Need foot wear suggestions

[redneckdan]

I'm a machinist therefore I spend most of my day standing on concrete and rubber matting. I have extremely high arches and the boots I wear have practicaly no arch support. Needless to say, by the end of the day my feet and knees are killin me. Anybody got any suggests as to make and model of boots to check out? thanks.

[Four Fingers of Death]

What can't be beat is to get an orthodic insole made by a proper orthodic bootmaker. It will cost a bit, but will assist your gait, posture and save your ankles turning in as your arches sag, which happens to everybody, but will probably be a bigger problem with your high arches. I use these now and am virtually in pain all the time without them. I wish I found out about these when I was 26 instead of 46.

[carpetman]

In the Northwest the forrest fire fighters just about 100% wear Whites smoke jumpers. These boots are pricey but they are custom made to your foot and are comfortable. I have a pair of Whites hikers that I've had several years and they still look new. I am hard on shoes and tend to run them over on the sides---not these. You have to trace and measure your foot---if you can get their catalog it has the tracing pattern. For some reason they arent too good about sending catalogs. Do google search of Whites Boots and you can see them online. Best footwear I've ever had. Hand in hand get Thorlo socks---they'lll seem pricey too but when you see how long they last they are very cheap.

[TDB9901]

And when your Whites boots do get worn, send them back and they will rebuild them for a reasonable sum, and you can start over. My buddy has worn the same two pairs almost daily for nearly 10 years. One rebuild on each pair, still very comfortable he claims.....

I don't have foot trouble, and get by with the less expensive stuff, but I sometimes wonder if it is really cheaper at that rate......just tough for me to make that first large outlay.....too many toys to buy......

Tom

[357maximum]

Wolverine black souled work boots work well for me and grease and oil do not affect their soul, I have extremely high arches too and it takes awhile before they break in and get real comfy, but they last a long time and are real comfy once broken in. I used to use a shovel a lot and they are the only boots I have ever found not to shed/break their shank and I tried all the big names. They are a tougher than normal break in though...get them soaking wet and wear em till they dry to make them break in faster then coat liberally with beeswax and mineral spirits(sno-seal) while still damp....I do not know if there is a meijers near you up there in EH' land, but the meijers down here in the flatlands carry them...I like the 8inchers but they also make a 6 incher or two.

[ktw]

I had a pair of Whites back when I cruised timber out west. Good boot, but I found the heels on most of their models to be a bit higher than I liked.

Have been wearing a pair of Danner Quarrys for the last five years and really like them.
http://www.danner.com/p2p/searchResults.do?method=view&search=basic&keyword=quarry&sortby=price&asc=false&page=1

-ktw

[waksupi]

I'll second the orthotics suggestion. Then you can use them in any of your shoes. DO NOT buy some of the off the shelf type. They will do more harm than good. They will feel good for a few weeks, and then knee and back pain will develop. The only way to get good ones, is to go to a podiatrist, and have your feet cast. That way, your feet are sure to be set in the proper alignment with your ankles and legs.
I made these part time for quite a few years, and have made thousands. If you have hurting feet, knees, and lower back, many times these will cure the problem.

[redneckdan]

I'll look into orthodics. I'm also leaning toward the whites. Jen has a pair of smoke jumpers and loves them. I'm looking at the smoke jumpers or the packers.

[Four Fingers of Death]

If you look at people's ankles from the back you can see a lot of them with ankles starting to turn in or just about fully turned in. That's a result of fallen arches. Really bad cases, especially with very heavy people will result in the ankle being turned in so far the body's weight is completely on the ankle, not the foot. Bad news and it happen to everyone eventually. Check it out next time you go to the Mall, you probably won't see so much evidence at the uni, because folks are generally younger there. But you will see the problem if you have a look at the general population. If you can stop that, your middle and old age will be a ot more comfortable with less sore feet, sore ankles, knees, back, etc.

[Doughty]

Dan,

Listen up. Don't screw around. If you are having trouble already at your age you need to get to a good podiatrist and get things taken care of before you have some serious problems.

