Category Archives: Equipment

Magnum Boots – The (almost) definitive guide to fit

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Following on from my last post about all the different styles of Magnum boots available, I thought I’d post a quick run down of how they measure up, as not all Magnum boots have exactly the same fit and feel.

As the range has expanded over the years, new styles have been introduced which can vary in terms of comfort and fit depending on your own foot shape.  Foot shape can have a big impact on the comfort of a boot, even if you have picked the top-of-the-range Magnum with luxury footbeds and memory foam!

In the absence of the ability to try these different styles on (except for those lucky enough to be able to visit us at our warehouses in Ramsgate), I’ve decided to impart my knowledge as regards the fit of the current Magnum boot range.

From experience I can say that the Magnum Classic and the Magnum Panther are a relatively narrow style of boot, which well suit the average to narrower foot shape.

The Stealth Force range of boots (unisex) generally come up wider, and we highly recommend these as a good fit for those with regular to wide feet.  Sometimes those with narrow or dainty feet will find that a Magnum Stealth will gape at the foot’s flex point, or the foot will slip up and down in the boot, causing discomfort.  Naturally the Stealth Liberty Mid Women’s boot is the exception to the rule in this particular range  – being made specifically for women, the foot shape is daintier and narrower all round!

Slap bang in the middle in terms of width fitting are the Patrol, Scorpion, Spider Urban series and Elite Force WPi.

Short and sweet and by no means a cast iron guarantee of success, but I hope this information assists in picking a boot that’s right for you!

Magnum Boots – The differences in layman’s terms

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Anyone working within the Police or Security sector will most likely have heard of the name Magnum boots when it comes to patrol footwear, with many a pair of Magnum’s sold on recommendation from a work colleague.  It’s true to say that the Magnum brand continues to be the most well recognised brand of Police boot on the market.  Sometimes though, it can be difficult to see why one costs so much more than another – let me try to assist!

At the entry level point are the Magnum Classic, Magnum Patrol, Panther and duty shoe ranges – these boots offer all the EN certification an officer needs, together with an easy shine leather finish for parade use.

The Magnum Stealth Force

Magnum’s mid to top ranged product is the Stealth Force range.  You pay a bit extra for the comfort technology that goes into these boots.  Whereas the Classic has a basic footbed and construction, the Stealth range have contoured foam footbeds and superior padding around the ankle, as well as better shock absorption properties in the sole – something you’re likely to notice when running.  There are a wealth of options with the Stealth range as well, which push some of the styles into Magnum’s top tier – safety toecap options, side-zip options, fully waterproof options, take your pick!

… and finally, Magnum have a number of specialist boots sitting at the top of the tree, for one reason or another.  The Spider Urban range offer a trainer-like alternative to the regular patrol style, backed up with some serious performance technology when it comes to comfort, agility and speed of manoeuver.  The Shield Public Order boot – the clues in the name really, a specialist product for a specialist market. The Elite Force Wpi is Magnum’s flagship product – waterproof, breathable, blood pathogen resistant, heat and cold resistant, the list goes on.  The cost (or value) of an Elite Wpi is in it’s unique leather infused waterproofing technology, amongst other features, which may or may not be a benefit that you decide you need.  Either way, there should be a Magnum product to suit your particular operational need and, just as importantly, to suit your budget.

The much copied Tactical Jack Police Equipment bag!

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Officer equipment bags are one of those bits of kit which aren’t strictly essential, but which don’t half make working life easier to organise.

Tactical Jack Police Bags

The Tactical Jack Medium Bag

When it comes to choosing a kit bag, there are a fair few on the market, and to be honest the vast majority of them look pretty much the same.  But this is where looks can be deceptive – there are a raft of cheaper ‘copies’ on sale in the Police and security market, and in most cases you’d never be able to tell the difference from a website photograph.  Where cheaper bags let you down is in the quality of the fabric used, the quality of the zippers and the overall build quality and stitching.  A patrol bag needs to be user friendly and durable above all else, and so when your kit bag falls apart after three months of throwing it from your locker to the back of the patrol car and back again, you may be seeing that £20 Ebay bargain as a bit of a false economy!The medium Tactical Jack police bag is our best seller and has an excellent rep for all of the afore mentioned points – 1000d Cordura construction and YKK zippers for durability, double stitching in key stress areas, and enough pockets, dividers and internal space for the vast majority of kit applications.If you’re going to splash out on a kit bag, the best advice I can give is to do your research or ask a colleague, and buy by recommendation rather than by price…

