Author Topic: Structural Boots  (Read 19873 times)

PF_

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Structural Boots
« on: March 21, 2006, 04:28:36 PM »
Have been browsing thorugh various distributor sites and have seen "structural boots" tha are the lace and zip style.  Does CFS use these or have normal boots when going to structural fires?  Also, why dont the CFS use the MFS style pull on boot, is that no different to what we have.  With the new PBI gear it would look more (whats the word Im looking for...) finished. :|

Offline medevac

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2006, 04:50:59 PM »
what do you mean??? i dont think there is really any such thing as "structural boots" - there are boots that are suitable and boots that are not... i dont think there is really any reason why we dont have "mfs style" boots, and i dotn really see a reason why we would need them.

i wear a pair of blundstone zip up[ boots to every job, rural fires, urban fire, structure fires and VAs... doesnt make a whole heap of differance... theyre comfy as. and tough as nails.

probie_boy

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #2 on: March 21, 2006, 04:56:56 PM »
my boots have the lace and zip thing, but i don't think they're structural boots. taipans with a steel cap. dunno. are the MFS boots slip ons are they?

on a side note, went to a job last night and pulling my boots on at the station, the filtered sole inside crumples up at the toe end of the boot. annoying as! i had to wait like 20 minutes before i could take my boots off and fix it!

PF_

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #3 on: March 21, 2006, 05:03:42 PM »
http://www.fireandrescueaustralia.com/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=91&category_id=460d6b97d0c8a859c956a5f296aa3f02

Im not having a go at CFS or anything, just an observation.  I got no issues with my taipan zip ups.  But trialled the structural's at FARA when getting my size for the brigade to order me boots and tried on the "structure" ones.  They had padding in the toe (as well as stell cap) and were very comfy.  Thought maybe that theres advertised 'structural boots" CFS might have used them.

As for the pull on boots, that was just thinking out loud, they must have something going for them, especially since PBI has been brought in, why not other boots.
« Last Edit: March 21, 2006, 05:09:02 PM by P F »

Offline medevac

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #4 on: March 21, 2006, 05:22:28 PM »
hmmm well those boots are what my whole group crank to everything... theyre all we've ever had issued.

Offline backburn

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2006, 07:19:28 PM »
structural Taipan fire boots have the metal strip right through the sole of the boot. Taipan Wildfire boots don't have the metal strip. Both have steel caps and are very comfertable. Thats what our Group think any way.

Toast

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2006, 02:08:10 AM »
We used to run with the Redback bushfire boots, but weve now got almost everyone fitted out with the Taipan Structural boots. A couple of members have a pair of Harvik (sp?) Rubber pull ons, and I think once my PBI Gold comes through Ill probably grab some Haix pull ups, and leave the zips for the wildfire work.

PF_

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2006, 05:52:26 AM »
Would you try and get them through brigade or buy them yourself

probie_boy

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2006, 12:35:52 PM »
i'd try the brigade, unless you want to waste $250(?) on something that, at the end of the day is just a luxury. If the boots we are issued aren't suitable, then they wouldn't be issued would they?

PF_

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #9 on: March 22, 2006, 03:24:28 PM »
I wouldnt have an issue buying gear out of my own pocket (or parents, I dont have a lot of money :-P)  If its for safety it is worth it.  (Im not saying the zip boots are unsafe, I feel very safe in them) But especially now that PBI and flash hoods have been introduced, pull on boots should be the next thing to be instated in.  Would not be surprised if it was, after all they are specifically made for structure fires.

Offline medevac

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #10 on: March 22, 2006, 04:02:32 PM »
i see no obvious benefit of pull on boots... i have tried them on as well, as my brother is in the Mets, and they are a PITA in my opinion to wear, they are just as difficult to pull on as zip ups are to put on, and then you have to pull your overpants over the boots as well, which is not terribly easy, considering we will not be allowed to 'bunker' our new PBI pants...

plus they aint that comfortable IMHO

PF_

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #11 on: March 22, 2006, 04:48:23 PM »
Is bunkering where the pants are stored with the legs over the boots so you can put on your pants and boots at the same time?  Cant see an issue with that, if its in your locker no-one will see it :wink:

I've never tried them on, but honestly would not be surprised if CFS did intorduce them.  I dont have an issue with putting on my zip up's, but theyre a PITA (assuming that means what I think it does) to take off as the little velcro tag gets stuck there and not easy to undo.  The blundstones I used when first joined had a nice big velcro tag that was easy.