[scrapcan]

The other thing is to buy good socks with some support built into them. It seems like they cost alot but when you can wear the same shoes and feel better at the end of the day jsut by wearing different socks, they are worth every penny.
Look for socks that have heel and arch support and soemthing that is over the calf. And buy a pair that is the right size.

Good shoes are the ticket, but until you find what you like the socks will help. Also may look at a thicker foot bed in the sock.

I have a heck of a time with shoes due to a mishap as a kid. lost the heel on one foot when I jumped off a boat while water skiing and just happened to hit a broken beer bottle that had been thrown in the water.

I was also told that orthotic inserts can cause problems if they are not absolutely correct. If the person making them tries to correct your stance instead of making them fit what you have, they can increase pressure in other parts of your musculoskeletal systems. Think about when you try to do corrrective shoeing on an adult horse, same thing don't do it. Make sure things are right. If you get a set and you notice pains where you did not have any,you better tell the podiatrist.

[Pepe Ray]

Doctor who treats himself has a fool for a patient.
Don't remember who said that but it has always struck me as being from a wise man.
ALSO;; Remember there's a world of difference between pounding on mother earth than there is on b---h concrete.
Pepe Ray

[NVcurmudgeon]

Carpetman is passing out great advice on the Thorlo socks. They are very comfortable and wear like iron. i just threw away my first lot of Thorlos after ten years. I have others five years old and still going strong. Thorlo makes several types so go to a well-stocked outdoor or work clothing store and pick out what suits you. THEN go get fitted with boots. For forty years I had boot "experts" fit me with 7D boots because almost all of them stock only D and EE widths. Then a few years ago a cute little cowgirl in a western store couldn't fit me in the men's department so found the first comfortable pair of cowboy boots I ever had in the ladies department. It turned out I really wear an 8B in a men's size. Then I found that a lot of boot makers make only D and EE. I bought a pair of made to order Russells a couple of years ago. They cost about as much as two pairs of Red Wings, but are well worth it. It took me until I was in my sixties before I learned all the secrets of buying boots that really fit! Think about it, your shoes and socks are the only part of your clothing that can permanently hurt your body. If your feet are comfortable, the rest of your clothing can be rags, with no harm done. Get quality socks first, then the finest boots you can afford. you won't be sorry.

[waksupi]

I was also told that orthotic inserts can cause problems if they are not absolutely correct. If the person making them tries to correct your stance instead of making them fit what you have, they can increase pressure in other parts of your musculoskeletal systems. Think about when you try to do corrrective shoeing on an adult horse, same thing don't do it. Make sure things are right. If you get a set and you notice pains where you did not have any,you better tell the podiatrist.


Sorry, that is wrong. You WANT to put the correction in, otherwise, you are not doing any good. The heel bone should be set perpendicular to the floor. And remember, feet change over time, and they will probably have to be updated every few years.
If you do have pain in the feet with new orthotics, remove them for an hour or so, then put them back in. It may take a couple weeks. What is happening, the orthotics are trying to realign the ankle to where it should be, so stress will be caused mainly on the ankle.
However, if you have pain in the metatarsals, the main joints in the front of your foot, or bad pain in the arch, do go have them adjusted. Sometimes it takes several adjustments to get things working properly for a person, depending on thier natural gait, posture, and physical condition. And, every podiatrist will do the adjustments with no further charges. It is nice if they have an "in-house" lab to do the work, as they will generally get fixed up sooner.