Tactical Jack Gel Ear Inserts – Small but perfectly formed…

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Who’d have thought that such a small and inexpensive upgrade could make such a difference?!  Tactical Jack Gel Ear Inserts are an optional accessory to the talk and listen police earpieces that we stock, and have proved extremely popular over the standard earpiece tips for a couple of key reasons.

Tactical Jack Ear Mould

Whilst the standard ‘bung’ type tips plug up your ear and can often become dislodged, especially when running, the moulded gel ear inserts have an open ‘skeleton’ construction which fits neatly inside the curves of the ear.  The advantages of this type of earpiece tip is that the natural curves of the ear themselves prevent the insert from falling out during use, whilst the soft open gel construction of the tip allows for superior comfort and improved hearing of those around you.Officers report back to us that once you’ve worked out how to fit them in your ear (thank goodness for the small diagram that comes with the product!), the inserts are that comfortable that you really do forget you’re wearing them.  Available in small, medium or large, and for either ear, the gel ear inserts are an easy upgrade with a good deal of benefit!(Read our previous post about Tactical Jack police radio earpieces)

Lowa Boots – Solid, Reliable, …Fantastic!

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Following on from my previous post regarding police boots, thought I’d add my personal choice.Let’s get this one off my chest … I LOVE Lowa boots!  As a biker and a walker, and long before my involvement with CopShopUK, I remember seeing a friend wearing these ex army boots with their distinctive styling, and wondering what they were.  I instantly went out and bought a pair, and have been wearing the same boots for riding and hiking ever since.  That was six years ago!

Lowa Combat Boot

The Lowa Combat Boot

My particular boot of choice is the Lowa Combat GTX, historically a military boot, but these days a favourite with Army and Police alike.  I’ve ridden through some pretty appalling weather (an ill fated weekend ride from Ramsgate to Ireland and back springs to mind), and got soaked to the skin, but my feet have always stayed reassuringly warm and dry.If you’re used to wearing Magnums or similar, Lowa boots can take a bit of getting used to simply because they initially feel so solid – some people prefer a boot to be a second skin, me personally I like the feeling (and knowledge) that my feet and ankles are protected and supported, and that my boots have the build quality, durability and technology behind them to take on whatever I can throw at them …  As a company Lowa is awe inspiring, I urge you to Google the history some time … 90 years of boot building, European quality and craftsmanship that seems to be a bit of a dying breed these days … well let’s hope they’re around for another 90 years!

Police boots – What to choose?

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Police patrol boots continue to be the most popular purchase for our customers, since the vast majority of Forces do not issue work footwear as standard kit.  Choosing footwear, especially online, can be a bit of a minefield with so much choice and so many points to consider, so hopefully my longer-than-average blog is worth the reading! There seems to be two schools of thought when it comes to choosing footwear for patrol – either to opt for a less expensive, more basic boot, possibly with a view to replacing them more often, or to go for an ‘investment in comfort’ and choose one of the higher specification boots which tend to offer a higher level of comfort for the wearer, and in some cases a longer lifespan.

TaskForce Half-Leather Boot

TaskForce Boots - Bargain!

