Evening all,

My brother, who works as a chippy, has asked for some rigger boots for Christmas. Now, I know nothing about such things! And was looking for tips from those in the know…which ones do I get, what brands are best? Cost not too much of an issue, I’d rather get the right ones. Only thing he has said was that they must be waterproof.

Any ideas at all?…

Ive been living in these for most of the year and am loving them

http://www.sba.co.uk/product.asp?ProductID=354#

£55 posted from eBay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280716664614&ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:GB:1123#ht_2641wt_1088

Lots of safety features, hence SB A, S1P and S3 HRO approvals etc. But very comfortable, look good, and not too heavy. The tread grabs clay a bit much, but then dont they all. The reinforced heel is good, as I wrecked my last pair taking them off by standing on the heel.

I bought a pair of Jalettes from a fishing shop in Newlyn about 10 years ago – still going strong.

Used various style of Jallatte and Doc Martin they are a bit of personal thing what fits one person nice won’t fit another.

I’ve got some of these…

http://www.safetybootsuk.co.uk/dewalt-safety-boots-rigger-steel-dewalt-p-79154.html?ad=DewaltRigger

…have worn them through all sorts of shite and they’re holding up well. And they’ll probably match his tools!

Are you sure he hadn’t asked for some de rigueur boots?

Cost not an issue, and you want to jump him up to no 1 chippy , then a nice pair of Red wing engineers boots will fit the bill nicely, budget about £250 should get you a pair, for me cost is an issue so its Jallattes for me off a mate of a mate £25,(£70 full price) last a couple of years wearing 5 days a week.

Dr Martin’s for me mate about £60-70 I think. So comfortable plus last for ages.

Thanks all for the replies, done a bit of searching on the suggestions so far. I think then that cost maybe an issue, £250 is too much!

Liking the look of Jallattes and DeWalt. Are these going to withstand the site banter?

<edit> will look at Doc Martins now.

I find it difficult to get the right fit, as there’s no adjustment. My last pair needed shock-stopper insoles and one and threequarters pairs of socks to be nearly comfortable. And I’d tried them on in the store. Personally I wouldn’t mail order them.

Redwings used to be superb: I felt I could go for a run in them.

are these a complete no?…cant get anymore waterproof than that?

clicky

I;d avoid Dewalt ..got one of their top pairs and they lasted 2 months before the flimsy liner ripped to shreds where the heel rubs on exit/entry.

He will not thank you for them !

Hard to beat jalettes

Just need to get some calcium chloride brine and shrink them to ya feet a little comfy as owt 🙂

Aye kaiser that happened to my latest book in a similar scale of time gutted !

why do people want rigger boots instead of normal boots? Just interested.
I guess they always look a bit uncomfortable to me.

Normal boots have laces, which have lace holes which get full of muck and poo when you’re on site.

Also, laces can be a bit of a hazard sometimes!

Think mine were from screwfix and were only 30 notes. Damn comfy now broken in but some of my sites are now enforcing the H&S ban on them so have to revert to my cold lace up jobbies-rubbish

See, I’ve had a pair of normal lace up boots for about 5 years now. Bit pricey when I bought them but they have been superb. Warm, comfy and tough.

Just bought a cheapo pair of steel toe capped boots from ASDA. I’m starting to make more site visits now and I realised my existing pair were getting a bit tatty. Bet these ones are a bit rubbish though.

jalette all the way.. u can’t really beat ’em

Bludstones

Ha..Ugg boots for blokes….

Whats the H&S thing? We have to wear the supplied gear at work, which are £20 safety boots. The insoles are loose and get scrunched up when putting them on/removing, the laces snap after a few months, soles wear through, the inside of the heel gets torn up etc etc. Is it the fact rigger boots can’t be laced up?

Some guys buy Rigger boots, others wear trainers and try to stay under the radar.

Many sites won’t allow rigger boots these days as they don’t provide much ankle support.

Not much ankle support and if cutting grinding or welding sparks etc can drop into the boots and kill you apparently 😯 Thats seems to be most H&S inspector issues coupled with the fact most are failed tradesman who go on to adopt a total non-sensical mind set….

Also, laces can be a bit of a hazard sometimes!

There are plenty of sites where you wouldn’t be allowed to wear rigger boots as they must now have laces.

