# Anyone use Hoffman boots? Steel toe?



## kamcbrayer (May 24, 2009)

I am thinking about buying some Hoffman Dri-line 16" to climb on. Anyone have experience with these? My boots now don't have a steel toe. How is it to climb with steel toes?


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## TreeClimber57 (May 25, 2009)

kamcbrayer said:


> I am thinking about buying some Hoffman Dri-line 16" to climb on. Anyone have experience with these? My boots now don't have a steel toe. How is it to climb with steel toes?



I like the Hoffman Dri-Line boot, although I think mine are 10" and not 16" version. As far as steel toe climbing, I have never climbed without steel toes so can't really compare. I have had no issues climbing with steel toes, but then I learned with steel toes, and every climb has been using steel toes.


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## motoroilmccall (May 25, 2009)

I wear Hoffman's 12" Lineman boots with steel toes. Great, great, great boots. The only complaint I have with them is how long they take to break in... About 2 months for me. Wear them for an hour or two in the morning, then switch back to your old boots for the rest of the day. You'll be able to stand another hour or so per week, and eventually you'll be able to wear them all day. Make sure you grease them with Obenaufs, otherwise they aren't waterproof... Althought he Dri-Lines should be.


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## fishercat (May 25, 2009)

*are the Dri lines too warm in the summer?*

i'm trying to decide which one to get.the gore tex hikers from Hoiffman's that Bailey's sells look nice for the summer.i get hot quick so if i have to by two pairs,i will.i just don't want to be miserable.

i have some Lowa mountaineering boot's i wear in the winter but they are just too warm now.


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## kamcbrayer (May 25, 2009)

Well I pulled the trigger and bought the 16" Dri-Line w/ steel toe. I'll probably break them in mostly doing groundwork before I go aloft. I have been climbing with 10" Georgia boots. They aren't like the ones in Bailey's catalog. I bought them about 5 years ago in some construction clothing store. They don't have a steel shank but do have a thick sole. If I'm up in a tree for a couple of hours the arches start to ache after a while. I just switch the weight back and forth on my feet or put the weight on my climbing line. They aren't steel toe either. I like the idea of that added protection. I haven't had any close calls but I know it's inevitable. Can't wait to put the new boots on.


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## TreeClimber57 (May 26, 2009)

kamcbrayer said:


> Well I pulled the trigger and bought the 16" Dri-Line w/ steel toe. I'll probably break them in mostly doing groundwork before I go aloft. I have been climbing with 10" Georgia boots. They aren't like the ones in Bailey's catalog. I bought them about 5 years ago in some construction clothing store. They don't have a steel shank but do have a thick sole. If I'm up in a tree for a couple of hours the arches start to ache after a while. I just switch the weight back and forth on my feet or put the weight on my climbing line. They aren't steel toe either. I like the idea of that added protection. I haven't had any close calls but I know it's inevitable. Can't wait to put the new boots on.



Let us know how you like them.. they are nice boots. Take a while to break in.. yeah, but every good pair of climbing boots I have had take a while -- now the taller ones may take a bit longer -- not sure how the upper part is to break in compared to the actual boot (I have not used 16" boots before). Let us know, I may think of trying higher boots someday.


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## tree md (May 26, 2009)

I wished that I had been wearing steel toes while doing storm work about a year and a half ago. I had a limb that was under tension spring and smack my big toe. Looked like someone had smacked it with a hammer. Lost the nail. My next pair of lineman boots will be steel toe. I plan on using a pair of light hikers for light prunes in the Summertime and steel toe linemans for heavy stuff. That is when the pair I have now wears out. They're well worn Carolinas so I might get another season out of them.


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## MonkeyMan_812 (May 26, 2009)

Ive got the 16". They are good but they hurt your ankles til they are broke in. You gonna have some sore ankles for awhile buddy. Good investment though.


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## Cedarkerf (May 26, 2009)

I have a pair of twelve inch hoffmans and will repeat yes a long break in but now I find my self wearing them all day long forget Im even wearing big boots.


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## TreeClimber57 (May 27, 2009)

Cedarkerf said:


> I have a pair of twelve inch hoffmans and will repeat yes a long break in but now I find my self wearing them all day long forget Im even wearing big boots.



They are nice for sure


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