I was out riding my Harley the other day with a young friend who is becoming a more confident motorcycle rider. I was wearing leather breeches and Chippewa Hi-Shine boots, as shown here:
When a woman pulled up next to me at a stoplight and said, “Excuse me, officer! Can you…
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Category Archives: Chippewa Hi-Shine Boots
Lug-Soled Chippewa Hi-Shine Engineer Boots
I was delighted that a boot retailer that I have liked to buy boots from offered Chippewa Hi-Shine (model 71418) boots with a Vibram 100 (“big lug”) sole. So many men have asked me, “does Chippewa make boots with lug soles?” and my answer has been, “no, sorry, they don’t.” Then they see my Chip Hi-Shine lug-soled boots and ask, “so how did you get yours?”
Answer:
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Chippewa Boot Production Delay
For several years, I have been strongly suggesting to a friend of mine who is a motor officer that he should get a pair of Chippewa Hi-Shine (model 71418) boots when it was time for a new pair, instead of the bal-laced Dehner boots he had been wearing. Not that he looks bad in Dehners (quite the opposite), but he had been complaining about his feet “needing more room” in the foot as well as the overall cost of Dehners being about twice as expensive as Chip Hi-Shines. He also noticed, as have I, that more cops here on the East Coast are wearing them.
When it came time this Spring for my buddy to order new boots, he found a vendor that offered a good discount to active officers He placed the order in late March, and waited. And waited. And waited.
After a month, he complained to the vendor and told me what the response from Chippewa was that the vendor relayed to him:
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No More Videos
UPDATE: Read this update about my perspective and challenges with future video-making.
Some of my loyal followers have found me through my videos that I have posted on YouTube since 2006. Unfortunately, so-called “upgrades” of technology have conspired against me, so I have decided that I will not create any new videos. It is sad to have to arrive at this decision, but here’s why:
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Chippewa Hi-Shine Engineer Boots
Chippewa Hi-Shine Pride of Boots
Four motorcops from the Orlando, Florida, PD were wearing Chippewa Hi-Shine Engineer Boots, model #71418. These are tall engineer boots made in the traditional style with a large round toe and single strap across the instep, and a buckle closure at the top of the boot shaft. Many motor officers choose this style of boot over patrol boots with a bal-laced instep.
My opinion?
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Santa’s Boots
Santa is getting ready to make his rounds. Have you been naughty or nice?
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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!
An Image That Means "Motorcop"
The image below was used on the title page on the inside of a motorcycle magazine published by a popular motorcycle owner’s group. There was an article in the recent edition of the magazine about motorcycle cops, and was a description of their work.
I found it interesting that the image selected by a mainstream motorcycle magazine to depict a motorcop is his boot — in this case, a Chippewa Hi-Shine — and the badge on the tank.
It sure is a handsome boot… as photos below attest — one of my own boot, and the one below that of a cop who attended Law Ride in 2009.
Note: ALL of these images of Chippewa Hi-Shine Boots show these boots with lug soles. Chippewa (owned by Justin Brands) does not make these boots with lug soles — yet. Each of us arranged for a cobbler to add Vibram 100 lug soles to our respective boots. Chippewa: I hope you’re watching, and take notice of the demand for lug soles on these boots!
Life is short: enjoy lug-soled Chippewa Hi-Shine 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!)
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.
