You’ve Got The Right Stuff

Here’s a throwback to when I was 8 and every time I see “Right Stuff” this is the song that pops into mind.

You’ve got to have the right stuff for ice and snow season and that means finding practical ways to wear protective footwear. It can not be stressed enough for the safety of wearing proper footwear in the winter.

Injuries from slipping on ice and snow can be quite serious, sometimes life-threatening. Serious fall injuries can include a broken wrist, broken hip, knee damage, spinal cord injuries, and traumatic brain injuries.

Non-slip rubber typically makes the best soles for snow and ice. Soles with larger treads offer plenty of grip. They’ll help you avoid slipping when you’re walking in wintry conditions, as well as keeping your feet waterproof.

Specialized snow boots or hiking boots are a good option. Not only does this footwear have non-slip soles, but they also offer ankle support too – helping to keep you steady on slippery pavements.

This idea from an anonymous poster is a great way to normalize changing your shoes at work.

“I bring about 4-5 pairs to work, where they live on the bottom shelf of a bookcase. I try to have 2 tall boots, 2 oxfords/booties, and one flat of some kind.

I try and dress in the morning to fit one of my pairs of work shoes/boots. I wear my Sorels to work, then take them off and they dry on a little mat in the corner of my office. Then I pick my shoes for the day.

Sometimes if there is a special pair I want to wear, I will bring them to work and then take them home with me at the end of the day. I also every couple weeks will decide if I want to rotate out some pairs with some of the boots/shoes at home.”

If changing shoes is absolutely not an option here are several ways to make your shoes safer.

• Crampons are essentially a rubber band that wraps around your shoe, with little metal coils that sit on your sole – giving you stronger grip in icy conditions.
• Traction spray. Spraying your soles with traction spray can improve their grip. Most traction sprays are self-adhesive resins and work by adding a thin winter-proof coat to your shoes.
• Elastic bands. If you can’t find any crampons, you could attach regular elastic bands to your shoes. Simply wrap one or two around the base of your boot and off you go. The rubber will help add a little more traction to your tread.

Remember to remind each other to be safe. Learn how to become an MBWCF member – click here to learn more about how to join!