1. Footwear
2. Boots
3. Fire Boots

Firefighter Boots

There are boots — and then there are firefighter boots. 

As you can imagine, the daily stresses and intense, on-the-job requirements for firefighters and fire safety professionals are extreme. The equipment and gear these professionals work with must be durable and offer protection from the elements. 

Firefighter gear includes protective footwear that enables firefighters to enter potentially dangerous environments relatively safely. High heat is a given, but what about other hazards on the job? Firefighters deal with slippery surfaces, difficult terrain, standing water, sharp objects and more. 

Keeping all this in mind, fire boots must give firefighters and fire safety professionals the right fit, traction, and flexible movement. This means they'll need to be made of materials that can provide a high level of durability and protection yet remain lightweight. 

In a firefighter's line of work, a lot depends on the boots they wear; a firefighter's accessories are what make the difference in being prepared for any situation. 

Not all firefighter boots are created equally, however, since not all fires are the same nor stem from the same source. Consider, for example, a situation involving fighting a wildfire; these vary significantly from building fires. 

Wildfires call for special firefighters' supplies, and responders face natural challenges like steep mountain sides or uneven ground. Fire safety professionals who work with wildfires will need boots that can stabilize and ground the foot without restricting movement or weighing them down. 

Firefighters who deal with wildfires work well when wearing rugged, leather fire boots which can help them feel even-footed on rocky terrain or when facing unpredictable obstacles. 

There are many ways to measure a fire boot's performance standards. Some of these include:

• Heat resistance 
• Corrosion resistance 
• Cut, puncture and abrasion resistance
• Conductive heat resistance (where the sole's surface shouldn't conduct heat above a certain temperature)
• Slip resistance
• Attachment strength (lacing, findings, and fastenings) 
• Flame resistance 
• Sewing thread heat resistance

Having these performance standards in place can help a fire safety professional choose fireman gear that matches the conditions.

While design, materials, and construction certainly matter, so does tread. A fire safety professional who, for example, works on a pitched roof will benefit from a different type of tread than one who works primarily on natural terrain.

Our Popular Fire Boots

Keeping the various priorities of design, materials and tread in mind, a fire safety professional must look for an equally balanced boot that allows them to respond to most situations. 

A popular choice for high-heat proximity and structure fires from Galls is the Fire-Dex Leather Structural Fire Boot. These fireman boots are built specifically for a situation that involves building or home-based fires. 

As such, the boot is designed to provide absorption of high impact and engineered with a multi-density footbed and 3D vulcanized rubber heel and toe guard. 

It also has a Vibram® sole designed with a diamond-plated ladder shank area for increased traction when climbing ladders. On top of that, it’s made from a breathable crosstech waterproof barrier lining to keep the foot moisture-free. 

DuPont™ KEVLAR® lining provides safety against hazards and creates a cut-resistant barrier, while a flame-resistant full grain leather and reflective trim enhances visibility and durability for long-term wear.

A properly fitted boot like the Black Diamond Rubber Fire Boot, for example, can provide all the hallmarks of a classic leather fire boot while also making long-term wear comfortable. 

It has a naturally larger-shaped steel toecap, so the toes can move freely (a must-have when running), along with an anatomically tapered heel to prevent slipping. 

Intended for use in structural fighting, the boots feature a removable and breathable Ortholite footbed and rubber-coated, pull-on loops. The DuPont™ KEVLAR®/Nomex leg lining makes these fire boots comfortable, while also meeting the NFPA 1971 standards for structural fire fighting.

This Firefighter Gear Goes Well with Our Fireman Boots

While outfitting themselves for wildland- or wildfire-specific situations, fire safety professionals should build a complete set of accessories to complement their firefighter gear. 

The Danner Leather Wildland Tactical Firefighter Boot, for example, is enhanced by the accompanying ESS Wildland Firefight Goggles or the Oakley Flexion Gloves. These firefighter supplies keep a responder ready and prepared for anything. Lightweight, athletic, and inspired by mountain-climbing, the design of the Danner Leather Wildland Tactical Firefighter Boot is fire-resistant and meets the electrical hazard protection standard ASTM F2892-11 EH. 

These boots are breathable and crafted with a moisture-wicking mesh lining and a Vibram® S587 Fire & Ice outsole for oil- and slip-resistant traction over rugged and high-angle terrain.

The Black Diamond Rubber Boot, on the other hand, works well with the Streamlight Knucklehead Non-Rechargeable Fire Rescue Light with Clip. This particular piece of fireman gear gives responders a variety of ways to rotate and aim bright, white light. It can run for up to eight hours and has a rubber dome push-button actuator that is easy to use, even through heavy gloves.