By coincidence, I was shoeing horses at the same period I was doing the orthotics. I saw then and still see today, most farriers aren't worth a damn. They get a keg shoe, and nail it on the hoof, aligning the center of the shoe, with the center of the frog. Or, if doing race horses, they are called plates, and are made of aluminum, with steel grabs.
Wrong. The shoe should be rotated in about 1/4", to actually be centered properly on the foot. The hoof should also be trimmed, to have the highest point at the same place, the foot center.
To show the point, first look at the front of a horses hoof. Make a mark on the center of the hoof. Then, pick up the foot, and lay the shoe on aligned with the frog, as most think it should be. Make a pencil mark on the front of the hoof, in the center of the shoe.
Then place the foot back on the ground, and look at the marks. Yours will be the one on the inside of the foot, showing the proper alignment for the shoe.
Other adjustments can be made by trimming. If a horse is forging, you can shorten the toe a bit, to get them off the ground a bit quicker. This will end speedy cutting. Most don't seem to be able to cut the proper angle. Each horse tells you thier correct angle. Look at a line diagonal along the shoulder, from the top of the withers. That is the proper line for that horse. The shoe properly aligned, and the proper angle, usually add a length, to a length and a half in a half mile race.
I was fortunate enough to work with E.G. Smith for seven years. He wrote the California state farriers manual. It was used for the basis for most state instructional manuals, and is still used by universities and veterinarys around the world. Working with him, I learned things working at various vet clinics, race tracks, ranches, and show horse venues around the country. Plus, a strong dose of blacksmithing, gun building, knife making, silversmithing, engraving, and a lot of other things I don't have come to mind right off. He is the first guy I knew, that could fix a broken leg on a horse.

[longhorn]

I'm a pharmacist, and I spend 10 hours a day standing on concrete and rubber mats, too. I wear Montrail boots/outdoor crosstrainers every day, but I need a wide toebox and a relatively narrow heel--Montrail design. I second the custom orthotics, and cannot emphasize enough the QUALITY socks. I wear only Bridgedale socks, made in Ireland--2 pair. The pair next to the skin are liner socks, wicking moisture away from the feet, the outer pair are wool, and very cleverly designed with extra padding in high stress areas. The entire "system" makes a tremendous difference in the way my whole body feels at the end of the day.

[carpetman]

There you go Redneck Dan---drive over to Montana and have Waksupi fit you with some horseshoes. I've never heard one,not one machinist that was wearing horseshoes complain about their feet. Have you? I've not tried Wolverines,but I really doubt they are even as good as Red Wings--I've had several pair of them and they don't even come close to Whites. One model of the Whites--I think the rancher is the same as the smokejumper except sole is different. I do have the lug type sole on my Hikers and they are bad about picking up mud. I am bad about running my shoes over,but the Whites show no sign of that after 5-6 years. NVCurmudgeon is throwing away Thorlo socks after 5 years? I have em older than that try 15 years. He is correct that Thorlo has wide selection,Ive tried several types and like most all of them. Even the wool blends are comfortable.

[sundog]

I wound up with a pair of Red Wings after my Woverines wore out. I'd like to have my Worlverines back. I've always heard good things about Red Wings, and while they're okay, well, they're just okay. My Wolverines were several years old, so I can't comment on they're current crop. They fit the first time I put them on. I'm still trying to get the Red Wings into the comfort zone. sundog

[357maximum]

The first pair of red wings I trashed, took me two weeks. I was testing density on freshly laid asphalt road with a troxler nuke, and the heat tore them apart in front of my eyes. The second pair was when I was a shoveling fool...them lasted about 3 weeks snapped a shank in the left boot and blew the shank through the sole of the right. I have high respect for wolverines..say what you will.

I would avoid any of the steer boots, they are simply junk...cheap tenni's would out last them..


I will stick with my 8inch wolverines...I am hard on boots and they are like the energizer bunny, when they go it's usually when the leather loses it soul:mrgreen: right at the ball of your foot.

[Ivantherussian03]

Your going to have spend some money. The best boots I ever own were Herman Survivors by wolverine; these were my soldiering boots.

I run around in Danner boots now. Both pairs are ten years old, one set was resoled maybe 5 years past now. They lasted so long because of regular cleaning, and oiling. Danner boots come with an orthodic. They are not custom made but still very servicable.

