What are you wearing on your feet in your concrete slab shop?

[Thomas Colson]

Just had a week off, and spend most of it in the shop, milling up some (a lot) of reclaimed oak for cabinets. I find, that at about 7-8 hours, my feet/legs are killing me. Wearing sneakers. Concrete slab, floor coverings aren't an option as I need to wheel things around my shop frequently, as well as clean the floor, and I do more than woodworking in there (keep the beater running, e.g). For those of you that do this for a living, what's the magic shoe? I feel like I should be able to go 9-11 hours. Bear in mind, this is not 9 hours at a time. I take many breaks, LOL!

[Charles Coolidge]

I use a padded piano bench and try to sit whenever I can. Something else that has helped the knees and hips, during my whole hip destruction and replacement I put an aluminum ramp over the step up from my garage to the house. I left it there, a ramp is so much easier.

[johnny means]

One of the first lessons learned was that no footwear was to expensive. My arsenal consist of high dollar loggers like Redwings and Danners along with quality hiking boots like Asolo. All are equipped with aftermarket foot beds. I can barely walk 20 minutes in casual sneakers and dress shoes, but can stand for 8 hours straight in my workboots with no pain. Proper support is everything. As soon as your body starts compensating for unstable shoes, you're going to start developing fatigue issues.

[Bruce Page]

Orthofeet sneakers and rubber mats. I can’t stand on bare concrete very long.
Get yourself a 3x3 mat and move it to where you need it.

[John K Jordan]

Just had a week off, and spend most of it in the shop, milling up some (a lot) of reclaimed oak for cabinets. I find, that at about 7-8 hours, my feet/legs are killing me. Wearing sneakers. Concrete slab, floor coverings aren't an option as I need to wheel things around my shop frequently, as well as clean the floor, and I do more than woodworking in there (keep the beater running, e.g). For those of you that do this for a living, what's the magic shoe? I feel like I should be able to go 9-11 hours. Bear in mind, this is not 9 hours at a time. I take many breaks, LOL!

There have been some good discussions about this in the not too distance past, if you can find them.

I personally have had a lot of foot pain for many years until I switched to Oofos. I wear these all day, every day, everywhere - moving horses, driving tractor, walking 6 to 12 miles a day on the farm, and standing on concrete for hours. No more pain. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AECHSZ4
They are spongy inside with good arch support. They work so well for me I won't wear anything else for an extended time but I don't know how much depends on my particular foot shape.

I have recommended them to a number of friends and others and have gotten some positive feedback.

JKJ

[John Ziebron]

I have anti fatigue mats at most machines and my assembly table but if I am standing too long my back would get sore and I would have to sit for a while. Before retirement I had a coworker who swore by the shoes that have springs in the heel area. I always wanted to try them but the few companies that made them never had wide widths. Then a few months ago I saw a magazine ad from a company called Gravity Defyer, and they had wide widths. So I bought a pair of their walking shoes and my back and knee pains have gone away. They work so well for me that I even bought a second pair.

[Chris Fairbanks]

I put racedeck tiles in a number of years ago with the optional shock towers and it made all the difference with my back. After two lower back surgeries I had to do something. It takes a little abuse from the cabinet saw with its mobile base but everything else rolls easy enough. Garage journal forum members I think still get a discount. Check over there in the flooring forum. Good luck

[Tom M King]

I live in Air Nike Running shoes. Anything else not only makes my feet get tired, but slows up my movement. No pictures of shops with concrete floors, but there are a couple. The only time I wear boots is if I'm running a chainsaw, that would throw chips in low shoes. Air Nike Service boots then.

[Christopher Giles]

New Balance running shoes. The $130.00 ones. Full timer, never have any back pain. Careful what you drop, these don't have the protection of Red Wings.

[Dan Chouinard]

I recently moved into new shop with concrete floors. Went to Reds Shoe Barn in Dover NH to find appropriate footwear. Very busy old school shoe store with at least a half dozen actual human shoe salesmen. I was approached by a twenty something salesman and told him I was all set. Proceeded to find the oldest salesman on the floor and asked what I should buy for concrete floor. His first question was if I needed steel toe. No was my answer. He proceeded to show me a sneaker that I would never have considered on my own. I absolutely love my Hoka sneakers. Most comfortable shoe I have ever worn.

