Best Boots for the Shop

[Doug Mason]

What do you find to be the best boot for the shop - w/comfort and durability in mind? I need to get a new pair and as my shop has a concrete floor, do you all have any recommendations? Brands I've heard mentioned are Wesco and Red Wing.

[Cary Swoveland]

See http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=65659

Cary

[Mark Singer]

Crocs are really good!

[Craig McCormick]

I like Redwing "comfort zone" boots.

AZCRAIG

[Greg Hines, MD]

I wear Wolverine safety boots in the shop. I bought them specifically to use while chain sawing, but have found them comfortable with a good pair of insoles to use most of the time in the shop too, and I don't have to worry if I drop something.

Doc

[Tom Veatch]

As far as boots/shoes are concerned, I've worn nothing but Red Wings for 35 years.

[Jim Becker]

I wear athletic shoes...great support, light weight, etc. I've never felt comfortable in "boots" or other more industrial type footwear.

[Eric Gustafson]

Z-coils. I call them boing-boing shoes!:cool:

http://www.zcoil.com/styles/zwalker_brown_bl_wh_bv_new.jpg

[Doug Shepard]

Red Wing
.......

[Mark Engel]

Rocky steel toed sneakers.

Got 'em form Sportsmans Guide. Being the cheap bas... uh, person that I am, I don't like to pay a lot for clothes. Just ask my wife, or my kids, or any of my friends, or the folks that work at the hardware store......

[Mark Engel]

I wear athletic shoes...great support, light weight, etc. I've never felt comfortable in "boots" or other more industrial type footwear.

Now these would be perfect for you Jim.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=350029

[Brian Penning]

Crocs get my vote

[Gabriel Billings]

They're overkill, but I've been wearing my old pair of firefighting turnout boots. They're heavy, calf length leather, but they're the only footwear I own that I can slip on and off quickly, since I don't need to worry about laces. As a bonus, they're steel-toed, in case I drop something on my tootsies.

[Dennis Hatchett]

What do you find to be the best boot for the shop - w/comfort and durability in mind? I need to get a new pair and as my shop has a concrete floor, do you all have any recommendations? Brands I've heard mentioned are Wesco and Red Wing.

I don't mean to change the subject, but I've been wearing good quality comfort shoes for years trying to ease the stress on my knees. Those long hours of late night work seem to stress the lower body before my mind is ready to call it a night.

Last year I purchased some of the Soft Surface inter-locking rubber mats from peach tree woodworking and they eliminated my need to be picky about shoes. They make life so much more pleasant after long sessions at the bench or tablesaw. (I'm not connected to Peachtree in any way.)

http://www.ptreeusa.com/shop_accessories.htm#1202

[Craig McCormick]

Dennis,

I also use individual rubber mats in my shop anytime I am standing at a work station. They are a lifesaver.

AZCRAIG

[Jim Becker]

Now these would be perfect for you Jim.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=350029

Thanks, Mark, but I haven't found a need for the steel toe in my shop...and I hope I never do! :o I "promote" my daily-wear "sneaks" to shop and home improvement use once they get to a certain point of, well...dirtiness. Right now my shop shoe is a nice pair of K-Swiss whites. :)

[Dylan Smith]

I stick w/ Doc Martens always: boots, steel caps, oxfords, wingtips - all with the Bouncing Sole. I've worn 'em nearly exclusively for a couple of decades.

Problem is, they've stopped making them in England, and have moved production to China, etc. The new ones are **** not very good.... The original factory turns 'em out under another brand, but with the current exchange rate, they're terribly expensive.

So much like tools, I seek out NOS boots. Gotta build up a lifetime supply.

[Joe Chritz]

I have (now worn out) slip on shoes so I can remove them easily coming back inside. They were some cheap ones that I tried out and it seemed to work ok.

I think I will go back to a hiking boot style soon.

If you are looking for full boots the best I have ever worn are Danner Arcadias. They are the .mil contract boots and are a pain to break in but are like sneakers once they are. I am in them for 40+ a week and have worn out several soles already.

Joe

[Joe Mioux]

Danner is just about near perfect.

[Bob Slater]

Blundstone safety boots some days. very easy to slip on and off, but a little hot in the summer. One added bonus of safety boots is the sole has added protection against electrocution.

[Tim Morton]

I stick w/ Doc Martens always: boots, steel caps, oxfords, wingtips - all with the Bouncing Sole. I've worn 'em nearly exclusively for a couple of decades.

Problem is, they've stopped making them in England, and have moved production to China, etc. The new ones are **** not very good.... The original factory turns 'em out under another brand, but with the current exchange rate, they're terribly expensive.

