INSULATED work boot suggestions ??

[rockfish]

Yes.........I performed a search, all kinds of posts covering shoes and boots but nothing concerning INSULATED boots.

The concrete floors in my shop, especially now that temps have dropped to the teens, leave my feet frozen all day long. I'm miserable. I cannot get my feet to warm up. I regularly wear Red Wing boots and Wolverine Dura-Shocks, but these are non insulated and cold.

I've been looking at Cabela's Outfitter series boots, 1000 gram thinsulate and gore tex lined, but I'm concerned that the soles will not tolerate a machine shop environment.
There is nothing worse than walking around with soles full of steel. It's just like walking on ball bearings and on some flooring can be a dangerous slip hazard.


So, can anyone suggest some warm, insulated work boots that can survive a shop environment ???





Frank




www.randolphmach.com

 

[wd72588]

Try Danner boots. They are pricey, especially the american made ones. In my opinion they are the best boot made. Period.

 

[jackal]

Frank,
I bought some "Magellan" insulated boots from Academy Sports. They were only $49, but are as comfortable and lightweight as tennis shoes. I have only been wearing them for about 10 weeks. Usually by now I have torn up or started hurting in bad boots. These aren't steel toed, but they had them.



JAckal

 

[fciron]

I wear the same uninsulated Red Wings all year round. I have some serious fuzzy socks inside them for the winter. I wear thin wicking liner socks and insulated outer socks. I believe I got mine from the Campmor catalog and you can usually find some deals from Sierra Trading post.

The great thing about socks is that you can have fresh, clean, dry, effective insulation every day. I suffered horribly from cold hands and feet before I did the sock thing. Hands are still tricky, but it's a lot easier if my feet aren't adding to it.

I dropped close to $70 bucks on socks, but I think that's probably a lot cheaper than good boots, plus I'm still wearing my steel toed boots.

Anti-fatigue mats also provide an extra layer of insulation between your feet and the concrete. It doesn't have to be the fancy industrial rated stuff, I've been using the same el cheapo foam ones for close to five years now. Tapered edges are good, those puzzle piece ones can be a real trip hazard.

 

[gbent]

I like boots slightly to large and heavy wool socks. If you can't stand the itch, get a pair of mens silk socks and wear under the wool ones. If your feet get cold after a couple of hours, chances your feet sweated and are now damp. Change your socks and you will be good for a while longer.

 

[ARB]

I have been wearing these Redwings on cold days for a few years now.

http://www.redwingshoes.com/productdetails.aspx?prodid=1145

These are pretty comfy and warm on a cold concrete floor.

I like them for that and they are wearing nicely.

My one gripe with them is they are funny to walk any distance in. It is hard to explain the way they feel but its a little odd just like me.


But for cold shop work they are real nice and that's what I got them for.

 

[CalG]

Socks!

More Socks

Change 'em early, change 'em often. Insulated boots make my feet sweat, then they are cold all day.

Did I mention clean dry socks?

 

[grandtools]

I bought a pair of Redwing insulated logger boots with steel toes. They are a lot better than most other boots I've had, but after about 4 hours my toes still get cold. Maybe its not possible to have warm toes with steel toed boots? I hear they are making some non steel safety toe boots, I think I might try them next time. It makes me sick to go shopping for boots anymore since I can't stand boots made in China. My Redwings are USA made, but thats about the last of them as I hear most Redwings are made in China now too.

 

[NeilJ]

Off on a tangent!
Try Googling "battery heated socks"

 

[Ox]

Try Googling "battery heated socks"

What the werld does someone from Oz know aboot cold feet?

Besides - I had (still have?) a pr of them when I was a teenager. Batts went dead, never fealt warm at all. ??? Maybe they were more for use on the couch than in the barnyard?



-----


What are you kid'n Frank - it's warmer here than in Fla! I wonderin' if Macinaw City will be opening up for "winter" tourism now? No need to fly S enymore! LOL!



----


I am cold.

I have cold feet.

My werk boots are Redwings.

My good boots are Red Wings and are next yrs werk boots.

I wear heavy socks 5-6 months/yr. I also wear bibs 3 months/yr.

The Carhart socks are $alty, but are a lot nicer than the others.


Alternatively - try jumping jacks.


I am looking forwards to a day with a new building and radiant heat (warm floors) and maybe even in-floor-heat in the office!



edit - just reminded jist now as me and the doggy went outside to take a leak, once the snow comes (today) RedWings git wet and can git colder. I have spent many days like this with my chore boots overtop and then my feet are toasty! Now they are heavy and awkward, but in time you git used to them. I used to wear them at the dairy 14 (?) hrs a day. Enough that the hair on the back of my upper calves (pun?) was worn off! Take'm off to go home and feel like your gunna fly away!

LOTS cheaper than any of the other options and a LOT warmer too!

Just a pr of those ankle high jobbies may be all you need and not nearly as awkward. It's jist that I HAVE the chore boots ... and stuck in my ways may have something to doo with it as well?


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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[Sea Farmer]

I work in knee-deep ocean water year-round and have tried nearly everything to keep my feet warm. The water temp now is around 36 degrees F, it'll probably drop to 32 by the end of February (ocean here freezes at around 28 degrees F) and I'm in it 2-4 hours.