Grafters and Taskforce boots are good examples of what could be described as ‘budget’ patrol boots, although to be honest feedback shows that these boots last every bit as long as some of their more expensive branded counterparts.  We have a large contingent of officers who swear by these brands for comfort and durability, as well as value for money, and where Council and Security heads are looking to issue their teams with smart and reliable footwear within a specified budget, they find you really can’t go wrong with either of these ranges.Cadets love the Taskforce boot – where else can you buy a brand new, rugged and durable fully waterproof patrol boot for under £50?Where the price differences between boots tend to become more evident is in the internal comfort features of the footwear – something that becomes more noticeable for those on their feet all day every day, and especially in specialist roles or in tactical situations. Magnum boots are probably the most well known of the patrol boot brands amongst Police officers, and most newbie officers mention the Magnum Classic as being the boot that was recommended to them when they joined.  Whilst the Classic continues to be a popular choice, there is a whole raft of new and more technologically advanced alternatives now within the Magnum range, from the super-lightweight Stealth range (with a variety for all applications) right up to the flagship Elite Force 8” WPI boot complete with self-moulding footbeds, Vibram soles and groundbreaking breathable water repelling Ion Mask technology.

Lovely Lowas

At the top of the tree, in terms of sheer luxury, are the specialist boot ranges – Lowa, 5.11 Tactical, the Adidas GSG9.2 and Danner.  These ranges offer new niche features, superb comfort technology and a generally more tailored fit by offering half sizes and width fittings (in some cases).  Historically well represented within the Military, Lowa boots are now extremely popular with Police officers for their tough and rugged good looks, as well as their unparalleled foot comfort and support.  For those with weak ankles, fallen arches or similar podiatric issues you really can’t beat Lowa for comfort.  Not surprising then, that the Armed Forces continue to issue their guys with these boots to rectify foot problems caused by inferior footwear.The Adidas GSG9.2 boot is the polar opposite of Lowa in terms of its styling, for whilst Lowas are sturdy and solid, the GSG9.2 is light as a feather, supple and immediately fits like a glove – basically like your most comfortable pair of trainers!  No wonder considering the GSG9.2 is made like a running shoe, and not like any other pair of patrol boots.  Driving, as well as running (and rope climbing, if that’s your thing) is a breeze in a pair of GSG9’s! Danner boots are possibly the most specialised of all, with a price tag to match.  Unbelievably in this day and age, the Danner Recon and Danner Acadia are still made in the US, as they have been for eons.  Hand craftsmanship still goes into these boots, and specialist Firearms Teams across the country continue to rely on Danner for the comfort and reliability that this brand commands. From Grafters to Danner boots, your choice will ultimately depend on budget, personal style preference and operational requirements.

The Magnum Panther Boot

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I work in the customer services division of CopShopUK Ltd and speak to people all day long about footwear…………so………….. I figured it was about time that I’d get some “boots on” experience and chose some Magnum Boots to try. I basically wanted to see the sort of value for money you get from entry level boots and I’ve been pleasantly surprised.

The Magnum Panther

My Magnum Panthers are about 7 months old now and have seen me through the worst of this winter. That is a statement in itself!! My feet have been warm and dry without thick socks. Although they don’t have the M-PACT footbed they were incredibly comfortable from day one. I wear these to work everyday and after 8 hours I’m fresh as a daisy. I love these boots!!!! Very low maintenance too, a wipe down with a damp cloth and a bit of Kiwi shoe polish and they look as good as new.  I’ve been wearing the standard Panther, but the Magnum Panther Side-Zip is also available for the same price. A  top bargain for £50 and I’m doing myself out of sales here for the more expensive styles, but it proves that if you have a limited budget you can still get quality  :-)

Police earpieces from Tactical Jack – It all becomes clearer!

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The Tactical Jack Talk and Listen Police Earpiece is one of our best sellers, so it felt only right to pen a short blog on the subject to explain why.

