In days gone by, female tradies had no choice but to buy safety workwear designed for blokes. With more women picking up the tools than ever, Blundstone is delivering more boots than ever to support them.
Blundstone’s #9961 and #9960 Safety Boots feature all the cutting-edge tech the brand is known for, with the added emphasis on comfort for women on-site. It’s an issue both Rosie Dillon and Jayde van Dyke from Ninety Three Group have dealt with a lot in their time as tradies.
They were stoked to be trying out these #9961s and #9960s on-site for us.
They tried on the boots on a new residential build at Bentleigh in South East Melbourne.
Test #1: MADE FOR WOMEN
So, is there really that much difference between men’s and women’s feet? Tradies might be surprised. Typically, women’s feet are shorter and narrower, so it’s not really a case of just picking a smaller men’s boot.
“These have been great to transition into wearing women’s work boots for the first time,” Rosie said.
“They’re really comfortable.”
Blundstone has moulded both boots to ensure the size, length and width all cater to a women’s foot.
“These boots give me a new level of confidence when it comes to working at heights, working on trusses and top plates,” Jayde said.
The safety boots have been fitted with a footbed designed specifically for women – built with a softer PU and a silky plush velvet top sheet, to support women like Rosie and Jayde.
Just because a boot’s made for the hard yards doesn’t mean it can’t be comfier than a cushion.
“The comfort between the #9961s and other boots is night and day,” Jayde said.
“The #9961s were like having clouds on my feet – they felt super supportive.”
Test #2: built tough
In terms of breaking the ‘soft and delicate’ stigmas women in trades deal with on a constant basis, both boots do a pretty great job of putting the foot down.
The #9960 and #9961 boots are just as hardcore as other Blundstone products, with all the features women in trades need for heavy duty workloads.
Both boots include a steel toe cap, offering cut and compression-resistance to 200 joule impact, and a Nitrile Rubber outsole heat-resistant to 300°C.
Rosie said given the variety of terrain she walked across on a daily basis, these boots handled every rock, plank and slab like a champion.
“I really appreciated the ankle support these boots give,” Jayde added.
“When you’re a woman working at different heights and angles, you need to be able to trust that your ankles aren’t going to give when things get rough.”
These boots are made for walkin’
The RotoFlex range has been built to integrate Infinergy® by BASF – an E-TPU super-elastic energy foam that’s softly cushioned to reduce the impact of every step.
Blundstone’s #9961s and #9960s offer everything a hard-working female tradie needs to tackle the worksite.
“I love ‘em, they’re going well so far,” Jayde said.
“I’m just glad they’re not leopard.”