Are Barefoot/Minimalist Safety Boots Worth Having? (All you need to know)

A wonderful thing about footwear is that we live in an age where there are work boots that cater to everybody. Work boots are often perceived to be rugged, heavy-duty boots for Mr or Mrs builder.

But since boots were first invented way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, people of all kinds have used them for either doing bits around the home, for pleasure, or to earn money, food, or anything else they could trade with.

Fortunately for some, quite a niche product is recently on the market. Barefoot boots, minimalist boots, zero drop boots. Whatever you want to call them, they’re all much of a muchness.

This article is going to tell you all you really need to know about barefoot work boots.

We’ll discuss their good and bad points and what kinds of jobs they’re useful for. If you’re lucky, we might even show you some places to get them.

Hopefully, after checking out all the information, you can decide if barefoot work boots are worth having, in general, and particularly for the jobs that you do.

Who’s working on this page

Jimmy Webb
Author & Researcher

Victor Adrian
Researcher & Editor

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What is a barefoot/minimalist work boot in the first place?

Before we get too deep in information, let’s clarify what barefoot boots are.

These are boots that are part of what has become somewhat of a movement.

They are boots that keep your heels and balls of the feet at an equal distance to the ground, just like when you’re walking barefoot, except with boot soles in between.

Wedge or heel-soled boots are different because they make the heels higher than the toes and balls of the feet.

Benefits of barefoot boots

This section should give you an idea of what barefoot boots are useful for.

Then you can judge for yourselves whether they are worth having in general, but more importantly, whether they would suit the jobs that you do as individuals.

• Wide toe Earthing
• Minimal material
• Lightweight
• Grounding/Earthing
• Reflexology/Acupressure aspect
• Health
• Can increase natural foot strength
• Natural movement
• Vegan friendly/Environmentally friendly
• Keep your feet cool

1. Wide toe area

Minimalist footwear generally has a wide fit at the toes.

This gives lots of freedom of movement, rather than having the toes cramped together, as is the case with many boots these days.

The ability to spread the toes helps with balance and grip.

2. Minimal material

This could be either good or bad depending on what job you do. These boots are best suited to jobs that don’t give them brutal use.

Because there aren’t a lot of materials in the boots, there isn’t as much stiffness as most. This flexibility is useful for jobs that require you to be in awkward positions.

Roofing is a prime example. Especially working on pitched roofs.

Roof workers need work boots that allows them to feel what’s underneath their feet so that they don’t tread on loose or broken tiles, or actually break tiles with their weight.

Along with the slip resistance that these boots offer, this ability to feel what’s under their feet helps with grip.

Roof workers also squat or walk at awkward angles, because of the gradients of the pitched roofs.

3. Lightweight

Following on from the amount of material in boots, work boots are usually heavier than other footwear.

After a long day of wearing them, the weight of them can often make us tired and weary.

I’ve often felt this myself. Lightweight footwear can make a world of difference.

4. Grounding/Earthing

There are said to be many health benefits to walking around barefoot. This boot emulates that sensation.

Scientific research has shown that the ground has a magnetic field and electrons, and that barefoot walking is beneficial for receiving those signals from the ground.

In fact, I practise Tai Chi and Qi Gong. These are arts that collect and move around energy from both the atmosphere and the human body.

My teacher always trains in special shoes that conduct electrolytes and energy from the ground. Baffling stuff really.

Society is mostly provided with synthetic, non-conductive outsole materials.

5. Reflexology/Acupressure aspect

These are two different things, but are similar in relation to barefoot boot benefits.

As long as you’re not walking on brutal surfaces while wearing these boots, you’ll receive a free foot massage.

Feet are a gateway to a lot of our organs and health issues. They’re full of pressure points, of which are used by specialists to treat ailments.

6. Health

Speaking of pressure points and massaging of the feet, here’s a non-exclusive list of health benefits from how minimalist boots emulate walking barefoot:

• Improves sleep
• Reduces swelling
• Helps with Restless Leg Syndrome
• Eases menopause symptoms
• Helps to lower blood pressure
• Improves blood circulation
• Reduces effects of depression and anxiety
• Accelerates healing time
• Accelerates recovery from intense physical activity
• Eases headaches and migraines

7. Can increase natural foot strength

The foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 articulations (each with 6° freedom of motion), over 20 muscles (10 of those in the arch, in 4 layers). The natural way of using all of these mechanisms gifted by our ancestors is barefoot.

Although beneficial in so many ways, the support from footwear can have a way of weakening the muscles. Barefoot walking can strengthen the muscles used in the arch.

Think of neck braces and arm slings. If we wear them all the time when not injured, the muscles around those areas weaken and become reliant on them.

8. Natural movement

Our bodies are designed to move in a certain way. All the previously mentioned mechanisms in our feet serve a purpose.

Sometimes, footwear can restrict those purposes, which then hinders the natural movement of the foot. Not in all cases. But very restricting shoes can eventually cause damage.

There are cases in history where footwear in certain cultures deformed feet. Chinese shoes centuries ago, for example.

9. Vegan friendly and environmentally friendly

Barefoot boots have a large market for people who are environmentally friendly, because a lot of the brands use only recycled materials.

This is also a plus for people who don’t use animal products such as leather.

10. Keep your feet cool

Because there isn’t a great deal of materials and insulation in these boots, they should help to keep your feet cool in hot weather.

Some of the work boots are waterproof or water resistant. This can sometimes make feet sweat but most of these boots have moisture wicking or breathable membranes to reduce the sweating.

Downsides of barefoot/minimal work boots

Whilst most things have benefits, there are also downsides. Here, we list some of the negative points of wearing minimalist boots.

