Footwear

I got some boots from a firefighting program. Steel toed and the most comfortable thing ive worn. easy to run with too.
 
I love wearing my Vasque hiking boots. They feel safe, I can stand for a long time and they give great ankle support.

But, on the down side, it also turns my feet into little bitty pot roasts. So I try to make sure that if I'm going to be in for 12-15 hours, I pack a couple of pairs of socks. Preferably ones that have a whole lot of cushion. That, with the boots, tend to keep the dogs from barkin'.

Big Gorilla
 
I wear steel toe boots all day, I guess its something I picked up working at the zoo. I have 3 pairs, all Wolverine. I find them very comfterable yet still protctive. Ive had everything from stage weights to golf carts to animals go over the toe and nothing has happened.

Kevin
 
I found an extremely comfortable(for at least 18 hours) steel toe boot, theTimberland Pro Series Pitboss model
 
what are just some good shoes for everyday theatre work. im not too interested in boots but more of a shoe. i love my chucks but then tend to hurt after a few hours and im on my 3 pair in the past 2 years.
 
I wear chucks. I have worn vans in the past and for a few months I was borrowing some no name steel toed boots.....vans: Liked them alot (oh yeah, just a note, this is for all the time + tech use. I don't have shoes just for tech) but they were very thick and heavy. I skateboard and I loved them until....I got some chucks. I didn't skate in them for a while because people told me they'd die really fast, but one day I started. I've learned ho to keep them from tearing up too fast (you are more careful skating and you use alot of shoe goo :) the shoes look disguisting actually from all the shoe goo...) and you can feel the board!! I'm not going back, unless I go with classic vans. I've had these chucks for months now and they are great. the steel toe things, one of my band members gave htem to me because he wanted me to wear them for a show. I started wearing them all the time and steel toes come in handy! not always for protection, but you can rest things on them and they are nice and firm with the footing. Yes, heavy...but it was not that bad after a few days, you got used to them.

wear whatever, be careful. or wear steel toed boots and don't care. it's sorta like focusing lights. You dn't have to wear gloves but eventually you will burn your hand on a really hot lamp and decide to start leaving a pair in the lift.
 
While I dont skate I only wear skater shoes.(save for ins outs) I have wide feet and they fit very well and at my real job where I might be standing for everal hours on end they are ok but with an insole its like heaven. Insoles folks use them and love them
 
I dont really have "tech" shoes :-( I generaly just wear sneekers (I dont do much flywork, most of what i do is sitting behind the light desk or sound board) When i know i have to stand and walk alot, I wear my hiking boots. They are much lighter then steel toe boots and are designed to be walked in all day (I have also hiked up Mt. Washington 3 times with them, not to mention the tons of other trips i have taken).

(and No, I dont skateboard, infact, not too many people in my area do, mountain biking is prefered b/c it is an actual semi-practical way to get from point A to point B (not many sidewalks arround and houses are way to far appart).
 
Over the weekend I bought a pair of REI far too expensive "Outlast" mountain climbing/hiking boots. The break in period given an average of 16 hour days this week and even with premium insoles, is killing me. Still since I don't do stage weights for a living, as long as a tough work boot like boot frame, it's sufficient for most use of it. More important for me is in those rare times when I'm on a ladder, I'm on it all day long and my foot will curle around the ladder rung. For this reason I have instead of a steel toe, a inner foot support plate that prevents bending at this part of the foot.

In addition to this, it was since for other more normal reasons, a hiking boot for large amount of distances traveled in the day in looking at this and that when offering advice on how to fix it. Lots of boots on the market. If you don't drop stage weights on you feet, a steel tip as a rational might not be the best for you.

More important is a work or hiking boot type in that it will for most purposes better resist the stray rusty nail sticking up you will step upon better than that running shoe as the primary reason for a hard sole boot, protect your ankle and in general foot from abuse better than a normal or running shoe, and be designed for walking and climbing upon rough scenic surfaces instad of running.

After that, as said, this inner prevention of the boot bending around the ladder rung has more priority for me than a steel tip. This after also weight in given these boots finally break in, being comfortable to wear.

