Australians are accustomed to tackling tough tasks and working in a rough environment. Factory jobs, mining operations, forestry, lumberyard work, ranching, and farming all require the use of work boots that reach to the highest of safety standards. Additionally, rough outdoor recreational activities, such as hiking, camping, hunting, and dirt-biking, all call for durable and safely designed footwear.
Many of the best Australian footwear manufacturers, like Steelblue, Blundstone, Mongrel Boots, and JB’s Wear, offer enhanced safety features. These companies also give you unbeatable comfort and style. As “comfort” can include health/safety issues like keeping your feet from getting tired out, cramped up, and soaked in sweat, it makes sense to address some comfort features along with the more clear-cut safety features. Some of the most important safety and comfort benefits of top Australian boot companies are as follows.
Toe Protection
Steel-toed boots are a basic piece of equipment that is mandatory in many employment situations. Quality steel that will not bend under pressure is essential. You also need a big enough and properly formed plate to protect the whole end of your foot without making walking uncomfortable. Finally, the metal must be tempered so it will neither freeze your feet nor overheat them during extreme weather. Top manufacturers succeed at delivering these three factors to a much greater degree than the competition.
Touch polyurethane or composite “scuffs” that cover the outside of the toe area also do much to prevent bruising and undue wear. Both square and pointy ended boots can be found with these features. Finally, even where a toecap is not needed, solid construction in the toe area of the boot is one of the chief reasons why some boots are safer to wear than others.
Side Wall Protection
First of all, tough materials like leather immediately make a boot safer for your ankles and the sides of your feet. This is true for any height of boot. High-up boots, however, may also offer “metatarsal guards” to give yet extra protection to vulnerable areas. Secondly, you can also find quality built boots with “elastic sides” that will reduce rubbing and cramping. Finally, since shoe laces may be a tangling or tripping hazard in certain instances, it is good to know that these “safety conscious boots” can be had either with or without laces.
Outer Sole Protection
The outer sole is clearly the number one test of a boot’s safety level and durability. There are many benefits associated with the outer soles of first-rate boots that will save your feet from unnecessary pain and problems. Some of these improved safety features are as follows:
- Thick, layered soles that make it hard for sharp objects to puncture through
- Soles that absorb shocks, reducing stress on feet, ankles, knees, hips, and the lower back
- Treads with a pattern that sheds water and gives greater traction
- Rolling, springing, and “bounce-back” rubber that makes it less tiring to walk and work in the boots
- Sole materials that are resistant to slipping, oil, bacteria, chemicals, acids, static, electric shock, and high heat
Better outer soles mean less chance of injury. They shield your feet from danger and keep you from losing your grip on the floor/ground.
Inner Sole Protection
The inside of the sole is where your foot’s and body’s weight constantly pushes against the boot. Thus, it is almost as important as the outer sole in terms of safety. Ergonomic construction and use of high-tech materials to line the inner sole increase air ventilation, prevent cramps from wrong foot placement, and wick away perspiration.
Conclusion
All across the continent, men and women who work tough jobs require tough footwear. Boots from top manufacturers bring enhanced safety and comfort through superior design, quality workmanship, and use of “smart” materials. The toe, side walls, outer sole, and inner sole are four of the main parts of the best-built boots that accrue the most benefit to the wearer.