So far, the good socks, with polypropylene liner socks underneath, have worked best. They wick perspiration away from the skin. Dry feet feel warmer. Insulated boots don't deal with this problem -- i have to wear them in winter, obviously, but the liner socks under good outer socks are still required. In fact, insulated boots without the liner socks just make your feet wet with sweat, and then you're miserable.

And on really cold days, or when I'll be in the water for more than two hours, the little chemical foot warmers pads that stick to your socks are lifesavers. They also make handwarmers for inside gloves, but don't substitute those, the handwarmers get too hot.

Cabela's has a pretty good selection of this stuff, but there are plenty of other suppliers out there.

 

[Bruce Griffing]

+1 on heavy wool socks. BUT - I find that I need slightly larger boots with heavy wool socks. I don't need them much here in Texas, but I do a lot of mountain hiking. Wool is best not only for keeping warm, but also very good for preventing blisters. Cotton is just the opposite in both ways.

 

[loggerhogger]

I used to wear Caterpiller "walking machine" boots, but a couple of years ago I tried apiir of Timberland Pro boots. They are about $130.00 and have an anti fatigue insole that has really saved my feet. I had one foot operated on about 6 years ago for plantar faciatis, and a heel spur. I started getting the same problem in the other foot, and thought surgery was the only option.the pain was so bad that when I would get up out of bed or a chair, I wanted to scream. I started wearing the Timberland boots, and haven't had any foot pain since. I am not affiliated with Timberland, just a vary satisfied customer.

 

[Greg Quenneville]

What the werld does someone from Oz know aboot cold feet?

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

Not from here. Have spent too much time in the north country-that's why I live here now. Up in the Arctic I used to use very thin silk socks under the wool ones-this helps a lot-doubling the time to chill, and keeps your feet dry.

Best advice was to use the rubber mats to add another layer of insulation cheaply.

Back to the pool for me-going to be in the high 90's all weekend.

 

[PDW]

Not from here. Have spent too much time in the north country-that's why I live here now. Up in the Arctic I used to use very thin silk socks under the wool ones-this helps a lot-doubling the time to chill, and keeps your feet dry.

Best advice was to use the rubber mats to add another layer of insulation cheaply.

Back to the pool for me-going to be in the high 90's all weekend.

Bit cooler where I am but hey, I grew up in Sydney then spent a lot of years in the Antarctic every summer. I had to share my nearest big beach with a whole 2 other people last Wednesday, when I sailed over the Channel for a swim. Summer in Tasmania and at least a part of winter in Sydney or Brisbane. Hard to beat.

Cold feet - I used to wear Sorrells with the felt inner boot liner and explorer type socks when I was down south. Seemed to work OK but not steel caps.

PDW

 

[Ox]

Sorels would doo the trick for him - but can you imagine the amount of chips that could collect in that tread by the end of the day?

(I have 2 pr of them too... )

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Think Snow Eh!
Ox

 

[coyotekid]

I swear by White's, but they're expensive. You get what you pay for, however.

They make an insulated model now, but I've not tried them. Our shop has the radiant floor heating.

 

[Mike RzMachine]

i've had good luck wearing merino wool/silk socks. the wool isn't itchy, it resists stick, and the silk helps stay warm. they are hiking socks so thicker than normal tube socks but not that thick. make sure your boots aren't too tight, and that also includes not wearing socks that are too thick. that squeezes the blood flow out of your feet and makes them cold.

i have a few pairs made by wigwam that are 6 years old and still like new. bonus is that wigwam socks are made in the us.
http://www.wigwam.com/Products/Meri...roductId=801d74de-fa96-dd11-9fb3-001d091bb843

Mike

 

[MetaRinka]

my vote is for those chemical heat pads. Some have a reusable reaction. heat em back up and they are good to go again.

If your feet are really cold no amout of insulation will make them fee warm. They need heat to be generated.

 

[cecilstrange]

My shop is unheated and here is what I do.

If I have to stand on concrete I slip in a pair of felt insoles. They work wonders and that is why heavy snow boots are built around them. They are just the dense wool felt sometimes used for way wipers. They come 1/8", 3/16" and 1/4" thick. Your boots have to be roomy enough to accommodate them. Removing existing insoles can provide extra room. You need two pairs if you are going to use them every day so one pair is always dry.

But in front of my machines and work bench I have floor mats--homemade. On the concrete I have 1/2" closed cell foam pads, the ones sold in camping stores as sleeping mats. Forget the ripples, waves and shapes--just get the 20" X 1/2" X 72" dense foam mats. On top of the mats I place a piece of chair mat, cut to fit, and cut so the ramps on the edge overhang the edges of the camping mat. I use old, discarded mats and cut around any defects. I work in an office and have a free supply. That gives me a non-skid and non-porous surface that will tolerate chemical and oil spills. The foam will not absorb liquids. Chips are easy to sweep and vacuum from the plastic surface, unlike the commercial anti-fatigue mats. The carpet nubs on the bottom of the chair mats keep me from crushing all the insulation value out of the camping mats. I leave them down all year because they provide anti-fatigue benefits as well as insulation.

Also, if this affliction has developed with age, circulation in your limbs may have decreased and there may be something you can do about it. I'd bring it up at my next health check-up.

It probably does not need to be said that a large portion of body heat is lost through the head. Putting on a hat is the first thing to do to warm up cold feet. Second thing is to insulate the wrists and neck where large quantities of blood flow near the surface.