Protective toe caps – Facts and myths

State-of-the-art materials, special alloys and production techniques mean that we are now able to produce protective toe caps that are thin and light, yet still able to withstand extreme loads; however, steel is still the most common material used for protective toe caps. Steel protective toe caps are extremely hard and difficult to damage.

Our shoes have experienced a thing or two in their time. We receive reports about bricks falling on feet and feet stuck in mechanical presses on an almost daily basis. However, one of the most impressive stories tells of a railway worker, whose foot was rolled over by an empty freight wagon. With a normal shoe, there would not have been much left of the foot; however, thanks to his safety shoes, the man was able to return to work just a few days later.

The feet of all the victims in these cases owe their toes to protective toe caps. Every safety shoe must have a toe cap that can sustain a load of at least 15 kilonewton of force and that is quite a lot. 15 kilonewtons is equivalent to a 20 kilogram piece of metal falling on the protective toe cap from a height of one metre without resulting in any deformation or posing any danger to the wearer’s health.

Metal toe caps are still superior to plastic toe caps in the majority of cases.

The myth that plastic toe caps weigh less

There are three types of material to choose from when manufacturing protective toe caps: steel, aluminium and plastic. Each of these materials has its own specific features and advantages:

  • Steel: Steel protective toe caps are extremely hard and difficult to damage. They are heavier than aluminium or plastic toe caps, and bend under pressure, without breaking.
  • Aluminium: Aluminium protective toe caps offer the same protection as steel, but only weigh about half as much. They are therefore used mainly in lighter, more sports-oriented safety shoes. As with steel toe caps, aluminium toe caps bend under high pressure, without breaking.
  • Plastic: Plastic toe caps are an alternative to aluminium toe caps; however, in order for them to withstand the prescribed loads, they have to be extremely thick. The thickness of the toe cap makes the shoe look slightly bulky and possibly not very elegant. Contrary to with metal toe caps, plastic toe caps give way as of a certain load. Plastics toe caps are used in shoes that have to be absolutely metal-free.

Steel toe caps weigh about 100 grams, whereby the weight may vary slightly depending on the size. Aluminium and plastic toe caps only weigh about half as much; however, the weight difference only has a minimal effect in terms of the overall weight of the shoe.

The myth that steel toe caps cause cold feet

All of our shoe models have a lining material between the foot and the protective toe cap. The lining material has an insulating function and prevents heat from escaping to the outside. However, despite this good insulation, our hands and feet can still get cold when temperatures outside are very low. Why is this the case? If the body is unable to produce sufficient warmth, then the blood circulation to hands and feet is reduced, and they become cold.

Conclusion: Cold feet cannot be prevented by the use of plastic or metal toe caps. Instead, one should make sure that the body is protected against the cold with breathable, insulated clothing so that the blood circulation to hands and feet is ensured.