Just a word of warning (The safety rep in me speaking!)

Is he aware many companies and sited have banned rigger boots? My company did it several years ago and I know a lot more that have done the same. The reasons are that they are insecure on the feet, lack ankle support and things can fall inside them.

Just a thought 🙂

Chap I know was welding an upright onto a trailer when a big old gob of molten metal dropped into his boots. Made an awful mess of his foot.
So I can perhaps see the point of open topped boots falling out of favour.

Yes, one of our supply chain banned rigger boots on site due to lack of ankle support. You can still wear safety wellies or safety shoes under their rules though……….

My place of work supply these, excellent IMO give you the support of lace up and the ease of on off with zip.
Linky

Many sites won’t allow rigger boots these days as they don’t provide much ankle support.

They tried this at work and when we kicked up and pointed out neither do our waders or wellies they backed down.

Many sites won’t allow rigger boots these days as they don’t provide much ankle support

true many sites will refuse entry – a number of the aggregates sites will refuse entry…

i took my pain in the arse colleague to one and told him not to bring his stupid rigger boots… guess what he gets out of his kit bag at site…

anyhow he had to sit and stay in the site office like a div…

Look for S3 on the specification – which will mean they’re waterproof. As others have said Jallatte are about as good as you’ll get for rigger boots, but some sites don’t like them. I’ve found ordinary lace-up safety shoes from Scruffs to be really comfortable – I don’t need mine to be waterproof and have found their Lightning shoe to be excellent.

Chap I know was welding an upright onto a trailer when a big old gob of molten metal dropped into his boots. Made an awful mess of his foot.
So I can perhaps see the point of open topped boots falling out of favour.

Done that, luckily not that big a piece of molten metal, but it managed to get in the top of a hiking boot. Not that easy to get laced up boot off that quick under the circumstances, had to settle for screaming and dancing instead. The stamping meant the metal kept moving so managed to get lots of burns rather than just the one. In the same week I had another glob of metal jump over my head and down the back of my tshirt, a much funkier dance that one.

WOur region are were going down the line of banning rigger boots, unless i could get a rigger boot which offered similar ankle support as a lace up boot with ankle support. This was following a review of the accident statistics where 70% of RIDDOR accidents involving ankle injury identified that the injured persons were wearing rigger boots.
I have worn riggers, wellies, forge boots, lace up boots, safety trainers, safety shoes since 1991.
Riggers are good in sloppy civils / new build sites where the ground is not capped off. They are crap when the back of the heel starts to sag.

I have sourced a rigger boot which has ankle and heel support, and is also waterproof and insulated. They are Scruffs Cyclone 3’s and i have started wearing them this week. Bit clumsy for first couple of days, then you get used to them. Warm, comfy and waterproof and our site staff who have seen them have asked for me to approve them, so that they can go back to wearing riggers on site. Not much good for refurbishment type works where we are in occupied houses.
I would reccomend these for your brother.

The rigger ban was started by Network rail about 7 years ago – i had quite a few heated debates with their safety managers, asking them to prove that a standar lace up safety boot offered more ankle support.

BTW Doc Martins don’t have a protective mid-sole which is a requirement on most construction sites.

70% of folk were wearing riggers but of that 70% how many folk were injured by their rigger boots ? I wear lace ups now as one of my clients requird it but i see alot more folk wearing riggers than lace ups – you can make stats suit what ever you want them to really ….

as for things dropping in the top, if Im chainsawing/strimming/grinding/soldering ( I dont weld…yet) then I Have my trousers/chaps on the outside of the boot tops to prevent stuff falling in.

Haha exactly stoner – my jalettes are now at home where i wear them for working around the house coveralls over the top when welding or cutting wood

Yep. I should probably have mentioned Im not a site worker so not familiar with site bans of riggers. But for me they are my day to day footwear. slip on and off, safe for all the work I do, very comfy, never really had a prob with support. And they are permitted in the plumbing workshop at college.

Trail Rat, i wasn’t saying the boot was the cause of the injury. It was suggested at our safety meetings that the lack of ankle support could have been a contributory factor. We discussed what could be done to reduce the likelhood of a re-occurence and decided to try a lace up boot with ankle support and a rigger boot with ankle support. we didn’t carry out a knee jerk blanket ban like many of our competitors.
That is why the boots are being trialled.