If you
want to protect your toes at work, finding a pair of boots to get the job done
isn’t difficult. With the introduction of composite materials and asymmetrical
designs, most modern safety toes are barely noticeable.
If you
want to protect your metatarsal bones, however, that’s a different story. Met
guards have come a long way in recent years but most are still overly
restrictive and cumbersome.
As a result, met guard boots are generally only worn by those who really need them
i.e. miners, welders, and those who simply aren’t given a choice by their local
health and safety department.
Today,
I’ll be reviewing a met guard boot by Keen, the Mt Vernon. Is it possible to
protect your met bones without sacrificing comfort?
Comfort
I like
me, you’ve never worn met guard boots before, the first thing that you’ll
notice is that the lacing system is a little bit more complicated.
The good
news is that’s actually pretty much it. There’s no noticeable addition to the
weight of the boots. And there’s still plenty of room for your ankle to bend
before the guard comes in contact with your shin.
In other
words, the only time that you’ll notice the guard is when you’re lacing it up.
Like most
Keen boots, break-in time is minimal, slightly stiff the first day but nothing
that will stop you wearing them immediately. Size-wise, I ordered my usual size
and they fit as expected.
The
safety toe is made from steel rather than composite. But it’s cut
asymmetrically so there’s still plenty of room in the toe box.
Below
your feet, there’s a TPU stability shank, an EVA footbed (insole) designed to
match the contours of your feet, and a PU outsole. I’ve worn a number of Keen
boots with this combination and all I can say is that it works.
Shock
absorption is some of the best in the industry. And this translates into a boot
that should keep foot fatigue at bay regardless of the length of your shift.
Safety Features
Both the
steel toe and met guard meets ASTM F2413-11 standards. This means that whether
you feel it or not, your metatarsal bones are well-protected. The sole/heel
provides electrical hazard protection. And the outsole has enough slip
resistance to pass ASTM F1677-96 Mark 11 testing standards. There’s also a
well-defined heel in case you spend time on ladders. Basically, they have
everything except a puncture-proof sole.
Insulation/Waterproofing
The
uppers on the Mt Vernon utilize a waterproof membrane called Keen. Dry. It’s
designed to repel water while still allowing your feet to breathe. The upside
of this technology is that it will keep your feet dry in wet conditions without
overheating them. The downside is that they’re not waterproof enough to stand
submerged in water and they offer little to no insulation against the cold.
Style
External
met guards and casual wear obviously don’t belong in the same sentence. For on
the job wear, however, they’re a lot more stylish than I was expecting. The met
guard doesn’t change the overall shape of the boot. The leather looks high end.
And the combination of cascade brown leather and cream stitching works.
Customer Reviews
The Mt
Vernon Met has a score of 4.6/5 on Amazon but it’s only been reviewed 10 times.
The original Mt Vernon, on the other hand, looks identical and has been more
thoroughly tested. It’s been reviewed 93 times for an average review of 4.3
stars out of 5.
Verdict
The Mt
Vernon Met combines the comfort that you’d expect from a high end Keen boot
with a met guard that’s barely noticeable. The uppers are waterproof but
breathable. And even with the external met guard, it still manages to score a
few style points.
It’s a
little pricey. It’s a little light on customer reviews. But it’s still an easy
boot to recommend for anybody who works in an environment that puts their
metatarsal bones at risk.
If you want to know about Clark Desert Boots, then I suggest you check out Shoesspark. I hope it will help you to know more information about these boots.
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