Weight-reducing innovations in safety footwear

The act of walking makes a person ‘heavier’ than when standing still, because the energy required to push off the ground adds a sizeable 30% to standing weight. So, when it comes to keeping work boot wearing teams comfortable and enabling them to give top performance, making footwear as light as possible - while maintaining compliance - offers big benefits.     

Lightweight? But surely to offer protection, when it comes to PPE, the heavier and sturdier the better? Perhaps in days gone by this was the general thinking, but today, anyone at the helm of workplace Health and Safety knows that true safety extends beyond hazard protection through tough and hard material. From Waste and Recycling and Construction, to Groundskeeping, Energy and Engineering - where work boot wearers are on their feet for miles every shift (taking an average of 12,000 steps per day no less) - providing lightweight safety boots is an essential and easily achievable step to enhancing wearers’ daily comfort and safety focus. And when we talk about comfort through lightweight footwear, we don’t just mean immediate comfort. What it offers is protection against long-term issues such as joint pain, lower kinetic chain misalignment, muscle strain, ligament stress and foot fatigue.

Thankfully, safety footwear innovation is developing all the time to ensure that work boots can offer sturdy and durable protection, with added comfort and flexibility that lasts long-term. So, what’s on offer to make that critical foot health and comfort difference for wearers?

Smarter components

Traditionally, steel toecaps and anti-penetration midsoles were the go-to for safety. But today there has been a shift to non-metal safety boot alternatives such as fibreglass. These materials offer the same strength as steel, but are significantly lighter. The added benefit of non-steel toecaps and midsoles is that they don’t conduct extreme temperatures, while steel essentially ‘holds’ the cold and warm, which means they can make feet colder in low temperatures and warmer in hot conditions.

As well as this, non-metal boot components such as fibreglass don’t set off metal detectors if the wearer is working around scanners like those found in airports and high-security settings. So this shift from metal to non-metal doesn’t just lighten the load - it transforms the wearer’s potentially exhausting, uncomfortable and inefficient day into one that’s manageable and comfortable.

Materials matter

Weight reduction doesn’t stop with safety components. The materials used throughout a work boot can make a significant difference. For example, EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) - a thermoplastic material - is both durable and flexible and significantly lighter than the commonly used rubber. Boots that incorporate EVA in the sole or midlayer cushions each step while reducing weight and the wearer’s fatigue, and similarly, opting for PU (polyurethane) material rather than rubber can also shave off ounces, making every step that much lighter and easier.

Upper cuts

Microfibre material, sometimes referred to as ‘faux’ or ‘vegan leather’ is a synthetic material becoming increasingly popular in use for boot uppers. As well as being an alternative to leather uppers, microfibre is supple, breathable, equally water-resistant, and critically around 30% lighter than leather. In fact, the density of microfibre can actually be manipulated by the ratio of different components during processing, so essentially the weight of microfibre can be engineered to match its durability requirements.

And while a lighter upper material might not make a huge weight saving overall, if the boot is a safety hi-leg or rigger style, it all adds up - particularly when worn in conjunction with other weight-saving materials and components.

Designed for comfort

The design of the boot itself is another significant factor in reducing weight. Consider the V2115 Grey Groundworker safety wellington from V12 Footwear, which uses Neoprene - a material far lighter than rubber - for a significant part of the leg shaft. This design choice means workers who cover miles each day are carrying significantly less weight, but still enjoy waterproof and thermal lining plus ankle protection.

Style over substance

An important and extremely simple way of saving weight for work boot wearers is by looking at application. It’s understandable for safety-minded procurers to want to kit their work force out with the highest spec of safety footwear, but it’s common therefore for wearers to be decked out with boots that carry safety features that just aren’t necessary for their role. For example, if someone working indoors on a man-made surface with only minimal impact hazards is wearing a waterproof hi-leg style with ankle protection featuring a chunky outdoor tread, they could potentially be carrying around a lot of unnecessary weight. As a result, the importance of not over-speccing is all too clear when considering comfort.

Is lighter still safer?

So does all this focus on lightness come at the expense of safety? The answer is a resounding no. Because ultimately, safety standards remain, regardless of the materials used. Toecaps, whether metal or fibreglass, must endure a 200 J impact test, and midsoles must resist punctures with a force of 1,100 N no matter what they’re made of. And as long as you’re diligent that you are sourcing your protective footwear from a fully audited safety supplier who is compliant, competent, and trustworthy, light weight can still mean heavy-duty.

A great example of a boot encapsulating this thinking is the new Men’s and True Women’s Fit^TM safety hiker Hyrax from V12 Footwear. Its fibreglass toecap and midsole, lightweight EVA and microfibre upper makes it an incredibly light and comfortable style, but its ESD protection, chemical splash-proof upper and durable water-dispersing tread means it’s a seriously high-performing protective product.

At the end of the day, comfort is not a mere afterthought in the world of safety—it’s a fundamental piece of the puzzle. By choosing lightweight, well-designed footwear, you’re not just protecting your team from physical hazards—you’re safeguarding their morale, well-being and health - long-term. And that’s the kind of safety every workplace should strive for.

For more information on V12 Footwear’s weight-reducing safety styles, visit V12footwear.com.