Dayton Boots - History
Main  |  History  |  Motorcycle Boots |  Gallery

In the beginning, Dayton Boot Co. was just a 'hobby' to C.H. (Charlie) Wohlford. Mr. Wohlford, a club manager at the time, was for years well known by B.C. loggers because he had worked as a troubleshooter for the Holt Caterpillar Tractor Company. During the Second World War the loggers were unable to get their boots properly repaired. At a bull session with a few loggers Mr. Wohlford said he would fix all of the loggers' boots. When he wasn't pouring whiskey he tinkered with repairing logging boots for his patrons. The complaint was that the caulks were kicking out. Mr. Wohlford repaired the boots himself, driving new caulks into the soles. Later, when the loggers came back into town they claimed the boots were holding up better that when they were new. That started it - the loggers kept after Mr. Wohlford to "make us some good boots." One evening in the back room of the club a group of loggers accompanied with a case of whiskey persuaded Mr. Wohlford into making boots for them. First the boot had to have a name. They decided that they could not call them 'Wohlford Boots' because it was too hard to pronounce. Everyone could say 'Day' and from that name came "Dayton". In the winter of 1946 the Dayton Boot Co. started making ski boots, a very scarce commodity at the time, selling as many pairs as the few shoemakers could turn out. Working at the club and trying to get the factory started began to tell on Mr. Wohlford so his son Wayne Wohlford joined the firm in March 1947 as General Manager. Young Wohlford rolled up his sleeves and went to work. He had to learn the business from the ground up. Along with ideas of his own, the factory was enlarged and production set up. The first Dayton Logger Boots were on the market in May of 1947 and were an immediate success. Dayton soon became the word for loggers in the woods, on construction and utility jobs, in oil fields, on the docks with longshoreman, as well as both fire and police forces - anywhere a rugged, durable boot was required. It became the policy of Dayton Boot Co. to use the best of everything. Number one leathers, the best imported boot caulks, brass nails, etc. "Buy the best materials, make it with skilled shoemakers and you will have a first class product." Mr. Wohlford Sr. insisted on keeping up the quality and making the boots, better and better if possible regardless of the cost. The company has continued to expand and moved into the present factory in 1950. Additional styles were added regularly to the Dayton line during the sixties. Dayton added their famous 'Western Boots' and in the seventies purchased the rights to manufacture the Pierre Paris (established in 1907) and Leckie Boots (established in 1852) lines, two former rival boot manufacturers. In the early 1960's, Dayton added the Goodyear welt method of boot manufacturing to it's already famous hand-nailed line of products. This process allowed Dayton to diversify into Western, Service and lighter footwear that still demonstrated Dayton's high standard of quality and durability. The first pairs of Dayton Western boots appeared in 1962. Dayton's Western boots were the first to feature outside seams only, to reduce chafing on the legs of riders and working cowhands who used the products. It did not take long for motorcyclists to realize the wisdom of this innovation. Before long many Dayton customers had taken to attaching old tire treads to the bottoms of their boots to create a great motorcycle boot. With the advent of better rubber soles, Dayton designed and commenced production of the "Black Beauty" double-soled motorcycle boot. This boot, manufactured since 1965, continues to be one of Dayton's most accepted products. The "Black Beauty" is also much sought after in Japan which is a testament to this boot's international popularity. In 1978, Dayton introduced "The Classic" double soled engineers style boot which has become the motorcyclists ultimate statement. In 1986, Wayne's son Ray joined his father in the firm to carry on the business until 2001 when the Wohlford family sold their interest in the company. The latest changes to the Dayton product line are the expansion of the "Motorcycle Boot" line and the addition of ladies sizes. The public response to Dayton motorcycle boots led the company to begin participating in trade shows and rallies throughout North America. Stops on the tour included Daytona Bike Week, the Sturgis Rally and Races, where Dayton has been a fixture since 1990, The Laughlin River Run and Reno Street Vibrations to name a few. With the popularity of motorcycling increasing, the Dayton motorcycle line is considered to be the finest product built in the world. In the 1990's, the fashion world discovered Daytons. Soon they were showcased at Vancouver's coolest boutiques and seen on the feet of club goers and trendsetters throughout the city. Daytons have also made their mark on BC's growing film industry, worn by movie crews and their stars. In 2001 Dayton celebrated it's 55th anniversary with no fanfare, balloons or parties but just by continuing to produce timeless, classic, quality boots for men and women. When in Vancouver, visit the Dayton showroom and be fitted into a new pair with the sounds of hammers and machines only a few feet away. Daytons are made with same attention to detail as they have been for six decades. Each pair is crafted by hand with exacting care and precision through 200 individual production steps. Dayton's team of skilled shoemakers includes men and women who have been at the company more than 25 years still working on some of the same equipment that was in use when the factory opened in 1950. Dayton continues to carry on the tradition of making sure the company's motto of 'Comfort, Quality and Durability' lives on in every pair.

Need a Brochure? - Click Here

Sign up for our Email Newsletter - Click Here

KMS Sportgroup Inc.  -  Distributor's and Representatives of High Performance Motorcycle Parts & Accessories
Copyright © 2004 - Website Terms & Conditions
Contact Us - info@kansport.com

About Us - What's New - Products - Order Forms - Retail Locator - Events - Links - Gallery - Contact