Mid-Atlantic Leather

Posted on January 11, 2012 by BHD

Yep, it’s that time of year again for the second-largest gathering of the leather clan in the United States — an event called Mid-Atlantic Leather. It begins on Friday, January 13, and runs through Sunday night/Monday morning with a dance.

Leather, boots, hormone-driven gay men… all in one place in Washington, DC.

Okay, I’ve got the boots, leather gear, and last I checked, my hormones are still working. Will I be attending?

Nope… and regular readers know why. My partner is not well, and even if he were, this event is better suited for the younger single guys rather than us old farts who live out in the suburbs and think it’s late when the clock strikes 21:00 (9pm.) LOL! Plus, at $180 for the cost of registration, not to mention the cost of a hotel room — sorry, I can think of many other things on which I would rather spend my money.

Yeah, I speak for myself when I say, “old fart.” There are many guys of all ages who attend “MAL”. I admire the guys my age and older who can put up with the noise, lack of sleep, and who seem to thrive on an active nightlife that goes late into the night into the wee hours of the morning. Not for me, not for my partner, and not for us as a couple since we don’t play around with other men. Sorry, not interested.

Sure, I’d like to catch up with some guys I know who will be attending, and watch guys strutting in their leather finest. Perhaps attend the BLUF gathering on Saturday afternoon… though I can’t stand the surly bartenders at the Green Lantern bar, that’s where this event will be held (while official “MAL Events” are all at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill). Chit-chat with guys from the HotBoots site… perhaps in the hotel lobby or around the MAL event itself. Tempting… but not this year.

That kind of thing is not my life these days, and won’t be. I have grown beyond it. Don’t take this wrong — I am not implying immaturity or anything wrong with the guys who enjoy this highly social event. Staying up late, drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking cigars, and swapping stories with other guys dressed in leather is not something I want to do any more.

If you go, enjoy seeing old friends, making new friends, and taking it all in — the one time each year that you will see guys in boots and leather on the streets of DC, in bars and restaurants, and visiting monuments. Otherwise, DC is rather staid and “suit-y” in dark, drab clothing and ugly dress shoes.

Also, remember to play safe. Seriously — AIDS is still easily transmissible among those who let their guard down, especially if they’re drunk or high or both. And it is such a tragedy that this disease is still so prevalent when its spread can be prevented by taking some simple precautions. (You know what they are!)

Life is short: realize when interests change.

Ethnic Stereotypes of Clothes and Boots

Posted on January 9, 2012 by BHD

I received an email recently where someone asked me some questions about wearing boots with certain clothing choices. In that message, he also said,

I have recently acquired yellow Tony Lama boots and a pair of orange Dan Post boots. I plan on wearing them with jeans over the boots, but do not know what type of shirt to wear and not look like a Mexican.

Really? Honestly, this caught me by surprise. Does a certain combination of jeans over colorful boots and a certain kind or color of shirt make one “look like a Mexican?”

Okay, I admit, I live in a multicultural area, the suburbs of the capital of the United States, where people from all over the world live and work. Not only in the Diplomatic corps, but also those who come from other countries who work in various companies and international organizations that work with our country.

Further, the county where I live has become much more ethnically diverse. The little neighborhood that I developed has brought me neighbors who come from 13 countries of the world. So yeah, I am very accustomed to “living diversity” (one way of saying it) … or just recognizing that people are people from all over the place, and I enjoy being among it all.

When I look at someone, I never have given thought to the clothes (and boots) that they wear making them appear to be of a particular ethnic origin. I was stunned to think that wearing a certain color shirt with blue denim jeans and orange cowboy boots is considered by some people to be a “Mexican uniform.” Yowza! Never in a million years would I have thought that.

However, in doing more searching on the topic, I found a post in response to why younger people of today laugh at guys who wear cowboy boots and hats. The post said:

It depends on the culture. Cowboy hats and boots aren’t really “in style” for this generation of youth. However, in Mexican culture the men wear cowboy hats and boots all the time and even young Mexican kids do too. It’s just when they reach the teenage years, peer pressure tends to make them stray from that style.

