Like many woodworkers, I have a shop with a cement floor. The rubber mats that I have strategically positioned around the work space help reduce the stress on my feet quite a bit, but when I spend a long day standing in the shop I experience achiness in my feet and fatigue in my legs that detracts from the woodworking experience. I’ve tried various hiking boots, tennis shoes and cushy inserts, but until now I have been less than satisfied with all of my attempts at finding comfortable footwear for standing all day.
Recently I received a tip to try a shoe called the “Jungle Moc” by Merrell. This slip-on shoe provides a soft but durable sole, and exceptional arch support which combine to deliver great support for my feet when standing on a hard floor. When I tried them on I found them to be quite comfortable right out of the box, and I decided to give them an extreme test of a full 8 hour day standing in the shop. I was thrilled to find that my feet were not nearly as fatigued as they normally get with other shoes after this much standing, and by the next day I was ready to get out in the shop and do it again.
I liked the Jungle Mocs so much, in fact, that I bought another pair to wear outside of the shop. The first pair that I picked up had a suede exterior texture, which I quickly learned worked like a wood dust magnet. So, for my second pair I chose the camouflage pattern which features a smooth surface that repels dust and other shop debris quite well. At $80/pair they are not cheap, but since they have given me so much relief I don’t mind paying that much. I believe that these will give me a boost in both comfort and endurance in many activities, but I am particularly pleased by their ability to extend my shop time.
If you’ve got a favorite form of footwear that helps you get more shop time and less sitting time, let us know in the comments below.
Source
Merrell Jungle Moc, $80 https://www.merrell.com/ 800-288-3124
does it work with diabetes dennis
I have worn these for years and as the uppers wear down they get left at the back door for running out to the yard or trips to the dump. I have a pair for working in the house or shop and a pair for outdoor everyday use. I can't remember when I bought anything else
Been using them for 4 years, best that I have tried
Loved the golf shoes, these look nice.
I've owned several pairs of Merrell walking, hiking and running shoes, and have always been very happy with them. I will try these Jungle Mocs in the shop and likely for just everyday use. I'll probably go with the more expensive leather uppers, just to avoid the sawdust cling thing. Thanks for the tip!
After losing two toenails in two years, I decided that I needed better toe protection than flipflops. (I spend the winter in Florida.) I bought some fisherman sandal Crocs and that solved that problem, plus they have a extremely comfortable sole. They clean easy and they are also great to drive in because of the two density sole. They really work...I couldn't find the ones I wanted at Crocs.com, but Sports Liquidator had them on sale.
where store sell them
I would like to know more about the jungle Moc
Does anyone feel steel toe shoes are beneficial to wear in a shop. I feel they provide some protection from dropping heavy or sharp objects but I haven't found anything as comfortable as the shoes you are mentioning here.
I can vouch for their comfort and endurance as I have worn them as a professional woodworker for years!