Police earpiece - Motorola MTH800

Police earpieces are one of those items which need to be right – officers rely so heavily on good communication that a quality earpiece can be key to an effective operation.  Customers tell us that standard issue earpieces often aren’t up to the task in hand for a number of reasons. – sound quality is often poor, comfort and wearability aren’t always the best, and many Force issue earpieces have a volume limiter set at a level too low for the average noisy roadside incident!Of course budget constraints and future aural health concerns account for these reported deficits, so many officers elect to upgrade their kit by purchasing a higher quality airwaves earpiece, such as the Tactical Jack earpiece, compatible with either their Sepura SRP2000 or Motorola MTH800 Police radios. At this point it’s worth issuing a ‘buyer beware’ warning – there are many earpieces out there on shops and auction sites, varying vastly in price and quality.  Naturally I can only vouch for those that we sell at CopShopUK, and can confidently tell you that volume levels and sound clarity on the Tactical Jack earpiece are excellent, as is the comfort factor.Being an acoustic semi-covert earpiece (i.e. with a clear, coiled acoustic tube to the ear) means that it fits lightly and discreetly, whilst allowing for comfortable movement during use.  Officers can elect to use the discreet PTT button to communicate, usually clipped discreetly to their load vest, or can continue to use the PTT on their airwaves radio – the choice is theirs.  Wiring is also long enough for the press-to-talk (PTT) switch and microphone to be fed down a sleeve for semi covert use.  The Tactical Jack earpieces come with two surgical grade ear buds (ear tips) as standard, designed to fit snugly into the ear. Tactical Jack also offer gel inserts as an optional extra, however, and many officers find these superior operationally.  This is because gel ear inserts are moulded to fit neatly in the inner contours of your ear, meaning that they’re highly unlikely to dislodge, even during pursuits, as well as being of an open construction (rather than a ‘bung’), meaning that officers can hear their colleague talking to them just as easily as they can hear through their earpiece.  Accessories are another blog though, and I digress ……

Adidas GSG9 Boots – The best boots are the ones you can forget you’re wearing!

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Here at CopShopUK, we’ve been stocking and promoting the Adidas GSG9 boot for six years, and we still remember the classic GSG9 boot with fondness – with iconic ‘boxing boot’ styling and comfort to match, officers would stretch their budgets to buy a pair of these super comfortable ‘Gucci’ tactical boots.After the classic style was phased out, along came the massively popular Adidas GSG9.2 boot, with an improved specification and some radical design changes.  Love or loathe the updated styling, it’s here to stay, and new for 2011 Adidas have just released three new versions of the GSG 9 – a 6″ black uniform version (GSG9.4), plus 6″ and 8″ desert tan versions (GSG9.3) for desert or Military applications. 

Adidas GSG-9.3 High Desert Boot

All of the Adidas tactical boots feature Adidas’ renowned comfort and performance technologies -  Traxion grip outsole with heel inserts for shock absorption, hydrophobic upper for superior waterproofing (for the urban versions), specialist insoles and midfoot saddle construction for optimum foot comfort and arch support, and so on…All of which come together in perfect harmony to produce a boot which offers the performance you need with the feeling that you’ve just put your favourite pair of trainers on!  After all, the GSG9.2 is made in the same way as a running shoe, and unlike virtually any other patrol boot on the market.  Whilst built for the Special Forces, with tactical operations in mind, Special Ops guys and front line officers alike will see the benefit of the GSG 9, whether descending from a helicopter on a rope, or getting that valuable edge in foot or road pursuits.We’re fans!

LED Lenser Flashlights

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Fore-runners in the LED torch revolution, LED Lenser torches continue to be amongst the most popular flashlights with UK Police officers and serious Security professionals. The top of the range T7 Tactical torch (or the near identical LED Lenser P7)  and the impressive Police Tech Focus are the flashlights of choice for most officers looking for a reliable and compact addition to their kit.

LED Lenser T7 Flashlight

Both torches offer a spot to flood focusable beam, as well as amazing brightness from LED Lenser’s high power LED technology, 200 lumens of bright white power from the T7…. and all this on AAA batteries! Yep, that’s the clincher for most of our customers – no expensive Lithium batteries required, just cheap and readily available AAA batteries, which can often be obtained from Stores.  Both torches come with a nylon belt pouch, which is compatible with a 50mm duty belt, lanyards and a carabina, and the T7 pouch in particular is of an impressive build quality.

Police Tech Focus

The reliability of LED Lenser torches is legendary, and LED Lenser’s Police Tech Focus and T7 (or P7) have both been voted ‘Best Hand Held Torch’ in the Sunday Times consumer tests.  I can honestly say in the six  years we have been promoting their torches, we’ve only ever seen two returns. For reliability, performance and long-term value for money, it doesn’t get much better than that …