Perhaps this is where the link to wearing cowboy boots being a “Mexican uniform” came from in the original writer’s inquiry.

To confirm my own thoughts that there is no such “uniform of ethnicity” (particularly of Hispanic origin) in the part of the U.S. where I live, I dropped by my local big box building supplies retailer (whose name will not be mentioned on this blog) and had a chat with a dozen day laborers. It is well known that day laborers gather at [building supplies retailer], hoping that someone will hire them to do labor. I have done that on occasion when I have needed help from very hard-working men.

During my conversation, I looked at what these guys were wearing. The UoD for Hispanic day laborers is jeans, work boots or sneakers, and various shirts. Flannel, denim, etc. Because it was chilly, the men were wearing cloth or denim jackets — what any worker would wear. I didn’t notice any particular color or style of clothing that might make someone think that if I wore it, I was Hispanic.

I dunno, perhaps it’s different where the writer of that email is from. Not where I live. And I am thankful for that.

Life is short: avoid furthering stereotypes that promote ongoing xenophobia and arrogance.

Post 1400 and Blogging

Posted on January 7, 2012 by BHD

Welcome to post #1400 on this blog. Regular readers have been accustomed to a new post each day, but I’ve pretty much run out of new content — or at least enough to write a new post for each day, 365 days/year.

For a while, unless there is breaking news, I will scale back to a new post every other day and see how that goes.

I am still spending most of my waking hours (when I am not at my place of work) caring for my partner, who remains quite ill with an unknown serious medical situation. Caring for him takes the majority of my free time, which includes blogging time. Heck, if I have to spend an hour doing the laundry or cleaning the house so my partner can rest, so be it.

Thank you for reading my musings — ramblings, mostly — on a regular basis. I appreciate it. I like to write (obviously), and share information I have learned, take note of amusing internet behavior, comment on issues related to being a plain ol’ gay man who happens to like wearing boots and leather and who lives in a monogamous, permanent, closed relationship.

I appreciate that I have visitors from near and far. I still have two lurkers from my home town who visit every day — almost predictably at a specific hour. I don’t know if these guys are “secret Bootmen” or are spies from some of my local groups in which I participate, or what… but nonetheless, I hope you’re enjoying finding out more about me, just a regular guy next door who has an alter ego about which you were unaware.

I also appreciate the large number of visitors to this blog from my own country, the United States, as well as from Canada, Mexico, the U.K., Germany, Sweeden, Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, France, Spain, and the rest of Europe, Russia, Brazil, Japan, and New Zealand and Australia — lands I long to return to visit some day. I also have regular visitors from Japan and a few from Hong Kong, but none from China, as China still shamefully blocks blogs on Blogger from appearing on the internet in that country.

About 90% of the visitors to this blog come from internet searches. Text searches are the majority, but image searches land a lot of visitors here, too. Since Blogger is a Google product, it is not surprising to me that searches using the world’s most frequently-used search engine drive a large number of visitors to this blog every hour of every day. Since this blog is quite mature — 1,400 posts now — there is a lot of content that appears in search results when people look for information about boots, leather, wearing boots, what’s in style for men, and the ongoing obsession about whether to wear jeans inside or outside of boots.

In closing, thank you again for visiting this blog, reading my ramblings, and occasionally commenting. I hope you have a much more pleasant 2012 than ours has started out to be.

Life is short: keep the faith, and keep blogging!

My Man is My Priority

Posted on January 6, 2012 by BHD

The Light of My Life, my partner, my best friend, my soulmate, my everything, has been seriously ill for over a month now. On top of some sort of neurological problem which occurs at random and is severe when it happens, he has a really bad cold which has persisted for more than a week. Something is really wrong. He has never had something like a cold last more than a few days, and seldom even gets one.