• Little protection
• Calluses
• Can increase the risk of injuries
• Might not have enough arch support
• Limited availability

1. Little protection

The lack of padding around the upper and under the feet means that the feet aren’t fully protected against objects penetrating the boot.

This is especially notable in the sole, where the full weight of the body treads on objects. It can be hurtful and harmful if treading on things like jagged rocks or sharp items such as glass or nails.

Also, there isn’t much in the way of safety features. Some boots offer toe protection and slip resistance, but other features like oil and acid resistance, heat resistance, shanks, etc, are nowhere near as available as standard work boots.

2. Calluses (Hard skin)

Calluses develop on skin after friction or pressure. Barefoot boots can create more rubbing against the skin than traditional boots. Therefore, they can create more calluses.

This might not be a problem, unless the friction creates blisters.

But, if you do get calluses, you might need to maintain the hard skin by either rubbing it off regularly or getting the occasional pedicure. By the way, if you want to learn how to avoid blisters in work boots check out this page.

3. Increase the risk of injuries

Barefoot boots aren’t best suited for everyone. Depending on your physical make-up, you might need the support of traditional boots.

Evolution has made us more dependent on things like sole-cushioning, ankle support, arch support, and such like.

Because of this, wearing barefoot boots gives a greater risk of hurting our Achilles tendons and calf muscles.

4. Lack of arch support (for those in need)

People tend to think that all boots need to offer high arch support, but it isn’t the case.

However, people who have high arches do need it to give them sufficient support, and prevent flat feet and supination.

Also, people who suffer from overpronation (the foot rolling inwards when you walk) might need arch support to help stop the foot from rolling.

One has to ask if arch support is completely necessary for everyone.

A recent meta-analysis of 150 studies showed that arch support in footwear is not likely to be needed unless recommended by a podiatrist for specific foot-related problems or injuries.

5. Limited availability

Although barefoot boots have been on the market since the early 2000s, they are still a niche product, which means not that many manufacturers make them compared to standard boots.

The choices are even more limited when it comes to minimalist safety boots. And as stated previously, the safety boots only really concentrate on toe protection.

This probably isn’t too much of a problem, because the boots aren’t designed for heavy-duty or dangerous work, so people doing light duties won’t have a great need for optimum safety features.

Are there any barefoot boots for winter?

You’d think that because barefoot boots are very thin and lightweight, that they wouldn’t keep your feet warm or dry in winter.

But research has shown that there are lots of these boots that provide enough warmth and waterproofing to get you through the winter months. I’ve checked lots of customer reviews that attest to this.

A lot of these boots are used by runners and hikers. These people go out in all weathers.

Hikers in particular tread through streams, snow, and cold altitudes, so they need the boots to protect their feet in these conditions.

Although thin, the boots can have waterproof membranes, and moisture wicking to allow breathability.

Where to buy barefoot work boots

If you do think barefoot work boots are worth having, here is a list of some places you can find them.

• Amazon
• Vivobarefoot
• Freet Barefoot
• Xero Shoes
• Lems Shoes
• Softstar
• Be Lanka
• Birkenstock
• Gaucho Ninja
• Cat Footwear
• Fugu Sa-Me
• Samurai Market
• Dewalt

Conclusion and last thoughts

As stated in the intro, whether barefoot work boots are worth having or not is completely up to the individual.

It depends on the job you do, your health/posture needs, your ethical beliefs, and whatever other reason you can think of.

But, it’s safe to say these boots are not best suited for your oil-rig workers, firefighters, groundworkers, or anyone else who needs a high level of protection from things like sharp objects, extreme heat or cold, oils and acids, electrical hazards, etc.

They’re more suited for people like climbers, roof workers, security guards, office workers, factory workers. The list can go on.

Saying all this, while writing this article, I purchased a pair of Waterproof Lems Boulder Boots to walk to and from the train station when commuting to work.

I did this because I’ve suffered for a long time with back problems.

After having loads of treatments and assessments over the years by osteopaths, chiropractors, physiotherapists, and orthopaedic specialists, I’ve come to the conclusion that I must be habitually doing something that is affecting my posture and back strength.

This footwear is part of my process of elimination.

I’ll let you know how I get on with these boots. Although they can be worn in some workplaces, they can’t be worn in mine.

So if they’re any good, I’ll probably get some barefoot safety boots with steel-toe protection to wear at work as well.

My issue is the cost. Even though they’re not anywhere near as expensive as some of the premium work boots, they can still be up to a couple of hundred dollars.

With the tread and upper material so thin, I wonder if they would last a year without having to fork out another couple of hundred.

Some feedback from yourselves on this subject would be really interesting and useful. So, as always, if you would like to share your experiences, please do.

For now, I’m not gonna bother with boots. I’m off to walk barefoot on some glass and hot coal. Wish me luck.

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Team Members Working On This Page

Jimmy Webb – Writer And Researcher

Hey, Jimmy here. I’m one of the researchers and writers here at BestForMyFeet.com.  I’ve been wearing work boots all my life working as a forklift driver, landscaper, groundworker, and now as a tower crane operator so I know a few things about footwear and footcare in general. I’m also working on my first novel. So writing IS my passion. When I’m not writing I love to spend time with my wife, two children, and furball.

Victor Adrian – Editor And Webmaster

Construction Professional, driver, crane operator, cleaner, head chef … these are just some of the jobs I did in the past. Working in all these different environments taught me that having good footwear to protect your feet from different dangers at work IS PARAMOUNT for any worker! On this website, I aim to share all my knowledge and personal experience in dealing with different footwear and foot care issues, and hopefully, you can get something out of it. Enjoy!

source https://bestformyfeet.com/are-barefoot-minimalist-safety-boots-worth-it/

Irish Setter Ashby Work Boots Review (Tested On Smooth Concrete Floors)

Wedge Sole VS Heel Sole Work Boots (All You Need To Know)

If you are new to the world of work boots, you might have heard people recommending wedge-sole work boots or heeled work boots and thought to yourself, “I know what a heel sole is but what the heck is a wedge sole?”