My last pair of Eastern Mountan Sports boots lasted about two or three years when of a similar design. Good boot.
 
Rocky Boots. I spent five years as a patrol officer at a college and found that Rocky made the best boots around. I usually got about 3-5 years out of a pair while putting 5-10 miles a shift on them. One added advantage to wearing police uniform boots is that they are black. Steel toes are great if you work where there is a need to protect your toes from having things dropped on them or run over. I also own a pair of Dunham dress work shoes with steel toes--I use them as my day-to-day shoes in running the theatre, but they also come in handy if I get stuck in the box office and then have to help out backstage during a show.
 
I've been wearing Iron Energy by Skechers for the last couple years. Steel toes and they come in black.

If you order off the website, no tax outside of California and free shipping. Also, enter the code "save15" and get 15% off.
 
When I first got into theatre tech, I started out as a lowly stage hand. At that time, for some reason, I was really into wearing socks with sandals, so I wore that on the job. It was when I dropped a table on my toe and lost the toenail that I decided that maybe wearing shoes was a good idea.

Because the production was West Side Story, I thought "hey, why not get Converse All-Stars so I can match the actors?" I've been wearing the same pair ever since. Because I still do a lot of work backstage (I do a lot of rail), these work great for sneaking about without being heard.

By the way, my toenail has never been the same since.
 
When I first got into theatre tech, I started out as a lowly stage hand. At that time, for some reason, I was really into wearing socks with sandals, so I wore that on the job.

And if you were on my crew you would have been sent out to buy a pair of proper shoes, gloves, and a c-wrench. Shame on the person who hired you for not instructing you properly BEFORE an accident occurred.
 
Hm, I still need my own c-wrench. We weren't really hired at that point- we were so desparate for stage-hands that anybody could sign up. So nobody really cared what stupid things we did.

These days, when we're just programming light cues or something, we do it all in our socks. This is only when we're not in any danger of stepping on nails or getting squished, though.
 
Just a note on the "Steel Toe Shoes are Dangerous" Myth. The Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel did an episode on this topic. First off they showed that in normal work conditions you are far better off with a steel toed boot. Then, using a fake foot and a hydraulic press they showed that yes you could have your toes amputated by the steel in your boots. However, the force needed to bend the steel was insane. It was so intense that without the steel, your toes would have been crushed into a pancake long before the steel would give. So yes it's possible to have your toes amputated by the steel toed boot, BUT without the steel your toes would be crushed beyond recognition much sooner.

Moral of the story, Wear Steel Toed Boots!!
 
Steel Caps (or toes) i have found are a lifesaver. It's been scientifically proven that it takes almost 1000kg to bend steel toes, so there nothing to worry about re amputation (unless of course you are expecting the orchestra pit to collapse on your foot)

But boots will save your feet in the long run, and they will be really helpful for the long hours on your feet. But steel toes are alot better, both support wise and comfort wise AND protection wise, when compared to sneakers.
 
The good thing about sneakers, though, is that you can sneak in them. Also, they're a bit lighter so it's easier to run around and do stuff (like sprinting up to the spot booth for a cue). However, if you're weighting or building or any other job that might squish your toesies, boots would probably be better.
 
My favorite pair of shoes for doing shows in is my old pair of climbers. Their made for doing mountain climbing, so their sturdy and comfortable, gortex makes em nice and dry, titanium toes, tounges, sides and heels (it isnt fun getting a foot in a crack), and i can stand and walk alll day and feel fine when i get home. Solid leather makes them pretty impervious to most stuff, and their matt black so i dont need to worry about being on stage during changes if something comes up. Their hi breds to so their still nice a queit (made for expidition climbing where your doing faces and treks). Steel toes at least a must though, at least if your doing builds...jjust standard safty. Gloves to...they may look good in your back pocket but having the hand wrapped for a month is no fun...
 
A friend of mine in the UK has a pair of Nike's with steel toes great shoes. I own a pair of Rossi (Adelaide company) toughened toe dress shoes. No steel but extra tough leather on toes. Had a flight case run over my foot without crushing. I don't work flies very often and haven't dropped a weight for several years (I will next time of course now that I've said that)
 

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