Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

Geek Culture / need super rugged waterproof workboots that can take daily abuse and last more than a year (preferably more than 3 years)

Author
Message
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 00:33
Link
Can anyone recommend me a good brand or type of quality work-boots that are water-proof rugged can take a enormous amounts of abuse and last for at least 4 years. The military boots i spent $130 on last year turned out to be complete waste of money. i cant walk trough a simple puddle of water without getting my feet wet. and my work pretty much killed them withing 3 months.

(i should mention i work at an internet provider- my job is pulling and repairing cable setting up networking equipment in dangerous tech areas of apartment buildings)

I am starting not to trust things that claim to be durable and the job i do is based around pulling wires trough basements and attics walking trough badly paved roads there is all kinds of crap-junk i have to walk trough like trashed Stalin-era buildings the attics of which are usually literally a dump of waste-junk leftovers from years of construction/ maintenance work done there. I am talking rusty nails all kinds of sharp metal stuff, leftover junk from construction work . Imagine footwear that walks only on that surface every day and will last several years. I imagine it would be near impossible to no poke a hole trough them walking on that kind of surface but i would really like to find something that will stay waterproof.

If anything is learned from \\\"True Russia\\\" thread is that Russia has very bad roads. And especially during spring there are tons of very deep puddles everywhere that cant always be walked around. and wet feet+socks= bad foot smell and it is very embarrassing when i am working with a client in their home (setting up their internet after i pull the wire from whatever tech area i cad to crawl trough) and my feet smell.

To add more extreme to my list of requirements Sometimes i have to work in basements and often (especially during spring) basements are flooded and not just by water as there are sewage pipes running trough basements as well. I had an apartment once that the basement was flooded shin deep with sewage because the main sewer underneath was clogged, and the temporary solution was to open the apartment stock pipes and let all the waste water flood the basement (which was originally designed as a 2 sub-level underground parking lot and was converted into a regular tech-floor basement where they put all the communications) Anyway, i cant get that smell out of my shoes for months now.

so is there anything that has the capability of walking trough sharp metal junk and not get a hole poked in the boots causing them to stop being waterproof? or am i asking the impossible and doomed to buy new boots every 6 months?

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
CoffeeGrunt
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Oct 2007
Location: England
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 00:37
Link
Iron Man suit. Sounds like your only option aside from growing gills, man.

Stuff I use at work is nowhere near rated for that kinda of abuse.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 00:40 Edited at: 10th Apr 2013 00:40
Link
boots from an Iron-Man suit would probably be good enough.

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Dark Frager
15
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Mar 2010
Location: The Void.
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 00:48
Link
I would just suggest buying some proper heavy duty construction shoes from a company that sells construction tools and all that kind of stuff. Can't name a company from the top of my head, but you know, things like "Black and Decker" etc.

Level 100 Forumer - 456,000 Health, 264,543 Keystroke Power.
Special Abilities: Flame Resistance, Troll Shield.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
CoffeeGrunt
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Oct 2007
Location: England
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 01:11
Link
Up to your shins water sounds like you'd need a pair of wellies, but they're light on the protection as far as I can tell.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Libervurto
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 01:15 Edited at: 10th Apr 2013 01:27
Link
What you are looking for are called "Rigger Boots", at least they are in the UK - the name is because they are classically worn by men who work on oil rigs. DeWalt are pretty good. It's a good idea to buy from a company that also makes power tools (like DeWalt) because you know they really are designed for working.


Back to top
Profile PM Email
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 02:19
Link
rigger boots sound like something that i might look into.

Also i heard some suggestions from my friends about motorcycle shoes

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Kezzla
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Aug 2008
Location: Where beer does flow and men chunder
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 13:53
Link
I have positive experience with Oliver all terrain boots.
They are certainly water proof, leather outer, steel capped and lace up high and tight, they are pretty stable. The soles are thick and heat resistant. I use them for asphalt work and have flogged them for a year now, they are still good to go.

