safety/steel toe footgear

[nahtnoj]

I don't want to crush my toes, nor do I want to cut them off with a chainsaw. That said, my Red Wing 2218 logging boots are often serious overkill. They are hot, weigh a ton, and can be a major source of fatigue.

Suggestions? If no one chimes in here, I'm sure there will be a Mennonite or Mennonite-adjacent feller at the local hardware/dry goods store who will sort me out.

[Peter Polack]

Good question, although I don't have a concise answer for you.

As an avid chainsaw user I can relate.

On the other hand, look at those Redwings as a workout! I wear ankle weights when I perform my weekly trail maintenance, in addition to my hiking boots and sometimes chainsaw, just because it takes away from bike riding and I need to stay fit!

Anyway, try posting your question on the Arborist site. I'm sure you'll get some good suggestions there.

[nahtnoj]

They are a workout. I have 23 acres, and I prefer to walk to the place where I'm working - unless I have a lot to carry, its faster to walk most places than to load up the tractor.

But when I'm tired, and carrying things, and wearing a backpack with my bar oil/fuel/water/snacks/etc. it gets treacherous, I sometimes trip because I'm not picking my feet up enough.

Some lighter safety shoes are a lot cheaper than a UTV.

Arborist site is a favorite, BTW. Always one of the first results when I'm looking for chainsaw knowledge.

[dashDustin]

ok with composite toe, rather than steel toe?

[randonneur]

There's a whole world of work wear out there. I didn't want big heavy boots for when I got working in my home shop, but I also didn't want to risk breaking a toe, so I got a casual runner-like shoe with steel toes.

Maybe look at some of the Merrell offerings with composite toes (less weight than steel).

[nahtnoj]

Those composite Merrell's look like the ticket for days when I'm doing lighter duty work.

Edit - I know of a couple places where I can get Carolina's locally - these look legit - https://www.carolinashoe.com/CA8558

[rmplum]

I have a set of Timberlands that look like a set of low-top hiking shoes that are reasonably lightweight. Maybe they have a composite toe version by now for us posers.

Timberland 01.jpg

Timberland 02.jpg

Keen has a version of this too:
https://www.keenfootwear.com/p/M-BRADDOCK-LOW.html?

[donk]

For my infrequent site visits, and for ease of taking them on and off, I have a pair of blundstone safety boots - steel toe/steel shank. They are heavier than normal blundstones, but not as heavy as full on work boots.

[jclay]

I have a set of Timberlands that look like a set of low-top hiking shoes that are reasonably lightweight. Maybe they have a composite toe version by now for us posers.

Timberland 01.jpg

Timberland 02.jpg

Keen has a version of this too:
https://www.keenfootwear.com/p/M-BRADDOCK-LOW.html?

I've been wearing Keen Targhees for at least 15 years; I'm on my fourth or fifth pair. I love'em. About six years ago, a year before I retired, I needed new steel toes for work (environmental/petrochem) so I tried the Keen mid-rise offerings. The insole was, of course, far more comfortable than the various pairs of Redwing whatevers that preceded the Keens but a lump of material on the tongue bellows was uncomfortable; snip, snip took care of that BUT about four years later which included no more than four months of full time work use in various facilities and too little use around the homestead to mention, the soles separated from the leather; big time separated; immediate trash can. Some time prior to that catastrophic failure most of the heavy rubber toe armor peeled away from one of the boots; that was annoying but not catastrophic; epoxy repair, sort of.

I'll stick with the Targhees as my regular walk-around shoe but no way I'd ever get another pair of Keen work boots for personal or work use. I'll stick with old fashioned Goodyear welt construction, leather work boots like Redwing, Thurgood or similar. The good news is that I don't need steel toes or "work" anything...and I discovered Wellington (type, not name brand) boots. What a breath of fresh air.

[rmplum]

Wow, sounds like they are as bad as when they kicked out that cycling version of the Newport Sandal.