Nowadays safety footwear producers are constantly researching and looking for new ways to improve the comfort and wearability of their products. That’s because some safety footwear models are rather bulky and heavy, which begs the question: how much should a pair of safety shoes weigh?
Because there are tons of different products and brands, it’s impossible to establish a standard, optimal weight for safety footwear. However, two pairs of footwear of the same type and offering the same kinds of protection can have very different weights, depending on materials, brand etc. Let’s see what influences the weight of safety footwear.
The weight of safety shoes
The weight of a safety shoe depends from several factors including their size, model and design. The material of which the toecap, when present, is made, has also a great influence on weight; generally the lightest is carbon fiber, followed by glass fiber, aluminum and composite toecaps, and finally steel, which is normally the heaviest. It goes without saying that boots are in average heavier than ankle boots and shoes. Shoes that have metal components and a leather upper can weigh up to 2 kilos, whereas metal-free shoes with microfiber upper can weigh less than 1 kilo.
Just to make an example, steel is about 2,5 times heavier and denser than aluminum, but on the other hand it is sturdier and offers a higher level of protection from physical harm at the workplace.
It should also be remembered that some standards and insurance requirements must be met in some workplaces.
The relevance of weight of safety footwear
In order to choose the right pair of safety shoes for your needs you will first need to consider your profession and its typical hazards, without forgetting, of course, your preferences. It’s obviously highly advisable to wear safety footwear equipped with protective toecaps if your job requires it. As for weight, you should keep in mind the following general assumptions:
• lighter footwear is almost always more comfortable footwear
• light shoes are generally more flexible than heavy ones
• wearing lighter footwear allows you and your legs to feel less tired after 8/10 hours of hard work
Careful, though. Don’t forget what the most important characteristic of safety footwear is: protection. For example, if you need protection against the contact with chemicals, the best material for the outsoles is full rubber, a heavy but chemically stable material. In that case choosing footwear with soles of lighter materials, such as PU, would be a bad idea. The materials of a shoe greatly influence the weight, but protection must always come first.
The weight of safety shoes: outsoles and toecaps
The weight of a safety shoes depends largely on the material of the outsole (also read the article on outsoles). The materials from the heaviest to the lightest are:
• Full rubber (the heaviest)
• PU/rubber
• EVA/rubber
• PU/TPU
• PU/PU
• Single-density PU (the lightest)
• recently single-density EVA has also been put on the market of safety footwear
The material of the toecaps also has a great influence on weight (read the article on toecaps). The materials from the heaviest to the lightest are:
• Steel (the heaviest)
• composite
• aluminum
• fiberglass
• carbon fiber (the lightest).
Finally, don’t forget that the material of the upper has a considerable influence on weight too (read the article on leather). The materials, from the heaviest to the lightest, are:
• leather (the heaviest)
• fabric
• microfiber (the lightest).
Best light weight safety shoes picks by SafetyShoesToday
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.co.uk
Conclusions
The weight of a safety shoe is actually important and depends from numerous factors, mostly related to its materials.
Once you have chosen the safety shoes with the right type of leather, upper, toecap and so on, you will be more protected at work and will have more comfort.
I guarantee you that if wear the right kind of safety shoes you will live a better work experience.
What do you think of the weight of safety shoes?
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