For the past week I have been working in a building with hard concrete floors. After three or four hours on my feet I am beat. Spending an equal or greater amount of time on the concrete in my basement shop does not seem to wear on me at all. Any suggestions on footwear for a 6000psi+ flooring environment would be most welcome.
BTW: We have already put down double layers of heavy floor matting in several spots. Helps a little bit but not near enough. Already have Dr. Scholls insoles.
Replies
go out and find a couple of pairs of wigwam socks . you can get them at Dicks sporting stores or any good sports shop, or any sking or hiking shop. + L.L.Bean etc. you might think like I used to that any crew (white socks would do you know the ones that sell for around 5 bucks for 6 pair . well I bought wigwams and have never gone back to any other for the last 9 years . but they are expensive, kind of... from $8.00 to $13 .00 dollars a pair depending on where you get them. but worth it. also only ware them for one day at a time. duh ... and wash them inside out so they get nice and fluffy after holding your stinky feet all day. socks are more important then anyone thinks. and clean ones even more. think about it, nice socks that get flattened all day then worn another day no wonder feet hurt all the time. good shoes good socks and new padding like dr scholes etc. all add to healthy feet . and dont for get wigwams are the best. morino wool and they dont itch there like cotton inside.but better. dogboy woof woofCarpentry and remodeling
Vic Vardamis
Bangor Me
http://www.ravengrove.com
Edited 12/8/2006 10:46 pm ET by dogboy
NEW BALANCE WALKING. Two pairs Change shoes on lunch break.
Steinmetz.
Edited 12/8/2006 11:17 pm ET by Steinmetz
Red Wings. They are the best.
The railway companies actually buy them for their workers so they can work longer with less problems.
Anyone that has used them will still be wearing them.
Hal
http://www.rivercitywoodworks.com
Here's a thread from a couple of years ago on this topic:
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages?msg=17956.1
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"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
to that last post I should have added:
1) Everybody is different in an absolute way; what works for one person may or may not work for another.
2) The solution is likely to be expensive. You really should check in with a podiatrist. But even if s/he finds no specific problem, you will probably have to try a variety of different brands in shoes/boots to find one that works for you. In my case, I probably bought six different shoes before I found a brand that was reasonably comfortable.
I finally found a pair of work books that have been good for me -- Vasque backpacker boots, but they are expensive ($160).
3) Be careful where you buy; most stores hire people that know zilch about fitting and the brands they sell. I also settled on stores that have an ironclad guarantee -- i.e. if the shoe doesn't feel right, even after six months, you can return it.
Thus, I buy shoes at Nordstroms, REI, and Red Wing. All three seem to hire shoe people who know what they're doing, and all will take the shoe back if it doesn't work out for you.
4) After looking at my feet, my podiatrist recommended that I try the "Super Feet" brand of insoles, which are sold by REI ($35). They made a big difference, and I now use them in all my shoes and boots.
5) Somebody in that thread I linked suggested gloucosamine; After checking with my doc, I started taking it, and that too has helped.
In sum, there is no quick answer to the problem. But the best first step is to get an opinion from someone who can give you an informed diagnosis of your situation. That might be a podiatrist, but I know a guy at the local REI who has enough experience with feet to do that -- but he also knows the quirks of different shoe brands, and he has been able to lead me to those that will work for me (like the Vasque).
Good luck.
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"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I'm using Archmold insoles, Thorlo light hikers and New Balance shoes with Abzorbs AND rubber mats on the floor of the shop.
And your feet feel like they did when you were 20 years old ?? <G>********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I dunno, I can't remember being 20. Oh yeah, I turned 20 at Puget Sound Bridge and Drydock during the Seattle World's Fair.
To:
dogboy
Steinmetz
Hal J
nikkiwood
polarsea1
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Thanks to all of you for the swift replies to my post and the excellent advice. Nikkiwood, the link to your 2004 OP and resulting thread was most helpful also. I should be able to pick up shoes, socks, and insoles today. Go feets!
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-Jerry
Hey Jerry,
Here's another bit of information I almost forgot to tell you about.
