visit www.converseboots.com.au for Police Security and Military boots from Converse.
REVIEW OF CONVERSE BOOTS
Well I had heard a lot about these boots proclaimed “brand of the year” by footwear news in 2006.
The first thing that struck me was how easy it was to set up the boots for wearing. Very easy and for veteran boot wearers a 3 minute job. I have worn many different types of boots over the last 20yrs in Law Enforcement and Firefighting. Having worn everything from Baxter’s through to Swats. I expect that my boots will excel in all areas but especially in comfort and traction.
Some of Converse’s claims are:
• Extra ankle support via their ankle stabilizer system.
• A moisture absorbent liner.
• Fewer foot and leg injuries.
• No break in period required.
• Reduces lower back, muscle, and joint pain.
• Superior cushioning and comfort due to the Converse Foot Force insole molding to your foot’s shape.
• Superior Traction.
· Freedom that is Converse Tactical and Military footwear is made with 100% non-metallic components making them 100% security friendly.
What I found:I found these boots to be all of what they claim to be, the traction has always been a bug bear for me. I am very impressed with them in both wet and dry conditions. They were put through their paces on numerous occasions in all kind of weather conditions.
One of the problems I have found with past boots is that as soon as it rains you have to be very careful how you walk. With the Converse I relaxed after awhile as the traction didn’t let me down. I also found that the waterproofing qualities of this boot were excellent. We have just had a week of quite wet weather in which at times I was up to my ankles in water and the boots held up without a drop of water coming through. Mud simply wipesoff and the soles seem to self clean.
On Day 1: I found the Tread to be unbelievable, holds like glue, very impressed so far. Very comfortable and my feet were dry at the end of the shift. Feet are feeling great. The only problem I had was driving to work in the old manual Ute, bit stiff at the moment but had no problemsdriving the work car, yes it’s an auto.
On day 2: I really gave them a workout as I was on Foot Patrol for 12hrs Well all I can say, crikey what a hot day, I sweated like a pig but the boots held up just fine. For the first time in a long long while no sore feet after such a long beat shift. The liner worked overtime today and is still dry to the touch. The very next night I did another 12hr Foot Patrol I was very impressed with these boots, the leg aches are completely gone. Last night consisted of many long 2hr foot patrols which included many stair wells etc and my feet are feeling a million dollars.
On the 4th shift I spent 12hrs in the car running around schools Once again the boots stood up better than I expected, one thing that has really struck me is the tread on the boots. I know from my previous boots that running on wet surfaces has been somewhat of an issue in the past. Not so however with the Converse boots, they are living up to the hype. Even several of my colleagues are buying a set.
On day 5 I was involved in 2 foot chase’s and found the boots to be excellent to run and jump fences in. A big part of our job is climbing fences on a regular basis. Now for those that know me I am a rather large bloke and put untold stresses on my boots. The Converse boots have really stood up to the tests.
During the trial period a large low moved in off Fraser Island which resulted in some rather wild weather including torrential rain which caused some flooding to occur. I found the boots to stay dry even when the water was up over my ankles for extended periods of time. The tread only let me down once which was when I stood on a wet oily railway sleeper. However the boots seemed to disperse the oil very quickly and much quicker than any other boot I have worn in the past. In the past it has been hard to get comfort and great traction in the same boot; however Converse seems to have done a great job at combining both.
Some more notes from my diary: Day 6, 12hr Foot Patrol, Once again these boots really worked a treat, no sore feet or legs at the end of the day. Only one bad point so far and that by the end of the shift the boots are a little wiffy. Day 7 12hr Mobile Patrol Group Can’t say enough good things about these boots, if you can find me a better one please try. The boots have loosened up a bit which was easy to fix, just adjust the laces, boots waterproofing properties are excellent, spent a whole week walking around in very inclement water with dry feet at the end of every shift.
“The boots are extremely lightweight so you conserve energy and reduce fatigue”, that is the Company’s claims and I would have to agree. I have found a significant reduction in leg and foot pain since wearing these boots. The sole seems to mould to the shape of your feet. Something else I will talk about is the favorable comments from my colleagues. So much so that quite a few of them have are or in the process of purchasing a pair of these boots for themselves. If you are looking for a great boot for walking Patrol in, then these would have to be it!! I am seriously considering buying myself a pair for hiking/fishing purposes as I believe that these boots would be ideally suited for this pastime as well. The only negative thing that I have been able to find is that the boots can get a little smelly at the end of the day. However this dissipates and disappears within hours of them being taken off. I have also found these boots to be dry on the inside for the entire time I have trialed them.
Some of Converse’s claims are:• Extra ankle support via their ankle stabilizer system: Absolutely without a doubt, something that I noticed the more I wore them.• A moisture absorbent liner: Like I have said previously the weather has been very wet and humid for a lengthy period of time and has really worked overtime to live up to this claim.• Fewer foot and leg injuries: Well I haven’t had any so far. The ankle control is very good.• No break in period required: I would have to agree for the walking part. However the boots needed a few days to loosen up enough to drive easily.• Reduces lower back, muscle, and joint pain: Can’t say enough about this aspect of the boot. The pain I used to get in the arches of my feet and lower back especially have all but disappeared.• Superior cushioning and comfort due to the Converse Foot Force insole molding to your foot’s shape: Yes, like I have reported previously the claim is 100% true and correct.• Superior Traction: Once again the traction can not be spoken of highly enough. I have been told many times by footwear companies that the traction has been improved on the last model, yeah yeah sure. However for once Converse has gotten this right.• Freedom that is Converse Tactical and Military footwear is made with 100% non-metallic components making them 100% security friendly: Yes well we played around with this on some WTMD’s and to no effect. So yes this claim would be correct.
I have worn the boots now for 14hrs a day 6 days a week for just over 4 weeks. They have been through all types of terrain and weather with the exception of snow and ice. They have been through just about every thing imaginable in an Operational setting. I thoroughly recommend these boots to anyone who is serious about looking after their feet and needs a rugged, comfortable and easily maintained set of boots.
Chris Berry served as a Volunteer/ Auxiliary Firefighter for 26yrs including over a decade as a Remote Area Firefighter. 11 yrs with the Australian Army Reserve in Field Force Combat Units, and 18yrs with the Federal Parliament’s Security Service. He has worn just about every boot available in Australia and then some. From Blundstone to Swat, Oliver’s to Hi Tech
