To say that rigger boots are the latest thing would be a bit of an understatement, for several reasons. Not only have rigger boots been around for many years, but they are also used by a plethora of crowds, for many different reasons.
The origins of rigger boots interestingly come from their use at offshore oil rigs. Basically, rigger boots are a slightly modified version of a standard safety boot, with steel toe caps and heavy duty material. They are often used in manual labor, but, as their name suggests, found popularity with offshore rig workers, due to their ruggedness. Indeed, they have name become the standard for offshore rig workers, and, surprisingly, several fashion scenes, discussed later in this article.
Outstanding Features
The reason of why rigger boots have become so popular is mainly down to their hard-wearing nature. Usually coming in only a few colors, rigger boots are known for lasting many years, and taking lots of damage before giving out. This not only helps offshore rig workers (as they need hard-wearing boots to tackle the day to day problems they face), but gives them a quality that many shoes and boots nowadays lack. The craftsmanship put into the boots is apparent; many rigger boots last well over 3 years (with damage everyday), and some boots have even been known to last a lifetime.
The steel toe cap is an outstanding feature of the rigger boot, protecting people’s fragile toes from any accidents and dropped items, and indeed, the steel toe cap has now become an industry-wide health and safety standard, which no company likes to neglect. As a safety boot, rigger boots are up there with the best in the sector; few other boots can even come close to either the history of the safeness that the rigger boot provides.
Fashion Rigger Boots
An interesting fact about rigger boots is their gain in popularity amongst the fashion scene. Indeed, not limited to manual laborers and offshore rig workers, rigger boots have been launched in subculture fashion. Such subcultures such as the punk and heavy metal scene have provided a huge growth in popularity for rigger boots, perhaps not only for their safety, but also for their rugged appearance. Indeed, they have become a much-need accessory for many punk rockers, who like the appeal of an edgy, non-branded boot that can take a lot of damage. Just when they came into subculture fashion remains unknown, it was perhaps 30-40 years ago when the punk rock and heavy metal scene was first born, so one can only take a guess at then.
Indeed, rigger boots have proven their toughness and versatility of the past couple of decades. They can be worn for a multitude of reasons, and the quality of the boot doesn’t let anybody who chooses to wear them (for whatever purpose down). Indeed, one can assume that the rigger boot will gain in popularity as the need for tough, non-branded boots increases, whether that be down to fashion, construction, or simply rig workers needing them to protect their feet.