One of my clients many years ago told me that I should be wearing Clarkes to work in. He was wearing the old standard ones that are wide and sort of duck-like. He told me to buy two pair, alternate them every day, and they would be comfortable and last me at least 25 years. He said he didn't buy his second pair until he had worn the first for 8 years and the ones he had on were 12 years old. They were the only shoes he wore other than his hiking boots when he was hiking.
I bought some, and although they seemed too nice to work in, I did it anyway. It didn't take long before they looked like work shoes. In fact, they looked like work shoes for 12 years! I wore them constantly. When I bought them the guy that sold them to me told me they would last that long. I told him that I was wearing out Redwings every 6 to 9 months and I'd see him as soon as the Clarkes wore out, within the year. He said he wouldn't be there because he was planning on retiring in six years. They really did last 12 years and even then, only the sole wore through because of the rough concrete in the shop I had then. My feet loved them.
They now make a number of different styles, but the really wide looking ones are the ones to buy.
I'm going to buy another pair!
Hal
Hal,
Thanks for the follow-up advice. I purchased two pair of New Balance and have found them quite comfortable. However, I understand from the salesperson at the New Balance store that 6 - 9 months are average life expectancy. At $165 a pair that gets a bit costly. I will check out the Clarkes.
Best to you and yours for a great New Year!
-Jerry
Hal,
Would you be so good as to tell me where you bought your Clarkes boots, and the model.
Thanks!
Pete
Pete,
Since I'm at the shop right now I don't have the model number with me. They are the classic Clarkes though. When you put them on and look down, your feet will look like you could walk through the desert and never sink into the sand. They look wide and round.
Also, they aren't boots. They are shoes.
I originally bought them at an outdoor and hiking shoe/boot store. The last pair I bought about 5 years ago was from Nordstrom's, but I have seen them at other fine shoe stores as well.
Hal
Edited 12/28/2006 12:00 pm ET by Hal J
Naz,
A small addition to all the good advice you have got so far....
Consider shoes with a Goretex liner; or wear Goretex socks with the comfy shoes you choose. Although Goretex is sold primarily as a waterproofing fabric it also retains heat very well, whilst also "breathing" so you won't get sweaty dawgs.
Goretex in the shoes makes a huge difference to cycling in frosty weather and to winter fell-walking - activities that can cause the feet to turn into frozen lead. The Goretex shoe liners keep the tootsies toasty in all conditions.
I read somewhere that standing on concrete is tiring to the dawgs because of its heat-sucking tendency, as well as because of its unforgiving hardness.
Lataxe
I've been wearing a brand of boots sold by Redwing but not the real thing. They have lasted OK. My problem has always been finding comfy steel toes in my size. Besides Redwing , does anyone know of steel toes that fit the bill? How about Dunham? Made by New Balance I think. I hate the steel toes but my employer requires them and I have to admit it's better than taking a sheet of ply on edge on the toes.......OUCH!! Are there such a thing as comfortable steel toe boots?
Thanks ,
-Paul
Ive found Carolina brand steel toed engineers boot to be very comfortable.------------------------------------
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer (1891)
Thanks. I'll look into it.
Happy New Year,
-Paul
I second the vote for the Red Wings. I have a pair that's probably 20 years old and still going. I also have Clark's, but have recently grown to like Ecco shoes and boots better. I took up running a couple of years back and learned about shoes and feet in the process. What the New Balance guy is telling you is probably true; running shoes don't last long with regular use. It's not the soles that go, it's the internal parts that provide the support that break down. My gym guy says 400-500 miles on a pair of good shoes. All that said, a good fit is where the rubber meets the road (pun intended). I think that's why my Red Wings have worked well. They sell many widths, not just "medium" or "wide". I learned about this after getting Plantar Fasciitis, an inflammation of the ligament in the underside of the foot. Trust me, you don't want that.
I'd have to agree with Steinmetz, that new balance are the only shoe that doesn't hurt my feet and also got rid of my heel spurs. Can't figure it out, but they work.
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