What Boots do you use while running flatbed?

Really ?? Better than a Ford ??

 

Any particular brand there are several and many are like a western cowboy boot I’m looking for boots that don’t go up past the ankle but still slip on as tying laces is a Pita

 

I have a nice pair of lace up engineer boots, the cool thing about them, is they have zippers on the side, easy on easy off. They also have the Harley logo. I don't think they're available anymore, got em at Sears. My truckin' boots are Justin, size 13E, fit like a glove. Got them at a consignment shop for 50$, I guess you could say I stepped in it.

 

So since i am planing on doing flatbed i need Steel toe shoes, does anyone have some recommendations?

Should i Get ones that go further up my leg or is it better to have them more low cut. maybe even more like a tennis shoe?

What about Composite toe toes? would they be fine or would I get Kicked out of a company, shipper, or receiver for not having "Steel toe"?

Laces or no?

Leather or synthetic?



Thanks much in advance!

 

Slip on steel toe or safety toe

 

Sketchers makes a decent starter work boot. They last a couple of years, are decently comfortable and waterproof, and best of all they come in a composite toe safety boot!

I'm a steel hauler, never been asked about what material my safety toe is. I prefer composite over steel, especially in winter. Cold toes suck!

 

I used to wear flip flops but, I find that sandals feel better and I don’t have that uncomfortable feeling between my 2 big toes. The other day I was tarping a 2 12 ft tall pieces of a pallet machine in Pennsylvania when it was 20 degrees out, it felt nice and my feet felt like butter, thanks to my sandals!!

 

I wear one of two kinds of boots.

Bellevue sized to match my feet using the old school foot sizers to order, these are the USMC Tanker's model with the silver inside of them, fuel resistant sole and so forth. Civilian Logo on the heel is the difference here.

In all flatbed work ive used a standard square toe steel toe with anti slip vs fluids model which is generic but lasted me decades. If there were still old time shoemakers (Old shops that can rebuild a shoe by hand for a fee.) I would still have those boots. As it was it would be cheaper to replace them than to have a shoemaker rebuild them with new soles etc.

Slipping is just part of flatbed work. If anything that armor has saved me many times against flying steel edges or chain etc. Nutrition by a thousand cuts to make sure you have the iron inside your blood they say.

When I am on the deck of my rig and dealing with the coils etc my mind is empty. There are no distractions that will cause me to slip or fail to get out of the way if something went flying.

Even what I consider to be regular shoes I have steel toe in them.

A very long time ago I had Army issue ripstop boots for infantry and the first thing we did with them is rock climbing. The cliff at Harpers Ferry is about a thousand feet up give or take to the artillery positions that were there since 1863. Its 40 minutes up and 30 back down.

At my age I wont do that again but I would not be afraid to in similar boots. Things have changed there since my time visiting that area so it is not likely to be a activity that I would deal with again in this lifetime. The fabric failed on those boots inside of 6 months. And thats probably why I don't see those particular boots anymore today. Or they have made changes. They were not very good boots for trucking. The western pair I had featured a inch heel square for clutch purposes or you can set the heel against the metal strip across the hammer pedal to sort of lock your foot in place and have it on the floor what with the engines in those days being inadequate in horse and torque. They were also much better fit into the stirrups on the riding facility upriver from the canal towpath in that area as well. There were two particular horses I kept there and I treated them as I would have treated my own back home or at the farms I worked at in the past. These were quarter horses and use to the mountain terrain. so the boots needed to stay in the stirrups for that.

When I first started I used ordinary shoes, reeboks I believe in those days. And the trucking would just tear em apart. They were good shoes for being on your feet all day, but they were no good for trucking.

 

I have a great pair of redwing steel toes, the 8" tall type I've had so long I can't read the tag. Super lightweight and soft sole, unlined. Boys size 8 iirc and fit a pair of woolies in the winter. Sorel fancy winter boots for rain, mud and snow. Total crime but it's what I have and I can't see saving them for some future I might never get to lol. Both pairs cost me around 250$. IMO boots aren't clothing, they're tools, and I will spend accordingly.
That said however, the day to day footwear keeps going back to sneakers. Last ones were Merrell, these are no names. I replace them every 3-4 months once they start coming apart at the seams. My footing is more secure because they literally mold to the deck or the load, they're flexible soled.
Not sure why boys prefer rigid sole footwear for everything.

 

Lots of boot and shoe info... More than I ever imagined. Basically get something comfortable and safe that you can afford. I ware Romeos 80% of the time. Easy off and on as I dont wear shoes behind the seat. I also have a semi-decent pair of steel toe over the ankle boots. Some places I load it is required. Keep that in mind also some places require long sleeves.