I Worked for a while as a hard rubbish remover, their boot of choice was a brand called Redbacks. they may be a local Australian brand.
we used to clear out builders rubble and demolish parts of houses in them, so they had to deal with things like nails, extremely uneven surfaces, water etc.

Those are my boots of choice anyway.

I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are just missing.
Back to top
Profile PM
Van B
Moderator
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 17:28
Link
You definitely need a good sole protection on them, as well as the steel toe, so really you can't skimp at all on price.

If it was me, I'd probably get a pair of CAT's, like these:
http://www.very.co.uk/cat-supremacy-high-top-mens-safety-boots/654771230.prd?istCompanyId=3bdc6c74-7f2d-4594-839e-e5b39b2661fb&istItemId=wipratip&istBid=t&affsrc=acquisition&aff=google&cm_mmc=google-_-PLA_Mens-_-MENS+BRANDED+CASUAL+BOOTS-_-R2RXe7Sn_23297977977&prdToken=/p/prod13437584-sku23275929-AI&browseToken=/q/c7197&totalResults=1

Damn that's a long URL - anyway don't be shy in asking your employer to pay for them, or pay something towards them. The last pair of CAT's I bought, lasted for ages and they weren't even safety boots. CAT boots tend to have really good, grippy soles while still being comfortable. It's a brand that you can kinda rely on - a big name in construction, so they won't make shoddy products, especially where safety equipment is concerned.

I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more memes.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Libervurto
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 20:12
Link
Quote: "Also i heard some suggestions from my friends about motorcycle shoes"

I don't think motorcycle boots are as robust as work boots (do they have steel toe-caps?) and the good ones will be really expensive. Also, I think you'd look like a bit of a tool turning up in biker boots, but that's my personal opinion. Maybe if you ride a bike you can find a really nice pair that suits both "jobs" but I don't know.


Back to top
Profile PM Email
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 10th Apr 2013 21:03
Link
Quote: "ou definitely need a good sole protection on them, as well as the steel toe, so really you can't skimp at all on price.
"

Dont worry i am not planning to get anything cheap. For me a high price is usually a good thing.


Quote: "anyway don't be shy in asking your employer to pay for them, or pay something towards them. The last pair of CAT's I bought, lasted for ages and they weren't even safety boots. CAT boots tend to have really good, grippy soles while still being comfortable. It's a brand that you can kinda rely on - a big name in construction, so they won't make shoddy products, especially where safety equipment is concerned."


A friend from facebook also reccomended me CAT boots so i am definatley looking into them.

As for my employer they are only willing to pay for my tools. I doubt he will pay for my shoes... Well if the shoes are included in our company uniform which is optional then maybe. But i doubt it will be anything as high quality as cats.

The thing is, the guy in charge of the company warehouse is a corrupt, Bentley-driving scumbag who only supplies us with the cheapest stuff he can get for the funds he is getting. (i heard they have been trying to do something about him but he is friends with the company director or something)

(sorry for the off topic but this is kinda funny)So whenever we buy tools for ourselves, our boss tries to buy it out from us, (the tools you bought are still assigned to you just now the company owns them and will take them if you quit the job for example) Our boss knows that we dont buy crap for ourselves so he is trying to get decent instruments in the company inventory this way.

Quote: " Also, I think you'd look like a bit of a tool turning up in biker boots"
I was thinking the same thing actually. But maybe if they are inconspicuous and look like regular boots lol.

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
CoffeeGrunt
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 5th Oct 2007
Location: England
Posted: 11th Apr 2013 00:23
Link
I'd get work or offshore rig boots as suggested. Those have Health and Safety rigmaroles to abide by, that motorcycle boots probably won't.

As far as I'd guess, motorcycle boots would be built to hold you together in the case of a crash, but probably wouldn't hold up to things dropping on toes, sharp debris in the soles, etc.