The goal of this article is to provide you with the answer to that question but we will also talk about the differences between wedged soles versus heeled soles work boots, comfort, durability, and more…

So, let’s get into it!

Who’s working on this page

Jeff Harmon
Author & Researcher

Victor Adrian
Researcher & Editor

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What is a Wedge Sole, Anyway?

A wedge sole could accurately and simply be described as a sole shaped like a wedge. They have a gradual rise from front to back, which forms the wedge shape.

Boot in the picture: Field and Forest work boots review

The design of this type of sole also creates one single area of contact between the sole and the floor or ground the wearer is standing on.

Due to their popularity and following, pretty much every major boot brand you can think of makes a wedge-soled boot.

Examples of some companies that manufacture boots with a wedge sole would most notably be:

• Thorogood (I will be talking about these below)
• Red Wing Shoes, and Irish Setter
• Danner
• Wolverine
• Carolina

A couple of brands I had not ever heard of until just recently, Nick’s Handmade Boots and White’s Boots, also make wedge-sole boots.

These work boots brands are lesser known to some of us due to their price point being outside of the budget of an average blue-collar worker like myself.

What is a Heel Sole?

A heel sole can simply be described as a sole with a design having the heel with a defined separation from the front portion of the sole.

Boot in the picture: Thorogood Crazy Horse 804-4375 review

This design creates two points of contact between the sole of the boot and the ground or floor the wearer of the boot is standing on. 

If you were to look at a room full of people wearing boots, you’d most likely notice heel soles are much more common than wedge soles. You’ll discover reasons for this as you read on further.

Pros and Cons of wedge soles

As with anything else, wedge soles have both pros and cons. Pros of wedge soles include their increased flexibility and a shallow tread.

This translates into tracking in less dirt or snow inside.

Another pro of a wedge sole is added stability for the wearer of the boot. This is because the design more evenly distributes pressure throughout the foot.

Wedge soles also tend to provide the wearer with less impact on their knees and legs from shock of each step on the ground.

In addition to the pros mentioned, wedge sole boots can be stylish enough to wear outside of work, as well.

A selling point for many wedge sole boots on the market is their ability to be resolved.

However, the ability to do this depends on the method used to manufacture the boots the wedged soles are attached to.

Some of the cons of wedge-style soles are they may tend to wear out more quickly due to material used to make them, and they have less traction on uneven surfaces when compared to a heeled sole.

This lack of traction is due to their smaller tread depth. Certain jobs don’t allow wedge soled boots to be worn due to safety concerns involved with the job.

In particular, climbing ladders is better performed with the use of a heel sole.

Pros and Cons of Heel soles

Just like the wedge sole, heel soles have positive and negative attributes.

One of the pros of a heel sole is better traction provided by deeper lugs in their tread and the defined drop from the heel.

Heels also provide a backstop for the wearer of the boot while performing certain actions, like climbing the rungs of a ladder.

This makes a heeled boot much better suited for use in certain lines of work.

The lugs and heel allow for better traction on terrain with angled features, such as a hill.

A boot with this type of sole is more versatile than the wedge because it can be worn for any type of work.

The type of materials used to make this style of sole are typically more durable than that of the wedge sole.

Some of the cons of heel boots would include less stability on flat ground.

This would be more likely to be an issue in boots with a taller heel kinda like the ones we see in logger work boots or linemen work boots.

Also, one may experience more shock to the legs and knees from having a less protected step.

The deep lugs in some heeled boots provide a space for dirt or snow to get stuck in and extra care is needed to not carry snow or dirt inside.

Heeled boots in general tend to be heavier than a wedge sole, and this may cause leg fatigue.

Who should buy Wedge sole vs Heel sole boots?

If you happen to have flat feet, wedge-sole boots could be a good fit for you. Here

This is because wedge soles have a slow, gradual change in height from front to back. I happen to fall into this category of people.

Wedge-soled boots are also great for many professions, most of which involve standing on concrete and other flat surfaces for extended periods of time.

Some examples of jobs fitting this criteria would include:

• factory workers
• carpenters
• plumbers
• electricians
• iron-workers
• farmers
• heavy equipment operators
• brick layers
• light duty construction workers

They can also be very stylish, so even office professionals can wear these for work, as well.

Heel sole boots are great for many professions as well, some of which do not permit a wedge sole to be used.

These lines of work include:

• tower workers
• firemen
• linemen
• loggers
• landscapers
• foresters
• and some construction workers

I say some construction workers because the nature of the work being done would determine whether a wedge or a heeled sole would be better in that particular situation.

Wedge vs heel sole in work boots: Which one is more comfortable?

This question could be a tough one to answer. The comfort of a boot could be considered very subjective based upon the user of the boot.

I would say one could compare this to something like taste in music. Everyone has different tastes in things, and boots are no different.

One person might believe their wedge sole boots are the most comfortable work boots ever.

The same could be said for a different user of a pair of boots with a heel sole. Boots are not a one size fits all type of situation.

This could be a case of a bad experience with a boot that has a certain type of sole not feeling as comfortable as the user thinks it should be.

This experience could stick with a user of a boot and sway their opinion one way or the other with regards to which type of soled boot is better.

I am personally going through this experience at the moment. I’ve been wearing some Thorogood 1957 series boots (804-3600) which feature a wedge sole for over a month now.

