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View Full Version : what do you recommend for shoes?



Larry Marley
02-28-2010, 10:17 PM
For the folks putting in serious time in the shop, what kind of foot wear do you prefer?

alex carey
02-28-2010, 10:19 PM
i don't wear any, I prefer barefoot. Unless im roughing something rather large and it doesn't have a faceplate.

Brian Novotny
02-28-2010, 10:22 PM
a nice sturdy pair of flip flops with the easy option to go barefoot if you loose something in your shavings.......If I cleaned shop more than once week I wouldn't have all of that shaving pading

Wood Shavings, better than inserts.

Alan Tolchinsky
02-28-2010, 10:29 PM
Larry, I find that wearing a comfortable pair of tennis shoes does the trick. Ones with thicker soles and heels feel best to me. I also use a rubber mat which also helps a lot.

Terry Achey
02-28-2010, 10:49 PM
Larry,

What works best for me for long hours on my concrete floors is a decent rubber mat and a pair of sturdy low cut hiking-type boots with a substantial heel. If I wear sneakers or other less supportive shoes for long hours on concrete, I will likely have a very tired lower back and legs.
Then again, it could be because I'm a 58 year old girlyman. :o

Terry

Brian Novotny
02-28-2010, 10:52 PM
shoot, even if I had one I would only be able to see that matt 1 hour a week.......I must be a total slob!

Greg Just
02-28-2010, 10:58 PM
tennis shoes while standing on a rubber mat. You bare foot guys are living on the edge - a sharp skew could do some serious damage if dropped :eek:

Steve Schlumpf
02-28-2010, 11:13 PM
Larry - I wear cross-trainers with gell inserts. Works pretty good but haven't found any shoe that remains comfortable after 3 or 4 hours.

Larry Marley
02-28-2010, 11:15 PM
I had faith the my fellow Californians would say flip flops....
I use rubber mats throughout my shop and tennis shoes, I was thinking about some low cut hiking, or work boots. My shop sneakers are about done, so I either offer up a new pair of sneakers to be tinted a shade of Bloodwood and walnut, or try something different.

Brian Effinger
02-28-2010, 11:17 PM
Larry, I usually wear high-top boots, but that is because my feet and ankles are really messed-up (club foot). I walk on the outsides of my feet, which places strain on my ankles, so I find that the boots keep everything upright. Of course, like Steve, after a few hours, the old dogs are hurting anyway.

Ken Glass
02-28-2010, 11:23 PM
Larry,
I have found that any footwear will work, as long as you have an adequate anti fatigue mat in place across most of your turning area.

Brian Novotny
02-28-2010, 11:26 PM
No you weren't being a girly man I should probably put on the old timberlands when I work, but I took up pyrography and carving so most of my work is sitting down, because of some cracked disks and a bulged disk, so I usually go 45 min on the lathe then 1-2 hours burning or carving the piece, adding either one of these things to yoour trnings will help your back CONSIDERABLY!
Larry,

What works best for me for long hours on my concrete floors is a decent rubber mat and a pair of sturdy low cut hiking-type boots with a substantial heel. If I wear sneakers or other less supportive shoes for long hours on concrete, I will likely have a very tired lower back and legs.
Then again, it could be because I'm a 58 year old girlyman. :o

Terry

Jeff Fagen
02-28-2010, 11:31 PM
I love turning in my CROCS!!!:D

alex carey
02-28-2010, 11:35 PM
Greg...been there done that, it hurts but im not very good at sharpening so it doesn't hurt too bad :)

Kirk Miller
03-01-2010, 4:54 AM
SHOES????? I am saving for a new lathe, who can afford them......lol

Robert Snowden
03-01-2010, 5:20 AM
Red wing slip on boots

Chris Damm
03-01-2010, 9:23 AM
Since I covered my shop floor with interlocking rubber mats, I can wear any shoes and be comfortable. In fact I spent 4 hours out there yesterday in my slippers!

Charles Wiggins
03-01-2010, 9:34 AM
Most of the time, I just wear my Reebok DMX that I wear all the time becuas they are very comfortable and supportive. If I am going to be working with larger pieces, like full sheets of ply or timbers, that have the potential to fall with enough force to break a foot I wear my steel toed boots.

Belinda Barfield
03-01-2010, 9:46 AM
I worked a lot in our stone fab shop last summer, concrete floors, 6000 sq feet (can't have a mat everywhere:(). I typically worked eight to ten hours a day on the floor. I tried Reebok and New Balance sneakers and after four to six hours my lower back was really achey, and my feet hurt. Got myself a pair of Columbia hiking boots and wow - what a difference. I don't have any discomfort at all when I wear them. :)

David G Baker
03-01-2010, 11:11 AM
Having lived the majority of my life in California I frequently wear sandals except when doing heavy outdoor work. My feet and back pay dearly for the sandal wearing.
Belinda,
I am going looking for a local supplier of the Columbia hiking shoes/boots. I did an Internet search and all of the comments about them were just like yours, they loved the Columbia products. Thanks for letting me know about them.

