ALL Gloves
Editorial | 04 January 2022
Tactical boots are designed for high performance, which can lead to the belief that owning a pair for certain professions is overkill. This isn't true.
Tactical Footwear has a multitude of benefits that are regularly overlooked by industries outside of military and law enforcement. Tactical boots are designed for high performance, which can lead to the belief that owning a pair for certain professions is overkill, or that cheaper alternatives are more appropriate.
So why should those who work in the public sector wear Tactical Footwear? In a nutshell, good tactical footwear offers high levels of protection whilst maximising comfort - both essential when the wearer is on their feet for extended periods. Looking at specific industries, let’s briefly assess the benefits tactical footwear provides.
The profession that tactical footwear is most associated with. Why? Simply put, high levels of protection and performance are required to maintain public safety. Injury to a lower limb, a toe or foot in particular, has a high probability of putting a police officer out of work for more than 7 days, something that can have serious ramifications for public safety.
The amount of time that the police spend on their feet, as well as shift length, make comfort an important factor when choosing footwear. Blackrock’s tactical footwear range features a padded insole to improve comfort as well as a metal free protective midsole that prevents objects penetrating from below and injuring the wearer’s sole, a first for tactical footwear.
A highly pressurised, fast paced environment with floor hazards ever-present. Protective, comfortable footwear is essential to keep paramedics going throughout a shift. Like the police, a paramedic being out of action has knock-on effects on public safety.
Blackrock’s Tactical Footwear range was not only designed to offer unique midsole protection but aid the performance of drivers. The flexibility of the footwear allows the driver to better feel the controls. An important factor when considering how much time a paramedic may spend behind the wheel.
Perhaps not an industry commonly associated with tactical footwear, yet one that requires concentration for long periods of time and can put you in differing environments. As a result, how comfortable and flexible the footwear is can affect a driver’s performance to a not insignificant degree. Dips in concentration when behind the wheel can potentially be fatal and when driving, a more rigid footwear style can be extremely uncomfortable, causing momentary yet dangerous loss of concentration.
The varying environments that delivery and haulage drivers find themselves in means that predicting hazards is extremely difficult, so footwear with good protective qualities is an important asset to those in the industry. Recent events have shown the importance of keeping delivery drivers on the road, as just a small number of workers being out of action can have effects nationwide.
From gate security to door bouncer, long periods of standing are the norm in many security roles, so comfort is an important factor in maintaining a high level of performance throughout a shift.
Standing in one place for extended periods, as security personnel can often do, focusses your body weight downwards, especially on the heel area, and the cushioning properties of the insole assumes a key role. Poor quality, thin insoles will soon see your heel become uncomfortable, whereas a good quality padded insole means that your heel is not forced against the footbed, enabling you to stand in comfort for much longer periods.
Bus drivers, train drivers, platform operatives, ticket inspectors and many more are all expected to maintain a high standard in the public eye, and our day to day lives depend on the punctuality and efficiency of many within the transport sector.
Whilst it may not be immediately obvious to those outside the industry, there are potential hazards in the transport sector, including moving vehicles and treacherous surfaces. Being sure-footed and staying on your feet, especially in wet conditions or in crowds of people, is something that can’t be taken for granted, but wearing footwear that has high slip resistance means that the risk of injury is significantly reduced. Like delivery drivers, comfort also plays a key role when it comes to performance, and footwear that is lightweight and comfortable can provide additional support for the duration of a lengthy shift.
The performance gained by wearing tactical footwear in certain industries not only ensures that individuals can perform their job to the best of their ability but also helps to uphold public safety. On the other hand, the protective characteristics of tactical footwear prevent key workers sustaining an injury which could have ramifications for public safety.
Users should consider tactical footwear where a balance between heavy safety footwear and lightweight comfortable shoes is required, as it offers a happy medium between the two.
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