Footwear

well at least you dont have the problem of kids in your school when working on the stage NOT wearing shoes just running around in barefeet :evil: and i get really pissed at them
 
Fun fact- our drama club's called Barefoot. Oddly enough, all of them wear shoes.
Another fun fact- us techies, when left with a lot of spare time, will hang out in the theatre without shoes on (the theatre, not the stage). Many times they get hidden and/or thrown up into the spot booth.
Yet another fun fact- that's how I chose the name "SocksOnly" :grin:

I would also like to learn what sort of excercises you can do to turn loud people into ninja-esque people. Seems like that could come in handy.
 
Im a fan of sneakers, I have a set of hiking boots I wear on occasion, but it is usually sneakers, I tried my chucks for a little but soon realized the traction on them is horrible and not the best when climbing on scaffolding or in the catwalk. Traction is definatley something I consider because I know how many things I climb without the use of a ladder.
 
I agree with Dani, I prefer working in sneakers but I won't deny that a set of boots is definatly a valuable thing to have as well.
 
As we have debated at length previously in this thread, it shouldn't be about what you prefer it's about avoiding injury. As a theater professional safety is the number one concern in everything we do. As far as I'm concerned that includes toe safety too. I might prefer to not wear a seatbelt or a life jacket but I do because I want to keep myself safe.

The truth is if you get out and try some of the new steel toe options you'll find they are VERY comfortable. I've been running around in my new steel toe Sketchers all through the holiday season. Believe me I wouldn't wear steal toe shoes to take my 2 year old to the big downtown department store to see Santa if they weren't comfortable. Like I said in a previous post I just got a pair of Timberland all leather above the ankle boots for work in the shop and a pair of ankle high sketchers for stage work for a total of $135 including sales tax. That's a whole lot less than a trip to the E.R. will cost you.

I had one of those small high school "chair-desks" tip over on my foot about 15 years ago... weighed about 20 pounds max. Besides the weeks of pain, the disgusting looking big toe that turned black before the nail which fell off months later, and the long recovery to normal. I now have an ingrown toenail problem on that big toe. I've had the toenail surgically removed and parts of it killed once but it didn't work. So now I'm talking to a specialist about killing more of my toenail. Believe me it's no fun when you toenail grows DOWN into your toe and not out. If I only would have been wearing steal toes. You work around a lot of things that are heavier than 20 pounds and that could fall from 20 feet+ in the air.
 
I do agree with you but I do think that there's a time when you can use your own judgement to make a decision about what footwear to have.
During get-ins for example, I will always wear my steel toe caps, regardless of if I'm involved in the actual building of the set or not. However when it comes down to calling a show I am much more likely to wear my black sneakers.
At the same time I think that this might be a difference that you find across the pond. Although wearing steelies here (UK) is definatly not unknown I do know quite a large amount of stage crew, carpenters and even flymen who won't wear them.

I do however, fully understand and respect what you're saying. You're perfectly right that our first priority as theatre professionals is for health and safety.
 
I do agree with you but I do think that there's a time when you can use your own judgement to make a decision about what footwear to have.

That's exactly what I'm saying. If your just running a follow spot or calling cues in the booth there's no reason to wear steal toes. However if there is anything around you that could be dropped or run over your toes, then your judgment should tell you to think safety first.

I've been really preaching in this thread because there are a lot of young folks in these forums who think they are invincible. They have no idea that you could still be suffering from a minor toe injury like I had 15 years later... but at least I still have 10 toes. If I had any idea how much pain and hassle my stupid little toe injury would be the rest of my life I would have worn steel toes every day back then. Now the damage is done and I've got to live with it.
 
The Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel tested this myth. The boots held up beyond the highest standard (ANSI 75, which is 75 lbs. dropped directly on to the toe from 6 feet). They could not produce an amputation by crushing the toe. I always wear steel toe boots when hanging lights or rigging, and I have dropped plenty of things on my feet over the years. I trust them with my life (or my toes, at least). Make sure whatever you wear is comfortable and fits (you don't want blisters).

Matt
 
It seems to me like the best thing is to plan a head with what you are doing and your crew assignment. I have always worn combat style boots, both with and without the steel toe, simply because of the strength and weight, they've even saved my skin once or twice; particularly when I was lowering the genie with a couple of new people and it landed on my foot. Overall it's about staying alert and working safely; it's never fun to ask some one to leave the stage because they keep acting up when you're flying pipes in and out.
 
Wow, I'm surprised no one has mentioned Magnum boots.

Having big feet myself, (15US), Magnum is one of the only carriers of "big" shoes... BUT the also have Steel toed "uniform" boots, with *ZIPPERS*.
And my god, they break in in about a day, and are so light and comfortable. The only downside I've found is I can go through a pair in about 6-8 months, Partially prolly because of my weight (250'ish) but my god.

They have a *soft* rubber sole, great for traction on wet ramps when unloading or loading the trucks, and with size zippers, they are SO easy and fast to slip on. I wear my pair constantly, and with their steel toes, well, I know its saved many parts of my foot a few times over. Well worth their price.

And if you cant walk around in boots, quietly, you need lessons. even at my weight, I'm easily the quiest person on my local crew, with my boots on. The loudest thing you'll here is the woosh of the air. Clomp around, it just is harder on your feet, and on your shoes. Sneak around. Be a real Techie-Ninja ;)
 
Im kind of partical to wearing a pair of red wings during construction and setting all sorts up, but during the shows and a few rehersals, I like to pull out my chux, nice a quiet, and i just fly around the theatre...great shoes...
 
Thread revival!!!!!!

Well, I didn't want to start a new thread for an old topic, so here goes:

What does everyone think about metatarsal guards on their steel toe boots? It seems like it woul be a great option, since the steel tips usually stop before the rest of the foot.

Story time: When I was about 14, barefoot and on a beach, I dropped an aluminum canoe on my left big toe. It seems fine these days, and I've never had problems, but it might get me when I'm older, who knows. Anyway, the spot it hit was well above where steel tips end on the foot, and I always worry about dropping something there again, even in my steel tips.

I currently wear a pair of black leather steel tip Ceterpillars. I put a pair of work boot insoles in them back in December and have been very happy since. My family has a history of poor knees, and since putting in the insoles I've worked long, long days and felt fine at the end of them. I love these boots. I keep em oiled too. Heavy protective leather, they protect and support my ankles, I feel more secure in my footing on ladders and grids wearing these boots, much more than I ever did in Converse. For me, boots are a part of my standard tech wear. So that's my current situation.

However, when time comes to replace them, as my soles seem to wear fast on all my footwear, I'm thinking of a boot with the following features:

-Steel tip
-Metatarsal guard
-Full ankle coverage
-Black leather
-COMFORTABLE

Because I love to brood over things before I buy them, and I seem to be a bit anal in having things meeting my requirements, what does CB think are the best, most comfortable options that meet my spec's?
 
During Tech week, light hangs, and preformances: Non-slip kitchen shoes(all flat black and I get them free from my other job), Currently I've got Shoes for Crews brand(SFC) which I have almost work out(Had them since September). Before that I had a pair last for 2 and a half years but I can't remember what rand they were.

For Construction and such, I usually have on my boots on which are not steel toe but I'm usually on the scaffold so I'm more worried about what I've dropped hitting someone in the head than it hitting my foot.
 

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