Steel toe shoes

[Tristan]

So this isn't really running related and certainly not barefoot but wondering if anyone has any suggestions for the most minimalist set of steel toed (or perhaps composite safety toe) shoes. I've got some big heavy ones but looking for something more light and comfy and preferably with a nice wide toebox. I've got to be at some locations here at work that it is required, and they'll chip in to cover some of the cost, so this is a good time to get a new set. I'd much prefer something more like a sneaker or light weight hiking boot as I already have some big leather boot ones.

 

[Barefoot Dama]

So this isn't really running related and certainly not barefoot but wondering if anyone has any suggestions for the most minimalist set of steel toed (or perhaps composite safety toe) shoes. I've got some big heavy ones but looking for something more light and comfy and preferably with a nice wide toebox. I've got to be at some locations here at work that it is required, and they'll chip in to cover some of the cost, so this is a good time to get a new set. I'd much prefer something more like a sneaker or light weight hiking boot as I already have some big leather boot ones.

Have you searched for steel toe sneakers? I know they are somewhere out there, one of my friends used to have a pair of black sneakers. I don't know the brand though.

 

[Tristan]

Yes there are many choices but trying to figure out the most minimalist ones are difficult. But I think I have found a good pair without a huge heel and heavy lugs on the tread - in fact they look completely flat! Many of the reviews complain about lack of arch support and such, sound perfect. I might just pull the trigger...

KEEN Utility Men's Destin Mid Steel Toe Work Shoe



What makes my current predicament worse is that I'll be wearing these pretty much all day mon-fri and have the Capital City Half Marathon on Saturday morning. And I am hoping for my best performance yet. And then I found out I am going to be wearing steel toed boots for a whole week prior I hope it doesn't mess with my legs and form right before the race. Sad part is this is usual an optional assignment that they are trying to cut down on due to costs, on my training week which is usually flexible (or I would have taken some time off to make sure I was good for the race), and I got picked to go despite that. There are people waiting to go on trips like this that don't get to and here I am already been on one, don't want to go on another, and now they're pretty much forcing me.

 

[KTR]

Maybe these?
http://www.jika-tabi.com/Products/magicsafety-black.html

 

[Tristan]

Those look interesting @KTR but I need the ANSI certified steel toe, for work in a powerplant, those appear to be uncertified safety toe (likely composite toe or less than that even).

Unfortunatly I didn't realize until I already pulled the trigger on the Keens above that the same model was available in a low cut (those are mid - over the ankle). If I have to send the first ones back due to sizing issues, I'll try the lows next if the shoe otherwise seems fine.

 

[Abide]

http://www.amazon.com/Reebok-Work-S..._UL225_SR153,225_&refRID=1RRAFMRXKD5H9GBCGND2

 

[Tristan]

The Reebok and Keen looked very similar - I debated between the two for some time, reading comments trying to figure out which would have a wider toe and less support. Also most the Reebok's I saw had a big bright Reebok symbol on them, though those black pair do not (did not see that all black pair before). As I mentioned though I already pulled the trigger on the above Keen's so I'll see shortly how they are.

 

[Tristan]

Well the Keen Destin is a bust. Nice looking shoe, sole is fairly flat when the insole is removed (although there is a elevated heel on the inside, glued down, but feels like you could peel it off easily), some toe spring typical of most shoes. But too narrow. I went a full size larger than I normally measure, 10, and got it in EE even though I don't normally consider myself to have wide feet. Still, way to narrow. And the edge of the steel toe was not around all my toes, it actually hit the front of my pinky toe and the side of the next toe in. And pressed in on my big toe too. I can't believe one full size larger and EE width and the toes are so tight.



Back to drawing board with less than 2 weeks to go...

 

[Tristan]

FWIW I also just tried out the Redwing 'King Toe'. On another forum, besides Redwing being heavily promoted, it was said for a wide toe to go straight to their King Toe models. I didn't want to spend Redwing kind of money but saw they had a smaller oxford style shoe that was king toe, and price I could swing if it truly was a great shoe. Well the store had my size but only in standard width. The toebox was wider - not uncomfortable at all or rubbing but not like I could spread my toes around either. Not sure if the wide width would be a wider steel toe too or if it just effected the rest of the shoe. What bothered me though was how massive the soles were, even with insole removed. And the shoe had quite a bit of toe spring. Actually the whole base was curved like a crescent - the heel was somewhat raised inside then curved down in the middle then up on the toes. That was really awkward right away.

So far looks like I'm just going to have to get some more life out of my old pair, high heels and all, and hope it doesn't throw me off to much for my race the following day.

 

[Tristan]

Well just a follow up with what I ended up with. I had identified some possibles online, but reluctant to chance something I couldn't try on in person, with not enough time left before my trip to order another. So after shopping around locally without any luck I went back to the Redwing store. Was going to try some more of their King Toe models. Coincidentally there was a pair of boots on a display in the middle of the store that looked even wider than King Toes. And they weren't king toe. But side by side they were actually wider. After finally matching them up with the correct product (they weren't labeled) I figured out they were #4423 http://www.redwingshoes.com/red-wing-shoe/4423-red-wing-shoes/4423-red-wing-mens-6-inch-boot-black Aluminum toe, but I don't think anyone would tell the difference (not even sure if the company differentiated between steel and aluminum toe anyhow). I didn't need waterproof, but at that point beggers can't be choosers - it was the day before I was leaving on my trip, and I only showed up to the store the last 15 minutes they were open on Sunday. They had a bit of a heel, and a bit of arch support, but removing the insole helped both of those (took out the arch support almost completely). The heel was still less than ideal, and I thought maybe to shave it down on the bandsaw, but decided last minute with the boot on the bandsaw to not take a chance of messing them up before the trip since my bandsaw often tracks off crooked. Now I am back I may yet try and if it cuts crooked I might be able to get it back straight by sanding. In any case these were mostly comfortable and had plenty of room for my toes. In fact I went down a half a size compared to my last 2 pairs of boots, and still had extra room and unnecessary length I probably should have went down a full size.


