Work Boots No Laces

dwsteen said:

How about this... May I ask what line of work you are in and the level of ruggedness that's required from your boots? Are you an office employee who occasionally ventures out into an industrial environment? Are you employed on the shop floor? Are you often out in the field? Do you have high/low risk of foot injuries in your line of work? There are many boots that could be suggested that would be suited for various lines of work. Some boots out there are overkill and some might not be enough depending on what you do.

For instance, if I was to leave my office to go out in the field wearing those Chippewas you posted, I'd be "booted" off site in a heart beat as they are no where close to having the safety requirements (if any?) in my line and a lot of lines of work where safety footwear is required. No matter if it's only on occasion or all day.

This is tough because you have a hard time finding a fit for your feet, but maybe you could shed some more light for us, to help you better.

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I drive a tanker, semi tractor/trailer truck. I go anywhere from paper mills to oil refineries. The boots in the OP were just to get an idea of a style that I was hoping to find.

Some type of pull on with side latching would be ideal. I actually saw a guy wearing something akin to a wellington with side buckles, but wasn't able to find out where he got them as he was just leaving while I was going by.

cw_mi said:

I'll throw my suggestions in,

Wesco
White's
Nick's
Drew's

All can be ordered and sized thru Baker's Shoes. I've ordered 4 pair of MTO White's for myself and 1 MTO pair of White's for my wife thru Kyle Baker and I highly recommend his service.

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Thanks, I'll check these out.

abragus said:

I like Rocky boots. They're not made in the US which is a bummer, but they're pretty affordable and they might fit you pretty well for narrow feet. If you wear a size 12 and want to pay shipping, I can send you a pair of boots to try on that ended up being too big for me.

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I'm a 10.

Legion said:

I have bundstones as well, among others. Most Aussies who wear safety boots go for the elastic sided ones. Quick and simple, just like our tradesmen.



There are many other brands that are similar, though I'm not sure which ones are imported to the US. Redback is a brand I have used a lot.

http://www.redbackboots.com

I had a pair of Mongrel boots that lasted well and were comfy...

http://www.mongrelboots.com.au/index.php

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I like both of those. Unfortunately, they do not look like they are available in my hemisphere.

dwsteen said:

How about this... May I ask what line of work you are in and the level of ruggedness that's required from your boots? Are you an office employee who occasionally ventures out into an industrial environment? Are you employed on the shop floor? Are you often out in the field? Do you have high/low risk of foot injuries in your line of work? There are many boots that could be suggested that would be suited for various lines of work. Some boots out there are overkill and some might not be enough depending on what you do.

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Ok, I'll answer this for me anyway, but not for the OP.

I spend 2-8 hours a day outside - in a normal 12-14 hour day - in e Bakken oil field in ND. The inside time is usually in a control room or other building heated to varying degrees. The heat depends on whether a person is there often or not. For instance two weeks ago I spent 5 hours inside a building that the heat had failed, but no one reported it because all the equipment was automated and no one ever pokes their head inside. It was -17 outside, and +4 inside. Other buildings are a comfy 65 degrees. (We seek those out!!!)

Risk of injury is actually pretty low, since we do not do a lot of physical stuff. I get a screwdriver and a voltmeter out many days, but I get a computer out every day for hours at a time. Still insurance regulations require "toe protection" although there's no specification for steel toes. And no real need for metatarsal protection.

The terrain is about what you would expect, a lot of gravel ground preparation around outside equipment. Most buildings are actually skids with diamond deck plate for floors.

Little climbing. No heights over 4 feet allowed without a bunch of insurance required rigging.

Obviously in the warm weather it might be a lot of dirt or a lot of mud depending.

Electrical shock hazard is real. A lot of equipment is rigged temporarily.

I currently wear a pair of insulated Red Wings (can't remember the number) in size 10EE. On a 12 hour day they're fine. On an 18 hour day I really wish they were 10.5.

On my week off I come home, and today I am barefoot. Thank god.

These blundstones might do the trick.

mrb7 said:

Ok, I'll answer this for me anyway, but not for the OP.

