Purpose of Buckles on Tall Boots

I received an email recently with some questions about boots with pull-tabs vs. buckles. Within my answer, I explained the purpose of a buckle closure on tall boots, such as Wesco harness boots. Here is what I said:

There are three reasons for a buckle at the top of tall boots.

First, the buckle closure allows the leg opening at the top of the shaft to be expanded to accommodate the calf. On most men, the calf circumference 6 - 8" below the knee is one to two inches wider than the circumference just under the knee (which is the height at which you want tall boots to be). Thus, you can open the boot shaft as you pull boots on over jeans or leathers, then buckle the top to tighten the fit under the knee.

Second, the buckle closure will hold the boots up high on the leg and they won't sag (too far). Boots that sag a lot can cause folds of leather that can rub against the ankle and cause sores. It's best to have boots that are held up by a mechanical method (such as buckles), so they won't sag.

Third, when closed snugly, top-buckled boot shafts will hold jeans, leathers, or breeches inside the boots so when you sit down then stand up, you won't have unsightly bulges of fabric or leather above the knee. That is, it keeps the lines between the fabric or leather and the boots "clean" and have a neater appearance, as shown above. That appearance is desirable by those who wear jeans, leathers, or breeches inside boots. Seldom, if ever, do you see a motorcycle officer with baggy breeches at the knees.

Buckles at the top of boot shafts to hold jeans, leathers or breeches inside them is important if you ride a motorcycle. A motorcycle operator frequently bends and extends his or her knees when stopping, starting, and riding. (And buckles are far better than a laced boot shaft closure, because laces can easily come undone when blown in the wind, and are a pain in the butt to keep re-tying.)

Warning! I see that Wesco now defaults to offering only boot pulls, not buckles, on tall custom-made harness boots. If you want buckles as shown in the photos of some of my Wesco Harness boots here, you have to specify that you want buckles as a special instruction, and be prepared to pay more. This is why I strongly recommend working with and through a competent, quality Wesco Boot reseller, such as Stompers Boots of San Francisco. They know what real Bootmen require, and know how to explain it to Wesco so they get it right when placing an order and save you money, too, by giving a good discount on the MSRP.

I hope you find this information helpful if you may be considering buying a pair of tall boots and are wondering about having a buckle (or two or more) on the shaft, instead of pull straps.

Life is short: wear your boots!