A Small-Town Mayor Up for a Challenge

When Drummond mayor Shawn Holwegner completed the Idaho Mayor’s Walking Challenge in 2024, he did every step of it wearing his favorite boots: HAIX® Black Eagle® Tactical Highs. 

 The challenge is a statewide program that encourages mayors to get active, get out of the office, and earn some money for community enrichment programs. Holwegner zipped up his Black Eagle Tactical boots and walked an average of over 10,000 steps per day, every day for the month of October. 

 “The distance doesn't sound like much, but there's no sidewalk or blacktop out here,” Holwegner said of his small, 13-person community. “If I did that outside of work, I'd have to circle the city for several hours—all four blocks of us.” 

 Holwegner says he plans to use the $1,000 Mayor’s Walking Challenge award and purchase a larger snow thrower for this winter. As for why he chose HAIX boots to be his walking partner, he says “the support, the grip, and the customized meld with both the laces and the zipper make them a no-brainer.” 

 Black Eagle Tactical and Scout 2.0: Versatile, Comfortable, and Tough 

 As mayor of the 13 citizens of Drummond, Idaho, Shawn Holwegner wears a lot of hats—and just as many boots. “I'm the Mayor, City Clerk, Treasurer, and I don't remember what else,” he says. “Thankfully I don't have to be the notary.” 

 For Holwegner, being mayor means spending time mediating disputes, fixing equipment, and filing paperwork. It is a position that keeps him busy, often shifting between field work and office work multiple times in a day. For those in a similar position who need a versatile boot, he has two recommendations. 

 “I hate to sound like a broken record, but I love my Black Eagles,” he said. “My Scouts I have only had a few months, but they've become my summer favorite already. They lace nice and tight, they're as supportive as and that sole is similar to my Black Eagles, but the channels are wider, which provide better grip over all surfaces that aren't slick.” 

 Pulling Double Duty at Henry’s Fork 

In addition to his mayoral duties, Holwegner clocks in to serve as the Technical Coordinator for the non-profit Henry’s Fork Foundation. There he oversees everything from water-monitoring technology to vehicle maintenance—everything needed to support their mission of healthy fisheries and watersheds for Snake River and its world-class trout fishing. While he is a passionate supporter of the organization’s mission, he is humble about his role within it. 

“I'm just the computer, building, vehicle, and ‘anything that plugs in or breaks’ guy,” he said. 

 His two jobs have him spending time in office, in the field, and even crawling around the dirt—tasks that have led to more than a few injuries. One that still affects him to this day occurred while wearing some inferior footwear. 

Five years ago, Holwegner twisted his ankle stepping into a vole hole that was covered in snow. His weakness in that joint still persists and is part of the reason he made the switch to HAIX. 

 HAIX Boots For All Seasons 

 Today, Holwegner’s daily go-to are a pair of Black Eagle® Tactical High Side Zip boots. They give the support that he needs after his injury. 

 “Ankle support is very important to me,” he says. “I've rolled both of them wearing inferior products. Since then, there have been several times that my Black Eagles have held my ankles in place when it felt like I might otherwise have lost my footing.” 

In addition to his daily Black Eagle Tactical Highs, Mayor Holwegner has two other pairs of HAIX boots that he switches out with the seasons. Citing the frequent storms that leave several feet of snow on Drummond, Idaho, he says his HAIX Airpower P7 High Winter boots back him up through the worst that winter has to offer. 

 “I love my Airpower P7 High Winters. They've kept my feet warm and dry when stuck in near blizzard conditions,” he said. “Last winter I was stuck digging my truck out from a recent storm which had the highway closed. I was out there for several hours, and my Airpowers kept me warm, and my toes attached.” 

 He is also enjoying his most recent acquisition: a pair of Scout 2.0 boots, which he says are “perfect for working out in the field, crawling upon rock, dirt, and branches.” 

 Dependable Boots for Difficult Days 

 For Holwegner, HAIX boots are not just footwear—they are essential tools for the job. They provide the stability he needs on uncertain terrain, the warmth he needs in brutal winters, and the durability to keep up with a job that changes by the hour. 

 From Henry’s Fork to his mayoral office in Drummond, Shawn’s days are always unpredictable, but he knows he can always count on his rotation of HAIX boots.