Footwear Insight

44 • Footwear Insight ~ November/December 2019 footwearinsight.com What qualities are critical in your footwear? Comfort. Do you buy your own shoes or are they pro- vided through work? I buy them myself. Where do you shop for your work shoes? Bob's Stores and Dick's Sporting Goods. How often do you replace your work shoes? Every three months. How much do you generally pay for on-the- job footwear? $80 How could your shoes or work shoes for your job in general be improved? I wish they offered more slip-resistant out- soles. I also wish shoemakers and retailers could address my ailment — plantar fasci- itis — in their products and marketing. It would be great if there were a particular model that addressed it, or if [stores or brands] offered suggestions on the best insoles to use. Sean McLain, 37 | Chicago suburbs Delivery driver for UPS for 15 years What's an average day like for you? It's a fast-paced, physical job. I average 250 stops per day and handle 350 to 450 pack- ages a day ranging from a letter to boxes weighing up to 150 lbs. I drive an average of 70 miles a day and work in all weather conditions, and I average 10 miles walking every day, for an average of 20,000 steps with constant lifting and lowering and step- ping on and off the truck. What footwear do you wear to work? Nike Air Monarch IV. I've been wearing Air Monarchs for most of my career. I have tried other brands, [but] have always come back to Nike. I keep two pairs and rotate them every day. I keep [each pair] for 12 weeks. When we get snow, I switch to my boots, which are Teva Chair 5 winter boots. What qualities are critical in your footwear? I need a black shoe and something com- fortable for all the walking; I also need something sturdy and good traction. Durability is a plus. Is outside-of-work style important? I actually like these shoes enough that I wear a white pair for outside of work like the 80-year-old man that I am inside. Do you buy your own shoes or are they pro- vided through work? I have to buy them on my own. Where do you shop for your work shoes? I buy my Nike shoes from Zappos. They are not the cheapest, but they are reasonable and very convenient. I buy my boots from Amazon. The price is good and, again, it's convenient. How often do you replace your work shoes? I've found that after 12 weeks, it's time to switch them out as the tread is almost gone and they begin to get less supportive. How much do you generally pay for on-the- job footwear? The Nike shoes are typically $55 a pair and the boots were under $50. I'm only on my second pair of boots since they are only worn in snowy conditions. ON THE JOB REAL WORKERS Waitress Danielle Jigerjian WWW.DUNLOPBOOTS.COM DUNLOP ® SNUGBOOT WORKPRO FULL SAFETY FOR THOSE THAT GET THE JOB DONE. COMFORT ANYWHERE

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