HOW BOOTS KEEP YOU ON YOUR FEET
One of the most important basic safety innovations in modern work boots is the ability of those boots to keep you steady on your feet while doing fast-paced work on a variety of surfaces. Depending on the work you do, this may include wet pavement, oily concrete, or rough, uneven outdoor terrain. Keeping you steady on your feet is the job of the boot’s outsole, a rugged piece of durable material that sits between a boot’s interior and the ground below.
Choosing the right outsole configuration for your job can save you energy and fight fatigue, help you get the job done faster, and save you from dangerous slips and falls. Slip resistance is so important that it is specifically certified by ASTM F3445 safety standards, and all of Thorogood’s models are built and tested to meet or exceed these standards where applicable.
RUBBER VS. POLYURETHANE (PU)
The most commonly-used materials for work boot outsoles are rubber and polyurethane (PU). Rubber has been the go-to material used in footwear outsoles of all types for a long time, because it is durable, flexible, and resists heat well. Rubber is particularly common in boots made for outdoor work. Outdoor work boots with extra flex and deep lugs to move over uneven ground include Thorogood’s Logger series and the Jobsite series, which use outsoles constructed of rubber blended with EVA to provide extra cushioning and shock-absorption.
Polyurethane is a synthetic compound that has gained popularity over the years in work boot outsoles because it is extremely durable and abrasion-resistant, so it’s able to take a beating for years on the job. More lightweight than rubber, PU resists corrosion from most chemicals over the long term. It resists cold better than rubber, and even in low temperatures it maintains a slight softness that makes it ideal for maximizing surface contact with the ground and absorbing shocks, helping to fight fatigue when working for long hours on your feet. Many Thorogood boots are constructed using MAXWear Wedge™ and MAXWear 90™, our own proprietary PU outsoles that offer maximum durability and grip to prevent falls.
WEDGE VS HEEL
The goal of the outsole is to maximize surface contact and increase friction between you and the ground. The more friction that can be generated, the more grip, and the less likely your boot is to slide. A wedge outsole is flat on the bottom, made from one solid piece of material that runs the entire length of the boot. Wedge outsoles are designed to sit flush against flatter surfaces like concrete, pavement, or wood, distributing your weight evenly to maximize friction across the entire sole. This also makes them the most comfortable work boots for men and women working long days on their feet. Wedge outsoles typically have shallow treading or very low lugs. This allows your weight to “reach” through liquid like water and oil so more of the surface area directly engages the ground.
Many work boots incorporate a 90-degree heel into the work boot. Heeled outsoles are typically used for work involving more uneven terrain, or work that calls for climbing ladders and equipment, as the heel creates a ledge that grabs onto obstacles and holds your foot in place. This is often paired with the use of deep, multi-directional lugs that protrude from the outsole. These rectangular or triangular lugs and the spaces between them allow the boot to grip onto irregularities in the ground, grabbing onto rocks, sticks, and other impediments and hanging on them the way that the heel does with larger obstacles, making work boots with deep lugs ideal for electricians, landscapers, loggers, contractors doing outdoor work, and construction workers.
Boots for work outdoors, logger boots, hiking boots, and hunting boots all use lugs to keep you on your feet on rough terrain. Logger boots in particular feature a taller, hooked heel with extreme lugs built into a flexible (often rubber) outsole. Depending on the work you’re doing, however, deep lugs are not always the better option. On a flat surface like concrete or pavement–like warehouses, garages, factories, and roads–all those lugs actually reduce engagement and friction with the ground, creating lots of smaller points of contact instead of the large, uninterrupted contact a wedge outsole provides. But depending on your job, a heel outsole may be required by OSHA standards.
HIKERS
For tough, fast-paced jobs on variable terrain, and in variable weather conditions, some workers may opt for hiker-style work shoes or boots. Lighter and more flexible, these non slip shoes trade away some ankle support for increased agility, and are often preferred by first responders and law enforcement. Non slip work shoes like Thorogood’s Crosstrex series feature a very slight heel and wrap-around medium lugs that balance maximum engagement on flat, artificial surfaces with the ability to grab onto obstacles on rougher terrain.
TRACTION FOOTWEAR NO MATTER THE JOBSITE
As the saying goes, “Don’t neglect the things that go between you and the ground–mattresses, tires, and shoes.” This goes double for the work boots that keep you protected on the job. Outsoles are the most out-of-sight part of your footwear, but everything rides on them. Your comfort, effectiveness, and safety all depend on that piece of rubber or PU that plants your boots on the ground, and Thorogood works hard to ensure our footwear excels at this basic and important job. Thorogood builds a wide range of slip-resistant shoes and boots, bloodborne pathogen waterproof work boots, cold-weather insulated work boots, protective steel toe work boots, and electrical hazard-resistant boots for every job.
Opting for safe, slip-resistant work boots does not mean sacrificing comfort or aesthetics. There are plenty of options for non-slip footwear to fit your tastes, and Thorogood boots are always built with comfort front-of-mind. Whether you prefer a timeless classic with a round or moc toe like the American Heritage series, Wellington slip on work boots that go on and off with ease, or lighter, more nimble hiker-style work shoes, Thorogood has a variety of job-fitted footwear to choose from.
Many Thorogood work boots are built to be resoleable as well. Because work boots are an investment in yourself and your work, and because after years of grueling use even the best work boots begin to show wear and tear, you may opt to restore your old work boots with a fresh new outsole rather than discarding your trusted, broken-in boots and buying a whole new pair. With resoling and restoration, quality work boots can keep you steady on your feet for many years to come.