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If your job requires you to be outside this winter, then you are probably going to need a pair of insulated work boots. Snow, ice, freezing rain and temperatures can make your feet miserable, and even result in assorted health problems. Before heading out to buy a pair of insulated boots for work there are a few things you need to know. Here is how you can keep your feet warm and dry, and still be safe this winter season.
How to Choose a Pair of Insulated Work Boots
There are several different styles and types of insulated work boots to choose from, which is why it is important that you ask yourself a few questions.
How cold will the temperature get?
Obviously the colder the temperature, the warmer you want the boot to be so you will want to consider the insulation. One tip to remember is that higher gram ratings mean more a warmer work boot. The best insulated work boots will use Thinsulate, a thin insulating material that is effective at keeping your feet warm without adding weight.
Will you be in rain and snow?
Not all insulated work boots are waterproof, so it is important to take this into consideration. Insulated footwear can use a leather lining that is also waterproof, while others use a Gore-Tex material. There are also insulated work boots that use both types of linings.
Do you need additional safety features?
This is an important question since it deals with your safety at work, and should be considered carefully. There are insulated work boots with steel toes, but you will want to consider what type of environment you will be working in. Steel can transfer cold to your feet easily, and make you miserable if it gets wet. For comfort and protection the best work boot reviews suggest choosing insulated boots with composite toes. The plastic does not transfer cold, even when wet, and will still give you all of the protection you need.
Once you have answered this questions you are ready to find an insulated and protective pair of work boots.
Brief Explanation of Insulation Ratings
The most common and effective type of insulation for work boots is Thinsulate, and the material is rated according to how warm it will be able to keep your feet. One of the advantages to this material is that it is lightweight, and will not make the inside of your boot cramped or uncomfortable.
Thinsulate Ratings
- 200g– This is the most common rating for insulation, and is ideal for marginally cold temperatures. Normally found in standard insulated work boots, it is ideal for jobs that require a lot of physical activity.
- 400g– Ideal for moderately cold temperatures, and jobs that do not require physical activity. It will keep your feet warm, even when you are not creating body heat.
- 600g– Able to keep your feet warm in ice and snow, this level of insulation is ideal if your also not moving around a lot.
- 800g– Designed to keep your feet warm in below freezing temperatures it can also weather snow, ice, and rain.
- 1000g– This is one of the highest levels of insulation commercially sold, and is used by anyone who is frequently in below normal freezing conditions. Workers in Alaska and further north can often be found wearing this level of insulation during the frigid winter months.
Now that you know what to look for you can keep your feet warm and dry this winter, even if the rest of you is freezing.
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