Steel cap boots - Never again

[Korkt]

I've been wearing steel cap boots for ever for no other reason than - if you want a pair of tough boots, you buy steel caps. Regular old leather an steel with a thick sole.

On Thursday I picked up a pair of new more modern boots by Keen. Waterproof, mesh, fancy gortex and plastics and all the rest.

After wearing them for the weekend, never again with a pair of steel caps I'm saying.

More comfortable, but without the extra weight my legs are really thanking me after 2 days on the weekend wearing them.

2c for anyone interested in boots.

[Chronos]

Have to agree.

I've been wearing leather steel caps every work day for near 25 years. They're comfy enough but come time to go bush I ditch them in favor of light weight synthetic gortex boots. Your feet stay drier too.

Chronos

[Warrigul]

I've been wearing steel cap boots for ever for no other reason than - if you want a pair of tough boots, you buy steel caps. Regular old leather an steel with a thick sole.

On Thursday I picked up a pair of new more modern boots by Keen. Waterproof, mesh, fancy gortex and plastics and all the rest.

After wearing them for the weekend, never again with a pair of steel caps I'm saying.

More comfortable, but without the extra weight my legs are really thanking me after 2 days on the weekend wearing them.

2c for anyone interested in boots.

I can see where you are coming from, I often go after rabbits in my sandshoes.

I still wear steelcaps daily, yes lightweight boots are lighter but they are NEVER as waterproof as properly maintained high legs and gaiters.

I have done a lot of extended walking in work boots and never had a missing sole, split stitching, cracked sole or torn out eyelets. Which can't be said for many of the people I have walked and hunted with over the years. I am pretty good at wiring up other peoples footwear with a sharp awl and tie wire or fishing line.

Steel caps do chill your toes sitting around at night.

I am appalled at the lack of ankle support in some of the lightweight walking boots nowadays.

But each to their own, I have tried the alternatives(I even wasted $350 a couple of years ago) but found them lacking as the sole split and they were no more waterproof in long wet grass and snow(less so).

Each to their own but a new hunter shouldn't let a lack of "proper" walking boots stop them from getting out there.

As a tip I have been using bamboo fibre socks lately and your feet don't sweat or stink.

[Lorgar]

I have a pair of the Keen boots too, the 'Ketchum' ones.

Super comfy, rugged as they need to be.

Not 100% waterproof like Warrigul says but you really have to get them in the mush to get water inside so no real complaint there.

[Combat_Wombat]

I usually wear my slip on steel caps shooting but a month ago I went for a trip at the inlaws place and had to borrow an old pair. They had been sitting in the cupboard for 2 years and half a hour in both soles came off.

Since then I've bought a cheap and nasty pair of high top hiking boots and if they are good I'll splash out for a decent pair

[North East]

I use Mammut hiking boots. Not exactly cheap but Gore Tex lined, great support, comfortable and good grip. I've worn them in the snow and wet conditions an no signs of leaking. Depends how much you want to spend I guess, good boots are never cheap….and generally you will regret the cheaper ones.

[tom604]

i use both,work supplies the steel caps and i have a pair of lightweight hikers, the hikers are good but i usually use the work boots as thats what im wearing at the time

[Combat_Wombat]

Got to add that steel caps are brilliant for booting suckers when you come across a mob suprised I haven't been drafted to the VFL after some of the kicks I've made.

[brett1868]

Maybe I'm showing my age but I always liked the Army GP boots for going bush. Used to soak a new pair in hot water for a few hours, then put on 2 pair of socks and wear them till they dried. After that they were moulded to my feet and perfectly comfortable for years to come.

[Westy]

I had a pair of steel caps on earlier this year when the d**khead brother got his quad bike stuck on the side of a cliff on a log. Told him to ride the bike down the hill and I'd get his heap of s**t of the logs, well not being that great on the quad I managed to run over my own foot and the boot pulled the steel cap onto my big toe crushing it and yep the nail has almost grown back 9 months latter!!!! Won't be wearing steel caps on the hunt again or maybe I'll just leave boofhead and his quad behind next time around!!!LOL

[agentzero]

well not being that great on the quad I managed to run over my own foot

Tell me he got that on video

[Westy]

well not being that great on the quad I managed to run over my own foot

Tell me he got that on video

Sorry mate but I think they heard me in Sydney!!!!

[Bourt]

I managed to run over my own foot and the boot pulled the steel cap onto my big toe crushing it

Just as many stories of them cutting toes as saving them.

