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You can tell a lot about a person by their shoes. If said shoes are steel-toed and snake-proof, they might have a thing or two to tell you. While workwear blogs obsess over weltings, the most interesting — and perhaps most striking — category of work boots has gone thoroughly unexamined.
Known colloquially as “muck boots,” this genre of jumped-up galoshes provides both armor and traction to workers whose jobs require hardcore (and often semi-aquatic) protection. But it’s off the clock where muck boots really shine. With a mucky fall upon us, we took the top performers of functional footwear out for a stroll.
Boot brand Dunlop has made protective rubber footwear for almost a century, but we’re happy the Hazmax Steel Toe hit the market after color film. Bathed in an acid slime green, the boot is made from a specially formulated PVC rubber that actually protects you from acid slime (or, in the words of the NFPA 1991 safety standard, “specified chemical, biological, or radiological terrorism agents.”)
For some, waist-deep is more than a metaphor. That’s where LaCrosse comes in. The brand has been producing protective boots for workers and outdoorsmen since 1897. The 32 inch Economy Hip Steel Toe is a symbol of their last legacy. Next time your friend tiptoes around a puddle to save their crispy kicks, show them these.
A British bootmaker known for their “Wellies,” Hunter is the first choice of pastel prepsters and gardening Nans alike. Their Balmoral Adjustable Rain Boots pack a gorpy Vibram outsole and cinchable gusset, giving the standard rubbers a major upgrade. If you slip with these on, it’s probably your fault.
What came first: the muck boot or The Original Muck Boot Company? Either way, the eponymous souter has earned its reputation as a premier muckmaker. The Wetland Rubber Pro Snake is one of the brand’s hardiest models, upgrading the vaunted Wetland Premium with a special rubber compound that makes it impervious to snake strikes.
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