Blogs

What is a recovery shoe? 

After a long run or any strenuous activity involving the muscles of the feet, recovery shoes provide a means of reducing stress on the feet and joints by offering excellent arch support and an unusual degree of cushioning.  Athletic trainers have long realized the best way to recover from a significant event, such as a long-distance run, is to reduce foot fatigue and pain by activity reduction, not elimination.  In other words, while it may seem logical to prop worn out feet up for hours after a hard workout, it’s better to keep the tired muscles of the feet moving.  Circulation is a key to foot recovery.  Shoes, such as Oofos, absorb impact, are lightweight, but most importantly provide excellent support and promote post-workout circulation. 

Consumers are finding these recovery shoes beneficial beyond just workouts because of the comfort and support.  While they may have been targeted for runners, people of all walks of life are finding the shoe irresistible and wearing them as their day-to day slide or flip flop.  Factory workers, hairdressers, nurses, pretty much anyone that stand on their feet most of the day, often suffer from foot fatigue, knee and back pain. 

After work, it makes sense to slip into a recovery shoe to reduce foot fatigue while also promoting circulation.  We have several recovery shoe options including HOKA and Oofos.  If you suffer from tired feet from ANY activity, do yourself a favor and try one of these out.  We guarantee your feet will thank you.  

Putting an End to Footwear Odors

Are you banned from keeping your daily-wear shoes or boots inside the house?  Do your pets leave the room when you take off your house shoes?  Ever wade in a creek and kill fish?  If these questions sound all too familiar, you likely suffer from bromodosis or smelly feet.  What’s worse is the lingering odor remains in your footwear, growing in intensity every time you wear the stinky shoe or boot.

What causes it?

The simplest explanation is its from moisture trapped in your footwear.  The moisture can come from stepping in a puddle or from sweat.  

What’s the full story?

Your feet have over 250,000 sweat glands, more than any other part of the body.  As you sweat the moisture often accumulates throughout the day, allowing bacteria to thrive.  Bacteria is composed of 70% water.  Even a damp surface will allow bacteria to multiple to billions of hungry microorganisms that rely on your sweat for water and nutrients.  As bacteria feed and multiply on your sweat they create waste and foul-smelling gasses. Brevibacteria cause foot odor to have a cheesy smell.  That same bacteria gives Limburger cheese its strong odor.  Similarly, methanethiol is found in cheddar cheese as well as the bacteria in your shoes.  Other chemicals such as acetic acid (vinegar), propionic acid and butyric acid create funky smells ranging from cardboard to cabbage.   

Here's How to Fix It

• Wash your feet daily. Foot hygiene is obviously an important first step in reducing foot odor.  However, in this blog we want to focus on ways to reduce the odor in your footwear, which will even prolong the life of the shoe or boot. 
• Keep water out. If you step in puddles or work or play in wet environments you might consider a waterproof shoe or boot.  Waterproof footwear uses treated leather or an inner liner that allows water vapor emitted from your feet to escape but doesn’t allow larger water droplets to enter. 
• Let the footwear “breathe”. One common mistake people make is applying silicone-based water repellants to the footwear.  This will keep water from penetrating the leather but it also prevents sweat, in the form of water vapor, from escaping.  The end result is a funky swamp. 
• Consider antiperspirants for your feet. There are products that may reduce sweating, such as antiperspirants, but there are more reasonable solutions that don’t require daily application of sprays and powders.
• Sock selection if very important. Ditch the cotton socks and opt for wicking fabrics.  A light merino wool sock is excellent for summertime use and will wick away sweat from your skin.  You’ll notice in the winter your feet will stay warmer when wearing thicker wool socks.  This is not merely due to the added insulation; it is also partly due to the moisture wicking properties that serve to keep the skin surface drier. 
• Rotate footwear when possible. What you do with the shoe or boot AFTER you remove it for the day is very important.  Rotating footwear is a good way to reduce moisture (bacterial growth) in the shoe or boot.  It is often said that alternating two pairs of shoes will result in a lifespan equivalent to three pairs. 