The last time I had worn a wedge sole boot previous to this was over a decade now, at minimum. I decided to give these boots a chance based on the love for the wedge by several coworkers.

They swear by their wedge boots and I was up for trying something different than I am accustomed to.

I have to say, I am finding myself feeling like I am being converted over to “team wedge”, if you will.

These boots are very comfortable for me and my current work situation, which involves a lot of time walking on and standing on concrete and other hard surfaces.

I will even go so far as to steal a term coined by my fellow boot nerd Adam in his Irish Setter Ashby review and refer to my Thorogoods as my “work slippers” because they are incredibly comfortable to wear.

Wedge or heel sole: Which one is more durable?

The heel sole usually comes out on top when it comes to the subject of durability of soles. I say this based on personal experience in the matter.

Heel soles can be made from a variety of materials. In general, it can be said the materials tend to last much longer than those used in the production of wedge soles.

I know this both from what I’ve read, viewed, and my personal experience. Based on my past use of heel boots, in particular the Red Wing 2409 and 2438, I can tell you the soles are very durable, and lasted several years.

The downside to these specific models of boots I have mentioned is they have a glued sole, meaning once they’re done, they go in the trash instead of getting a new life with a resole.

The last pair of wedge soled boots I’d worn previous to my current Thorogood boots was a pair of Red Wings.

I don’t know the particular model because it’s been so long, but I do remember the soles wore out extremely quickly. I had bare spots in my tread within six months of wearing them.

This was unacceptable to me, especially in a pair of boots I’d paid over two hundred fifty dollars for, and this was over a decade ago.

I was especially frustrated because the work that I was doing while wearing the boots was not particularly rough.

Also, one contributing factor to my reaction to the longevity of the life of the sole was that my clothing allowance for work at that point was something like three hundred fifty dollars.

I’m no math wiz, but it doesn’t take much to realize that if a boot costs two hundred fifty dollars and had a resole done for around one hundred dollars, my entire clothing budget for the year would be blown.

I’ve also read many reviews and watched lots of videos of boot wearers complaining of their wedge soles wearing out too quickly.

This would be due to wedge soles being made of different materials than those found in heel sole boots.

The material found in wedge soles is polyurethane, or something similar, which is soft and will wear more quickly than materials found in boots with a separated heel.

Are wedge sole work boots better for your feet?

Wedge soles are better for your feet. This is not just my opinion, it is physics!

This is because the wedge sole more evenly distributes the pressure from your body to the ground or floor you are standing on while wearing them.

In the wedge, there is only one surface in contact with the ground/floor you are standing on.

This is more pleasant for your feet when compared to the design of a separated heel sole.

Not only are wedge sole work boots better for your feet, they are also better for your legs and knees.

The nature of the motion of a step while wearing a wedge sole is a much more fluid motion, providing less shock to the knees when compared to that of a boot with a separate heel.

I had found this when comparing wearing my previous work boots with my new Thorogood work boots.

This boot allows me to step with a nice fluid movement of one step with one movement from heel to toe.

When you look at the heel sole, you will notice there are two contact points between your feet and the ground. These two areas of contact are the heel and the ball of the foot.

My old Red Wings with a separate heel have a noticeable clunky feel in comparison. A step with these boots is a two-part motion.

There is contact first on the heel, followed by a second contact on the ball of the foot.

After wearing a wedge, I have a feeling it would be hard for me to go back to heeled boots.

Heeled vs wedged sole boots: Which one should I choose?

Boot in the picture: Brunt Marin Toe work boots review

In conclusion, the sole of a boot a person chooses to wear ultimately comes down to several factors.

When I am buying a boot, I consider cost, comfort, style, and overall function for which the boot I am purchasing will be used for.

For my particular job, a boot with a wedge is perfect about 95 percent of the time.

If I will be working on something that requires a boot with a heel, I have some in my locker and I can pull out a pair to use for that specific task.

A boot can fall under the category of a “major purchase” for some, so you’ll want to make sure you put some thought into your choice of which style to buy.

You will want to do your research before you decide what to buy. When possible, go to a brick-and-mortar store to physically check out some boots you’re interested in.

This will help you determine whether you even like the feel of a wedge boot, or prefer a heeled boot. This is one of the best ways to see which one is right for you.

Whether it is a wedge sole or a heel sole, happy hunting for the right one for you!

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Team Members Working On This Page

Jeff Harmon – Boots Tester & Reviewer

Hello, I’m Jeff. I’m a Level III water plant operator in Ohio. I’ve been in the industry for over 20 years now, and the jobs I’ve had all required boots. I’d previously viewed them as something that didn’t matter just so long as my feet were covered. Lately, I’ve come to appreciate the features and craftsmanship that go into quality footwear. When I’m not at work, I’m at home spending time with my wife and 2 kids. My current obsession other than boots is hot sauce. I absolutely love it!

Victor Adrian – Editor And Webmaster

Construction Professional, driver, crane operator, cleaner, head chef … these are just some of the jobs I did in the past. Working in all these different environments taught me that having good footwear to protect your feet from different dangers at work IS PARAMOUNT for any worker! On this website, I aim to share all my knowledge and personal experience in dealing with different footwear and foot care issues, and hopefully, you can get something out of it. Enjoy!

source https://bestformyfeet.com/wedge-sole-vs-heel-sole-work-boots/

Steel Shank vs Steel Toe (Are These Two The Same Thing?)

There is a lot of terminology that’s used in relation to work boots. It can sometimes get confusing, especially if you’re brand new to work boots.

One query that sometimes pops up is the difference between steel shanks and steel toes.

And to quickly answer your question, steel shanks, and steel caps are two completely different components of work boots, shoes, or footwear in general.

People might think that boots are just made of a bit of leather and a rubber sole, but there’s so much more that goes into them.

