Comfort without costing safety and durability is what Blundstone’s RotoFlex range is known for. Its latest unisex boot – the #9060 – bundles all the boot maker’s best innovations into a single, heavy-duty iteration.
SEE MORE: Tradie Tough Tests
IT’S HARD to constantly come up with new technology to make a tradie’s work easy on the feet. And yet, Blundstone continues to raise the bar in this regard. The #9060s are built to protect your feet, but doesn’t sacrifice an ounce of comfort in the process.
For this Tradie Tough Test, we hit up our mate Toby Spicer from Swell Building at a site at Cranbourne, near Melbourne.
TEST #1: BUILT TO LAST
The boot sports that classic Blundstone wheat finish across everything from the water-resistant nubuck leather to the GripTek® Extra Heavy Duty rubber outsole. The rubber is biomechanically engineered to give the best grip and stability when on the site. It’s also cut, abrasion, oil and slip resistant, and can withstand temperatures up to 300°C. Cap that off (no pun intended) with steel-toed caps and you’ve got one sturdy pair of boots.
“Coming from having a good five or six Blunnies in my time, the biggest thing is this new toe cap for me,” Toby said.
“In my eyes – this is a massive addition.
“They’ve re-done the zipper too, which I love – some tradies have problems with zippers on other boots, but these ones are quick and easy.”
Toby, like many tradies, works across all types of conditions and said it was good to have a boot that did the same.
TEST #2: MAXIMUM COMFORT
When it comes to treating your tootsies, the #9060 doesn’t miss a beat. For the boots, Blundstone has used ultra-smart Infinergy® tech. This E-TPU material is a super elastic energy foam from BASF which is soft but resilient—providing enhanced cushioning and reducing the impact of every step taken.
Airflow along the footbed of the boot is increased significantly thanks to Blundstone’s AirCell® tech, which allows the anti-bacterial footbed to breath and prevent moisture build up (your partner will thank you for that one). This is combined with Blundstone’s SoftCell® system, which cradles your feet while allowing them as much manoeuvrability, balance and grip as possible while climbing about the site.
“SoftCell and AirCell might just sound like buzzwords, but I noticed their impact immediately when chucking the boots on,” Toby said.
“They make them super comfortable, which is vital for a pair of work boots. Honestly, it was like putting on a pair of sneakers.”
Toby noticed small changes, such as the zipper and lace loops, which benefitted in creating overall comfort. Soreness from a new pair of shoes is something we’ve all dealt with, but Toby didn’t notice that after wearing the #9060s, even after plenty of work. “One thing I did notice with these ones was I didn’t really have to wear them in. As soon as I put them on, I was good to go on site,” he said.
THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN’…
Blundstone has smashed it out of the park yet again by creating a heavy-duty unisex boot for tradies. Packaging all its latest tech into one boot, Blundstone has a great piece of hardware here for any tradie.
“At the end of the day, a pair of work boots is a pair of work boots,” Toby said.
“But for me, one of the most important things for a good tradesman is a good pair of work boots. “I can’t imagine anyone buying these being disappointed.”