I was thinking of getting a new pair of boots for my job as a volunteer EMT.

I've been wearing the same pair of steel toe Hi-Tec Magnums for years, and they've given me tremendous service. Other than the exterior finish they've held up extremely well. The steel toes have saved my piggies inumerable times (got ran over by an ambulance tire once!) I know I should just get another pair of "cheapo" Hi-Tec Magnums, but I thought I might move up to the Mercedes of boots.

So, which ones to get. The closest analog to my current pair would be the 8" Acadia steel toe. Any reason to go to one of the other models?

Thanks,

aa

aa7,

whatever you decide on best of luck and thanks for being a volunteer.  

As an EMT, I assume that you are not going to be doing too much walking, but need support and protection.  The Acadia should be fine, but I have suffered cold toes in Northern NY while using steel toes.  Danner makes some non-metallic safety toes.  I believe that they are called "Celastic."    

If not much walk, then any sole is fine, but Vibram lug sole will offer good sole life on concrete.  

If much walking on concrete, then look at the models with the Vibram "crepe" or flat sole.  Not as much traction, and not as much wear, but your feet will thank you after pounding on concrete.

What region are you in?  How much do your feet sweat?  I ask this b/c Gore-tex is ok for weather-proofing, but my feet are sopping after an 11 hour shift.  

They aren't steel-toed, but I'm really happy with my Danners.  Best light boots I've bought.
[img]http://www.danner.com/images/productimg/38000.jpg[/img]

Radical 45 GTX is what they're called.

I don't know if they still carry them, but I've had the same pair of 10th Mountain Div. "Go Devil" boots since I became a Paramedic in '92. These have held up better than me in the EMS business[:D]! They are still here, but I'm off of the streets.

Thanks for volunteering, it's not thankless just real hard. Keep it up.

I hve worn the insulated arcadias for all but 10 days out of the last 400 and I love them I wish I would have bought them when I was active duty.  I was a little apprehensive about the insulation in the summer but when I was outside it actually seemed to keep my feet cooler than my uninsulated boots.  as far as the gortex goes I had to stand in water last winter that was about 38 degrees and 4 1/2 inches deep for around an hour and my feet never got wet.  Best money I have ever spent on foot wear.
john

AA:

One thing you might want to watch out for.  I had a buddy with an outdoor store order a pair of Ft Lewis boots for me.  (Yes, I know it was a bad idea.)

These Danner boots were cut with a rather pointed toe.  Don't know if it is typical of all their boots or not.  I didn't notice till I had been wearing them for several hours, by which time they were mine.

Rocky seems to cut their boots with a much rounder less pointed toe area.  I wound up buying a pair of Rockys to replace the Danners.

Just my .02, YMMV.

Thanks for all the replies, guys. I've worked as an EMT-I for 8 years in the typical semi-rural volunteer environment, running about 150 calls a year.

The EMT gig doesn't require a lot of walking, but it does require a lot of standing (around, waiting for calls). Up here in New Hampster, an insulated boot would be great, and a worthy trade-off in the summer, although I would limit that to a 200 series Thinsulate.

Unfortunately, no one that I know of offers both a steel toe and insulation in an 8" black boot. If I have to choose, I'll choose the ST since I can always put on some fleece socks, and as I said, those things have saved my toes more than once. Getting stepped on by another 200 lb rescuer in the heat of battle can even go completely unnoticed :-)

Although the Magnums have held up great, they weren't the most comfortable or warm.

aa

www.botac.com is have a January sale on Danner boots.
I ordered three pairs and they were her in five days.
No complaints.
Acadia's $148
Ft lewis $167
Check them out for this sale.

aa77,
Danner website lists two boots with composite safety toes:

item # 23600, Ft. Lewis insulated boot with safety toe, but they have 600 g of insulation.  I have no experience with them.  

#11000 Centurions, which would be my choice as they are uninsulated.  

FWIW, I have a little experience both in mill and on logging job sites, and never once have I worred about not having a safety toe.   Very few of the people I have worked with use the safety toe either.  I am sure that it can help sometimes, though, just like any safety gear.  

Check out the Danner website.  Generally, you should be able to find out who (like Kittery Trading Post?) would be a big local Danner dealer.  

They are very good boots, and hold up well.    If you figure out that they fit your foot and you know your size you can call up the Portland, OR store and try to sweet talk them into shipping you some factory seconds, which are not waranteed, but are completely useable.  

It kills me to wear a pair of $230 pair of boots around hydraulic fluid and acids. Oh well, if you don't wanna trash 'em, don't buy 'em.  

Wow, those bBotach prices kick ass.  Roll the dice on them.

I love my feet and would pay $$$ for the most comfortable shoe or boot on the planet....that is why I wear the Danner Light II. It took me a few years to find the perfect boot...the Danner Light II is my choice. 5 years and counting!

For Christmas I bought myself a pair of the Danner Timberwolf with 400 gram Thinsulate for hunting and I absolutely love them. They are by far the most comfortable boots I have ever owned. I think I'm probably a Danner owner for life now.

[img]http://www.danner.com/images/productimg/55900.jpg[/img]

Beware of the Rockys, I have a pair of the Bear Claws with less than 5 miles on them and the cleats have fallen off, the heels have big chunks out of them, and at the ball of the foot, cracks almost all the way across the boots. I e-mailed them 2 weeks ago and haven't heard back yetttttttttt.[pissed][pissed][pissed][pissed][pissed][pissed][pissed][pissed][pissed]
Borg

Don't expect too much.  Though their boots are very comfortable, their customer service sucked, last time I used them.

They do not tell you that their military type boots DO NOT HAVE REPLACEABLE SOLES.  That is right, when the quiet, but very soft soles on the $150 boots wear out, you are supposed to just throw them away and buy another pair.  Works great when they are issued, but not when you have to actually buy them.

I managed to beat them out of a free pair, but it was a real PITA and they were rude while doing it.

On the other hand, I got a lot more wear out of those boots than I did out of the much better made but pointed toed Danners.

Just my .02, YMMV!