We’ll now explain precisely what these two things are, and their purposes.

Who’s working on this page

Jimmy Webb
Author & Researcher

Victor Adrian
Researcher & Editor

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What is a steel shank?

Shanks are thin and flat rectangular strips of material that lie between the midsoles and outsoles of the boots.

They’re designed to:

• Provide arch support
• Improve stability on rough terrain
• Prevent punctured soles
• Assist with boot longevity

Steel shanks in particular are riveted to the sole. They run from the heel to roughly the ball of the foot. Although steel is considered quite a heavy material, shanks are very thin, so they don’t create too much weight.

Shanks come in half-length, three-quarter length, and full-length.

If shoes or standard non-safety boots require shanks, they usually come with half-shanks. Whereas, heavy-duty boots would need three-quarter or full-length shanks, to give the best support.

They’re not just steel either. They come in other materials, like nylon, composite, plastic, and kevlar, among others.

Here is some extra info if you want to dig deeper.

• Nylon vs Steel shanks
• TPU vs Steel shanks

What are the benefits of steel shanks?

Here are some of the most important benefits of steel shanks in footwear…

1. Arch Support

When on your feet all day, your arches can ache or take a battering. Especially when going over rough terrain or climbing hills, mountains, or ladders.

Objects you put your weight on can dig into the outsoles and put stress on your arches and soles of your feet. But steel shanks spread your weight and the pressure of the object over a longer area.

This is especially useful when climbing or resting on ladders a lot, linemen and arborists know what I’m talking about.

Shanks are particularly important in heeled boots. Because, in a heeled boot, there’s a bridge formed between the ball of the foot and the heel, so there’s no contact with the ground.

This is where the foot arch is situated. The arch is a part of the foot that needs the most support. The shank will strengthen this bridge, making it sag less, and give the arch the contact that it needs to retain shape and avoid potential foot conditions.

2. Stability on rough terrain

Similar to the arch support that shanks provide, they also help to give a solid base when walking. Especially over rough terrain.

This doesn’t mean that they’re really stiff. They’re thin enough to allow flexibility and freedom of movement.

Sometimes, the foot can roll or not get enough grip when walking or climbing on rough terrain. Boots without shanks can sometimes be a bit too flexible, which might not offer as much grip or stability.

3. Prevent punctured soles

Apart from sharp stones or rocks, as mentioned before, the workplace can have lots of other sharp hazards that can be trodden on. Like nails, screws, pins, etc.

A steel shank doesn’t cover the whole sole, so it doesn’t offer as much puncture protection as a steel inner sole does. These are metal plates inside the sole that cover all if not most of the sole area.

However, a steel shank does offer some resistance to sharp objects puncturing the sole and going into the foot.

I personally have punctured my foot by standing on a rusty nail at work, so then I had to receive a tetanus jab. It wasn’t pleasant. But it would have been much less likely to happen if my boots had steel shanks.

4. Assist with boot longevity

As just mentioned, the prevention of sharp objects going all the way through the sole helps to keep the sole intact for longer without the need for repair or replacement.

A steel shank also helps to preserve the shape of the sole and the rest of the boot. When a sole is flimsy, it distorts in shape and puts stress on the seams and stitching, which can eventually lead to cracking soles or soles that come away from the upper.

This flexing and distortion of the sole also alter the shape of the upper. The shape can go back, but it can also stay permanently distorted.

Do all work boots need steel shanks?

Not necessarily. It depends on the type of boot and what type of work or activity you’re going to do while wearing the boots.

A lot of professions really benefit from having steel shanks in their boots. Everything that’s built well needs to have a strong foundation. The sole is the boot’s foundation. Therefore, the sole needs to be strong and offer proper support.

But, wedged sole work boots would have less need for a steel shank than a heeled or high-arched boot because the sole wouldn’t need that extra support.

And wedged soles are generally designed to be more flexible. They’re also less designed for heavy-duty work.

What types of jobs might require steel shanks?

All jobs that require you to walk or be on your feet for long periods would benefit from steel shanks. This is why they’re popular in hiking boots.

They’re also popular for people who walk on rough terrain or climb rocks or structures.

But there are many other occupations that would benefit. Like linemen, construction workers, warehouse workers, arborists, landscapers, etc.

What is a steel toe-cap?

A steel toe cap is a protective piece of material that is underneath the upper material around the toes.

The primary functions are:

• To protect toes from falling objects
• To protect toes from crushing
• To protect toes from puncturing or cutting

As with shanks, toe protection can also be made from different materials than steel. Materials like kevlar, composite materials, aluminum, or plastics like thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU).

Unlike with shanks, most construction sites forbid workers from wearing boots without some kind of toe protection.

Benefits of steel toe-protection

1. Protect toes from falling objects

Accidents in the workplace are common. Things fall from heights or people drop things. I’m sure we’ve all dropped something on our foot and it’s made us hop around in pain.

A human foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, more than 19 muscles, and 107 ligaments, so it’s vital to be protected. Although a steel toe-cap doesn’t protect the whole foot, toes are the freely moving parts, and are needed for grip and stability.

Under American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards, toe protection has to meet or exceed the following impact testing:

IMPACT: Footwear retains a .500 inch (1/2 inch) for men’s and .468 inch (15/32 inch) for women’s or greater clearance after a nominal impact of 75 foot-pounds (101.7J), i.e., a 50 pound weight dropped, reaching 117.9 ± 2.4 inches per second velocity at impact.

If you can understand that, you’re smarter than me.

2. Protect toes from crushing

This is a less common hazard than falling objects, but is probably more dangerous and can create greater injuries.

