Footwear

Footwear

Safety footwear is specified by rating rather than by look, and the code on the boot tells you what it will actually do. S1P covers a steel or composite toecap plus a penetration-resistant midsole, which is the standard site requirement and what protects against a nail through the sole. SBP is the lighter equivalent. S5 adds full waterproofing and is why rigger and wellington styles carry it, and CI marks cold insulation for outdoor winter work. Beyond the rating, the style decides comfort over a day: safety trainers are lightest and suit a warehouse or a van, dealer boots pull on and off without laces, lace-up protector boots give the most ankle support, riggers pull on over the calf for wet ground, and steel toe wellingtons cover farm and yard work. Fit matters more than any specification, so allow for a work sock, and replaceable trim-to-size insoles are worth having since the supplied insole is usually the first thing to wear out.

Portwest supplies most of the range including Steelite Protector and Dealer boots in S1P, Steel Action nubuck dealers, Neptune rigger boots in S5 CI, PVC and steel toe wellingtons, merino and extreme cold weather socks and Actifresh insoles, with Scan on Viper SBP safety boots, No Risk on the Panther safety trainer and Leon Boots on ultra lightweight wellingtons. Related departments are Workwear, Protective Wear, Personal Protective Equipment, Trousers and Jackets.