From time to time, we cover boots here on TFB, because if you’re using a firearm, you’re more than likely using footwear at the same time. Unless you’re one of the silly people who have to take photos of your gun with your toes in the background. Today, we’ll take a look at the Sector Side Zip Boots from LA Police Gear. Even though LAPG has been a law enforcement distributor for nearly a quarter century, they’ve also been a strong supporter of non-LE civilian sales as well, so let’s zip into how they held up for me.

LA Police Gear @ TFB:

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• LA Police Gear Urban Ops Tactical Pants

DISCLAIMER

This review is sponsored by LA Police Gear, however they did not provide any talking points or ask for a glowing review. I have not been paid by LAPG, although it’s common for boot reviewers to keep them at the end of the review due to the consumable nature of footwear, and really, nobody wants to receive my foot odors.

LA POLICE GEAR SECTOR side zip BOOTS REVIEW

LAPG has several options within the Sector Boots name, beginning with options of black or coyote, as well as 6 or 8-inch heights, waterproof or non-waterproof. All of the Sector boots come with the side zip feature. LA Police Gear intended to send me the waterproof version to review, but after the Gulf of Mexico started filling the boots, we determined I received the non-waterproof version by accident. Thus, to clarify, this review will cover the LAPG Sector Boot, Black, 8-inch Side Zip, non-waterproof version in size 11 Regular. Before I got that straightened out though, I checked their website for customer feedback, none of which discussed any leaky issues from the waterproof version, and they confirmed that they haven’t received any such complaints.

The LA Police Gear Sector Boots feature a deep aggressive tread sole, reinforced toes (not steel), and metal hardware for securing the laces. The overall construction is comprised of full-grain leather and nylon, both connected with double-row stitching. I weighed each of the boots, which were hovering right around 25 ounces.

Features:

• 8″ Height
• YKK metal zipper with enlarged pull
• Anti-fatigue insoles
• Non-marking rubber outsole
• Full grain leather and ballistic nylon upper
• Fully polishable toe
• Gusseted tongue to prevent entry of debris
• Reinforced toe and heel
• Reinforced lace eyelets
• Outsole is rope ready and has aggressive treading for climbing, hiking, and more
• 1.35 lbs. per boot (Size 9)

FIELD & DUTY USE

As soon as I received the LA Police Gear Sector Side Zip Boots, I laced them up to my liking and then wore them exclusively on duty to get the feel of them. I also ran a couple miles on the treadmill with them and hiked about five miles in them over Christmas vacation. I was worried about a break-in period, but my feet never ached once during my time with them.

During those first couple of shifts at work, I had a couple slips on the wet concrete while washing the squad car in the garage. I figured that the boots’ rubber soles were just too new and needed to get scuffed up a bit to get better traction on wet, flat surfaces, which was the case as I haven’t had any slipping or sliding around on the same wet surface since returning from vacation. I think the LAPG Sector Side Zip Boots would be a great option for people looking for work boots where steel toe reinforcement isn’t required, but consider breaking in the soles first.

The rear donning loop worked great for aiding in pulling the Sector Boots on, and the zipper is sturdy and operates smoothly. The cover tab at the top of the boot is secured by hook and loop closures to silence the zipper slide while walking, and it did its job well. In other brand side zip boots, I’ve found that over time, the hook and loop sections will wear out and come loose on occasion, but that can either be replaced, or a button closure could be added instead down the road. However, thus far the LAPG’s zipper tab has held on well.

The LAPG Sector Boots proved themselves as a good hiking option as their 8-inch height provided good ankle support and the tread gripped the trails and rocks well. The Sector boos also worked great at the range, trekking back and forth through grass and plowed field to check my targets. I also used them to shovel snow in sub-zero temperatures, as well as wet heavy snow, and despite not having the extra waterproof layers, my feet kept warm and dry, and my fingers would’ve fallen off long before my toes.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, the Sector Side Zip Boots from LA Police Gear worked well in all environments with the exception of submersion in water. Generally, if waterproofing is an option, I will choose that over the non-waterproof version. However, if you work in a field that doesn’t require stepping into a couple inches of standing water, or your hiking trails don’t have any streams to ford, then the non-waterproof Sector Boots will work great and it will only set you back $69.99. The waterproof version of the Sector Side Zip Boots is listed at $89.99. Feel free to check out LAPoliceGear.com to see the rest of their products.

What do you think about LA Police Gear’s Sector Side Zip Boots? If you’ve already grabbed a pair for yourself, which version did you get, and how your experience has been?