Steel Toed Boots

B

Bruise Lee

Joined
Aug 4, 2002
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I manage a rental facility which is rented out almost daily for parties. We have a bar at my facility, so dealing with drunks is not uncommon. Unfortunately, our rental agreement does not require clients to hire security. Unfortunately it is not uncommon for me and my staff to have to deal with belligerent drunks. I've had drunks rip the thermostat out of the wall, I've had to confiscate contraband, and my staff and I have been threatened on multiple occasions. Did I mention the fights I've had to break up and call the police in on? (I always carry a phone on me.)

I was thinking back when I was a kid guys used to wear steel toed boots to give them an edge in a fight. I was thinking since I'm not allowed to carry any real weapons, a pair of steel toed boots or shoes couldn't hurt if I were ever attacked. I would prefer shoes that would blend in with a suit, since that is what I am required to wear at work. Comfort is also very important since its not unusual for me to have to work 13-14 hour days.

Can anyone recommend a model of shoe or boot to me? I do have years of martial art training, so I am pretty good using my feet. Come to think of it, I can think of one time on the job where I really could have used steel toed boots. I was stacking supplies on our storeroom shelves, when the damm thing collapsed, and I literally had to jump backwards to avoid being crushed!

Bruise
 
I worked out in the field from '80-'98 and always wore Red Wings. They come in several widths and are pretty comfortable. They might have some models that are a little dressier. http://www.redwingshoes.com/ I see some of the younger guys at our office now that wear Dr. Martens. I tried some once but they were a little wide for me.
 
HiTech makes some low cut with safety toe cap that seems to be very confortable. If you are looking for something that looks more domesticated, there are some very discreet uniform like shoes that have hard plastic toe caps, they have a lesser degree of protection than steel but they fit the bill from the A$$ kicking point of view. Most decent industrial suppliers carry them.
Doc Marteens have definitely a big "nose" and they look funny if you where a uniform that doesn't call for cluncky footwear.
Fausto
 
Check out police/law enforcement suppliers as well, they usually offer "uniform" oxfords with reinforced toes.

I always thought that the actual advantage in an altercation would be minimal, actually. Most kicks are delivered with the bottom of the foot, the instep, or the heel.

Still, getting your foot stepped on is a very real possibility in a wrasslin' match with a drunk!
 
Check out some Justin workboots. I have a pair of them on right now and they're very comfortable. Even for 12 hour days baling straw, my feet don't hurt.
They come in a few different types of leather and are a lot different style than most workboots/steel toed boots.

Try here if you don't know where to find them,
http://www.justinboots.com/BOOTS/default.asp?sDiv=01&sGender=1&sType=150&sSubType=267 Don't see the same type I have there, but mine are a few years old. I'm sure the new ones are as good or better. I also have a pair of the cowboy workboots, and crepe soled ropers. They make damn good boots :)
 
I've worn Wolverines and CAT steel toes.

My work pair of Wolvies lasted 3 years working in a gravel parking lotted lawn+garden store along with farm work. My second pair lasted a year as a nicely polished pair of everyday boots and another year as work books.

My current set of CATs are kept nice and worn all day walking aroud campus and on my feet at work.

Get a nice set of leather ones and keep them clean and polished. I wear mine as dress boots on a regular basis and no one really notices the difference between those and dress shoes, plus they're a hell of a lot more comfortable.

You are right about them giving you an edge in a fight. I've had to use them once or twice to deal with some people at concerts that can't enjoy the music sober and decide that my friends and I want to mosh when we are no where near the pit. A quick jab to the knees using the toes will take them down and then some stomping with he soles or a steel toe to the temple makes them think twice.

You will need to keep them laced nice and tight (they arent sneakers) otherwise the boot will shift when you kick and the steel will come back and hit your foot. I would also assume that you know how far you can go to subdue the rowdys and that you have a decent relationship with the local PD. Steel toes will break bones if you have the legs to move them.

PS Dr. Scholls work insoles make them even easier to wear all day.
 
I think Cat makes a steel toed tennis shoe that would be good for someone that was on his feet alot. As a martial artist wouldn't a good snap kick to the groin followed by a elbow smash to the jaw do the trick. :D
 
I actually own two pairs of steel-toed boots but they are not used for sinister purposes. I just don't want any car tyres rolling over my toes which actually happened once many years ago.