The width difference in the toes with my last pair is HUGE!





So sometime soon I will try and shave off around 1/2" of the heel and see if it flattens these out a bit. The other thing that bothered me was the toe spring, or at least the curvy shape of the bottom. Maybe taking a bit off the heel will help that, and wearing some more might unspring them a bit. At times it felt like the middle of my foot wasn't even touching the bottom, with the heel raised up a bit and toes curving a bit up to. They were a bit hot being waterproof leather, not sure if they made a non-waterproof model of the same (wish I had more time to research that before a bought em). I like the lacing system, and the back of the ankle has a nice rubber armored section also with a nice knob (for lack of better term) that you can hold down with your other foot or something while you pull your feet out, plus a pull strap for getting your feet in.

 

[Wide foot Mark]

I've been on the same quest for quite some time now. Best thing I have been able to find was a suggestion through the Correct Toes website. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like they fit my workplace's strict guidelines for safety toes, as they only hold an ASTM F1677-96 rating. They look like pretty much the holy grail of safety shoes to me:
Birkenstock A-640 Steel Toe
http://www.zappos.com/birkenstock-a-640-steel-toe-by-birkenstock

The other option I was looking at is this more traditional looking boot by Rocky. They claim the toe box is the "Widest Oblique Toe Box in the industry" but I was honestly looking for something closer to zero drop and American made with better reviews. They do, however, have the higher rating of ASTM F2413-05
ROCKY MOBILITE STEEL TOE WATERPROOF WORK BOOTS
http://www.rockyboots.com/rocky-men...oots/FQ0006114.html?dwvar_FQ0006114_color=21#

This might be a little late to help, but maybe it can be useful for a future purchase or for someone else looking for a similar work boot.

 

[Tristan]

FWIW the wide toed Red Wing I got are ASTM F2413-11, M/I/75/C/75, EH and American made (I noticed some of the other Red Wing shoes were no longer american made).

Those Birkenstock look very interesting, shape looks good, just too much heel. The Rocky boots look like they suffer from what most conventional 'wide' shoes do... it looks like they are wide throughout, not wider at the toes. If the toes are actually wide enough that means you might be flopping around the rest of the shoe, unless you also have a really wide midfoot and heel (mine are pretty slender). But it's hard to tell from the few pics.

Right after I bought mine, someone also posted on the barefoot/minimalist group on FB about steel toed shoes and someone did link to some slip on steel toe shoe covers that might allow you to wear a more minimal shoe within. I don't have that link handy, FB is blocked here at work.

 

[Wide foot Mark]

Unfortunately, while slip on steel toe shoe covers meet OSHA regulations, they don't meet ASTM regulations which state that the steel toe must actually be a part of the footware in question. If I could wear those, I would do it in a heartbeat.

I did just find a shoe website that states that the steel toes in the Birkenstocks have a Steel Toe Rating of ASTM F 2413-05 I/75 C/75 while the ASTM F 1677-96 is listed under standards met. Perhaps those are actually 2 different things completely and I would be okay. Time to email the manufacturer and find out what the difference is, I think.

While the Birkenstocks do appear to have a pretty sizable heel, the website I found out about them from
https://nwfootankle.com/resources/111-Shoe List
does claim that they are zero drop. I have come to accept the fact that any safety shoe work will let me wear is going to be probably heavier and more rigid than I would like, but zero drop and wide at the toes would be a significant upgrade from what I wear now. If they let me give them a try, I'll report back here. In the meantime, I'll have to go try on a pair of those Red Wings.

 

[Romani]

I may give a go with LEE , reading customer reviews like
"sole wears away quite quickly and is quite thin" it gives a hope.

 

[Kyrrinstoch]

Wide Foot Mark - I had a pair of the Red Wing 2234's and their King Toe was great for my wide feet - I wear their 9 H width (Yes, H width...).

However, I found they had the problem of having a very soft, padded sole like a running shoe and it was VERY easy for me to (painfully) over-pronate because of the cushioning. I ended up replacing them with a pair of their 1171's, which are a pull-on boot with a harder, denser, conventional style sole and far less cushioning, which my feet are MUCH happier about.

Your best bet would be to find a pair of safety shoes/boots that fit well, but use a conventional sole that you can take to a shoe repair shop and have them modify or replace the sole with something more to your liking.

 

[Tristan]

I may give a go with LEE , reading customer reviews like
"sole wears away quite quickly and is quite thin" it gives a hope.

I'd be more concerned about the narrow toes. I doubt I could even fit in those without my toes being crammed inward.

While the Birkenstocks do appear to have a pretty sizable heel, the website I found out about them from
https://nwfootankle.com/resources/111-Shoe List
does claim that they are zero drop.

I find that hard to believe, but maybe it is an optical illusion. I know some times there looks to be significant heel on the outside, while the inside might be lower and flatter. But just looking at the slope of the middle between the heel and forefoot looks to be very pronounced angle to the footbed. Hmmm. I like that website though!