The Best safety shoes with plastic toe cap
Quality footwear is a very important, but all-too-often overlooked part of a security operative’s uniform and equipment.
Operatives are often required to spend extended periods of time on their feet, or to regularly patrol industrial or residential areas.
A security operative’s shoes must therefore be tough, protective, and comfortable. They must resist overheating during summer work such as festivals and outdoor events. However, they must also keep feet warm and dry during colder periods spent manning doors or walking frost-covered perimeters at night. They must also provide protection for those operatives working on factory floors or building sites, or patrolling uneven, sometimes dangerous ground.
A security operative’s footwear must resist slippage, accidental damage, and the kind of cumulative wear-and-tear that would pull most shoes apart after just a few weeks. The shoes of an operative must allow the wearer to break into a run at a moment’s notice (or less), and, paradoxically, support the feet throughout long periods of inactivity.
All too often, protective footwear manufacturers are willing to sacrifice comfort to provide extra protection. This has the effect of making safety shoes feel heavy, hard, and ungainly. Equally problematic are the safety shoes that, though comfortable enough to be worn over long periods, offer little in the way of protection from the elements, or damage from sharp or heavy objects.
With Uvex 1 safety trainers, however, we’ve found that rarest of things; footwear that is as protective as it is comfortable.
2. Why Choose Uvex Safety Trainers?
Uvex 1 safety trainers are specifically designed to offer protection to the feet, without sacrificing comfort.
These trainers are certified (to S1 & S2 standards) as protective footwear. Unlike most other security footwear we’ve reviewed, these safety trainers are not stiff tactical boots or inflexible, thick-soled shoes. They are trainers. As such, they feel like trainers.
Uvex 1 safety trainers are well-ventilated, and generously cushioned, fitting the form of the foot as well as a high-end pair of sports shoes, while still offering comparable protection to that of bulkier, heavier (far less comfortable) shoes and boots.
We believe that these shoes are a good choice for the modern, UK-based security operative because they are expertly designed to provide comfort and protection in equal measure.
In this review feature, we’ll take a closer look at these protective trainers, exploring their unique selling points in detail.
For comparison, we will also examine two possible alternatives from different manufacturers and compare them to the Uvex 1 safety trainers.
Read on to find out why we think these safety trainers can be a great first step towards enjoying more comfort and protection for your feet.
3. Product Overview
These safety trainers come in multiple colours and designs, meaning that they should blend in seamlessly with most security uniforms. The overall look is a pleasing synthesis of fashionable modern design with the no-nonsense functionality of a work shoe.
Making use of steel-free, plastic toe caps that provide top quality protection without setting off metal detectors, Safety trainers can be worn for longer and more comfortably than most steel toe capped shoes or boots. Plastic is also thermally non-conductive, meaning that feet won’t overheat in warmer conditions. The trainers are well ventilated also, which (along with the plastic toe caps) helps feet to sweat less and stay cool.
Uvex 1 safety trainers, don’t feel as flimsy or lightweight as a regular pair of trainers. In fact, they are sturdy, well-made, and actually a little on the heavy side (weighing 1kg – about the same as a small bag of sugar). This is heavier than most trainers, but lighter than some tactical boots. With the extra weight, however, comes an added sense of security and protection.
A mixture of ingenious, cutting-edge innovation and meticulous, detail aware design makes these safety trainers an excellent choice for the modern security operative. Whether patrolling a large area at night, or guarding a building site or factory floor, wearers can be assured of comfort, protection, and support for the foot, all in one stylish package.
4. Special Features
In this section, we will examine some of the shoe’s best features in detail.
Protective by Design
With thick rubber soles protecting the feet from sharp objects, and hard, durable plastic keeping toes safe from impact, these trainers have been designed to protect every part of the wearer’s feet from harm.
S1 and S2 certification means that the shoes are reinforced, with a closed heel and an antistatic sole, as well as being both water and perforation resistant.
Comfortable, Ergonomic Fit
To qualify for S1 and S2 protection classes, a pair of safety shoes or protective boots must ‘support the human body individually in its optimal movement’. This means that, among other things, qualifying footwear must not seriously impede the wearer’s natural movement when worn, and must always support the body without causing harm or stress.
Uvex have therefore designed these trainers with the latest physiological research in mind. Accordingly, less stress is placed on the musculoskeletal system by these trainers than a lot of other footwear. Uvex 1 safety trainers offer their wearers a snug, ergonomic fit that’s designed for support and high performance.
The shoe upper is also very flexible. It has no seams, either, so there will be no rubbing against the feet or toes.
Avoid Electric Shocks and Build-Ups
Fashioned from electrostatic dissipative materials (which limit the control or build-up of static electricity), Uvex 1 safety trainers readily qualify for ESD specification with a dissipation resistance of less than 35 mega-ohms. This greatly reduces the chances of electric discharge and related dangers such as shocks or damage to sensitive equipment.
Metal-Free Toe Caps
These metal-free, plastic toe caps are anatomically shaped to fit neatly over most feet, adding to the comfort levels by not only providing an extra layer of protection (and thus, offering peace of mind), but also by keeping feet snugly tucked into place with amazing side stability. Feet really will feel safe and secure in these trainers.