In Britain we're legally required to get decent gear bought for us. If someone gets hurt the company stands to get fined so hard they generally buy fairly robust stuff, in my experience at least. I know it's mainly due to EU regs, which I don't actually know is Russia is a part of, funnily. :S

TL;DR, buy industry, avoid cheap, do well.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Phaelax
DBPro Master
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 16th Apr 2003
Location: Metropia
Posted: 12th Apr 2013 18:43 Edited at: 12th Apr 2013 18:44
Link
Quote: "The military boots i spent $130 on last year turned out to be complete waste of money"

Most military boots I've seen are only water resistant, not water proof. I spent $140 on mine and they definitely don't like water. (mine are blackhawks)

You can always spray a water repellent on them as well, it might help.

Have you look at redwings? Expensive but considered one of the top workboots. Mine weren't waterproof, but I had a set of redwings when I did construction. Very durable. Stepped on a nail and it broke the nail rather than going in my foot.


http://www.redwingshoes.com/footwear/filter-gore-tex,red-wing-waterproof



"You're all wrong. You're all idiots." ~Fluffy Rabbit
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 12th Apr 2013 21:30 Edited at: 14th Apr 2013 10:38
Link
Quote: " know it's mainly due to EU regs, which I don't actually know is Russia is a part of, funnily."
I cant say If russian saftey regulations are insanley tough due to high fines for creating saftey hazards or are vary lacking due to noone obeying those regulations half the time.

Quote: "Have you look at redwings? Expensive but considered one of the top workboots. Mine weren't waterproof, but I had a set of redwings when I did construction. Very durable. Stepped on a nail and it broke the nail rather than going in my foot.

"


Redwings are something i am considering yes, Heard a lot about them.

One more thing. An irreplaceble part of my charecter is laziness and clumsiness which causes me to become very destructive
(for example I am in a hurry packing my stuff and i just shove my laptop into my backpack along with an industrial drill and a bunch of other tools because i am too lazy to pack it neatly in a spot where it wont break, and obviosly it will break soon or later so i purchased an old armored tablet computer because i think it can handle being tossed randomly with a bunch of tools and not break on a crowded bus where my backpack is being pressed against the railing bar with a weight of 20 people crammed in the bus)

Basically i was told the other day that workboots like Cats or redwings are for people who take good care of them. And if i buy $250 boots they will also last me 3-6 months because i am too lazy to take care of them and i would be better off buying cheap $50 boots every 2-3 months.

I am not proud to say that i am a complete hobo-pig but i dont deny the fact that i am. Still i would like to put my theory to the test and see if he is right.

But when it comes to work-boots, does anyone else have the same problem i do?

[EDIT]
last 2 days at work have had an insane load on a pair of my boots that i wore to work. Our company bought out a smaller provider so everyone in my office was sent to attics all over the district to reconnect the purchased company's clients to our switches. And unlike regular days, so unlike normal days, last two days were pretty ,much all attics, We had to go trough 5-10 of them in a day. So one pair of my cheap boots is now completely destroyed and unwearable with torn seams on the sides causing all the rocks and pieces of junk i step on to end up inside my boots. This leaves me me with just a pair my army boots which are still in a wearable condition, and a pair of dress shoes which will make my boss and everyone at work to laugh at me as the whole wearing dress-shoes for our kind of work was somewhat of a common joke when discussing our dress code.
The good thing about the pair of boots that were destroyed is they had pads in them that are great for my flat-foot making the army boots at least more comfortable to wear as normally my feet hurt when i wear them.
So the day of reckoning is getting close, i must decide soon before my army boots get completely destroyed.

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 14th Jun 2013 20:07 Edited at: 14th Jun 2013 20:12
Link
Well a month ago around the time i posted this thread, i bought a pair of cheap army boots caled swamps with steel plates and everything, They were great in regard that they were light and somewhat waterproof. I was convinced into buying them because of arguments like i dont deserve high quality stuff because i dont take care of it (isnt that the point of rugged boots is to not have to repair them every once in a while?)
i was told that since summer is coming up and unlike spring my work will be easier on the boots i wear. and they will last me at least untill august.

