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Boots, shoes, trainers: steel, composite, which?


ToughButterCup

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My Stihl work boots (used every day) have given up the ghost: the heel assembly has parted company with the sole. German manufactured. Their MD has got a fairly  shirty email from me.  2 years old. German quality indeed. 

 

So I'm in the process of buying other safety footwear while those boots are sent back to Germany.

 

Boots, shoes, or trainers? All can be had with composite protection - and so significantly lighter than their steel predecessors.

It strikes me as a problem analogous to the one I faced while fell running up here. We'd sometimes get people pointing out that we weren't wearing boots (like good feel walkers should). I have run on the fells since I was eight, always worn fell shoes, and twisted an ankle just once in 50 years. No need for boots.

 

Will, for our purposes, self-building, composite protected trainers or shoes do for us?

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I wear Dickies composite boots that have had a good spray of the canvas waterproofing that you get for trainers etc. They are comfortable all day and have a decent insole. Cost about £25 online. 

 

My lad swears by a pair of V12 Rocky safety boots that once you've laced properly you can use a zip up the side (remember the old para boot zips..??!) and they are waterproof too. Nice boot, quite heavy but at £85 they are solid. 

 

I don't like trainers of any sort as I've been smacked across the ankle a number of times on site and I think the ankle support has saved me.  

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47 minutes ago, recoveringacademic said:

My Stihl work boots (used every day) have given up the ghost: the heel assembly has parted company with the sole. German manufactured. Their MD has got a fairly  shirty email from me.  2 years old. German quality indeed. 

 

So I'm in the process of buying other safety footwear while those boots are sent back to Germany.

 

Boots, shoes, or trainers? All can be had with composite protection - and so significantly lighter than their steel predecessors.

It strikes me as a problem analogous to the one I faced while fell running up here. We'd sometimes get people pointing out that we weren't wearing boots (like good feel walkers should). I have run on the fells since I was eight, always worn fell shoes, and twisted an ankle just once in 50 years. No need for boots.

 

Will, for our purposes, self-building, composite protected trainers or shoes do for us?

2 years? I'd be writing to the MD if my boots lasted anything like that long! We've bought several  'Site'  brand boots from Screwfix but they dont last long,  a year max I'd say. Trousers we have tried Snickers and Site - neither seem particularly durable and again,  probably a years wear out of them. 

 

Boots are certainly a must for outside (hiking type for us) but once wind and water tight,  we've found steel toed trainer tye shoes better. 

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I wear cheap Dunlop steel toes trainers at work, last about 6 months, but they are only 22 quid.  Grip well on a wet floor though.  Steel toe caps are useful as I work with a clumsy, messy, ginger, inbred, Cornish oaf.

 

Walking is  different matter, just bought a pair of boots at the Millets sale, Peter Storm ones they have StormGrip soles that seem to fit me better than most.

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3 hours ago, jamiehamy said:

Trousers we have tried Snickers and Site - neither seem particularly durable and again,  probably a years wear out of them.

Get the Lidl ones the only weak spot is the top button but that can be refixed with a center punch. They last and last, I have three pairs I rotate, total cost £29.97 I will buy some more of the thinsulated ones in a few weeks when they come back in - great for winter working..

 

I, after many years of boots, shoes and trainers, now prefer the trainers which are light, easy to slip on and off but secure in use, don't mess with my socks and look the part.

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What's the feeling about trainers, boots or shoes which have composites as protection ? (i.e. What my dad would have called Tupperware) Or is footware containing composite  protection too new for a consensus to emerge? 

 

I'm thinking that anything that saves weight, while providing proper protection, is a good idea.

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I typically get around twelve months out of a pair of boots, my latest pair are the fell walking type boot with steel toe caps. In the past, when I did a lot of digging, I went for boots with the steel sole inserts.

 

Probably the best were traditional wooden Lancashire steel toe capped clogs, I worked in those for around 20years. They were rugged and would last for years, they'd get resoled about every year and only get binned when the leather holding the steel toe in place wore through. Unfortunatly the firm who made them closed a good number of years ago.

 

 

 

IMG_0294.JPG

Edited by Triassic
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18 minutes ago, recoveringacademic said:

What's the feeling about trainers, boots or shoes which have composites as protection ? (i.e. What my dad would have called Tupperware) Or is footware containing composite  protection too new for a consensus to emerge? 

 

I'm thinking that anything that saves weight, while providing proper protection, is a good idea.

 

Composite toe caps are now seen as safer - they will deform and potentially cause a minor crush injury but they tend to revert back to their previous shape after which releases the lower digits... essentially it means they don't trap toes and cause more issues trying to remove them !

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  • 6 months later...

BUmping this thread, I need a pair of safety shoes or boots to visit a site .. the gym unit I was talking about the other day.

 

I do not do much site work myself, but I need decent occasional boots / shoes. I am diabetic Tupe I and foot care is very important for me.

 

Can anyone recommend a decent compromise?

 

IT is probably to my advantage to try them on in a shop if possible eg are any of the ranges in the DIY sheds eg Wickes or BQ OK? 

 

I am inclined towards trainers rather than boots as I expect more comfort. 

 

In practice the budget will be what it needs to be, but I would be happier at £50 than £100+.

 

Cheers

 

Ferdinand

 

 

 

 

 

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13 hours ago, SteamyTea said:

 

Those are only basic safety shoes and don’t seem to offer any mid sole protection. 

 

I have come a cropper with this before, requiring S3 shoes for access to industrial construction sites when my decrepit safety shoes are only S1. 

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11 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

S1 and S3, thought they were Audis.

I had no idea that there are different categories of safety shoes.

Probably best not to step on any loose planks.

It’s a minefield out there. Not all shoes are made equal although I don’t think safety shoes are effective against mines anyway.

 

https://www.shponline.co.uk/safety-boots-footwear-a-buyers-guide/

 

other suppliers of elf and safety advice are available. 

Edited by daiking
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32 minutes ago, daiking said:

It’s a minefield out there. Not all shoes are made equal although I don’t think safety shoes are effective against mines anyway.

 

https://www.shponline.co.uk/safety-boots-footwear-a-buyers-guide/

 

other suppliers of elf and safety advice are available. 

 

Lordy. O.o

 

So the ones I bought first at Wickes yesterday are S1P (composite toecap plus reinforced midsole).

 

Do I need to take them back?

 

Cheers.

 

F

Edited by Ferdinand
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6 minutes ago, Ferdinand said:

 

Lordy. O.o

 

So the ones I bought first at Wickes yesterday are S1P (composite toecap plus reinforced midsole).

 

Do I need to take them back?

 

Cheers.

 

F

 

Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya? :D

 

IANAE but I’d be happy with that as an amateur with no accountability.

 

 

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