My partner and I are worried, and are at a loss about what to do. He has seen so many specialists that if there were stock in “doctors” and we owned just one share, we would be rich. He has gone through so many tests that he is glowing in the dark. All the tests, so far, are “inconclusive.”
Continue reading →

Removing Odors from Leather and Boots

Posted on January 5, 2012 by BHD

A while back, someone wrote to me to ask my advice on how to remove a strong smell of fragrance from a pair of boots she bought via eBay. Another guy wrote recently with a similar question — how to remove smoke odor from a leather jacket previously worn by a heavy smoker.

There are a lot of home remedies and folklore out there. In my opinion and based on experience, most of the home remedies do not work. Here is what works, and why….

Odors from fragrances or smoke are actually molecules that are released into the air. A concentration of these molecules is picked up by the human nose and detected as a particular smell. There are smells of all kinds, from pleasant to unpleasant. Some people find some odors pleasing or arousing while others find the same odor obnoxious (for example, some guys like to wear aftershave or cologne while other guys can’t stand the smell, myself being one of them).

Anyway, back to the topic … how to remove strong odors, be they from an applied fragrance such as fabric spray, a spilled fragrance such as perfume (cologne is perfume), or an acquired fragrance such as tobacco smoke:

First, if the odor is very strong, it means that many of the molecules that compose the offending smell are being released from the material to which they were applied. Leather, in particular, is known to hold on to these molecules for a long time and release them slowly — so it seems to the person owning the leather item (boots, jacket, vest, etc.) that the odor persists for days, weeks, or months.

If you are dealing with that situation — a saturated garment or pair of boots — then the best way to remove the odor (or at least reduce it significantly) is to get a small can of gel odor remover (picture, left) from any building supplies retailer or large variety store like KMart (or Wal-sucks).

Remove the top of the lid of the gel odor remover and place it into the bottom of a plastic trash bag. Then place the garment or boots in the bag, too. If you are placing a leather garment into it, make sure that all of the garment’s openings are open — that is, zippers unzipped, buttons unbuttoned, snaps unsnapped, lining removed if removable, and pockets turned inside out. Make sure the leather does not touch any part of the gel in the can of odor remover.

Close the bag tightly. A twist-tie will work well to seal it. Leave the bag in an area out of direct sunlight and out of the way for two or three days.

What is happening is that there is a chemical in the gel odor remover that attracts the molecules of the offending odor, and absorbs them. By placing the garment or boots in a bag with the gel odor remover, you are providing an environment where the offending smell molecules will be released from the leather and have only one place to go — into the absorbent gel.

You may find this gel odor remover sold with various smell blends as a replacement — orange, lemon, or linen. Most people do not consider these alternate smell blends to be as offensive. And after treatment, those odors will not be as strong. However, if you really want to get rid of all odors — offensive, citrus, or otherwise, then perform one last step.

After the garment or boots have been in the bag with the gel odor remover for two or three days, then open the bag and remove and dispose of the gel odor remover. Put an open box of regular household baking soda in the bag, and close the bag again. Let it sit for another three days. When you remove the garment or boot, it should be fragrance- and odor-free. It also helps to hang the garment in an open area after treatment and let it air out — preferably outdoors if possible.

I mentioned above that there are a lot of recommendations based on folklore to remove odors from garments. Baking soda works if the odors are not pervasive, very strong, or have had time to penetrate the fibers of leather. That’s why it works to remove the light citrus odor from the gel odor remover, because the exposure was minimal. But baking soda will not remove strong smells of a fragrance, such as overspray of perfume, a spill of cologne, or heavy tobacco smoke. The treatment of confinement to a bag with a gel odor remover for several days works much better.

What does not work? Spray-on chemicals, such as “Febreeze,” actually introduces fragrances which you smell more than the offending odor. These treatments do not remove odor, but cover it up or provide a substitute odor — which to some people is equally as offensive. Also, rubbing a leather garment with a cloth soaked in chlorine bleach is unwise. The bleach may stain or damage the leather — and all that does is add another offensive odor — chlorine.