[Scrounger]

There you go Redneck Dan---drive over to Montana and have Waksupi fit you with some horseshoes. I've never heard one,not one machinist that was wearing horseshoes complain about their feet. Have you? I've not tried Wolverines,but I really doubt they are even as good as Red Wings--I've had several pair of them and they don't even come close to Whites. One model of the Whites--I think the rancher is the same as the smokejumper except sole is different. I do have the lug type sole on my Hikers and they are bad about picking up mud. I am bad about running my shoes over,but the Whites show no sign of that after 5-6 years. NVCurmudgeon is throwing away Thorlo socks after 5 years? I have em older than that try 15 years. He is correct that Thorlo has wide selection,Ive tried several types and like most all of them. Even the wool blends are comfortable.

Yes but Bill probably washes his...

[NVcurmudgeon]

Ray, re-read my post. I tossed the ten-year old Thorlos (heels worn thin) but the five-year olds are still going strong. Time to buy some new ones, I'm not happy unless I have at least a dozen pairs.

[redneckdan]

I was down at the local outdoor shop looking at boots and tried some differnt sizes. I had been wearing size 12s but I tried a pair of 10.5 EE and they fit like a glove. They didn't have a sizing gauge but I think I've been buying too long a boot all along in order to fit my wide feet. I found a pair of red wings that felt okay fit size wise but my feet still contacted at my heal and up near my toes, nothin in the arch.

[carpetman]

What NOT to buy in footwear anymore is ROCKPORT. I use to get pretty good wear from their product. So I bought my wife a pair of Rockports,she is very easy on shoes. These things came unglued with very little wear. Poor way to construct to begin with. They were not shoes she wore year round and she had actually worn them very few times. I called Rockport (good thing)as to return something requires a prior approval number which is to be included on the shipping label. They examine the product and make a determination if it was their fault. Should have been an easy decision--shoes look brand new and have came apart. They finally decided they would replace,but that style no longer made so what they would allow was much less than was paid for these shoes. Guess they werent aware of what these shoes sold for or else their pretty chintzy---I'm guessing the latter. So a much cheaper pair of replacements were selected and after a fairly lengthy time they arrived. In much less time than the shipping the replacements fell apart--cheap glue job again. After much deliberation--maybe up to 5 seconds,I reached a decision to never spend another penny on Rockport products.

[carpetman]

Bill---your quality control is more ridgid than mine----heels are thin on some of my old Thorlos but they still don't sag so I haven't tossed em yet--it is overdue.

[Scrounger]

Bill---your quality control is more ridgid than mine----heels are thin on some of my old Thorlos but they still don't sag so I haven't tossed em yet--it is overdue.

No shortage of wool around your place, eh?

[scrapcan]

Waksupi,

I agree for the most part on your description of podiatry for man and beast. And the gentleman you mention is one of the best. The thing with horse/mule/oxen/pony/donkey feet is that each foot is one to itself and there are no easy rules. You better look at each foot, each leg, and the whole animal before deciding what you are going to do. You have to trim to proper angle and to make sure you are landing flat, that does not always mean that pairs will match or that angles will match. And you can not change the structure on a mature horse after the growth plates have closed, so you better work with the structure that has been in place. The only way to do that is to see the animal over time.

For most clients and farriers that does not happen. I call it shoer shopping, in that they look at only the price and do not do the best for the animal and very few can stay on a schedule so you get things worked out and by the time you get to see them next year you start over.

Race track plating is a world unto itself. I could talk all day about that fun one. Another one is Draft horse shoeing.

And as for changing the bone structure on us humans, the same holds true. Thus the reason some shoes/boots make you sore or cause back pain. It is all about alignment and support. You are not correcting your stance you are correcting the platform you are standing on. With orthotics you are changing the platform not your stance. Look at your othotics and see how they work, they are not chaning you they are changing how you interface with your platform (shoes or boots)

Everyone who is buying shoes for kids or young horses need to not skimp, it means the future.

[waksupi]

Waksupi,
The thing with horse/mule/oxen/pony/donkey feet is that each foot is one to itself and there are no easy rules. You better look at each foot, each leg, and the whole animal before deciding what you are going to do. You have to trim to proper angle and to make sure you are landing flat, that does not always mean that pairs will match or that angles will match. And you can not change the structure on a mature horse after the growth plates have closed, so you better work with the structure that has been in place. The only way to do that is to see the animal over time.