I spend 2-8 hours a day outside - in a normal 12-14 hour day - in e Bakken oil field in ND. The inside time is usually in a control room or other building heated to varying degrees. The heat depends on whether a person is there often or not. For instance two weeks ago I spent 5 hours inside a building that the heat had failed, but no one reported it because all the equipment was automated and no one ever pokes their head inside. It was -17 outside, and +4 inside. Other buildings are a comfy 65 degrees. (We seek those out!!!)

Risk of injury is actually pretty low, since we do not do a lot of physical stuff. I get a screwdriver and a voltmeter out many days, but I get a computer out every day for hours at a time. Still insurance regulations require "toe protection" although there's no specification for steel toes. And no real need for metatarsal protection.

The terrain is about what you would expect, a lot of gravel ground preparation around outside equipment. Most buildings are actually skids with diamond deck plate for floors.

Little climbing. No heights over 4 feet allowed without a bunch of insurance required rigging.

Obviously in the warm weather it might be a lot of dirt or a lot of mud depending.

Electrical shock hazard is real. A lot of equipment is rigged temporarily.

I currently wear a pair of insulated Red Wings (can't remember the number) in size 10EE. On a 12 hour day they're fine. On an 18 hour day I really wish they were 10.5.

On my week off I come home, and today I am barefoot. Thank god.

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Im sure, even you know, there is nothing in this world designed for 18 hour days. If you're getting by with comfort in a 12 hour day, I'd say you've picked a great boot and you already know what you need for you to get the job done. I'm not really sure if you're seriously seeking guidance on boots or not.

OldSaw said:

I drive a tanker, semi tractor/trailer truck. I go anywhere from paper mills to oil refineries. The boots in the OP were just to get an idea of a style that I was hoping to find.

Some type of pull on with side latching would be ideal. I actually saw a guy wearing something akin to a wellington with side buckles, but wasn't able to find out where he got them as he was just leaving while I was going by.

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Would a tactical style boot work for you? Check out Bates. They have a few side zip style safety boots.
http://www.batesfootwear.com/US/en-...ch-Tactical-Sport-Composite-Toe-Side-Zip-Boot

dwsteen said:

Im sure, even you know, there is nothing in this world designed for 18 hour days. If you're getting by with comfort in a 12 hour day, I'd say you've picked a great boot and you already know what you need for you to get the job done. I'm not really sure if you're seriously seeking guidance on boots or not.

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Yes, I do appreciate input. And you're right, nothing is designed for the cycles we work, but we work them anyway. And then we are off, and I turn off my company phone. Most folks cannot simply turn off their company phone 12 weeks out of the year, but I can. And I like that.

The Red Wings I have now are pretty good. No doubt about that. But summer is coming, and a pair of thinsulate boots aren't really the ideal choice. And then next winter comes, and within a season or two these will be shot.

The boots I had before, that I started in the summer were cheap and ten years old. They didn't make it in this environment - ok, it wasn't cold then. But they still didn't last.

The last few jobs I've had I wore dress shoes daily.

I don't mind spending good money on good boots, but this isn't a topic I'm familiar with. And REI isn't the right place to buy work boots for what I'm doing these days. And neither is Walmart.

I bought the Red Wings because there is a local Red Wing store in Watford City. Not because I'm sold that Red Wing is the best boot in the world. And these seemed to be head and shoulders above anything I saw in Tractor Supply.

But everyone says "two winters if you take care of them" so I believe them. And I still have summer coming.

I'm really not dissatisfied with the Red Wings's performance, but if another $50-$150 will serve me better, then I'm game. After all, I've got thousands wrapped up in fire protective clothing. Heck, my bright red FR snow suit was $500 alone. And hundreds more in wool underwear. It takes six layers for me to stand around for hours in sub-zero temperatures. But all this junk is just tools for the job. Better tools allow me to do a better job.

I notice that the brand names that get thrown around on this forum often don't include Red Wing, so clearly many folks think other brands are superior. What are those brands, and what's the rational.

MB

mrb7 said:

Yes, I do appreciate input.