I hope this helps.

Life is short: leather should smell like leather, not something else.

Leather Jackets

Posted on January 3, 2012 by BHD

I was sent an email a while back stating, “I would like to find a good leather jacket. DO NOT want some every day model like you see every other middle-aged corn-fed golf dolt wearing. You know the type I mean. YAWN. I want something a bit more badass than that, but don’t want something way out there. You know, too much. Too buckly, zippery. Something in the middle. Any suggestions of what to look for?”

My reply?

From your description of the type of leather jacket you want — not too flashy, but not one of the old-fart style, yet will keep you warm — I would recommend a police motorcycle jacket. These types of jackets are designed to keep cops warm in cold weather, yet have a lot of function with deep inside pockets, a lining, and cuffs at the wrists. These jackets offer lots of style but less “bling” than a typical “biker jacket”.

There are some superb jackets out there. Vanson is a good choice for a moderate budget. So are jackets made by Taylor’s Leather Wear. I would not recommend a jacket with the X-element label — a Chinese-made knock-off. I also do not recommend a jacket with the Harley-Davidson label. While the quality is good, the cost is often outrageous, due to paying a hefty mark-up for the label. While I ride a Harley, my gear is from other sources for a reason. I don’t pay for merely a label. It is not a status symbol to wear a Harley-branded jacket, anyway.

If you want the best that money can buy, consider a jacket made custom for you by Langlitz. Man, they have terrific jackets. I have long admired Langlitz jackets. However, the price has kept me from buying one. I have been more than satisfied with jackets that are made commercially by Taylor’s and custom by Mr. S. and Johnson Leather of San Francisco.

As you consider any leather jacket, look for:

Top Grain leather — not splits or unstated.
Made from leather that originates in the USA, Canada, Argentina, or Australia — not China, Pakistan or India. If the retailer will not identify the source of the leather, then run, don’t walk, to another vendor.
A good fit. If possible, try it on. Leather jackets are notorious for sizing issues. While you may have a chest size of 40, you may find that a jacket of size 44 actually fits. Also check for how it fits on your shoulders — no puckering or funky-looking drape. If you buy over the internet, make sure the vendor has a return policy, and one that does not involve a restocking fee. A good vendor will allow for a free exchange (except, perhaps, the cost of shipping) of an off-the-rack jacket. Custom gear shouldn’t have that problem because the jacket is made to your specific measurements.

Leather jackets are usually worn in cold weather, meaning that you may be wearing layers of bulky clothing with it — t-shirt, long-sleeved regular shirt. As you try on leather jackets (or get measured for one), put on the clothing that you will likely wear with the jacket so you can accommodate for the bulk of what will be under the jacket.

Finally, we have to remember that a good quality leather jacket will last a long time if cared for well. Thus, to make sure you can wear the jacket for years (and decades) to come, consider that most men are not as slender in the hips, waist, chest, and overall girth in their 40s and 50s as they were in their 20s and 30s. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you can talk all you want about working out and going to the gym to retain a slim physique, but that doesn’t happen for most guys in real life. So what I am saying is that if you are considering buying a good leather jacket and you are a younger dude, consider getting one a little bit bigger. Believe me, you will grow into it, even if you have stopped growing in height. (knowing smile…)

You may also find my Guide to Leather Gear helpful in learning about the types, styles, and various qualities of leather garments.

Life is short: know your gear and wear it well!

Riding on New Years Day?

Posted on January 2, 2012 by BHD

Seldom does the weather cooperate on 1 January, but this year it did. The temperatures did not get as warm as predicted, but warm enough — 50F (10C). It brought out a lot of bikers for my club’s annual “polar bear ride.”

My partner is still not well, and I felt torn thinking about leaving him. But thankfully, one of my senior pals came to our home to stay with him while I got on my Harley and joined my club for its annual ride.