Belinda Barfield
03-01-2010, 11:51 AM
Having lived the majority of my life in California I frequently wear sandals except when doing heavy outdoor work. My feet and back pay dearly for the sandal wearing.
Belinda,
I am going looking for a local supplier of the Columbia hiking shoes/boots. I did an Internet search and all of the comments about them were just like yours, they loved the Columbia products. Thanks for letting me know about them.

You're welcome, David. If you live near a Bass Pro (one of my favorite stores) they carry Columbia products, or you could order from them online. Bass Pro has the best price I have found on the boots. Mine are model BL3456-264. I'm throwing that out there because I can attest to their comfort and haven't worn any other style from Columbia. Prior to these boots I wore out two pairs of Timberlands. They weren't nearly as comfortable as the Columbias. One day last April or May I worked 23 hours, almost all of them on the concrete. My feet were tired, but didn't really hurt.

Glad I could help!

Rod Sheridan
03-01-2010, 1:06 PM
I wear a pair of steel toe/shank E rated work boots.

I get a new pair every year from my employer since the E rating is compromised by perspiration and salt water in the winter. The old pair goes home.

A good pair of work boots provides proper shaped foot support and good ankle support and protection. That makes for a very comfortable shoe to wear.

I'm really surprised at the number of people in this thread who don't wear protective footwear in a shop, do you do the same at work if you have a shop type job?

regards, Rod.

Myk Rian
03-01-2010, 1:23 PM
I wear what covers my toes. I've hit mobile bases, boards, and various other objects with my toes. That hurts, man. No sandals for this boy.
New Balance walking shoes or my Timberline ankle high hiking boots are the usual.
Instead of taking them off every time I go in the house, I put shoe covers on. Keeps wife.life.boss happy.

Chris Kennedy
03-01-2010, 4:04 PM
I always wear steel-toed work boots. Well designed boots provide a lot of ankle and arch support, and you would be surprised how long you can wear them without feeling the least bit of discomfort. I also have rubber mats in front of most of my work stations.

As for the steel toes, LOML found the steel-toed variant of the boot I was interested in was about $5 more, and said buy them. A week later, dropped a clamp on my foot. Best five bucks I ever spent.

Cheers,

Chris

Rick Potter
03-02-2010, 3:23 AM
San Antonio Shoe company (SAS), makes some very comfortable, very long lasting, walking type shoes. They are about $160, but they last forever. My feet had been bothering me for quite a while, and they help a lot.

Rick Potter

Matt Meiser
03-02-2010, 9:31 AM
I usually buy some kind of soft toed work shoe for working in the shop/yard. They aren't real easy to find because so many are steel-toed but I think they are considerably more comfortable. The latest pair is Reebok. Usually whatever I buy lasts about a year and then I need to replace it. Plus I have mats at each workstation.

I've got a pair of Columbia low hiking boots (shoes?) I frequently wear when I travel because they are comfortable for all the walking in the airport, look acceptable with dockers and are comfortable when I'm in a plant if they don't require steel toed boots.

Jim Mattheiss
03-02-2010, 8:33 PM
I've become partial to Keens. I bought a pair of the original sandals and threw out my 2 other pairs of sandals.

They came out with some real shoes and I love them. You have to deal with the appearance, but the footbed is extremely comfortable. The toe cap takes some getting used to visually.

I'm a weekend warrior and after a Saturday in the shop in my sneakers, my feet back and legs were sore. After the same time period in my Keens I"m much better. I have foam pads set up when I work and the good shoes help more than the pads.

Jim

Scott T Smith
03-02-2010, 11:32 PM
I wear a pair of steel toe/shank E rated work boots.

I get a new pair every year from my employer since the E rating is compromised by perspiration and salt water in the winter. The old pair goes home.

A good pair of work boots provides proper shaped foot support and good ankle support and protection. That makes for a very comfortable shoe to wear.

I'm really surprised at the number of people in this thread who don't wear protective footwear in a shop, do you do the same at work if you have a shop type job?

regards, Rod.


+1. 99% of the time I'm either wearing a pair of steel toed Redwing work boots (with a soft rubber sole), or the Carhartt equivalent.

I dropped an 18" wide, 12' long 5/4 QSWO board on my foot last week, and unfortunately missed the steel toe.... Man that smarted for a while. I can't imagine wearing sneakers or sandals in the shop.

David G Baker
03-03-2010, 12:30 AM
Belinda,
I hit a couple of stores that had the Columbia brand but they only had two styles. I tried several sizes on of both styles but couldn't find a size that felt comfortable. I could tell from walking around the stores that the shoes were well made and would be comfortable if I found the right shoe style and size. I plan on keeping up the search. There are several possible stores that carry shoes that may have what I am looking for.
This time I am going to call the stores first.

Ben Franz
03-03-2010, 1:19 AM
I've tried Crocs - wear them a lot in the kitchen (tile floor over concrete) and they really help there. Same in the shop but no protection if you're working with heavy stock or sheet goods. I dropped a sheet of 3/4" particle board on edge on my big toe about ten years ago. The fracture healed but it still hurts on occasion. Steel toe work boots can provide protection from these injuries.