Crushing can come in a number of forms…

• A load or object can be lifted by humans or machinery and lowered onto the toes.
• A vehicle or site plant could run over the foot.
• Toes could get caught in moving parts of machinery.

These are just a few examples.

Like with impact rating, toe protection has to meet or exceed compression rating, as follows:

COMPRESSION: Footwear retains a .500 inch (1/2 inch) for men’s and .468 inch (15/32 inch) for women’s or greater clearance after a compression force of 2500 lbs. (11,121 N).

I could be wrong, but I think this means that for the men, there must be at least a half-inch gap between the steel and the toes after 2500 lbs (11,121 Newtons) of pressure. And the same applies for women with just under half an inch of clearance.

3. Protection from puncturing or cutting

As with the soles of the feet, the uppers are at risk from objects piercing the material. Stray nails or screws. Large brambles from bushes. Steel wire. The list goes on.

There is also a risk of being cut. Some people use grinders to cut stone or metal. Sometimes the object being cut is held in place on the ground by one foot. I’ve done this many times.

That object can slip out through the force of the grinder, or the grinder can jump or shoot forwards. This has also happened to me many times, but I’ve been fortunate.

Needless to say, this could easily do major damage to toes, or even cut them off.

What types of jobs might require steel toe-protection?

Any job that has risks of falling objects or crushing would benefit from steel toe-caps.

Many people in the construction industry use them, from groundworkers, bricklayers, landscapers, all the way to management and everyone in between.

They’re also useful for forklift and delivery drivers, where the loading and unloading of goods could fall or the vehicles could crush toes.

Are shanks or toe caps OSHA approved?

While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t test, approve, certify, or endorse any product, performance standards are determined by ASTM.

Do all boots come with both steel shanks and steel toe caps?

Not all work boots have both of these together, but a premium, heavy-duty boot is most likely to.

They serve their own purposes, and one doesn’t affect the other.

The final word

We hope you now have a clear understanding of the differences between steel shanks and steel toe-caps, and their purposes.

It’s worth bearing in mind that steel is tougher than the other materials available. However, there are some drawbacks.

Being a metal, the steel in these boots will set off metal detectors. So, if you use scanners to search for metal objects or utility pipes underground, be sure to keep the scanner away from your feet.

You’ll also need to plan what to wear at airports, because boots with these steel parts will set off the alarms during screening. There’s more detailed information on that topic over on this page: Can You Wear Steel Toe Boots On a Plane?

Also, if the boots aren’t fully waterproof, or if there are holes from wear-and-tear that allow water in, then that water could eventually cause the steel to rust. After rust sets in, they won’t be as effective and could fall apart.

Another thing to add is that steel conducts heat and cold extremely well. This could make the difference to your feet if you work in areas of extreme heat or cold.

If you’d like to learn about other materials of shanks and toe-caps, check our website out for some easy reading. Failing that, feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

That’s it from me for now. Remember to take care of those feet. Always research before buying new boots.

Till next time.

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Team Members Working On This Page

Jimmy Webb – Writer And Researcher

Hey, Jimmy here. I’m one of the researchers and writers here at BestForMyFeet.com.  I’ve been wearing work boots all my life working as a forklift driver, landscaper, groundworker, and now as a tower crane operator so I know a few things about footwear and footcare in general. I’m also working on my first novel. So writing IS my passion. When I’m not writing I love to spend time with my wife, two children, and furball.

Victor Adrian – Editor And Webmaster

Construction Professional, driver, crane operator, cleaner, head chef … these are just some of the jobs I did in the past. Working in all these different environments taught me that having good footwear to protect your feet from different dangers at work IS PARAMOUNT for any worker! On this website, I aim to share all my knowledge and personal experience in dealing with different footwear and foot care issues, and hopefully, you can get something out of it. Enjoy!

source https://bestformyfeet.com/steel-shank-vs-steel-toe/

Avenger A7505 work boots cut in half: Here’s what’s inside these boots

Today we’re cutting in half one of my slip-on work boots, the Avenger Romeo A7505 wedge sole work boot.

This is not a review though, I’ll just talk about the materials you can find in these boots and also some things related to the construction of the boot. If you want to know more about the boot, you can read the full in-depth review of the Avenger A7505 work boots here.

About the boot

Brand	Avenger
Model	A7505 Wedge
Shaft height	6″
Color	Brown
Toe cap	Composite toe cap
Upper	Leather
Sole type	Wedge sole
Price	Check on Amazon

The environment in which the boots were worn

If you don’t know me, I’m Adrian nice to meet you. I work in the construction industry and I also test and document my findings here on this website about everything I learn related to footwear and foot care.

So the boots were tested on a building site. The site I was working on whilst I was wearing these boots was a mix of unpolished concrete surfaces, tarmac, occasionally walking on rebar, and wet concrete.

How long the boots lasted?

This is one of the aspects I can’t comment on since I don’t wear the majority of the boots until they break. I usually wear them for 6 months to a year and if they don’t break, I just go ahead and cut them in half.

This will allow me to learn more about the boot and move on and buy another boot and do more testing.

If I had to give you an estimate based on my experience wearing these boots on a construction site, I’d say they will last around 14-18 months before they break.

Remember, this is an estimate, and the boots might last longer if you work in a lighter-duty industry than construction.

Let’s start with the soles of these Avenger work boots

1. The outsole

The outsoles on these Avenger A7505 work boots are made out of PU (polyurethane). This type of material can be very flexible and provide lots of cushioning depending on the hardness of the material.

In this case, the soles on these Avenger boots are quite spongy and lightweight which is great news for those of you working on hard concrete floors all day.