It was supposed to be a “short” ride, but it turned out to be about twice as long as we were told it would be. I have to be honest, when the ride finally reached its destination — a biker bar/restaurant — I was “done.” Tired. Exhausted. It is hard to ride when it is cold, even with warm leathers and tall boots to keep you warm. Sapped all of the energy right out of me! So I kept on going and came home. (I don’t really like that restaurant anyway, and with as many hungry bikers as were on this ride, I anticipated that service would be awfully slow.)

I am glad that I made the decision to leave early, because I had been home not 15 minutes before we had an unexpected rain shower.

Anyway, it was a treat to be able to ride on 1 January.

What did I wear? My LAPD leather breeches with Wesco Patrol Boots, a leather shirt, and my Motocross leather jacket. (And I also had on long underwear — layers really helped!)

Life is short: ride when you can, and remember to wear boots and leather!

Happy New Year!

Posted on January 1, 2012 by BHD

I attended my usual New Year’s party with my best friend and his large, raucous Italian family last night. (My partner does not go to this party with me due to the noise and confusion.) We cook a huge breakfast, served at 11:30pm, then ring in the new year with champagne (and ginger ale for me.) I return home by 12:30am, and usually find my partner asleep on the sofa. But he awakens, and we have our own small celebration, then hit the sack.

Later today, I hope to get a motorcycle ride in with friends. The weather is supposed to be outstanding. Imagine, January 1 with temperatures in the high 50s (14C), sunny, bright… great “leather weather.”

After that, I plan to spend time with my partner. I’m sure we will have plenty to do (smile.)

Not much else to report… but I will appreciate having tomorrow as an added day off for the holiday, so I can catch up on sleep, disrupted by “evening activities.”

Life is short: show those you love how you love them. Happy New Year!

Best of Motorcycle Boots By Style

Posted on December 30, 2011 by BHD

I ride a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and I always wear motorcycle boots while riding (never sneakers). I own a lot of different styles of motorcycle boots, and have worn all of them (one pair at a time LOL!) while riding.

Following is my opinion of the best motorcycle boots of each of these styles: engineer boots, harness boots, “shortie” or tactical boots, and patrol boots.

Each style is listed below — note that the header is a link to the style of those boots in my motorcycle boot collection. Click on the link to see them.

Engineer Boots

Many bikers wear engineer boots. These boots present a solid, rugged, masculine appearance. You can get them in various heights, from as short as 8 inches (20cm) to very tall (as high as “crotch high” of 34 inches [86cm]), though there are two “typical” heights — 11 inches (28cm) and 17 inches (43cm).

My favorite, all-around engineer boots are made by Chippewa in the USA. These boots are available both with and without a steel toe. I have both types. I cannot say whether I like the steel toe better than the non-steel toe versions. I wear the non-steel toe boots in the summer when I want lighter weight boots on my feet. I wear steel toe boots when I may end up on rough terrain, dirt, or mud. These boots can certainly take a beating, and remain sturdy, solid, and water-resistant yet are affordable and a great value for the price.

Some may ask, “you own Wesco Boss (engineer) boots, too, why are they not your highest recommendation?” Good question. Yes, I own (and wear) Wesco boots. While the boots are built like a tank and will last forever, they also feel like a tank and become heavy on the feet, especially after a long day of riding. Great boots, and I highly recommend them, particularly for use in cold weather, because the boots are made with the thickest premium cowhide of any boots around. I just prefer the Chippewa boots for the affordability and rugged durability they present to the average biker.

Harness Boots

Harness boots are also a classic style worn by many bikers. They present a rugged appearance. Harness straps on boots date back over 100 years, but are only on there for an added decoration; they serve no useful purpose.

Most harness boots are 12 inches (30cm) tall. You can get them shorter or even as tall as “crotch-high,” but most bikers find the 12-inch tall harness boots the most commonly available and typically worn by their peers.

