Georgia Boot has introduced a new composite-toe work boot that meets ASTM F2413 classification and is designed for all-day comfort.
The DuraBlend Sport boots are light brown with 6-inch-high lace-ups. The boots consist of full-grain leather and are waterproof. The boots weigh 1.4 pounds each.
They come in medium or wide widths.
Features include:
- Quick Response Foam removable polyurethane insole.
- Abrasion-resistant DuraBlend Midsole.
- Carbo-Tec rubber outsoles that are heat, chemical, abrasion and slip-resistant.
- Non-metallic safety toe that meets ASTM F2413 protective classification. It also has “Ergo-Fit,” which the company says is designed to match the contours of the wearer’s feet and give your toes a greater range of motion. Impact and compression protection is I75/C75, Georgia Boot says.
- Meets ASTM F2413 electrical hazard standard.
- Georgia Waterproof System that includes interior “high-performance mesh” lining to allow air to enter yet keep water out. Georgia Boots says it offers a 100% guarantee that will be the case.
- Fiberglass shank.
- Non-metallic, combination eyelet and hook hardware.
The boots cost $180 from Georgia Boots’ online shop, which is currently offering free shipping and returns for purchases on orders of $75 and above, according to the website.
My impressions:
I received a pair of the 6-inch lace-up DuraBlend Sport boots and walked around in them for about 45 minutes on grassy fields and on roads.
They are much lighter and more comfortable by far than a pair of steel-toed boots I bought for about $100 from a chain retail store.
There is good cushioning for my feet, and the leather felt supple, flexible and somewhat broken in, although they still need more break-in. A seam in the back was rubbing the back of my ankle a bit. That could subside with wear or thicker socks. I probably should have ordered a half-size smaller than usual, which likely would have kept my heel from moving as much. But I also like wearing thicker socks with boots. I wasn’t wearing my extra-thick socks.
The hardware at the ankle offers a choice of hooks for quick lace-up and eyelets if you want a snugger fit. Since, as I mentioned before I probably should have ordered a smaller size, the eyelets worked best for me. They did make for a much snugger fit to prevent foot movement; of course, that also means a bit of a struggle to get them on and off if you’re too lazy – like me – to unlace and re-lace them when you take them on and off.
I noticed, too, that they actually felt more comfortable walking on pavement than in the fields. It was a 90-plus heat index day here in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, yet my feet were dry at the end of the walk. It appeared sweat was whisked into the interior of the boot.
Another plus, the sole is flat, kind of like tennis shoes, with no indention between heel and front, so you don’t get that wonky heel-toe feel when you walk. It’s much more natural.
I liked, too, that they come in wide sizes. That’s not always the case with other brands.
Also, if you have to pass through metal detectors, these boots won’t cause you any delays.
Another thing to add, Georgia Boot has an amazing variety of work boot styles – including sneaker, slip-on, pull-on, even “wallabe.”
