What's new
What's new

Best safety shoes?

toadjammer

Hot Rolled
Joined
Jan 4, 2006
Location
WI
I am starting a new job and they require safety shoes. I have been able to wear running shoes at previous employers and they help me because I am on my feet all day.

So what are my best choices for safety shoes. Brand style and such. And as far as sizing to make sure the toe doesn't rub.

Thanks
Toad
 
what has worked for me for 25 years.

Red wing....Red Wing...Red wing..Cost more but worth it.I am a field machinists working on heavy equiptment and can get about a year and a half out of a set.
 
Two schools-of-thought prevail. Some folks prefer cheap shoes from WalMart, and replace them every 9-12 months. Others (like me), prefer to buy high-quality, pay 3-5 as much, but get extreme comfort, safety and longevity. I've had some last over 7 years in daily use!

It's really REALLY hard to find made-in-America shoes these days, but in my experience they've always been the more cost effective choice. I try to support my local vendors, such as Matt's Shoes here in the northeast. This allows me a place to try them on, and a place to go if there's a problem (not that I've had any by buying 1st quality.)

For a look at some brand names of American made, try this site:

http://www.steel-toe-shoes.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=111

Some names, though not all have full made-in -America lines, are Red Wing, Carolina, Dexter, Iron Age, and Thorogood.
 
Red Wing

Many moons ago, first starting at a sheet metal shop, I bought cheap steel toed boots. I think the whole of the upper was this black vinyl/plastic/whatever manmade stuff. This was before WalMart was even anywhere near our community. I can't remember what store we bought them at.....

Didn't make much money, so cheap was the operating word. Many of the other young guys working there bought the same cheap boots. First thing that happens is the material cracks and splits from the constant bending of the material- right behind the steel toe.

Second, the sole comes loose or splits. Then, out came the duct tape. Lots of guys walking around with the duct taped boots. My feet hurt after about noon each day from the standing around on a concrete floor

Finally, after working a while (and getting raises- thanks to our sheet metal workers Union!) and listening to the others, we drifted away from cheap and on up to Red Wing. Never looked back.

Nothing makes a day drag out longer than tired feet. As stated above, I've never had any problem with R~W boots as far as breaking them in.

The boots below are my style- smooth sole and comfortable. I've had the same pair for more than 10 years, and I've got another pair of the same boot that I had re-soled that are older than that! They've been soaking wet and come right back to life. I've more than gotten my moneys worth from my boots.
 

Attachments

  • red.jpg
    red.jpg
    8.2 KB · Views: 1,162
Red wing....Red Wing...Red wing..Cost more but worth it.
This used to be true but now quite a few models are made in China and even more models are assembled from imported materials. I bought a new pair of Red wing boots about a year ago which were "made in the U.S from imported materials" . I have never had footwear that made from such thin, poor quality leather. the toe caps over the steel toes already in less then a year have holes were the steel show throught. I have only once before had boots with holes showing the steel toe and they were many years old and very well worn . I have heard for years how you can wear redwings for ever and keep resoling them . Well the boots I bought will have nothing left to them to resole in another 6 months. What I need is some one to put new uppers on a good condition pair of soles. I will likly never again buy a pair of Red wing boots.
 
I buy the cheap Wal-Mart shoes. they last about a year, and I put a new set of gel insoles in them a couple times a year. I think they are great, but I know not everyone's feet are the same.
 
Though you can't wear them forever they do last a long time.

Another point is their guarantee. After a year one boot started to creak so I went in to the Red Wing store. I had not even reached the counter when the clerk asked me my phone number so that he could check stock for a replacement pair. The shank apparently had a problem - must be due to all my pious kneeling.

The only downside was breaking in a new pair of boots - they are stiff for the first days.

Raymond
 
I was a red wing man 25 years 6 days a week best boot ever till the last pair. Paid the same $225 and found out later was made in china trying Chipawa now
Greg
 
Got a Blain's Farm & Fleet store in your neck of the woods? I've been buying their Work 'n Sport brand black oxfords, and they claim to be made in USA. I don't recall what I paid last time, but it was less than $100, and the shoes last me about two years of normal use indoors in the shop.

I just went to their web site, and can't find the shoe I've been buying... not good. :bawling: They do have a bunch of others, but I don't know if they are made here or by the chicoms.

Dennis
 
Don't recognize any of those brands, as good as they
are, but in Europe the best is E-Top.
They feel as comfy as Nikes and last ages with the steel toe.
I got a free pair from my ex company every six months, but
since having to stop work because of my back, I have a few
pairs in the house that I've never worn. Any one who wants
them can have 'em for the postage costs.
Europe size 42
US size 9


DSC00627.jpg
 
My older Red Wing boots started to wear thin on the soles and heels, so I took them to the shoe store here in town (a real shoe store) to have him resole them. I could tell he didn't want to do the work, just wanted to sell me a new pair of Red Wings. I am stubborn and said that "No, I want to fix these and keep them", to which he replies that it will cost quite a bit. I said I didn't care, just fix them.

A week and $70 later, I had some repaired boots. I guess he showed me! I am already tall, and the new stuff he put on the bottoms of the boots is nearly an inch thick and makes them look like Herman Munster style boots, making me even higher off the ground!

He has since went out of the new shoe and boot business, just repairs them. He should be a little easier to get along with now that he isn't trying to peddle new shoes.

It is too bad if they are off shoring the boot making, now. I bet you are right, though. I really don't want to buy those other brands of boots- I like what I had and don't want to change.
 
I wear some danner 8 inch tall boots... love them. 10 hrs a day on my feet at work, 16 hrs on weekends at the home shop... never a foot ache!
 
I always try to buy American made shoes, but it's really getting tough to find them. Overall,, I would say Red Wing is the best choice, but now a lot of those are being made in China. I bought a pair of USA made Carolina's and the soles just fell apart within a month. Right now, I'm wearing USA made Red Wing, they are the best shoes and probably worth the price. That garbage Walmart sells (China, of course) make my feet sore and sucked up water like a sponge. If you get 6 to 9 mos out of cheap shoes, that make your feet hurt, what are you saving???? I've had Red wings that lasted me 2 years, and I'm very hard on shoes. I work in a machine shop, heavy industrial environment and it eats shoes up fast.
If you have a Red Wing factory store near you, they often have closeouts for half off.
 
Lake Of The Woods

About ten years ago, Sportsmans Guide ran a special on a brand called Lake of The Woods. Steel toe, made in Minnesota, USA. They felt like feathers on your feet. They were an Oxford style. Once I found out how nice they were, I bought a couple more pairs. They are almost all worn out now, and the brand no longer exsists. What a shame!

Craig Donges
 
Someone here recommeded clogs and I could not be happier. I have the nasty bad back, and they are a dream to walk in. They have steel toes and wood bottoms ( good for electricity work? )

clogsonline.com is a good place to start, some places are cheaper.
 








 
Back
Top