[Gwion]

I use Mammut hiking boots. Not exactly cheap but Gore Tex lined, great support, comfortable and good grip. I've worn them in the snow and wet conditions an no signs of leaking. Depends how much you want to spend I guess, good boots are never cheap….and generally you will regret the cheaper ones.

Yep... Mammut... co comfy (after wearing in). Warm and as dry as you can get. I am told you can get the resoled as well, but that is just hear say and there'll be a number of years before mine need any work.


By the way. There is no such thing as a water proof boot. They all have dirty big holes in the top of them!

My last pair of boots were Salomons. Loved them to! Lasted 8+ years of regular use (no city/pavement wear saves the soles).

Wearing steel caps at work is bad enough; bugger wearing them out bush too! Wore a pair of steel caps on a hike once... ONCE, that is. Took them off and went bare foot for the last 5km, my feet were just that cained, it was more comfortable and less painfull walking with out them after 20 odd KMs. I have never had a pair of work boots that were comfortable to walk in. Never fit right at the front of the boot and aren't designed for constant load bearing.

[Streamline]

Just as many stories of them cutting toes as saving them.

Truck reversing over the foot seems to be a popular one.

[headwerkn]

Steel caps are mandatory for pretty much all industrial/construction work sites. Fortunately the only time I've had my foot run over (dad in our Patrol while doing my paper run at the age of 14) the cap held.

I wouldn't dream of wearing my Blundstones in the bush hunting or hiking as the overall foot support is lousy, as is the grip. I make an exception when woodcutting though... one time while cutting in the wet of winter I got smart and wore my Goretex Scarpas... sure enough, managed to zip them with the chainsaw when cutting up branches for stove wood. Never again. Though I must say, silver silicone worked wonders for a repair, and the boots still don't leak.

996698_10152435881657542_1400189115_n.jpg (103.15 KiB) Viewed 5949 times

[Warrigul]

I managed to run over my own foot and the boot pulled the steel cap onto my big toe crushing it

Just as many stories of them cutting toes as saving them.

I think the important thing to remember that if there is sufficient force to turn the cap over then the toes would have been mangled beyond reasonable repair anyway. Often what happens without steel caps is the boot crushes under the force of the vehicle then the toes are friction rolled around the foot doing further damage.

It's a bit like the old seat belt arguments, safety glasses etc or even how harnesses kill and you are supposedly better off falling ten meters than getting hung up in a harness(there are options).

I wear steel caps at work, most of the time in the bush and on walks.

Never a problem, no foot issues etc as most sites and unions won't accept crap workwear any more. I have heard a lot of office workers, soft arsed draftsmen, apprentices and other types complain but most of them are just not used to the weight or do relatively little walking at work, some just need to harden up.

Each to their own, some people are never going to adapt to steel caps.

[Chronos]

Steel caps are mandatory for pretty much all industrial/construction work sites. Fortunately the only time I've had my foot run over (dad in our Patrol while doing my paper run at the age of 14) the cap held.

I wouldn't dream of wearing my Blundstones in the bush hunting or hiking as the overall foot support is lousy, as is the grip. I make an exception when woodcutting though... one time while cutting in the wet of winter I got smart and wore my Goretex Scarpas... sure enough, managed to zip them with the chainsaw when cutting up branches for stove wood. Never again. Though I must say, silver silicone worked wonders for a repair, and the boots still don't leak.

996698_10152435881657542_1400189115_n.jpg

lucky one that

funny though, any time i drop anything at work it never hits the steel cap and always lands on the top of your foot where there's no protection knowing my experience the saw would have taken the steel cap clean off without a scratch

Chronos

[Westy]

some just need to harden up.

This I love

[wictor]

silver silicone worked wonders for a repair, and the boots still don't leak.

The silicone has actual silver in it? What's the point there?

[Tiiger]

I think the important thing to remember that if there is sufficient force to turn the cap over then the toes would have been mangled beyond reasonable repair anyway.

Yep.

If the cap wasn't there to cut the toe off, it would have gotten pancaked anyway if there was that much force coming down.

[headwerkn]

The silicone has actual silver in it? What's the point there?

It's just the colour - I'm pretty sure it has no actual silver in it. We use it to fill/seal up seams and gaps on stainless steel work. Used carefully (with soapy water to ensure a smooth finish) it looks rather good.... and of course fills in minor gaps when your measurements are off a few mm

[sha]

Anything that masks your cock-ups is always a plus