These types of outsoles help reduce the stress on your ankles, knees, and back by absorbing the shocks caused by the action of walking. So if you’re on your feet all day working in a warehouse or maybe in a factory, a welding shop, etc, these Avenger boots might be for you.

Personally, I would’ve liked to see a bit more arch support in these boots.

They might be great for you if you need work boots for a flat-footed person, but if you’re like me and have regular arches or high arches, you will need some over-the-counter insoles in order to avoid arch and heel ache after a long day in these boots.

I’ve worn a few insoles with these boots, one is the SOLE Active insole and the other one is the EcoDasher (which is a prototype so I can’t say much about it at the moment).

I’ll leave some measurements below in case they might help you in any way...

What was measured	Data
Outsole thickness at the heel	~ 0.87″ (22.3mm)
Outsole thickness at the ball of the foot	~ 0.43″ (11mm)
Thread depth	~ 0.10″ (2.5mm)
Arch height	~ 1.07″ (27.2mm)
Outsole width at the ball of the foot	~ 4.70″ (119.4mm)
Outsole width at the heel area	~ 3.40″ (86.5mm)
Outsole width at the arch area	~ 3.48″ (88.5mm)

They have decided to stick a piece of rubber with the Avenger logo inside the outsole. Yes, it looks good, but I believe this can quickly become a liability if the logo piece somehow comes out while you’re working.

Especially if you work in an industry like mine. This could lead to sharp objects puncturing that specific part of the sole and eventually your foot.

I didn’t have any issues with that and I wasn’t aware of the little piece with the logo on it until I cut the boots in half. So it’s not a big deal, just an observation!

2. The midsole

The midsole in these Avenger work boots is a 9mm thick layer of polyurethane foam. The PU material found in the midsole is even softer than the one in the outsole.

This makes sense. The outsole has to be a bit tougher in order to last longer but the midsole, even though it’s made from the same material, PU, it’s softer so it can provide cushioning.

Here are a few measurements that might be helpful to you…

Part being measured	Data
Thickness – heel area	~ 0.35″ (9mm)
Thickness – arch area	~ 0.35″ (9mm)
Thickness – forefoot area	~ 0.35″ (9mm)

Yes, the measurements are not wrong. The thickness of the midsoles is the same throughout the length of the boot.

3. Insole

The boots come with a removable insole which is always great since each one of us needs something different when it comes to insoles.

So if you don’t like the one that comes with this boot, you can simply remove it and replace it with whatever you need or like.

The reason I swapped the original insole with something I had around is that the original insole doesn’t have that much arch support.

You can see in the image above how my insoles on the left (the PowerStep Original insoles) have a higher arch support than the Avenger’s insole.

I took a few measurements of the insole that might be helpful to you…

Part being measured	Data
Heel area	~ 0.42 inches thick (10.8mm)
Forefoot area	~ 0.21 inches thick (5.5mm)
Arch height	~ 0.83 inches high (21.3mm)
Width – Heel area	~2.78 inches wide (70.8mm)
Width – Arch area	~3.22 inches wide (81.9mm)
Width – Foot ball area	~3.84 inches wide (97.5mm)

4. Boot construction type

Flex Welt Construction. This is another thing that might get you confused.

Just because it has the word “WELT” in the description and the boot has what seems to be a Goodyear welt construction, it doesn’t really make it a Goodyear welted work boot.

I thought the boot had a Goodyear welt as well, but as I cut the boot in half I realized that the upper is actually glued and tucked under the fiberboard.

As you can see in the image below, as I’m trying to take out the welt, I’m actually tearing apart the midsole. So the fake welt in these is in reality the midsole if it makes sense.

No drama, as some YouTubers and influencers tend to make out of this thing. You’re not going to resole a cheap pair of work boots anyway. A resole will cost you just as much as buying a new pair of the same work boots.

But I do agree that sellers should not try to trick consumers. Just say these work boots are cemented sole constructed and the Goodyear welt is for decoration purposes.

In any case, the glue was strong enough and kept the upper and sole together while I had the boots. No issues with sole delamination or anything related to glued-sole constructed boots.

5. Does it have a shank?

Yes, it does come with a shank, even though it’s not really required on these types of work boots. And I’m referring to wedge sole work boots.

The shank is more helpful when wearing heeled work boots. It adds extra stability and support in the arch area.

But if you’re wearing wedge sole work boots for your day job and you’re hitting the shovel all day, a shank is always welcomed!

According to most of the sellers carrying these Avenger boots, the shank is made out of fiberglass but it seems to me that it’s made out of TPU or some type of plastic.

It didn’t make any difference to me in all honesty but as I said there will be jobs and tasks where a shank in a wedge sole boot is going to be a blessing.

Here are some measurements of the shank if you want to geek out a bit more.

Part being measured	Data
Shank thickness	~ 0.08 inches thick (2.1mm)
Shank length	~ 4.14 inches long (105.2mm)
Shank width	~ 0.58 inches wide (14.9mm)
Shank weight	~4 grams

6. Heel

I know some of you might be interested to know a bit more about the heel height so I took a few measurements in the hope that they might be helpful to you in any way…

Part being measured	Data
Just the heel (outsole + midsole)	1.21 inches high (30.9mm)
Heel & footbed (outsole + midsole +fiberboard)	1.39 inches high (35.5mm)
Heel & footbed & insole	1.87 inches high (47.5mm)

7. Arch support

As mentioned in the outsole section, these Avenger work boots provide little to no arch support.

Great for those of you with flat feet or low arches but not that great if you’re like me and have regular arches or even high arches. You’ll need to add your own solution in order ro provide more arch support.

8. Puncture resistant

It seems there is some Lenzi Fabric in these boots (at least that’s why I’ve seen by looking at some seller’s product description) that make them puncture resistant, but I could not find it, not in the midsole, not in the lining, not in the insole.

