Work shoes

[wdwerker]

In 2011 I bought a pair of Red Wing boots plus the custom fit inserts. Best I can remember I paid a little under $200'for both. You heat up the inserts in the microwave  then put them in the shoes and walk around in them till they cool. My feet got pretty hot but no lasting affects. I wear these boots daily about 2/3 of the year and switch to something cooler & lighter in the summer.

5 years later the stitching on the toes was worn off from me crawling around. I took them back to the Red Wing store to see if they could be fixed. The guy said he would send them off and they should be ready in a week or so. I went to pick them up today and they had even cleaned them up and oiled them. Asked about some new laces and he hooked me up. Asked what I owed and it was all free , no charge !  Comfortable boots for about 16 cents a day so far. Still plenty of life left in the soles. This pair was made in China to Red Wings specs. They also have shoes made in America. Mine are normal toe but they have steel toe, aluminum toe & composite toe plus electric shock rated ones.

I know where I am getting some new lightweight boots pretty soon.

I know some of you work in sandals or less but some jobsites are pretty strict about safety gear. So what do you wear?

[rodger.]

Just running shoes for me. Sometimes I work barefoot, if I'm doing just some sanding or such.

[gee-dub]

Red Wings for heavy stuff.  Some Timberlines for general stuff. I do not have to wear boots for work.

[Llama]

I've work just about every steel toe boot out there. I have horrible feet, and go through boots like some people go through socks.

My favorites are Danner and Georgia boots. Runners up are the OshKosh boots. I haven't tried Redwings though... I'll give those a whirl. I do need new boots. 

[Woodenskye]

I prefer to wear my timberlands most of the time, but in warmer months I wear hiking sneakers, but that is probably going to change, been hurting my feet lately.

[Tom King]

My feet get too tired if I wear boots.  My ankles are normally very flexible, and don't do well tied up in boots.  The only time I feel like I have to wear boots is when I'm in the woods running a big chainsaw.  Even backpacking, carrying a heavy load in mountains, I'm wearing low top hikers.

My work shoes are Air Max 95's that keep my metatarsal arches nice and happy.  I move a lot, and wear out about three pairs a year.

[Eric.]

You look exactly like my dad in that second picture, Tom.  White t-shirt, blue jeans, white sneakers was his uniform for the last many years of his life.  You also have the same head.

Here's an ancient WTO shoes thread...

 

[Tom King]

That's my work uniform every day except in hot weather I'm wearing nylon shorts.  I go through multiple shirts changes hot days when I'm working outside, and just throw away some.  That's the reason I wear the cheap white t-shirts.  Always a rag handy.

White sneakers are the only ones I can find with non-marking soles.

[wdwerker]

Ok Tom,what are you doing with the sliding dent hammer ? Bound to be a handy trick I'm guessing.

[Tpt life]

Adidas indoor shoes that wear like slippers. Cross trainers for roof work unless it is 10-12 or higher. The soccer shoes are starting to feel a touch thin soled so older age may move me away from them. I am sure my stick frame impacts preference. My dad has been Red Wing for as long as I can remember so thanks Steve for the reminder. 

[Tom King]

39 minutes ago, wdwerker said:

Ok Tom,what are you doing with the sliding dent hammer ? Bound to be a handy trick I'm guessing.

I needed to dissassemble that 1828 wainscoting to replace some pieces.  In the chiseling picture, I'm chiseling the mortises to match the rotted rail laying on the saw horses, that came off that wall.  To take it apart, I had to pull out the pegs. Studs were behind where the pegs were, so I couldn't punch them through.  I drilled a hole in the pegs that needed to come out, screwed in a little eye screw, and eased them out with the slide hammer.  I put them back in the other way, so the drilled hole didn't show.

I have some neat stuff in the "Pulling" toolbox, including that bodywork slide hammer with all sorts of attachments.  I've used it to pull out pieces of flooring the long way without damaging the adjoining floor boards, and such as that.  

I fix old stuff put together with pegs all the time.  Here's a 1780 window sash I repaired by knocking the pegs out, taking it apart, and making new replacement parts.  When I make whole new sash, this is the reason I don't use any glue.  They can be repaired a couple of hundred years in the future.

 

Here's a picture with the replacement rail back in place.  The stiles were mortised into the rail.  Each mortise was a differrent distance from the face.  The rail is 20 feet long.  I removed the baseboard, pulled the pegs, and dropped the old one straight down.

[Cliff]

In my heavy duty job I wear an assortment of $200 dress shoes. I kick them off almost as soon as I sit down at my desk. As soon as I get home I put on $30 Champion shoes from some random Target ripoff store. They are by far the most comfortable shoe I've ever worn. And when they wear out in 10 months, I just drop another $30. Works for me. 

So far I haven't customized any footwear for the shop. I try to keep my foot out of the bandsaw blade, and that seems to help thus far.

[TerryMcK]

Those boots sound great Steve. I use safety shoes (shaped like sneakers) with steel caps, sole penetration guards (saved my feet a few times when stepping on nails) , oil/acid resistant soles, sort of comfortable (not brilliant) and they are ok-ish for a year or so before needing replacing - longevity is never good with those type of shoes.  I wish I could get something like Red Wings over here as the insole moulding sounds great and awesome customer service.

[bleedinblue]

Rocky 10" paratroopers.  I've tried to change several times over the years but keep coming back.  Probably not the most appropriate for job sites or shops though, lol.

 

[Eric.]

14 minutes ago, bleedinblue said:

Rocky 10" paratroopers.  I've tried to change several times over the years but keep coming back.  Probably not the most appropriate for job sites or shops though, lol.

[emmahayes]

I heard a lot of good about the Georgia boot models. If you discussed the problem with your therapists?I heard a lot of good about the Georgia boot models. If you discussed the problem with your therapists? I'm sure he will have a couple of suggestions in your situation. Also, I can suggest you try the Jordan 1 model, my friend got the same kind of problem as yours, and he wears this model every day and has no issues as far as I know. If you wish, I can give you my friend's contact so you can talk with him about the most comfortable shoe type in your situation.

[Isaac]

The zombie rises! "5 years later" 

[Coop]

The boots or Eric?

I wish he would stick his head back in here. He’s the kind of guy I could drink a beer with! Him and Steve!