Remove excessive moisture overnight.  Perhaps the best way to reduce moisture in your footwear is to use a product called Drypointe.  Drypointe shoe inserts consist of silica gel (and perfume in some products), which is a powerful desiccant.  That means it soaks up moisture like a sponge.  Actually, BETTER than a sponge!  You place these inserts in the shoe or boot as close to the toe as possible and let the magic happen.  You’ll notice a difference after the first night.  The best part is the Drypointe inserts can be “re-charged” after a few months by placing them in the microwave.  The silica gel on the inside doesn’t weaken or degrade in any way.  Stop by the store and pick up a pair of Drypointe inserts today!  Here’s more information on Drypointe:  https://drypointe.com/faq/

Since the 1970s, oil/gas and chemical processing industries have relied on flame-resistant (FR) clothing to help protect workers in the event of a flash fire.   These industries recognized the damage that ordinary cotton clothing and synthetic clothing had on the wearer when these short duration, high-temperature fires occurred.  Today, FR clothing is used in many industries to protect workers performing tasks that range from working around live electric conductors, which may have the potential to release a sudden burst of energy known as an “arc flash” to working in refineries or product distribution pipelines where there is a higher potential of injury from flash fires.  The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) developed guidelines for wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when the potential for an arc flash exists.  NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, identifies when specialized PPE is required based on the results of a hazard assessment related to the task.  In the latest version of NFPA 70E, the term Hazard Risk Category (HRC) was changed to PPE Category (CAT), which consumers will see on up-to-date garments tags.  The four levels, CAT 1 through CAT 4, are where most employees stop since the testing methods and various material requirements do get a little complicated.  In a nutshell, CAT ratings are based on a garment’s Arc Thermal Performance Value (ATPV) and its Energy Breakopen Threshold (EBT).  These values are determined by applying the various level of heat energy, measured in calories, to the material to determine specific failure points.  The PPE needs for an electrician working near live electrical circuits will vary but approximately 2/3 of most live electrical work will be covered by CAT 2 level of protection. 

Folks working in the oil and gas industry have different PPE requirements than electricians.  NFPA 2112,  Standard on Flame-Resistant Clothing for Protection of Industrial Personnel Against Short-Duration Thermal Exposures from Fires, specifies the test methods and minimum construction and performance requirements that FR fabrics, components, and garments must meet to provide protection from Flash Fires (the 2018 version no longer uses the term “flash fires” and instead labels them as “short-duration thermal exposures”).   This clothing is tested under ASTM F1930 – 18, which is the Standard Test Method for Evaluation of Flame-Resistant Clothing for Protection Against Fire Simulations Using an Instrumented Manikin.   The test method focuses on a sudden thermal exposure of no more than 3 seconds. 

Remember, NFPA 70E and CAT levels are for those concerned about arc flash and NFPA 2112-compliant garments are for oil and gas employees needing protection from flash fires.   The flame-resistant layer should always be the outermost layer AND synthetic materials should never be worn under the FR.  Because of these limitations, it is important to choose a variety of garments that will work well in various climates.  At Town & Country, we have an excellent selection of Ariat brand FR clothing with varying climates in mind.   Our FR selection is found here:

   https://townandcountryshoeoutlet.com/search?type=product&q=fr

 

Keeping your feet warm during the winter months is not as difficult as what we make it. Making the move to a quality merino wool sock will keep the toes warm even in the harshest of temperature. Most importantly, put those cotton socks away for the winter.

Just the word “wool” invokes memories of those itchy rag wool sweaters we wore as kids. Not the case with merino wool. The fibers from the merino sheep are finer than human hair and very soft.

The benefits of merino are many. Here are just a few.  (1) It wicks moisture away from the skin to the surface of the sock where it evaporates. A dry foot is the first step in keeping warm. Cotton causes the foot to sweat and keeps the moisture on the skin. Doubling up on cotton socks only makes it worse. (2) Merino is antimicrobial. In other words, the bacteria that are the source of foot odor cannot survive on the fibers. The socks can actually be exposed to air for a few hours and worn again.

It’s important to allow a pocket of air between your foot and boot interior. Not only is air a natural insulator, but it also helps to evaporate moisture. Don’t get a tight fit!

And, when shopping for merino wool, be careful about your selection. No sock is 100% merino. In fact, it wouldn’t hold together. The exterior of a quality sock will typically be a different material that helps hold the wool together but will not contact the skin. It's this material that adds to the durability. Some socks advertise merino but have a low wool content. Look for socks that are great than 60% merino to enjoy warmth during the winter months.

Our favorite brands include Smartwool and Fits, an American made sock with exceptional quality.