Foot Protection: Safe Boots and Knee Pads for Farm Work

Foot Protection: From the Safety Boot to the Knee Pad

Wet stable floors, slurry, silage, a bale that slips, a hoof that lands in the wrong place: your feet are right in the middle of it every day. Most of this category therefore consists of boots, and they sit in the two subcategories work boots and rubber boots, linked directly here. Alongside them you will find what you need when the job happens on your knees instead of your feet: knee pads and kneelers.

Boots for the Stable, the Pasture and the Workshop

Under work boots you will find S5 safety boots with a steel toecap and a penetration-resistant sole, the kind required when you move bales, work in the shop or head into the woods. Polyurethane models such as the Dunlop Purofort or the Bekina Steplite weigh noticeably less than classic PVC and insulate better, and some versions stay warm well below freezing. The rubber boots next to them are what you pull on for the parlour, the wash bay and the pasture: watertight, quick to hose down, without a toecap and therefore lighter. Matching insoles and care products sit in the same subcategory.

Knee Protection for Work at Ground Level

Setting a fence post, sealing a drinker, mucking out a calf hutch: on jobs like these you spend longer on your knees than on your feet. The Kerbl ComfortKnee has a hard shell on the outside that spreads the pressure and slides over concrete and gravel instead of catching. The EasyKnee in EVA foam is lighter and kinder if you stand up often. If you would rather not wear anything on your leg, simply put the Kneelo kneeler by Burgon & Ball down where the work is. For the short trip outside there is also the Nora PU clog COMFY, a light garden shoe you can rinse off.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does S5 mean on a boot?
S5 stands for a closed heel area, a toe protection cap, a penetration-resistant sole, antistatic properties and full waterproofing. It is the usual standard for farming, construction and workshops.

Work boots or rubber boots?
As soon as loads, machines or tools are involved, reach for the safety boot with a cap. For milking, cleaning and walking the pasture the lighter rubber boot without a cap is enough.

Hard shell or foam knee pad?
The hard shell has the advantage on concrete and gravel because it spreads the pressure. Foam is lighter and more comfortable when you keep getting up in between.