The culprit, a woman driver, looked at me (as if I had done her wrong) and said; "I didn't see your feet!" So much for an apology.
Fortunately, my toes survived to tell the tale.

Hence, the ownership of several pair of steel-toed boots. :D
 
If you look in the men's shoe section at any Sears store, they have a decent selection of steel-toed shoes, including dress models, athletic-style shoes, etc. These are designed for "executive" level folks who still have to visit worksites, etc. I've worn a pair of the black athletic shoes when doing High Gear or FIST suit drills to protect against intentional or inadvertant stomps to the instep.

The best part is the price is quite reasonable - about $50 for the cross-trainer-type shoes.

I recall a post on another forum quoting an article from a skinhead-type publication where the author said he expected to spend time in jail and his steel-toed Doc Martens would not be taken from him and would be a last line of defense.
 
Im very happy with my Danner Ft Lewis steel toes, they aint cheap but they should last me a lifetime with a few resoles and they are comfy as hell.
 
Regarding steel-toed shoes being protection against getting run over, I'd like to say that I've heard of it happening to plenty of people without steel-toed shoes. I've never heard of any damage, probably because the tire distributes the weight over a fairly large area on the shoe, and does so during the whole rolling incident.

I'd worry more about cheap steel caps deforming under the weight and severing toes.
 
Pricey at $130+, but worth every penny spent!

Working around semi's and train tracks, they bring a sense of satisfaction, and comfort, in an otherwise dry environment...

1 pair, 4 years, still going strong...highly recommended!

Mel
 
Originally posted by Steven Roos
I wear Doc Marten's Industrial steel toes boots. They are awesome!
Click to expand...

Another vote for DM's here. If you are on your feet all day they are heaven. They last better than any boot I've tried and they look cool.
 
Good Evening All-

C'mon, guys...shoes as weapons depending on the construction of the toe? In a knockdown, drag-out fight, you're not going to notice a performance difference between any pair of typical street shoes.

Posted by Nevarmore:
"...A quick jab to the knees using the toes will take them down and then some stomping with he soles or a steel toe to the temple makes them think twice..."
Click to expand...
We are talking about your customers here, aren't we? Wear a pair of shoes appropriate for a suit. If traction is of concern, take them to a cobbler (when new) and have him cement a rubber bottom to the leather sole once they've been scuffed-in. Use the money saved to train using hand-to-hand, kubotan, or flashlight techniques.

If you keep the shoes nice and polished, you'll eventually climb to the ranks of management and you'll be able to effect policy change wherein renters will be required to provide their own security. This will ensure the rental facility stays in better condition, legal exposure is minimized, and more money is made both for you and the facility owner.

No flame intended, but this thread would be an eye-opener to an outsider.

~ Blue Jays ~
 
I strongly advocate the use of force to deter undesirable patrons.

Its a bar, I would assume you'll get more customers if they know they can drink there without ending up in a fight or dealing with ******* drunks. The nice customers become regulars and drink more often and tip better than the rowdy scum the original poster was dealing with.

I am too young to go to bars, but I have had to put up with idiot drunks and druggies at concerts. They are a menace and do not get any pity from me. I pay $25-$60 on a regular basis to go to shows and enjoy myself, NOT to go and get puked on and shoved around by addicts.

Besides, a well polished pair of black leather boots conveys the same image as a well polished pair of dress shoes. With a bit of explanation, it also shows a lean towards practicality, a willingness to work, and economy ($boots <= $shoes and are more functional).

Perhaps a good stomping would make the drunk realize that too much booze gets him hurt and maybe he should dial it down a notch. All things in moderation.
 
Good Evening All-

Nevarmore, we're definitely reading from the same sheet of music, we're just on different lines of the song. :cool:

According to his description, Bruise Lee is the manager of a rental hall/facility who needs to show-up at work dressed in a suit. In military parlance, that would be his MOS, or military occupational specialty.

He was looking for suggestions on shoes/boots that coordinate with a suit, but that could handle rough treatment, drunks, etc. My feeling is that for the greatest success, he should comport himself as a manager (perhaps with a nice pair of Johnston & Murphy or Allen Edmonds) and deal with the dirtbags using specific security personnel. The other advantage of good shoes is that they can be "rebuilt" once they have seen a good amount of wear.

Not being familiar with his facility, it might be OK to couple a suit with boots...but I know that would never fly at my starched shirt/suit/tie place of employment...

~ Blue Jays ~
 
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