Offline medevac

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #12 on: March 22, 2006, 06:57:15 PM »
Is bunkering where the pants are stored with the legs over the boots so you can put on your pants and boots at the same time?  Cant see an issue with that, if its in your locker no-one will see it :wink:

yes it is, i currently do it with my nomex, but apaprently it will damage the fibres in PBI if stored this way...

PF_

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #13 on: March 22, 2006, 09:22:06 PM »
Thats fair enough, I guess its okay for MFS cause it is only bunkered while theyre on shift then stored away properly in the lockers.

Toast

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #14 on: March 22, 2006, 10:56:49 PM »
Nope, well at the MFS stations Ive there have been many off shift persons gear still left bunkered.

If you are putting on the boots, then pulling the pants on... I think you may have things the wrong way around...

Offline medevac

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #15 on: March 22, 2006, 11:23:21 PM »
If you are putting on the boots, then pulling the pants on... I think you may have things the wrong way around...

hahaha good memories....

i was at the CFS comps once as a cadet, and my partner in the alarm drill (get dressed stretch a line) put his pants on first then tried to pull his pant on over the top.... we lost because of this. mind you he was actually a mentally retared person...

PF_

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #16 on: March 23, 2006, 05:58:58 AM »
Nah, I put my pants on first then the boots, any other way would be a bit odd. 

Please do not take this the wrong way, but was this mentally challenged person part of CFS cadets or was he just someone in your team helping.  Would mentally challenged (have to be politically correct here) people be allowed to join CFS, I wouldnt have thought so.

probie_boy

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #17 on: March 23, 2006, 08:04:23 AM »
oh, i can hear the hornets nest buzzing over the horizon!

Personally, i think that having a mentally disabled person in the CFS is fine, as long as they aren't involoved in operational things such as hose drills, callouts, etc.

By all means, i think it would be fine for them to help with things like weekly and monthly checks and basic helping hand stuff. At the end of the day, for them to be there they are probably CFS nuts anyway, so they would probably jump at the chance to do things like wash the trucks, help with station maintenance and so on.

As long as they aren't too much of a hassle for captains and so on, i think retarded people in a non operational role in the CFS would be fine.

PF_

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #18 on: March 23, 2006, 08:32:34 AM »
Yeah, non-operational is fine.

Offline medevac

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #19 on: March 23, 2006, 06:54:38 PM »
yes he was a cadet. too be honest im not sure exactly what happened to him, he left cadets around the same time i did, but went to a differant brigade where i presume he only takes part in non-operational activities... there is no way he had  the capacity to assist at calls...

strikeathird

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #20 on: March 24, 2006, 09:28:30 AM »
Yea so back to structural boots.. A plus in my book.

probie_boy

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #21 on: March 24, 2006, 09:33:48 AM »
i'm indifferent. However, i know little about structural boots, so yeah!

PF_

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #22 on: March 24, 2006, 12:31:41 PM »
I'd like to see the pull on's brought in to be used with PBI etc. It can only be a good thing.

strikeathird

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #23 on: March 24, 2006, 02:27:33 PM »
They are striclty for that, Structural Fire fighting.  They are useless in incidents like running grass fires, most rural jobs actually, as you need alot more free ankle movement at rural type jobs..  (climbing hill faces, more walking etc etc)

But... how many more items are we going to get where we have two sets of everything ??


Counting Currently on my hook..

PBI / NOMEX 
Structure Helmet / Grass Fire helmet
(In T/O Gear and on hook)
Structural glove / Rescue golves / Rural gloves


Oneeeee day, there might be a piece of equipment, or a standard developed where 2 helmets won't be required, or multiple sets of t/o gear...   one day...

Toast

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Re: Structural Boots
« Reply #24 on: March 24, 2006, 03:13:17 PM »
Two helmets aren't necessary at the moment.. just make sure you take off your structural lid every 45mins!

Just something to note as I think the discussion is going a bit skewy, there are two types of zip ups around, both structural AND rural. I believe the structural type have more metal in the sole and a steel cap, rather than just reinforced. Its not Pullups = Sturucture \ Zips = Rural