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I just want to point out that I am by no means a safety footwear expert. I have 20 years experience wearing/working in them, but I repeat... Not an expert! I just know what I like and would recommend. I was initially trying to help out the OP as they were considering a boot best suited for a 750cc Triumph Bonneville and then got a better understanding of what they were looking for. All that said, you're definitely beyond the Wal-Mart realm of safety work boots. Mud and gravel terrain tells me "ankle support" is your biggest requirement, aside from the obvious electrical shock hazard. So a pull-on or rigger style wouldn't be ideal for you. An 8" lace-up boot is a safe boot. I say, if you're happy (enough) with the performance of your insulated Red Wings, stick with the brand and try to seek out a non-insulated model that they offer. Their website is awesome, by the way. You can filter your requirements and they will basically pick your boot out for you! Wolverine is also a great brand to check out. See the links...

http://www.redwingsafety.com/safety...resistance-outsole-best,safety-toe,waterproof

http://www.wolverine.com/US/en/Work...ding=True&PageIndex=0&PageSize=24&__ajax=true

If you don't concern yourself with US company brands (which are not all necessary Made in USA), the best 8" boots I've ever had on my feet are Terra brand. They are super comfortable, tough and they are a Canadian brand, made in Canada. I am Canadian and if I required an 8" lace up, these are a "go to" for me. I don't, however, so I stick with my comfy, durable & convenient pull-on Blundstones.

http://www.terrafootwear.com/8inchw...egoryID/0/Level/a/language/en-CA/Default.aspx

dwsteen said:

An 8" lace-up boot is a safe boot.

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I agree, as does our safety department.

What really caught my eye in this thread was the lace-in zippers. They look like a convenient way to get the best of both worlds. But it may not work that way.

Obviously I don't take my boots off and on during a day. Once I'm dressed and out the door for in the morning, barring some weird circumstance, my boots stay on and laced up until I take them off and put them on the boot dryer at night.

(BTW, three cheers for the chimney style boot dryers. I have the Red Wing brand, but there's pretty clear instruction on how to build your own all over the web. It's just a low watt resistive heater and a plastic upright tall enough to create a draft of warm air. But they work fabulously.)

To the OP, sorry for the hi-jack. I probably ought to start a new thread.

Yes. Apologies to the OP. Good luck in your search and let us know what you find!

No problem guys. We're having a good discussion about work and the things that help us do it better.

I know there are many good boots out there but yes, I am a cheerleader and fanboy of White's. Here is some reading about them :

http://www.hotshotfitness.com/whitesfirefightingboots.html

http://workingperson.com/white-s-bo...per-firefighter-boots-400v-46067.html#reviews

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=525qvmgO4Qs

http://www.royaltine.com/forum/-hunting-guide-gear-reviews/28/whites-boots/2452/

I have a pair of these...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KDZ6DBC...TF8&colid=104DDNESHIH49&coliid=I1ZMWYK37CT0PM

They are about the only slip-on work boot that will fit my feet. I had to burn off/melt down the excess nylon thread on the inside to keep the abrasion down on my calves but I love these boots. They are steel toe and for me, they are very comfortable. I bought my pair from Boot Barn....It's tough for me to buy shoes online because usually they don't fit.

I picked up a pair of these Red Wings. I'm not sure I like them though. Can't put my finger on it. They just don't feel quite right. I have only worn them in the house so I can return them if I don't like them.

Took the boots back. Didn't like them.

Update:

My wife bought the boots that I linked to in my OP. It was quite some time after I started this thread and forgot about it. Anyway, the boots did not feel anywhere close to comfortable and I wasn’t happy with the limited ability to tighten them up. So she sent them back.

FYI, I’m self employed now, so I only need safety toes when at customers who require it.

I got these tanker boots recently and they are the bomb. The only improvement I would like to see is a safety toe option.

Way cool. I had a pair of those about 15 years ago..they looked nowhere as well made as those. Where did you find them???

Acmemfg said:

Way cool. I had a pair of those about 15 years ago..they looked nowhere as well made as those. Where did you find them???

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Yes, where?