For the last half dozen years or so, I have worn the Nautilus sneaker type shoes with steel toes and external met guards...Rick Burton made me aware of these and I have worn them in all but the coldest Maine Winter months.... In June of this year, I had an 1800# tranquilized draft come off the hoof stand and land squarely on top of my right foot, shattering the met guard like it wasn't there and cracking my first metacarpal bone.... I said ouch... Trying to get back to work, I had a hard time finding anything I could get my foot into because of the swelling... that's when I found these Rockport shoes with an internal met guard and a composite extra wide toe bucket..... I gotta tell you.... these things felt like slippers as soon as I put them on and I'm finding the composite toe bucket is much more temperature friendly... not as hot in the heat or as cold when it freezes as the steel toes were... I have had several horses step on them and the met guards seem to work at least as well as the external ones did, but they don't trap all the crap under them and don't look so wonky..... I'm still wearing them now in December and find that they are warm even the other day that it was 11 deg F inside the barn..... just thought I would share the info... best damn work shoes I've ever had... Dave here's a link: http://workingperson.com/rockport-m...-composite-toe-work-boots-rk6465.html#details
Dave, thanks for sharing this. I've been wearing steel toed Wolverines for years. The steel toe in them is a little uncomfortable, and they cost a lot more than the Rockports. I'm going to give them a try when the Wolverines wear out or piss me off. Regards
Metatarsal bone.... Sorry to hear that you got hurt. Imagine how much worse it could have been if you weren't wearing the boots. Dave, how much do they weigh? I've tried the internal met guard boots before and didn't think they provided as much protection as the external met guard ones, both in strength and coverage across the foot. Do you find these boots to hasve wide coverage across the foot to protect, especially, the outside of the foot/5th metatarsal?
Rick.. they are as light as the Nautilus are.... much more support though, more boot like than sneakerish... I don't think the met guard covers the edges as well as the external one might... Oh..if I didn't have the boots on, she would have crushed my foot for sure.... I finished her right when it happened, went to the hospital and was shoeing two days later...... I see guys shoeing in sneakers and just shake my head...... Dave oh ya....that bone..LOL
Ditto. Except I learned real quick that they can't have too muc of a heel. Wore out a nice pair in less than six months because the heels rolled over. Buddy gave me hell for two months until I got some new ones. The new shorter heeled boots are doing much better.
