Replies

1. 
   bd342 | Nov 05, 2002 04:52am | #1

   why would you want steel toes in the winter?

1. 
   romeoraft | Nov 05, 2002 05:34am | #4

   I live in the Bay area winter doesn't mean as much to us as it does to the folks in snow country. Plus I still kick a lot of things around in December .

2. 
   Quickstep | Nov 05, 2002 04:55am | #2

   Red Wings. Expensive, but I have a pair that I've had for so long I can't remember.

1. 
   romeoraft | Nov 05, 2002 05:36am | #5

   I have an old pair of Redwings from my days in the forest service. Great boots but I can't find them in the low cut. thanks for the post.

3. 
   Piffin | Nov 05, 2002 05:13am | #3

   I've had good luck with Red Wings, Wolverines, and Masons for quality, long lasting, comfortable work boots.

   But I wear high tops and no steel toes. One thing that makes it hard to find the right ones is that so many good boots are configured for huntiung and hiking with big lug soles. To work in someones house I want soft crepe soles that doesn't rack mud clumps in or leave black marks along the floor.

   I clean and seal my boots and can get up to two years of use out of them.

   You might try a ssearch under "boots" because I remember talking about this once beofre and it was a fairly long thread.

   .

   Excellence is its own reward!

   "The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are." --Marcus Aurelius

1. 
   romeoraft | Nov 05, 2002 05:37am | #6

   Thanks for the tip Piffin. I'll be in the archives for a while.

4. 
   Jock | Nov 05, 2002 06:08am | #7

   Check out the shoes in the winter Cabela catalogue. Lots of steel toe and gore-tex lined shoes and boots, and the prices aren't bad. Also, Wally World sometimes carries a low cut, athletic style steel shoe for around $30. My local mechanic, who's on his feet most of the day, says they're comfortable.

5. 
   JDRHI | Nov 05, 2002 06:08am | #8

   Havent seen anyone mention Timberlands. I love em...moderately priced, once broken in theyre as soft as can be and they last me a couple years with regular maintenance. I steer clear of the steel toe....you drop something heavy enough and the crushing of the tip does more damage than the object itself.

   P.S. My two year old son has a pair with laces and zippers! Makes getting dressed in the morning a breeze....you might wanna consider!

   J. D. Reynolds

   Home Improvements

   "DO IT RIGHT, DO IT ONCE"

   
   

   ---

   Edited 11/6/2002 9:11:30 AM ET by JAYBIRD

1. 
   4Lorn1 | Nov 05, 2002 07:03am | #9

   I like steel toe boots. I once had a forklift rear wheel, the ones that slew sideways with the counter weight over it, run over a steel toe boot. The guy I was working with swore that the steel cap had taken off my toes. The toe of the boot was crushed and the leather smeared off to the side. The steel looked flat. I felt pressure but no great pain. Maybe shock.

   I was rushed to a clinic where they disassembled the boot from around my foot. When down to the sole and steel cup they used two large pairs of pliers to pull the assembly apart. My toes were intact with the cup pressed around them. Other than a few light scratches, a split nail and a few cracked bones my foot was fine.

   The corpsman said that he had seen similar and that had the weight been heavy enough or in place long enough to cause the steel cup to cut off the toes the entire front of the foot would have been mulched without steel toes. The base store replaced the boots for free. The mangled one became a display unit.

   Now as an electrician doing light commercial and residential work I seldom buy steel toes. Maybe electrical safety but more likely motivated by being cheap and stupid. So it goes.I will add that I usually go for a 8" top. The extra support has saved me many times from turning an ankle or limited the damage to a minor twist. Also it helps with shovel strikes, rebar and other abuse that can cause nasty gashes that can require stitches.

1. 
   romeoraft | Nov 05, 2002 07:13am | #10

   Thanks for the input. I've heard much debate on the steel toe never actually met anyone that has really messed up a foot because of it, but have met a few with saved toe stories. I may have to reconsider the low cut, but it has done me well in the past. Went to the archives and found a few good threads. Looks like I'll be shopping around tommorrow.

   Thanks, Romeo

1. 
   gordsco | Nov 05, 2002 09:18am | #11

   Gucci makes a lovely pair of low cut steel toes, they are a little hard to lace because of the designer tabs but the matching handbag makes up for it.

   Confidence

   Safety

   Style

6. 
   noone51 | Nov 05, 2002 09:40am | #12

   To the best of my knowledge, Red Wing makes the only steel toe tennis shoe.  Rockport might make one but I can't be sure.

1. 
   rody | Nov 05, 2002 03:25pm | #13

   My favorite source for work shoes is a chain called Gabriel Brothers or Gabe's. It is the Big and Small Lots for clothes. Its my source for all work clothes. Wolverine boots regular $129 sell for 39.99 if you can tolerate a missed stitch or a dab of glue on the leather, I can. Its a chain located in Ohio, WV, PA and maybe Maryland. Great buys if you watch carefully and try them on. I buy my steel toed power plant shoes, and non steel weekend boots along with all my jeans, work shirts, thermals, socks, Carharts. I'm not a shopper but I like stocking up on goodies I might need later, I've got 3 pair of Carharts that haven't been worn yet, $25 each. Thats a lot better than 70-80. Just my thoughts.

   Lefty - Lurker without an attitude or a clue

7. 
   jc21 | Nov 05, 2002 06:57pm | #14

   Try Red Wing.

   http://www.redwingshoes.com/

   I walk, to put it charitably, funny and Red Wings  are the only thing that hold up for me. Lots of sizes and styles. Some models now have a 1 year tread wear warranty.

8. 
   RW | Nov 06, 2002 01:34am | #15

   Could look into Danner. DK if they have the low style but they offer some of their wares in a ceramic toe. We had those issued to us for cold weather, since the ceramic didn't conduct the cold. Worth a shot.

1. 
   4Lorn1 | Nov 06, 2002 02:05am | #16

   Ceramic toe. That's a new one on me. Sounds interesting. Do you have any sources for further information? I would love to read more about this.

1. 
   RW | Nov 06, 2002 02:48am | #17

   View ImagePOLICE/MILITARY View Image   FORT LEWIS SAFETY TOE 10" 600 GRAM #23600 MEN'S/WOMEN'S View Image

   View Image

   View Image

            View Image 

   http://www.danner.com/products.asp?catid=12&prodid=1658

1. 
   bill_1010 | Nov 06, 2002 03:00am | #18

   i had some wolverine ST boots. The air cushion kind. Comfortable yes, but after a while the heels got cracks in them and everytime i stepped youd hear "swoosh swish" from the air leaving the cushioned sole and re-entering.  while the comfort was nice, the noise was enough to drive you plum loco.

9. 
   bhackford | Nov 06, 2002 04:38am | #19

   I recommend Cabela's work boots.  About $75 and you get low cut, steel toe, waterproof and steel shank.  The steel shank is big with me because I have gotten too many involuntary foot piercing.

1. 
   Mongo | Nov 06, 2002 06:24am | #20

   I'm in the Redwing camp.

   For walking roofs, I also have a cheap pair of hiking boots...about $25...that have really soft soles. They stick to sheathing and shingles so well and the stickiness takes a bit of pressure off my ankles and knees. They don't last long...maybe 8 months...but they serve a purpose.