Yes, every foot is different, but there are guidelines to start with, and go from there. We always had regular clients, and saw the horses from the time thier feet were first picked up. Once they get to three years old, you better have any corrective work done beforehand.

Mentioning draft horses! ACK! I don't miss them. They are damn heavy, when they fall asleep, and tip over on you, not to mention the sheer weight you are dealing with.

For most clients and farriers that does not happen. I call it shoer shopping, in that they look at only the price and do not do the best for the animal and very few can stay on a schedule so you get things worked out and by the time you get to see them next year you start over.

Farrier shopping is foolish. Good way to really screw up a horse.

And as for changing the bone structure on us humans, the same holds true. Thus the reason some shoes/boots make you sore or cause back pain. It is all about alignment and support. You are not correcting your stance you are correcting the platform you are standing on. With orthotics you are changing the platform not your stance. Look at your othotics and see how they work, they are not chaning you they are changing how you interface with your platform (shoes or boots)

I do believe it is possible to change the structure of the human foot and leg, as long as the work is began early. I did orthotics for kids that had hardly started walking, but observant parents had seen there was a problem with thier feet, and had the problems corrected. With us old farts, as you say, all you can do is accomadate the misalignment. The pain one generally will feel with the correction, is the muscles, and tendons becoming accustomed to being used in a different direction, than they are accustomed to.


Everyone who is buying shoes for kids or young horses need to not skimp, it means the future.

Now there, is a hard truth you can take to the bank!

[longhorn]

I'll drop this in one more time--I started wearing Thorlo's while a Scout leader (they're official Scout gear, I believe.), still have several pair at the bottom of the sock drawer. Thorlo is second rate compared to Bridgedale! Not nearly as comfortable or long wearing. This advertisement isn't paid for in any way--try 'em, you'll like 'em.

[357tex]

I have to go with 357 maximum wolverines are the best I have ever found.I am a big fellow hard on boots,wolverines last better than any thing else I have tried.Also easy on my knees.Never thought about socks I just always wore cheap white socks.I need to check into that.I need all the support I can get.

[db2]

redneckdan,
6 years ago I bought a pair of wolverine dura-shocks in steel toes. I love them, it feels like I am walking on carpet. My knees and feet quit hurting and I am not as fatigued. I have been known to wear them out bird hunting. In a year or so I will have to buy another pair but 7 years of min. 5 days a week, last two years 7 days a week in chips, Upsilon cutting oil, sunnen hone oil (which is the worse on foot wear, it would curl a regular shoe in a month), and what ever water based coolant we are using in the CNCs. If you do not like steel toes, they are also in the Ansi certified fiberglass toes for electricians.

db2

[DLCTEX]

Redwings for me, current work pair has 5 years of almost daily use. Tried wolverines and didn't care for them. Dale

[redneckdan]

I'm ordering a pair of whites tonight.


On the subject of cutting fluid, check out HoCut 617. Very environmental and operater friendly. great surface finish, out tolerance's tighened .005 just by switching to this coolant. Shelf life is 6months and bacterial growth in the tanks is none exsistant.

[Halfbreed]

well these forums are making me spend money on everything now. Today I ordered a pair of Wesco boots, and bought 5 pair of wigwam socks. I was able to try on a pair of lineman style boots, but they were not steel toed, which I need.
And man did they feel good. The foreman boots with real vibram soles will be in in about a week. these boots actually fit great. found out I have been wearing boots 1 size too long and 2 sizes too wide, what a differance these felt like. Thanks everybody for the great suggestions.
John

[Halfbreed]

Oh man, I picked up my WESCO boots today, what a differance Quality footware makes. These were not custom made, but they sure do fit right. and provide a solid support for walking.
Dan, thanks for starting this thread,
John

[Dark Helmet]

Wolverine Durashocks in whatever flavor suits you, I'm in route sales, stomp concrete over 12 hours a day. Check out Sportsman's Guide!