So much like tools, I seek out NOS boots. Gotta build up a lifetime supply.

x2 I have always loved my DM's...until a few years ago I bought a pair of those china made DM's...I put them on for about 30 seconds and then took them off and gave them to my neighbor:mad::mad:

I have 3 pair of the good ones and i still wear them most days...NOS is the way to go here.

[Peter Quinn]

When I worked in a flooring mill I wore Timberland steel toe steel shank electrically and thermally insulated leather work boots in the cooler months, and a light weight pair of timberlands, synthetic steel toe electrically insulated 3/4 height work shoes in the warmer months. Those steel toes saved my feet on several occasions. The necessity for steel toes and shanks probably depends on the environment you are working in.

In my home shop its either an old pair of tennis shoes, my Birkenstock londons (anti-skid electrically insulated bottoms...I hate getting shocked by static in the winter) or the old insulated timberlands if its really cold.

More important for me than the shoes are the anti fatigue mats I put in front of several work stations to keep that cold slab from permeating my feet and wrecking my back.

[James Carmichael]

I got a pair of Wolverines last Father's Day and don't know how I went for so long without a good pair of Wellingtons, they're awesome.

[Thane Duncan]

Try Timberland Pro, have a model with Titanium safety toe which make them light and if you hit your piggies will make a difference. I like my low oxford and ankle size, use superfeet inserts and you'll get great support. Just my two cents.;)

[Dan Barr]

from a strict functionality perspective, i prefer the following features:

-food comfortable fit and cushioning
-steel toe
-oil and slip resistant
-insulated for cold temperatures

-quick eyelets on the top two or three eyes so that i can remove the shoe-string without untieing it. (allows me to put them on and take them off without tieing or untieing.) i just slip the laces over the quick eyelets. one thing i hate the most is having to fight a boot at the end of the day or have to take more than a few seconds getting one on or off.

i dont care what brand the boot is as long as it meets these requirements.

ciao,

dan

[Mike Seals]

Try Timberland Pro, have a model with Titanium safety toe which make them light and if you hit your piggies will make a difference. I like my low oxford and ankle size, use superfeet inserts and you'll get great support. Just my two cents.;)

Love those shoes, I wear them at work. They are so comfortable that I often walk out to the truck, ofrgetting to change back into my sneakers. As for the home shop, it's sneakers, the same ones I wear all the time. Now that summer is near and the weather is warmer, you can catch me bare foot from time to time. Helps to keep the shop floor clean, inspiration!

[Wayne Cannon]

Steel toe -- absolutely.

I like Red Wing 6662 Chukka boot -- light weight, quick on/off.

I would consider a pull-on steel-toed boot, as well.

[John Stevens]

A couple of years ago I bought my first pair of good boots: Chippewa. Can't say how they compare to other good boots, but they're much more comfy than the Timberlands I always used to wear, and light years beyond sneaks. If it matters to you as it does to me, some of the Chippewa models are made in the USA, and these can be re-soled. I've had these boots about three years and they've held up very well. Expensive, but I'll buy them again when the leather wears out someday.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

John

[David Tiell]

I usually don't wear boots in the shop. Most of the time, I wear my skechers flip-flops. I'm 90% certain one of these days I'm gonna be sorry about it, and have had some close calls with falling wood and stuff, but I'm a self-proclaimed slow learner and prefer the comfort they provide.

[Chris Allen]

I've worn almost every boot out there. I work(ed) in job where even the best boots last little more than 6 months.

There is one brand that, by far, stands heads and tails above the others.....Red Wing. Most durable I've found, and equally important, the most comfortable. Don't waste you're money with the other brands.

And no, I don't work for Redwing. Although, I do wish they'd send me a paycheck ;)

[Terry Achey]

I don't mean to change the subject, but I've been wearing good quality comfort shoes for years trying to ease the stress on my knees. Those long hours of late night work seem to stress the lower body before my mind is ready to call it a night.

Last year I purchased some of the Soft Surface inter-locking rubber mats from peach tree woodworking and they eliminated my need to be picky about shoes. They make life so much more pleasant after long sessions at the bench or tablesaw. (I'm not connected to Peachtree in any way.)

http://www.ptreeusa.com/shop_accessories.htm#1202

This is an excellent solution for concrete floors. Sears sells a simillar product for about $20 per 40sf or thereabouts.

concrete floors = aching ankles, knees and back. For me it's definately thick, soft soled light weight shoes (lots of choices) and rubber mats at work stations.

[Steven Wilson]

I like my Redwings for working in the shop when I need steeltoe boots (surface planing, jointing, working with full sheets of mdf, etc) but for everyday use I like Crocs - very, very comfortable on concrete.

[Karl Brogger]

I say almost anything soft soled. I like boots for the ankle support. I've gone through about three pairs of Doc Marten's. The last pair lasted about a year and I stopped buying them. I've had a pair of Ariat's the last year and really like them. I don't personally know of anyone who has had a bad experience with Red Wing's either.