[Brian Holcombe]

I have boots from Crockett and Jones, the traditional shoe makers do a very fine job of making proper support.

[David Publicover]

I used to wear running shoes until I managed to drop a large piece of plywood, corner down, onto my toe. Crunch. Ouch. I now wear Timberland Pro work shoes with an alloy toe. They are even more comfortable standing all day on my concrete garage floor and pretty light with the alloy reinforced toe.
I had been considering putting wooden flooring down for comfort but now find that unnecessary.

[Frank Pratt]

Good, well fitting, real running shoes, either road or trail, are what's most comfortable to me. Even after having logged to many kilometers to be used for running anymore, they're still great for shop use. Plenty of cushion & the support my feet in all the right ways.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

New Balance running shoes. The $130.00 ones. Full timer, never have any back pain. Careful what you drop, these don't have the protection of Red Wings.


Same here. I've tried others, keep coming back to these. Redwing's with Vibram soles aren't terrible, but the NB are more comfortable.

[Erik Loza]

Sneakers or light hiking boots with GOOD aftermarket insoles: Sole, Superfeet, etc.

Erik

[glenn bradley]

Merrel MOAB II mid-highs lately. I also have Timberline Pro's that are pushing 20 years and some newer Red Wings. Footwear is so personal as we all have different needs in that area. I have wimpy feet and have struggled with footwear as long as I can remember. I only mention this to give you my frame of reference / experience. Even a decent sneaker will do me as I have pads in places where I stand for periods. I don't hold very still in the shop and have no shop stool as they are just a waste of space.

I do stand at the bench, assembly areas and even the tablesaw, bandsaw or router table for periods of time and so have thick foam pads in those areas. The ones I use are from Sam's Club and intended as playroom or workout room flooring. I no longer see the product online but do find it still in local stores.

The product has been in near constant use for over a decade (except for the last 2 years while I have been between shops) and show little wear. The new shop will be larger but I have a couple of unopened packs that should take care of that. I would not want to work long on a concrete floor without some sort of pad or high end footwear.

[John K Jordan]

Same here. I've tried others, keep coming back to these. Redwing's with Vibram soles aren't terrible, but the NB are more comfortable.

It may depend on the individual. I, for example, cannot wear even the very good NB running shoes. My feet must be different.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

It may depend on the individual. I, for example, cannot wear even the very good NB running shoes. My feet must be different.


100% agree John, I think each individual pair of shoes is different too. I've worn a specific Redwing work boot for 20+ years, and each pair of them is a little different.

[Dan Gaylin]

John Jordan clued me in to the Oofas and they are really great — zero back soreness with them. I have also been wearing Sketchers Double Play slip-ons with memory foam. Almost as good as the Oofas (and cheaper) and with the advantage of being more closed around the ankle so you don’t have wood chips under your soles. Agree that every person is different AND also the application. I am a HUGE Merrill fan and wear different types of Merrells for most of my exercising (walking, running, hiking). But they are not good for me for long hours in the shop on a concrete floor.

[Rod Sheridan]

CSA approved work shoes, mine happen to be electrically isolating so the sole protection plate and toe cap are composite, not steel.

Good foot comfort and protection

[Chris Fairbanks]

I wear Asics Gel Nimbus shoes in the shop and pretty anytime I am not having to wear dress shoes for work. I love them. Switched over from Nikes and will never look back. They are like $160 but if you use camelcamelcamel.com (best amazon price tracker) and have it watch the shoes in your size and color for you they always drop to $99 when the new versions are announced. The current ones are Gel Nimbus 23 so the 22s are $99 right now but only in limited sizes and colors so you need to move quickly when the new ones come out and the prices drop on the old ones. I think they release new versions every 9 months or so.

[William Hodge]

The shoes matter, but good physical health matters too. Your feet have less work to do if you don't carry extra body weight.
I have bad knees, and stand on concrete all day. If I keep my weight at 160 lbs, knees and feet work better. Vigorous daily exercise keeps my legs strong.

For foot wear I wear Sorrells and Muck boots in the winter, and Reebok running shoes after the snow goes.

