Lawn Mower

BillBlack

Barefooters
May 24, 2011
57
3
8
#1
Does anyone mow the yard barefoot? I had always heard wear shoes when you mow, its safer but why? I have to mow my yard later today and was thinking it seems move dangerous to wear shoes. I use a riding mower and it seems like there is a danger of the shoe laces getting caught it the belts or other moving parts. What do the assembled masses say?



Bill
 
#2
Can you wear something that's

Can you wear something that's minimal but doesn't have laces? Since it's a riding mower, it's probably not a big risk, but if it's a push behind, I'd worry about losing a few toes should something go wrong with the blade. Minimal probably won't help much in that case. Then again, I can't wear anything on my feet, so I don't mow the lawn. My hubby does that for us.
 
#3
I have an old pair of vff's

I have an old pair of vff's that are drying out after a good cleaning with a hose. But would they give any more protection from the blade than so called regular shoes? I've pushed a mower over a dog chain stake, the twisty kind, by accident and seen the kind of mangling they can do. It seems like a thin bit of fabric wouldn't give much protection in either case. Or am I misreading the situation?



Bill
 
#4
Yea, like I said, I think

Yea, like I said, I think anything minimal near a blade won't be of much help. How about some steel-toed boots? Ha!
 
#5
Oh, but leave off the laces.

Oh, but leave off the laces.
 
#6
I love mowing the lawn in my

I love mowing the lawn in my barefeet! It's an electric pushmower and I've never worried about mangling- I do that well enough inside the house. Well, but I did give up cutting or stacking firewood in flip-flops (now heavy boots) after I split my big toe open by a falling log. Doy.
 
#7
I have been mowing my lawn

I have been mowing my lawn barefoot for years, and I have a gas powered push mower. I feel more surefooted that way, and I figure if I am careless enough to run it over my feet (?!!), then nothing short of steel toed boots will save me anyway. It annoyed me though a few weeks ago when a guy rode by on a bicycle, all properly attired in Spandex, and called out, "Dude, you really need to get some shoes!" Anyway, I have a hard time seeing the down side of going barefoot on a cushy riding mower, but grown ups have to make these decisions for themselves. ;-)
 
#8
I tried it once, shortly

I tried it once, shortly after I replaced my gas-powered motor with a motor-less reel mower. Since the high powered blade was gone I felt it was probably safe to give it a shot. It was mostly fine, but I did find myself stepping on a few freshly cut twigs, which was less than pleasant, but not terrible. I mow in minimalist shoes now, and that seems to work pretty well.
 
#9
There is hope for those who

There is hope for those who desire protection from lawn mower blades! Wear what sort of shoe you like then pop on one these bad boys and mow the lawn worry free! I remember these from the military days. If you didn't wear steel toed boots they made you put these on over your sneakers.



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#10
I think those cost like 60

I think those cost like 60 bucks, but at least your toes are safe! I got that pic from a site called oshatoes.com or something and you have to go to their product menu to find them as there are different kinds. The ones in the pic look like dress spats for Darth Vader. I second the notion that it is probably okay to go minimal for riding mowers, but I like the false sense of security that comes from wearing sneakers for push mowers.

John T.
 
#11
Stay alert, stay alive.  And

Stay alert, stay alive. And stay with toes unhurt. I mow BF with a gas mower. Shoes won't stop the sharpened airplane propellor under any mower, so keep your feet away from it and you'll be safe. I'm more concerned with fire ants, as they're hard to see when just starting a mound. If you are not an attentive mower, go with the Darth Vader Spats Dunetraveller found. You could probably wear them over bare feet.
 
#12
I've done it a few times.  I

I've done it a few times. I don't think the concern is so much about the blade cutting you up as it is about debris being fired out of the side (if you have a mulch mower). I've taken a few rocks to the foot while mowing barefoot. That's where shoes can be helpful. A bit of fabric, especially leather, will blunt the impact of something like that.

I also wear shoes to stop my feet from turning green.
 
#13
Like @HobbitFeet, I mow with

Like @HobbitFeet, I mow with a moterless reel motor barefoot. I recommend trying it; I suspect the same people who find joy in being closer to nature will find a similar joy mowing in barefoot breathing clean air... just don't try it when it's 104 out! The local green boutiques that sell them have loaners (free) to try out on your yard.

-justpaul
 
#15
considering that you are

considering that you are generally leaning forward a bit when you mow and the mower itself has about a 45ish angle on the handle, it seems like it would actually be kinda hard to hit your foot if your just mowing normally.
 
#16
Flying debris is the safety

Flying debris is the safety issue. As a teenager, I used to cut the grass wearing shorts (my mom always made sure I wore shoes.) I ran over some broken glass that I didn't see, and a small piece went into my leg. It must've hit a nerve, because my leg went completely numb from about the entry point down. It was completely numb. I couldn't even hobble to the house. I had to crawl. Long story short, several hours later it was still numb, so my dad took me to the ER. The doctor couldn't find it, but said the numbness would wear off, probably by morning, and the glass would probably float around in my leg for the rest of my life and do no harm. So far he's been right. But since then, whenever I've cut the grass, I wear shoes and jeans, the thicker the better. It won't stop the blade, but it may stop a small sliver of glass or metal, or even wood, being thrown by the blades.

Just wanted to give you an example of what could happen. It's up to you to decide if it's worth the risk. :)

Bonnie
 
#17
Yikes, Bonnie!  Glad you're

Yikes, Bonnie! Glad you're alright.
 
#20
Our lawn is chemical

Our lawn is chemical free...

I'm not sure how I would feel about mowing it in bare feet if it wasn't.

Even still lately I find myself mowing in minimal shoes more and more. Using the weed eater tends to kick up some debris that can really sting. Also we have a dog that has a knack for strategic and stealthy placement his poops... not a real concern for me but still it's kinda gross.

S. Pimp.
 
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