Page 2 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 57

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

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,494
    Blog Entries
    1
    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.
    Last edited by glenn bradley; 06-13-2021 at 11:25 AM.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    E TN, near Knoxville
    Posts
    12,298
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Rozmiarek View Post
    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.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Western Nebraska
    Posts
    4,680
    Quote Originally Posted by John K Jordan View Post
    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.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    Kensington, Maryland
    Posts
    274
    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.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,248
    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

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    San Francisco Bay Area
    Posts
    271
    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.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    North Dana, Masachusetts
    Posts
    486
    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.

  8. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    New Hill, NC
    Posts
    2,568
    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.

  9. #24
    after a lot of pain, and advice from a podiatrist, i switched to Brooks Ghost 12s, with inserts, and the pain has disappeared.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Northeast Ohio
    Posts
    582
    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.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    866
    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.

  12. #27
    I like crocs. Hard enough to resist mild drops of tools or wood. Not afraid to get finish drips on it.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,688
    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.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  14. #29
    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.

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Carlyle IL
    Posts
    2,183
    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.
    Vortex! What Vortex?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •