another boot thread, whites boots?

[gsckorohod]

I'm not a pro and am looking at a pair of Whites smoke jumpers. My question is steel toe/or not. For a firewood guy and yard work/hunting and helping friends at their properties taking down trees should I go with a steel toe? I'm not a fan of steel toe (comfort wise) but understand the safety aspect of them. In searching on hear it and online alot of people don't get them with the steel toes? I keep going back and forth.

Thanks

 

[rymancm]

I have had many pairs of White's Smokejumpers, 12" roughouts, black of course, WITHOUT steel toes and I absolutely love them. Initially I used them wildland firefighting where steel toes are discouraged because they draw heat. Now I use them for climbing and day to day arborist/tree cutting work. I think steel toes would cramp the toebox and squish my wide feet. Having said that, I dropped a pine log on my foot several years ago and, although I didn't break anything, limped around for several weeks in severe pain. I probably would have been fine with steel toes. So obviously I didn't answer your question but I am also curious to see what others have to say. One thing I know is that the leather over the steel wears very fast and pretty soon you are walking around with the steel shining through...

 

[arathol]

Go with the steel toes. Getting used to steel toes only takes a bit of breaking in, getting used to not having real toes takes a bit more.

 

[Icehouse]

I live about 60 miles from Whites Boots in Spokane Wash and over the years have had many pair of their boots. Only one pair of steel toes, really I tried to get use to them but to no avail, had them rebuild and remove steel. Whites has been around for many moons and build great product, getting kind of "spendy" like everything. For awhile they were Whites Outdoors with a fishing dept almost Bass Pro Shop, loved the place, all the high end tackle, trout and bass. What ever boot you get you will like, might try there double or triple sole great for long life. Enjoy Chris

 

[gsckorohod]

Thanks for the insight. Can any of you explain the difference in models? ie Whites, Hathorns and the Hathorn explorer? I know the "whites" are the best but since I am no pro and not in them daily would the Explorers better suit me? They are running 230.00?