I was VERY skeptical about their durability but i thought that realistically they could last untill august.

they didnt even last me a full month, The soles are completley shredded and are coming off.

soo i am still open to suggestions

I bet the price of of a pair of cheap chinese sneakers that i can find a pair of cheap chinese snickers that will last me longer than those swamp boots.

Infact thats wat i am gonna do now because i have no money for anything expensive right now (not untill the next salary)

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Libervurto
18
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 30th Jun 2006
Location: On Toast
Posted: 14th Jun 2013 20:32
Link
I'm surprised your employer doesn't provide you with footwear. Have you asked anyone about it? Surely they could at least get you a discount or have some advice about good affordable boots?

The difficulty in learning is not acquiring new knowledge but relinquishing the old.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 15th Jun 2013 21:29
Link
Well everyones shoes here get destroyed so i doubt they know. i know my job provides uniforms.

And i would like to add to the swamp boots topic i talked about in my last post, today my job provided me with the last testamen to those boots before i threw them out. I had to work in the basement which 3 days ago was flooded by a broken sewer pipe.

I walked trough mud and/or human waste, came home barefoot trowing out the boots along the way.

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Van B
Moderator
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 8th Oct 2002
Location: Sunnyvale
Posted: 17th Jun 2013 17:28
Link
Is there a health and safety officer at your work?

If so, speak to them - if they aren't hugely concerned about you having to walk home with no boots, then they shouldn't be employed in any industry.

In the meantime - maybe there's a second hand shop that has some cheap but decent work boots for the time being. Personally, I'd rather buy second hand than low quality brand new stuff. For example, my favorite boots lasted me for years, damn expensive but worth it, I eventually gave them to my brother. They don't make them any longer, so I went on EBay and found an old pair for 1/6th the price I had to pay 10 years ago. To me, that's the right kind of cheap. I could have bought a new pair of boots for the same price as I paid for 10 year old ones, but I already know that these will last longer.

I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more memes.
Back to top
Profile PM Email
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 23rd Jun 2013 02:19
Link
second hand shops in russia only sell clothing. no boots.

As for having to walk home without boots, the weather was nice, and i lived not far from where i threw them out so i didnt mind.

Also, since i threw out my boots after i completed that work order, my workday is considered over and health and safety departments dont give a crap about what i do outside of my work graphic

speaking of health and saftey, there is proboly a department for those concerns but i really never cared too much about my saftey or health since i sort of like danger even tho the job is only mildly dangerous, its somewhat of a thrill to me and taking saftey precautions is a chore that i am too lazy to do. I complete the work orders alone so if anyone can get seriosly hurt its only gonna be me.

A personal rule of mine is common sense is the best and only safety precaution i need.

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
Kezzla
16
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Aug 2008
Location: Where beer does flow and men chunder
Posted: 23rd Jun 2013 06:10
Link
I know that in Australia, if you speak to you health and safety officer about an "occupational health and safety issue" they are obligated to sort it out and fix the issue. I think that is what the others are getting at.

Tell your OH&S guy that you not having good boots is a serious health and safety issue-which is genuinely seems to be. Get them to sort it out.

At least that is what we do here. Australia has extremely strict OH&S laws and the punishments are so hefty that companies just comply as soon as they hear "OH&S".

I'm not a complete idiot -- Some parts are just missing.
Back to top
Profile PM
PAGAN_old
19
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 28th Jan 2006
Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 23rd Jun 2013 12:47
Link
well for now i am using my old military boots that are still intact so i am ok for now

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
Back to top
Profile PM Email
mr Handy
17
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 7th Sep 2007
Location: out of TGC
Posted: 25th Jun 2013 00:59
Link
Quote: "health and safety"

In Russia. Sure.

«Just because you’re unique, doesn’t mean you’re useful»
«If you contributed to the reason for locking, you may now find yourself on moderation, or in extreme cases in the grave»
Back to top
Profile PM
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2025-05-14 22:57:28
Your offset time is: 2025-05-14 22:57:28