 - 500 per day from all over the world. Many police agencies and governments visit, in addition to the usual assortment of others who are interested in the boots.

I received a great compliment the other day from a sergeant in a law enforcement unit on the U.S. West Coast. He said:

Thanks for that great review of police patrol boots. It was very informative and insightful. I have been wearing boots for over 15 years, but I learned from this website even more useful information. Thanks.

... that was nice. Thanks, Sergeant. I'm here to serve. (smile.)

I also received an email asking me about Hispar "Raven" police patrol boots. These cheap knock-offs that are made in Pakistan have been appearing on Amazon and Yahoo vendor "stores" since last summer. I bought a pair of boots through this vendor, and can tell for myself that they're cheap. The leather is thin and of substandard quality. I personally can't recommend them.

Quality cop boots remain what we know and admire: All-American "Blue Knight" Patrol Boots, Chippewa Hi-Shine Engineer Boots, Dehner Patrol Boots, and Wesco Patrol Boots.

Visit the Guide to see the update.

Life is short: boot up and ride!

Dehners are Dehners Not Dehner's

Dehner (dāy-nur) Boots are very popular. I own eight pairs of these boots. I bought my first pair of Dehner Motorcycle Patrol Boots over 20 years ago, and acquired my more recent additions of Dehner Patrol Boots to my boot collection from some motor officers I know. (Please don't ask me if they have more boots to sell or give away -- they do not.)

This is a bit of a rant, once again, about apostrophe abuse. Just like I wrote once before, one does not add an apostrophe to make a word plural, particularly of a brand of boots.

If you have a pair of Dehner Boots, the short-hand reference is "Dehners." NOT "Dehner's." Period, end-of-story. I am amazed that college-educated adults continue to add an apostrophe everywhere one does not belong. But then again, after reviewing hundreds of résumés from job applicants for an entry-level position, all of whom claimed to have graduated with a four-year degree from an accredited institution of higher education, I no longer anticipate that any younger person can spel or writ wurth a lik. They r so used 2 texting dat they hav forgotten hw 2 write a complete sentence wit appropriate spelling, grammar, nd punctuation.

If you would not write boot's then you would not write Dehner's or Wesco's. The correct plural in English of these boot brands is Dehners or Wescos. Period, final end-of-story.

Life is short: spell it right!

It's All About the Boots Part 1: Patrol Boots

A couple weeks ago, I sent a message to subscribers of my YouTube Channel to say that I was going to have some free time during my past week's "staycation" and asked for some suggestions for videos that I might create.

I received a few responses with rather odd video suggestions, but such suggestions were not unexpected from the boot fetish community. Sorry, fellas, you aren't going to see me lick boots or do other things that are unhealthy. However, I received one reply from a fellow boot blogger who suggested that I keep the videos focused on the boots. He said, and I agree, "It's All About the Boots."

I got out six pairs of my favorite boots and created two videos. The first video features three of my favorite patrol boots:

• Bal-Laced Dehner Boots
• Wesco Motor Patrol Boots
• Chippewa Hi-Shine Boots

By the way, I still really like my All American Blue Knight Patrol Boots but I blogged about them recently already so I chose some others to feature today.

I put the patrol boots that I picked out for the video on my feet, showed how to keep a good shine on them, and walked around a bit.

In the video, I stated where I got these boots -- all from Stompers Boots of San Francisco. Stompers is having a great sale that just launched this week -- 20% off every pair of boots, including special orders like custom Wesco boots. That's a great deal! Not only do you get the best prices for quality boots, you get great customer service.

Visit Stompers Boots' Website or give them a call at 1-888-BOOTMAN (in the USA) to place an order. You will be happy that you did, and help keep Stompers in business. Times are tough -- us boot guys (and women) need to step up and help out.

Here's the first of two new videos. Enjoy!

Comparison of Motorcycle Patrol Boots

I have blogged a lot about how much I like the pair of All American Blue Knight Patrol Boots that I bought last year. And there continues to be a passionate following of Dehner Motorcycle Patrol Boots of which I own seven pairs and have worn for many years.

I made a video comparing both pairs of boots, noting the features and qualities of each. In an overall summary, I think both manufacturers make great boots. The style, quality, and most of all -- appearance -- is excellent.

The All American Boots are made of all leather, and have a thin plastic top coat, which some people call "patent leather." Thus, they keep a great shine with little maintenance by a light spray and wipe of furniture polish (not waxy shoe polish). The coating is thin enough that the boots breathe, so they don't get inordinately hot. The big lug soles provide great traction when I ride my Harley. Having ridden with them a lot, I have noticed that the sides of both boot shafts that face the engine have worn and discolored, and polish won't return the shine. That's a distinct problem with boots (including Chippewa Hi-Shines) that have a thin plastic top coating. The cost of these boots, which are all made custom, is about US$320.

Dehner Boots can be made custom of all leather, but the cost to the average Bootman is well over US$700. Stock Dehner boots are comparable with the All American Boots. The boots have a plastic shaft (called "Dehcord") which can discolor and even crack when worn a lot, particularly when exposed to a hot motorcycle engine. The stock boots are available from many retailers and from the manufacturer. The best price on these boots is from Stompers Boots.

If you can deal with the plastic shaft issue, the rest of the features of Dehner Boots are superb. They are comfortable, even after a long day (on the bike or when I wear them, pants over, to work.) The soles are non-lug rubber, so they do not provide as much traction as lug soles do. However, the company would change the soles if enough cops complained, and apparently they do not. And nothing can compare with the appearance.

Here is the video comparing the two manufacturer's bal-laced patrol boots. Enjoy!

Dress Instep and Bal-Laced Dehner Boots

Tall black patrol boots worn by motor officers are eye-catching. Even to non-boot guys, I see lots of other people, male and female, young and old, watch motorcops and look longingly at their boots.

I have dozens of pairs of motorcycle police patrol boots, including six pairs made by the Dehner Boot Company. The company has received some criticism for making stock boots with plastic shafts (they call "Dehcord") but I'm told by a lot of cops that they like the boots that way, since they are very easy to maintain a nice shine with a quick spray of furniture polish and a wipe-down.

Most cops have boots provided for them by their employer, so if they damage a boot with a plastic-shaft while wearing them for duty, the boots can be replaced at little or no expense to the officer. Other guys, like me, who are not cops but like the boots, aren't as fortunate. Therefore, we have to be careful not to damage stock Dehner boots by exposing them to hot motorcycle pipes or excessive wear.

I'm a strange booted leather dude -- I actually wear all the boots that I own. I don't put on a pair of boots for the occasional leather fashion parade or fetish event and then wear dress shoes to work and sneakers around home. I ride my Harley, walk a lot, do construction, work in the yard, and go about daily life booted all the way. However, when I may be doing work that would expose boots to heavy wear, water, dirt, mud, or excessive bending, then I choose boots other than Dehners to wear.

Some guys have very strong preferences on the style of police patrol boots that they like. Some admire the traditional bal-laced instep. Some like an instep on a boot without laces -- it's called a dress instep. I like both. I really have trouble deciding if I prefer one over the other. It really depends, I guess, on what boots catch my eye when I visit my boot closet.

Anyway, here are a couple of recent videos that show these styles of boots. You decide.

Life is short: wear your boots!