[Scott T Smith]

I wear work boots here on the farm for around 12 hours per day, typically 7 days a week. Many day's I'll be on concrete for hours at a time, handling lumber and feeding it into machinery.

I used to have a lot of knee and ankle pain, but this has pretty much disappeared after I started wearing Keen workboots (safety toe). They are US Mfg and have a soft insole to help cushion things a bit.

My current model is the Coburg and I am very pleased with them.

[David Zaret]

after a lot of pain, and advice from a podiatrist, i switched to Brooks Ghost 12s, with inserts, and the pain has disappeared.

[Ralph Okonieski]

Several members mentioned rubber or anti-fatigue mats. I have some also, purchased from Harbor freight. There were four 2x2 (I think) in the package. I then purchased a second pack but from Menards. The Harbor freight ones were lower cost and thicker than the 2nd set from M’s. It has been a few years but memory puts them at $10-20. The mats are light enough they can easily be picked up if need to move machine.

I also wear comfortable shoes when in the shop. Combination of shoes and mats work well to keep my legs from aches.

[Curt Putnam]

Foot or leg pain is generally abnormal and is worth having checked by a podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon. Prescription orthotics can work wonders to eliminate pain including some types of back pain.

[Prashun Patel]

I like crocs. Hard enough to resist mild drops of tools or wood. Not afraid to get finish drips on it.

[Jim Becker]

I wear Sketchers GoWalk+ with supportive insoles. They are very light-weight but super comfortable. I do use anti-fatigue mats in my shop in the places I tend to stand a lot, such as at my bench or in front of the CNC machine and CNC computer.

[George Makra]

For me it's not the shoe or boot. Myself I have three pairs of good quality steel toed work boots.i rotate the boots, a different pair everyday. When I take my boots off they go on to a heated boot dryer. I wear steel toed because I have dropped numerous things on my feet. I will never wear light weight shoes when I am working in the shop


I also have custom molded Orthopedic insoles and they are worth every penny. I pay 30 some thing per pair and get three at a time.

What I have found is that each shoe wears differently and by rotating the boots the feet never get used to the same insole. So each day is a different feel.

[Joe Mioux]

Danner Upland Hunting boots. They are designed for miles of walking through a lot brush in crappy weather.

I'm on my feet all day.

I also wear Under Armor Hovr sneakers.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I spent many years working on concrete floors & sometimes being on my feet for hours at a stretch.

Heavy soled boots with good arch support made it bearable.

[John K Jordan]

I spent many years working on concrete floors & sometimes being on my feet for hours at a stretch.
Heavy soled boots with good arch support made it bearable.

I forgot one thing that helped me many years ago when I worked at a job that put me on my feet on concrete most of the day. I took a second pair of shoes and switched shoes in the middle of the shift. I think it was the minor differences in pressure points in the shoe that gave instant relief.

[Tom Dixon]

New Balance running shoes. The $130.00 ones. Full timer, never have any back pain. Careful what you drop, these don't have the protection of Red Wings.

New Balance running shoes here too. I have narrow feet and finding comfortable shoes that fit is a constant struggle. Hardly anyone makes a narrow or B width shoe anymore. Boots? Fugetaboutit. The only shoes that I consistently buy and can comfortably wear in the shop are New Balance 990s. I have several pair.

[mark mcfarlane]

I wear Asics Gel Nimbus shoes in the shop and pretty anytime I am not having to wear dress shoes for work. I love them. Switched over from Nikes and will never look back. They are like $160 but if you use camelcamelcamel.com (best amazon price tracker) and have it watch the shoes in your size and color for you they always drop to $99 when the new versions are announced. The current ones are Gel Nimbus 23 so the 22s are $99 right now but only in limited sizes and colors so you need to move quickly when the new ones come out and the prices drop on the old ones. I think they release new versions every 9 months or so.

I've been wearing Asics Gel Nimbus exclusively for about 25 years. Have an all black pair for church. New pair every year, old pair moves into outdoor service. The only other things that go on my feet are Merrell hiking boots and UGS slippers. I am willing to try something new...

