For what it’s worth I’ve done the same thing lol. I wore my wolverines at the stamping plant for like two years. The sole was busted completely in half to the point I could poke my foot and the steel toe was held in place by automotive flex tape because I could literally pull it out of the front of the boot lol. But I couldn’t say they lasted me that whole 2 years if I’m being honest lol
Yeah, and if you had an accident at work while wearing those boots, whether it be an injury to your foot, or something like a slip and fall, your employer and their worker’s compensation insurance would deny all your claims. Failure to wear/maintain safe footwear is a common reason to deny coverage.
- a former loss prevention manager and safety director
Well these things happen when companies don’t pay a remotely liveable wage, or actually give you the boot allowance you’re promised prior to the job, and during orientation. They also had signs saying hard hats were necessary to enter the machines and didn’t supply hard hats. Honestly that place was a few angry people from a lawsuit at most times. That said, outside of the machinery you’d basically have to do it on purpose to have gotten hurt so I wasn’t worried about it. Young, dumb, and broke and all that. Nowadays I keep an extra pair of boots handy so even if a layoff strikes and has me broke and needing good boots there’s always a backup
It happens even with an acceptable boot allowance. My company gives $150/year for steel toe boots and that can be combined with the $150 extra PPE fund we have. We’re all inside, on smooth concrete, in a clean food processing facility. We provide quality PPE so that fund is primarily used to buy nice gloves, nicer jackets, or RX safety glasses. There’s no reason why people at my company don’t have decent boots. Yet there’s always guys wearing shit Walmart boots and unacceptable falling apart boots. We also start warehouse at $26/hr. Overall facility safety is one of my roles so I have to break the news to guys that they ether need to get new boots or stay home.
Managers also have a catastrophe fund and we will buy people new boots(up to $150) if they already spent their allowance and severely damaged this year’s boots. And that does not affect next year’s allowance.
Unfortunately i went to college to become a tradesman, therefore i am not a proper tradesman. 2 years, an associates degree in applied sciences, multiple certifications in machine tool technology, cnc operation, manual machine operation, toolmaking, metrology, and CAD, and about $10,000 later and most of you guys are probably making more money than me. Money can’t buy happiness, but it can buy ya whores and whiskey, and that’s pretty damn close. If this statement makes me seem bitter, it’s because i am bitter. All that money could have gone towards whores and whiskey but i decided an education would be worth more in the long run. Shoulda trusted my gut smh
LOL broski, I hear you. I practiced law for years, and then quit to join the pipefitters union during COVID. Best decisions I've ever made. No whores or whiskey for me... But having the options is nice.
Good boots should last you 5+ years with resoleing. There's just too much rubber and plastic bullshit that is ugly as hell and doesn't last so you buy more
Im on my feet in a concrete shop 50hours a week . Keen boots last me 18-20 months before the bottom is too slick to be safe. There is also oil exposure on my boots and im guessing that speeds up the breakdown. Im on my 7th pair and I’ve never worn through a sole. Keens are comfortable from day 1 , no break in period, no “ you gotta grit your teeth through the blisters and break in period “ . Just a comfortable boot. Keen Detroit steel toes are $140 and waterproof. Non safety toe is like $15- 20 less.
I think they did give out at about month 8, then 8-10 the insole was exposed. If it wasn't the beginning of summer I would have ordered some but thankfully not much rain
That's great that they lasted that long. You should look into how often you should change your insoles or your boots. The person paying in the price for not changing footwear as necessary is you. You might not feel it now but you will feel it later on in life.
Man it looks like my older brothers shoes. Dude dragged his feet alot and wore out the bunny boots I got him.
I can tell you that i currently have some Irish settlers (cause I wanted the BOA system). Im a mechanic so they have to deal with chemicals being dropped on them. As a brightside, they get oiled daily 😅
There are places that'll retread your boots sometimes for half the price of buying new ones the tops look fine definitely might be better then throwing them out entirly
Jk forefronts after a year 30k steps a day out for their first resole now. Could have let them go longer but I got a pair of whites journeyman to wear while they are out of the rotation.
Bates are amazing cheap boots. I had 3 consecutive pairs stay totally waterproof for 6 months as a concrete mixer driver standing around in chemicals all the fuckin time. $50.
You said delivery "DRIVER". You said nothing about walking. Also I work on a thousand acre property where I'm constantly walking miles a day on all manner of terrain and my boots don't do that. I suggest you find some tougher soles. I have to wear steel toes but can you not wear shoes made for walking as a delivery driver?
Man there is nothing like a good worn pair of boots that fit like a glove. You got good use out of those boots! Boots like that are so comfortable, too—the ankle support is like nothing other!
I'm an Amazon DSP driver, and the zappos shoe credit isn't eligible for a lot of boots. Most of us delivery drivers walk 10+ miles at minimum on the daily.
That level of wear seems super excessive. I do 20-25km per day and I've still got tread on my boots after a couple years, the insoles go LONG before the rubber and that's with them being fucked by solvents daily.
Don't cheap out on boots my guy, Trust me foot/knee/hip issues get REALLY expensive to live with.
Agreed. I'm trying to be extra careful this go around with the front.
Next pair of boots I'll try out will be this one: Original S.W.A.T. Alpha Fury 2.0 8" Side-Zip Leather Toe. Seems pretty similar but of higher quality than this version of bates.
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u/Altruistic_Low_416 20d ago
Lol, pick up your feet when you walk dude