I made a video and comparison of various harness boots a while back (See this blog post). In that review, my overall recommendation for harness boots that meet high quality standards and are affordable, so you get a great value for the price paid, are Chippewa harness boots. A close tie to highest recommended for value and quality construction are harness boots made by Boulet of Canada.

I really cannot recommend harness boots made under the Harley-Davidson label — actually, these boots are made by a third party manufacturer in China that pays H-D for a license to use their name. Cheap labor and materials makes cheap boots. Also, I have not found harness boots made by Dingo, Durango, or Double H to be a good value for the price paid. Again, cheap materials and construction makes lower quality, less-bang-for-the-buck boots.

Again, you may ask my opinion about Wesco harness boots. Yes, I have several pair. Like their Boss Boot brothers, these boots are built like a tank — but they feel like a tank and make my feet tired if I wear them all day. Great for shorter rides and for use when riding in cold weather, but not an all-day warm-weather ride.

Tactical Boots

Some bikers do not want to wear boots at all, but realize when they grow up that they can’t wear sneakers while operating a motorcycle — not if they value the bones in their feet and ankles as well as the skin on their legs.

These bikers look for shorter motorcycle boots. That is, boots that will at least cover the ankle and provide protection, as well as have a sole that will provide better traction than cheap rubber found on the bottom of sneakers.

There are many different manufacturers of tactical boots — many more than I have experience with. For those with which I have experience, I have long regarded my Chippewa Firefighter boots to be the best for this purpose. These boots are built exceptionally well, are leather lined, but do not get hot. They are easy to put on and take off (once you get the zipper installed correctly.) The lug sole provides great traction, while the boot performs well in all kinds of weather. After years of riding, I find myself often choosing these boots over all others when I mount my iron horse to ride.

A close second are station boots made by All American Boot manufacturing. They are great, too, but I do not have as much experience with them as I do with the Chips. Overall, Chippewa Firefighter boots present a terrific value for the price paid.

Police Patrol Boots

There is a reason why cops wear tall black boots. Not only for the commanding appearance that the boots present, but also for the protection, durability, and ease-of-maintenance.

Many cops wear Dehner boots, which have a unique appearance of their own. Classic beauties — but fragile and expensive! I use the word “fragile” when I refer to stock Dehner boots made with a combination of leather for the foot and “Dehcord” (which is plastic) for the shaft. The Dehcord material can crack, chip, and be easily damaged by exposure to a hot motorcycle pipe (i.e., the shaft can discolor and melt.)

I recommend two alternatives to Dehner boots: Chippewa “Hi-Shine” engineer boots, which many cops on the U.S. East Coast wear regularly, and All American “Blue Knight” Patrol boots, which are more widely available nowadays.

The All American patrol boots are winners in my book. Sturdy, durable, and well-constructed with a big lug sole and thick leather shaft and foot. The boots are coated with a light plastic top coat which makes them easy to maintain.

I have worn All American patrol boots for a few years now, and like them a lot. They wear well and have proven their durability. You get a much better value for the price paid compared with Dehner boots (especially all-leather Dehners which cost about double what all-leather All American boots cost.)

You will get the best bang-for-the-buck with a purchase of Chippewa Hi-Shine Boots (model 71418), but if you want the style of patrol boot worn most often by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and many U.S. state and local police motorcycle officers, then you should consider stepping up and into a pair of All American Blue Knight patrol boots with the bal-laced instep.

And yes, anyone can wear motorcycle police patrol boots. You don’t have to be a sworn peace officer to buy or to wear these boots. However, don’t put them on with a uniform and go out in public. Cops take a very dim view of non-L.E. guys doing that. If you want to wear them with a fetish uniform, that’s fine — just keep the cop-look-alike image behind closed doors.

Summary

So, there you have it — my opinions and my personal recommendations on what I consider to be the best boots for each of the four major styles of motorcycle boots made in terms of construction, appearance, and value for price paid.

Life is short: wear boots when riding a motorcycle!

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The Life and Times of Booted Harleydude