There is a 0.11″ (2.8mm) thick hard fiberboard that sits right under the lining that was quite hard to penetrate when I tested it, but it’s not rated as such so you should not get these boots if you’re after puncture resistant rated work boots.

The upper of the Avenger A7505 work boot

1. The material of the upper

The upper of these Avenger work boots are made with full-grain leather. And if you’re wondering how thick that leather is, well let me tell you that’s 2.3mm thick.

Ideally, work boots should have thicker leather, 2.5mm or more but 2.3 is quite close. Not too bad for a boot in this price range.

Even though I had the boots for less than 12 months, the leather held up very well in my opinion. No damages or cracks whatsoever.

I did however take care of them, as I always do. I use mink oil to condition the leather and also to keep the boots waterproof.

Good leather in my opinion.

2. Lining

These Avenger Romeo work boots do come with a waterproof membrane that serves as a lining too.

When I did the waterproof test the boots were completely dry inside as long as the water stayed below the elastic gore panels.

If the water was deeper than that, wet socks straight away! 100%

What I find out after cutting the work boots in half is that the waterproof membrane got punctured where my pinky toe rubs against the membrane. So now, I can say bye-bye to the waterproof functions of these boots.

It’s not the first this happens to my waterproof work boots, so I might have to take some action moving forward in order to avoid this from happening.

Another thing I wanted to add is that the lack of a heel counter simply destroyed the waterproof lining at the back of my heel.

Actually, there is a heel counter in these boots and it’s made out of some plasticky material, maybe just a reinforced fiberboard but this heel counter sits behind the waterproof membrane.

So it’s not very helpful when it comes to protecting the waterproof membrane from getting damaged.

3. Toe cap

There’s not much to say here about this other than the fact that these Avenger boots come with a safety toe cap so if you work in construction or any other industry that requires a composite toe cap work boot then these are a good option.

If you’re new to work boots, you might want to know that the composite toe cap is much thicker, therefore bulkier. That’s the reason why you’ll see some composite toe work boots look quite bulky compared to steel toe boots.

Here are some measurements I took about the toe cap in case you want to know more…

Part being measured	Data
Toe cap width (at the entrance)	~ 3.76 inches wide (95.5mm)
Depth	~ 3.48 inches deep (88.5mm)
Height	~ 1.44 inches high (36.6mm)
Thickness	~ 0.36 inches thick (9.1mm)

4. Anti-scuff cap reinforcement

This is a good feature in a work boot. Especially for those of you that need to crawl, crouch or kneel a lot.

Think of electricians, plumbers, mechanics, etc. I personally use the toe cap to rest materials whilst we’re getting ready for a particular task.

For example, when I was working with the glazing crew I would often rest a piece of glass on my toe cap while the boys were getting ready to install the glass.

One thing I was curious about was if there’s leather going under this bump cap or if the leather ends exactly where the bump cap starts.

Now that I’ve cut in half these Avenger boots I can tell you the leather stops where the bump starts.

I have no idea why they chose not to put leather under the bump cap as well. Having leather all the way through will definitely extend the boot’s life even more.

To me just having the TPU bumper will help for sure since TPU is harder to scratch and damage than leather. But if the bumper gets damaged, there’s nothing under that bumper to keep the boot watertight.

If you’d have leather all the way through, you’ll have to put these boots through a lot of heavy-duty work to damage the TPU bumper AND the leather.

My 2 cents anyway…

4. TPU heel guard

Just like the toe cap bumper, the help guard helps protect the boots from getting damaged when you kick things around with your boots. It’s also very helpful for taking the boots off.

There’s nothing much to add here other than the thickness of the heel guard which is 0.12″ (3mm) thick.

5. Insulation

These are not insulated work boots. The lining plus some good pair of Merino wool socks will help keep your feet nice and warm in chilled temperatures.

But if you’re working in freezing conditions, you better look at some winter work boots as these Avenger boots are not going to make the cut,

6. The gore panels

Good quality gore panels. They are elastic enough to put your feet in easily but at the same time strong enough to withstand hard work conditions.

During the time I had the boots I haven’t experienced any issues with the elastic panels.

Last words

There you have it, I’ve cut my Avenger Romeo work boots in half so we can all learn more about these boots.

Personally, I think the boots are not bad at all for the price. Decent boot construction and some good materials in there with the exception of the waterproof membrane.

I loved these boots for how comfortable and convenient they are. At the time I’m writing these lines I’m driving an electric scooter to and from work. And due to cold conditions, I’m wearing some overalls.

I miss the boots already as now I’m testing a pair of the NEW Brunt Marin work boots and these are lace-up vs. slip-on.

So now I need to bend and tie my laces!!! Spring is near so we’ll get rid of the overalls soon.

Anyway, that’s all from me.I hope this was helpful to you in any way. Let me know if you have any questions!

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Team Members Working On This Page

Victor Adrian – Editor And Webmaster

Construction Professional, driver, crane operator, cleaner, head chef … these are just some of the jobs I did in the past. Working in all these different environments taught me that having good footwear to protect your feet from different dangers at work IS PARAMOUNT for any worker! On this website, I aim to share all my knowledge and personal experience in dealing with different footwear and foot care issues, and hopefully, you can get something out of it. Enjoy!

Jessica Flynn – Writer And Researcher

Love technology, going to the beach, taking care of my body, and writing (amongst other things). You’ll see my face around here a little bit since I’m responsible for part of the research and writing of some of the articles you’re reading on BestForMyFeet.com. I hope you’ll find our content helpful and enjoyable! See you around, thanks for reading!

source https://bestformyfeet.com/avenger-a7505-work-boot-cut-in-half/