Thomas, regarding rubber flooring, unless you are reconfiguring your shop every week I'd really try to get some mats. They made a HUGE difference for me. I have about 600 sq feet of mats down in the shop. Some cheap locking squares from Sams and some expensive uLine industrial runners. I can't tell the difference walking over the cheap and expensive versions but maybe my feet would after 10 hours (or maybe not). The uLine mats are in the highest traffic areas but I feel like the cheap Sams interlocking squares are fine.

EDIT: FWIW, the cheap squares are very light, easy to slide around but may come apart if you try to lift them. The uLine industrial mats are much heavier.

[Jack Frederick]

I have a pair of Dansko Clogs that I love in the shop. With the solid base they have to be just the right fit, but if you get that they are terrific for support. Not shoe related but my wife has gotten me into doing yoga these last several months. I find that many of my aches and pains have subsided and many fewer leg cramps. At 72 the old muscle mass is just a memory but much of an old mans strength is in flexibility and range of motion. There must be something there;) It seems to be working. Yoga with Adrienne!

[Justin Kwong]

I like crocs. Hard enough to resist mild drops of tools or wood. Not afraid to get finish drips on it.

I also wear crocs. I got the camouflaged pattern so that my wife can't see them because she thinks they're hideous. She just isn't enlightened to the comfort factor!

[Frank Pratt]

I also wear crocs. I got the camouflaged pattern so that my wife can't see them because she thinks they're hideous. She just isn't enlightened to the comfort factor!

Haha! But your wife is not wrong.

[mike stenson]

Birkenstock profi clogs normally. I have a pair of steel toed ranch boots, but for the most part that's a huge amount of overkill and the birkenstocks are widely used in kitchens and medical.

[Warren Lake]

wore Ecco Clogs from Denmark the first 25 years in the shop then stopped one day. No real issue other than if you step on a small offcut they will turn with the non flexible sole. Back never got tired on concrete. If i dropped something it was worse as the wood sole presented the toes like carrots on a cutting board. Reflexes are good for an old guy and anything dropped feet get out fast on auto pilot.

When I did my second roof it was ply and even my best running shoes I felt like i was slipping all the time. I got a pair of Merrel hiking books and that model which I have but cant remember had a softer rubber. They stuck to roof amazing. I did wear them out doing the roof from new but so what, its like tires for guys that race, they need stick not get high mileage.

Have cheap crap now and too often knee pain, time to look for those same Merrels again or look into some you have mentioned. Im lucky so far on back pain, lift way too much heavy stuff and always lifted with my back not my legs like we are supposed to. I think doing the roofs was hard on the knees walking on pitch.

[Thomas Wilson]

I am happy to see that a lot of people have solved this problem. I am working more shop hours per week than ever before, and my feet have complained the most about it. I wear “walking” shoes which look the same as running shoes. I should look around for something with more cushion. The floor in the shop is wood so it is not just a problem of concrete slab shops. My shoes are pretty old. Their cushioning may be gone.

[Mike Kees]

Replace my runners every 6 months or so. Honestly though the best was installing a wood sleeper floor over the concrete. Mine started with 1x4 flat every 4' on center and then 2x6 two feet on center run perpendicular to the 1x4. The floor surface is 3/4'' plywood screwed down. This floor has taken the tiredness and aches of working on concrete away completely ,also much easier on my tools.

[Jack Frederick]

Thomas, perhaps on those long days your should have an assortment of shoes available. Each shoe has its own comfort and pressure points. Think it is possible changing the shoes you all ready havemight help?

[Zachary Hoyt]

I wear Teva sandals in summer and Red Wing boots in winter and my feet feel okay so far. I am size 16 so options are limited. The floor in the shop here is concrete, but I don't find it bothers me if I move around. If I stand still in one place for more than 20 minutes or so I start to feel tightness in my chest, like my lungs don't have room to inhale all the way. I get the same thing in the kitchen which is also concrete. If I walk around for a minute or less I feel normal again. I have no idea why that happens, but it's consistent.

[Kevin Smira]

Birkenstock slipons or Dansko clogs. Rarely tennis shoes, though I wear tennis shoes every day at work and walk a good bit during the day. I have 3 pair that I rotate through to give the most recent pair time for the foam to rebound instead of staying compressed. Saucony, Brooks and Mizuno are my work shoes. Running shoes are Topo’s and they are killer for running with my feet.

