The day I swapped my leather safety boots for composite toe and never looked back

I used to swear by my old 10 inch leather Red Wings, thought they were the only thing that could hold up to jet fuel and grease. Then last summer I grabbed a pair of composite toe Merrells on a whim for $120, and after three shifts I couldn't believe how much lighter my feet felt at the end of a 12 hour line check. My ankles stopped hurting and I wasn't tracking hydraulic fluid all over the hangar floor. Has anyone else made a switch that felt like cheating at first but actually made their job easier?

3 comments

3 Comments

singh.harper13d ago

Yeah but I mean composite toes are great for light work, they don't hold up as well if you're actually dropping heavy tools or grinding near hot metal - composites can melt or crack where good leather just takes the hit.

ericcraig13d ago

I get where you're coming from but I've seen composite toes fail on guys who work around torches all day. A buddy of mine had his Merrells literally warp near the toe after one welding job, and that's a safety issue leather never gave him. Practical for some jobs, sure, but I still think there's a reason the old school stuff hangs around for heavier work.

the_robin13d ago

Dude, same thing happened to me with my old timberlands! I finally switched to some cheap composite toe hiking shoes and after one week my knees stopped popping like bubble wrap on every ladder climb. Composites are just way more practical for anyone not doing heavy welding.