Plastic is thermally non-conductive, meaning that body heat, warm weather, artificial heating, or heat generated by machinery will not significantly affect the temperature of the feet (the excellent ventilation does the rest). This helps to prevent discomfort and sweaty feet.
In addition, plastic does not set off metal detectors on job sites, important buildings, or airports the way that steel toe caps can (and often do).
5. Alternative Options
In this section, we will examine 2 leading alternatives to the Uvex 1 safety trainers.
Black Hammer Safety Trainers (Men’s)
Fashioned from hard-wearing, waterproof leather, Black Hammer safety trainers perform equally well at both indoor and outdoor activities.
The waterproof finish functions very well. These trainers will certainly be able to keep feet warm and dry, regardless of the conditions in which they are worn.
The overall design is basic, which helps to make these shoes a good fit for construction site jobs, city centre patrols, door supervision, or most other professional security activities.
The stark contrast of black leather with orange soles makes a nice visual. However, this look does limit the trainers’ application options somewhat, as they won’t suit every uniform. A plain black option would have been helpful, in our estimation.
The composite toe caps are very durable indeed (even being able to withstand being run over by a car), but do not hamper the wearer’s comfort. These toe caps are probably stronger, pound-for-pound than those of the main subject of this feature.
On the downside, these trainers are a little bit heavier than their Uvex counterparts. Weighing 1.4kg, these Black Hammer trainers can feel even more cumbersome than the Uvex ones. Composite toe caps are still lighter than steel toe caps, but plastic toe caps are lighter even than that.
In addition, some of the materials used to make these trainers are not as good as they could be. For example, the metal loops that hold the laces into place are prone to bending and (although we didn’t try this) it probably wouldn’t take much effort to snap them. These trainers may not therefore be a good option for those who like to pull their laces extra tight.
The soles could also be a tad more comfortable, and the heel is rather low to the ground, something that may not suit the preferences and/or physiology of every wearer.
Finally, although these trainers are warm and comfortable to wear, and are very good at repelling water, they aren’t very well ventilated, meaning that feet can sweat and smell quite easily after just a few hours’ wear.
Overall, this is a very good pair of safety trainers. The main issues with them (flimsy lacing loops, poor ventilation, colourful soles, etc) do not seriously mar an otherwise fine pair of shoes that protect the feet while at the same time keeping them warm and dry. They are quite long-lasting, as well. These Black Hammer safety trainers are a good choice for any security operative.
PUMA Airtwist Low Work Safety Shoe (Men’s)
To those looking to emphasise the ‘trainers’ part of ‘safety trainers’, but still wanting to keep their feet protected, we present the PUMA Airtwist safety shoe.
Design wise, PUMA Airtwist safety shoes are very much more like regular trainers than most other safety shoes we’ve seen. This may make them less popular among security operatives who have to adhere to strict dress codes for work, but for those with more lenient employers/clients, these shoes could represent an excellent option. They can also be worn casually, making them useful for those who don’t always go straight home after work, as well as those who wish to limit the amount of shoes they own.
Despite appearances, this is not an average pair of flimsy athletic shoes. PUMA Airtwist safety shoes will resist heat of up to 300°C, as well as punctures. They also feature non-slip rubber outsoles and double-layer mid-soles that are fashioned from EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) and ‘Effect.Foam’ (which lessens impact on bones and joints, while at the same time offering far greater energy return). They even do well in ESD (Electrostatic Discharge) tests.
These trainers are well cushioned and very comfortable, and are available in a limited range of colours (blue, black, or grey). However, they lack toe caps of any kind. Weighing around 1kg (the same as the Uvex trainers), despite being made from lighter materials (mainly suede, foam, rubber, and fibreglass) these trainers should, by rights, be lighter than both of the others featured in this review. Instead, they weigh the same as the Uvex trainers, yet do not offer the added protection of toe caps. This, we feel, is a minor downside.
Another downside is that the outer layers, made from hydrophobic suede, are somewhat difficult to clean when/if they become muddy, or endure a spillage of some kind. The materials repel water very well, however.
Being PUMA trainers, as well as specialist footwear, also pushes the price up to levels that may not be affordable for some.
In summary, this is a good pair of safety trainers that has been specially engineered to resist water, intense heat, punctures, slippage, and many other hazards as well. Closer in spirit to a pair of running shoes than tactical footwear, PUMA Airtwist are an interesting hybrid of style and safety, representing a fine (if somewhat niche) choice for today’s security operatives.
6. Our View
Many protective shoes and boots either sacrifice comfort for safety, or vice-versa. Uvex 1 safety trainers, however, offer a trade-off that both sides can happily live with.
Comfortable enough to wear for extended periods, yet protective enough to keep feet safe from most hazards, Uvex 1 safety trainers represent the happy compromise we’ve spent years looking for.
This is a good time to buy safety shoes. What was once a burgeoning market filled with ‘half-in, half-out’ options is finally maturing into a comprehensive list of affordable products designed to meet the needs of most consumers. With their appealing mixture of comfort and safety, Uvex 1 safety trainers represent a decent ‘all-round’ option for UK-based security operatives.
Heavy, without being hefty, sturdy, without being solid, smart, without seeming stale, and offering year-round protection (ventilation for the summer months, waterproofing for later in the year), Uvex 1 safety trainers would appear to be one of the last true rarities in modern footwear; shoes that can keep up with you.