[mike holden]

Let me throw another vote in for Crocs. I have two pair in bright red, one with the holes and one without. Bought the pair without holes so I dont get so much sawdust on my socks (grin) and yes, I know the heel is exposed, but for some reason the sawdust doesnt seem to collect there.
Mike

[J. Z. Guest]

Lots of folks are wearing sneakers. Some wear boots.

But none of them give proper foot support like Dansko Professional clogs. (http://www.dansko.com/html/detail.aspx?type=1&shoe=Professional%20(Men)) They are the only shoes certified by the American Podiatric Association.

http://www.dansko.com/images/shoe_single/standard_006020202.jpg

It isn't about cushion, (Danskos have none) it is about proper support.

I have worked in the shop for 12 hours at a time on my concrete floor with these and my feet feel as good as new.

My wife (a doctor) turned me onto these, as they are extremely popular with healthcare workers who are on their feet 16 hours at a time.

They're not as good for walking long distances as walking shoes, but when you're mostly standing, they beat walking/running shoes hands down.

When I was on my feet all day professionally, I had Red Wing boots, and they are not in the same league as Dansko.

They cost about $120. I bought mine from zappos.com, who have return shipping included. Lots of folks buy about 4 sizes at a time, then return the ones that don't fit.

[Michael Wildt]

Hi Jeremy,

Is your clogs sole rubber or wood with a sole ? I'm asking since I'm used to the real clogs that is a wood sole and then rubber for traction. I just can't find them in the US. If you have the wood ones then they are great when working in the yard. Digging holes etc.

Michael

[Peter Quadarella]

That was a pretty convincing endorsement Jeremy. It's too bad they don't sell them in different widths. I don't get all these companies that assume our feet are all the exact same proportions as they scale up or down. How wide are the normal ones - sometimes I will buy shoes 1/2 size larger and the width will fit me?

[Michael Wildt]

Hi Peter,

NY Times had a related article a while back:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/fashion/15CLOGS.html

Doesn't talk about the width. I'd write or call Dansko and ask specifically.

http://www.dansko.com/flash.aspx There is a 'Contact us' in the upper right corner.

Michael

[J. Z. Guest]

Hi Jeremy,

Is your clogs sole rubber or wood with a sole ? I'm asking since I'm used to the real clogs that is a wood sole and then rubber for traction.

The sole is hard rubber. No real cushion. (which is why they're not good for high speed walking) Formed leather on top of that (with vent holes) and a different type of slip resistant rubber glued to the bottom. The sole is completely rigid; they don't bend when you walk; just like the wooden ones you're talking about.

The back part is just for decoration, so they are considered closed shoes in professional environments. Inside the back is a straight, hard plastic that just barely rubs your heel. Not the kind of rubbing that causes blisters. More like oil rubbing on Teflon, if you get my drift. The heel of the shoes goes up and down with each step, just like the traditional clogs.

These are not traditional shoes. They're not like anything most men are used to. They take about a week to get used to, as you walk differently. It is hard to explain, but it works. One analogy is a traditional circular saw vs. a Festool circular saw. They both work, but one is a very different basic design.

[J. Z. Guest]

That was a pretty convincing endorsement Jeremy. It's too bad they don't sell them in different widths. I don't get all these companies that assume our feet are all the exact same proportions as they scale up or down. How wide are the normal ones - sometimes I will buy shoes 1/2 size larger and the width will fit me?

Peter, they do make different widths. I noticed regular and narrow. I have had the same issues in the past as you have; having to buy longer shoes than I need just to get slightly more width. I didn't have that problem with these. With these, the fit in every area is critical. I recommend trying them on in person (remembering that the heel is supposed to slip) and make sure they fit everywhere else. The part that goes across the top of the foot must fit snugly. Not a lot of shoe retailers carry Danskos. Only specialized walking shoe stores or uniform stores.

Lots of folks here won't have that type of store locally, which is why I recommended Zappos.com. Order a few pair and painlessly return the ones that aren't right. Returning them is absolutely painless, as they provide the return shipping label with the carton. All one has to do is put them back in the box, re-tape it, and send it back. By the time you get your credit card statement, it will end up as if you only bought one pair.

I have the box leather version, which is the most durable. All one needs to do to make them look very sharp is wipe with a wet rag to remove dirt. If you want them to be nice & glossy, beeswax applied with a paper towel and a hair dryer is quick & easy.

These shoes are just amazing with regards to how long they allow one to stand without pain or prickling in the feet. If you have knee or hip problems that are complicated by not having well-cushioned shoes, you may want to avoid them, but otherwise, they are brilliant.