Wescos or Whites boots

[StrengthBuilder]

I am currently looking for new boots for the upcoming fire season. I need a good, quality high end boot.

I have been looking into either a pair of Wesco Firestormers or Whites Smokejumpers. Im leaning toward wescos because the boot has double layers of leather for extra protection whereas the whites only have one layer.


Discuss, opinions, tips etc... thanks

[RxFire]

You won't go wrong with either one. I have been wearing Wesco for 20 years and still ordering more. I never tired whites, so I can't say anything about them from experience. Try the two on and compare to see if there is any immediate rub spots or sizing differences. I don't know about whites, but with Wesco, if you want to do it, there is the one time additional fee for custom fitting, but from then on, you just call in with you Customer # and reorder when the time comes and your info is on file.

The firestormer is just a job master with kevlar laces and threads, and the fire resistant sole, but you can add all those to your custom order jobmaster and get a taller boot than the offered in the firestormer. For me, I like the 12" tops... just gives me that much more support for being on my feet all day.

[StrengthBuilder]

Have you ever had problems with the metal shank in the wesco boots? Does it ever heat up when on the fireline or during mop-up?

thanks

[RxFire]

On occasion I've gotten a good hotfoot.. mostly from deep ash pockets like around juniper trees, or deep duff. Is because of the shank? Nope.. seen plenty of whites wearers in the same condition.

Of course now that I'm old and can recognize theses areas better I stay out of them (and let the 2-20know it alls learn from the school of experience )

[StrengthBuilder]

What agency are you a wildland firefighter with and how many years have you been doing wildland?

You have good insight man, much appreciated.

[RxFire]

Currently with da Circus (aka Forest Service).. been a BLMer, been a Parkie. Haven't worked as a refugee.. yet.. still got time left to see if that will happen.

I've been at full time since '97, but did the summer forestry job route since '88... started with Fire, did some time as a Bio-tech, been a biologist, botanist, and Range Conservationist. But fire is what I fell back to when all the others didn't pan out.

I liked the parks... sounds cool to say you are going to Yosemite, or Yellowstone, or Alcatraz, or..... well, you get the idea. Of course I usually prefaced it with going to go burn down ___ .

Where are you going to be working?