[Jamie Buxton]

Today? Bare feet. It is very hot today.

[Alan Schwabacher]

I used to wear New Balance shoes, which I found more comfortable than most other brands, but now wear Keene shoes and boots that are better for my feet. I also have rubber mats on the shop floor.

[Gilbert Vega]

I wear very expensive "tennis " shoes from Academy in the $25 section and wear those til they fall apart. I do have 2 old leather desk chairs that I use whenever I can do work sitting down. I also have vinyl plank floors I installed so it would make cleanup easier. I frequently roll heavy woodworking tools across the shop without any problems.

[Mike Barney Sr]

To keep warm in the winter I have 2" of extruded foam covered in 3/4" plywood anchored with flat head tapcons to the concrete. This supports my equipment and makes for a comfortable surface to walk on.

[William Hodge]

Today? Bare feet. It is very hot today.


This sounds like you can also hold on to the work with your toes. I worked with a Vietnamese guy in a shop (1985, was a refugee) who did this. He also would also do work on the floor instead of a bench.

[Harold Patterson]

Timberland deck shoes. I also have rubber mats in in front of workbench, lathe and front and side of bandsaw.

[Michael W. Clark]

I have had best long term results with workboots (Redwing, Carolina, etc). The best ones were the wellington style (cowboy boot style) with steel toe. My current work boots are lace up and have the steel toe with met guard and they are not as comfortable when doing a lot of squatting down.

If for short durations, I have a pair of UnderArmour hiking tennis shoes, they work pretty good.

With the woorkboots and any shoe that wears in, it helps a lot to get some replacement insoles.

[Thomas Colson]

Great Thread! I guess I shouldn't mention how much my feet hurt after a day of wearing my "Safety Crocks" during a hot day in the shop. Love them ventilated toes....

[Wayne Cannon]

Three points:
· A soft mat or cushy running shoes feel nice, but their flexibility causes you to continuously rock slightly, tiring your legs significantly over the course of a day. Don't go too soft.
· The post office tests and certifies shoes for postal workers. A pair of post office certified oxfords from Red Wing are the most comfortable shoes I've ever had for standing. No cushy soles or insoles. They have very firm crepe soles and CORK INSOLES that mold to your foot with warmth. Wonderful.
· Running and walking are different from standing.

[Jeff Roltgen]

More to floor treatments than shoes, I've placed laminate flooring and backer foam pad in general assembly/hand tool area.
- reduces fatigue as you're not in direct contact with concrete
- protects chisels and hand planes (gasp!) if accidentally dropped.
- wheeled carts can roll easily vs. sticking on loose foam pads. I've even rolled forklift over it occasionally, and it stands up just fine to even that.

Watch local home center for closeouts of the laminate - not hard to find some as low as $1/sq.ft. Latest batch is a calico hickory pattern. Lasts for years and gives a nice hardwood floor look to an otherwise warehouse-feeling concrete.

[Alex Zeller]

I'm a croc wearer too. I wear them in the shop as well as walking the dog. They are hideous looking things (mine are brown leather on plastic) but I got sick and tired of fighting to get wood shavings out of cloth shoes (the downside to turning). It seems like the smaller they are the harder they come out. I can walk through streams and they dry right out. If I dump glue or finish on them I don't care. The wife hates the looks of them too but I'm much more practical now. But I only get to spend a couple hours in the shop at a time.

[Eric John]

g'morning,

well since everyone has 2 cents.
when i was younger, in the roofing business, a grey haired guy
told me "redwing" and that was all i have worn since, its worth the extra money for their insoles too.
i now stand on a concrete slab also and luckily my legs and back feel great.
try'em !
regards,
eric

[Tim McCarthy]

I put a floor in my shop. 7 mil plastic, 1/4 carpet pad then 7/16 OSB.. I put three coats of SW floor paint on it. It has held up VERY well in 17 years of hard use; stuff still rolls around just fine, it has saved my joints and spills from "dirty work" come up easily. It cleans up better than the old concrete. I would highly recommend this type of floor (as soon as OSB prices come down from the stratosphere). It's more expensive than shoes but it lasts a lot longer!! LOL