There is, probably, no better way to show your feet some appreciation than with a comfortable pair of safety footwear. Even if you don't work in factory or warehouse, it makes total sense to protect your feet, especially toes, which can take you into a world of hurt when something heavy drops on them, causing an excruciating, almost agonizing, throbbing pain!
Safety shoes with steel toe caps are, probably, not the first thing that comes to mind but, you would be surprised how comfortable they can be! Take for instance, the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes.
The Galaxy Indestructible Shoes seemingly look like a pair of regular running trainers but, beneath their "sleeper" exterior hides a 13.5cm circumference steel toe cap that measures 6cm long. The Galaxy Indestructible Shoes steel toe cap provides enough coverage to protect the tip of the toes, all the way to the bone-joint of the toes.
Keep in mind safety shoes are designed for quick impacts to save your foot - like dropping something really heavy. Not continuous pressure. That's why people lose their toes if they try to drive a forklift over them, as the steel toe shoes are designed for impact, not load.
The Galaxy Indestructible Shoes don't have a standard tongue. Instead, they have a sock style that allows them to fit snugly around the ankle. You can actually wear the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes like a pair of ankle trainers without laces. The laces that are included are made of standard nylon, weighing 4 grams and measuring 92cm long (3ft).
The Galaxy Indestructible Shoes have six eyelet holes that are reinforced with metal. The eyelets have a punch hole design, although the eyelet holes are not actually punched into the kevlar mesh fabric of the upper shoe. Instead, they are punched into the rubber side wings, which are sewn onto the sides of the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes.
The Galaxy Indestructible Shoes do a nice job of fusing the advantages of running shoes (light weight, breathability and comfort) with the safety features of steel-toed shoes. It's worth keeping in mind though, that the average weight of a pair of running shoes is approximately 270 grams. The Galaxy Indestructible Shoes weigh 890 grams so, these Galaxy Indestructible Shoes aren't really designed for running marathons in them but, they breathe amazingly well, thanks to the upper mesh fabric.
The Galaxy Indestructible Shoes are noticeably lighter than the average steel toe boots though, which weigh around 2 kg. While they are steel-capped, there is no mention whether the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes steel toe caps meet any specific standard such as the EN ISO 20345 standard, which means the steel toe-cap should be able to withstand the impact of 20kg falling from a height of 10.2 metres.
Regardless of the steel-toe rating, the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes toe caps are, indeed, made of very solid metal, which the average user will appreciate since it turns the rock solid front ends of the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes into very destructible weapons. A kick to the shins will severely impair any would-be attacker, bringing them down to their knees.
Besides steel toe caps, you can also get shoes with composite toe caps, which are made of fiberglass. While not as durable, composite toe caps are non-metal so, they don't have issues going through metal detectors, unlike the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes, which will set off metal detectors.
Despite the weight, the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes are as comfortable as a pair of running shoes. Wearing them feels like being air cushioned, thanks to the shock resistant rubber sole, which provides flexibility and springiness to the sole.
The insole inside the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes weighs 25 grams and it's made of a rubber foam material with a thin layer of fabric material on top.
The underside of the front section of the insole is perforated for ventilation, while the heel section is extra padded. The highest part of the rubber sole is the heel, which measures 3.5cm high. The mid-section of the sole measures 2cm high, while the front-section of the sole measures 1.5cm high.
While wearing the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes, you can expect to gain about an inch and a half in height. The height is not excessive so, it helps the overall comfort when walking and running in them. So-called high heel/elevator trainers do give you more height but, at the expense of comfort since high heel shoes are not all that good for the feet. You literary risk an ankle sprain, wearing high heel shoes. The higher the heel, the higher the risk of an ankle sprain.
The side heel of the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes is also reinforced with extra thick rubber, which provides structural integrity to the back sides of the shoe. The back, mid-sides and top of the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes have a softshell, which is worth keeping in mind if you plan to use them as safety shoes.
Because of the soft upper enclosure, the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes won't give you the same protection as a dedicated pair of safety shoes/boots. Compared to regular mainstream trainers though, the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes are tough to beat, quite literary! You can get 20% off a pair of the Galaxy Indestructible Shoes by entering code: NOELP16 or buy on amazon.