Welcome to hell, feet

A while back ago, like Medic999, I was approached by Magnum Boot company about becoming a field tester for a new pair of boots. They asked me to wear their new boots for a while and write about them in my “Popular EMS Blog”. They’d send me new boots for free, and I would review them. I weighed the decision carefully… I couldn’t decide whether I would alienate my readership (both of them) by blogging about commercial interests. I pictured myself as a NASCAR driver, blogging for a corporate sponsor. Would you think that I’d sold out? Would you think that I was a corporate shill?

But then I thought, y’know… free boots.

So I signed up and Magnum Boots sent me a brand new pair of Magnum Elite Force 8.0 WPI boots. They arrived yesterday and they’re replacing my old boots, which (No foolin’) I’ve been wearing dang-near every day since I got them 5 years ago.

I figured this. Magnum Boots has bought a review by sending me a new pair of boots to replace my 5yo pair that have been with me through so much. What they didn’t buy is an automatically positive review. I’ve decided that I’m going to wear these boots through the whole week and put them through everything I go through. This includes 72 hours of shift time on a busy rural paramedic ambulance service, 24 hours on duty at the fire department (really. I work a lot), a bunch of volunteer calls, and my daily life of being a husband, father, and homeowner in a small town.

I’ll test these boots out, put them through hell, and report back to you on how they perform. If I like them, I’ll tell you. If I don’t like them, I’ll tell you. I’ve already mowed the lawn in them, and have put in a few hours of other misc yard work in them. Today I’m taking them down to the river for a little water rescue training. (fishing the bank) These are things that I’d usually try to protect my other duty boots from, but I’m being tasked to review these things and I’m going to put them, and my feet, through hell week.

All for your benefit. I already got free boots, y’know.

It’s time to go kick my feet’s um, kick these boot’s… something. Look for a post in a week.