Giving safety the boot!

The first in our series of personal protective equipment (PPE) reviews, we take a walk in the Bova Maverick safety boot.

Beier Safety Footwear products are categorised LightWear, HeavyWear, ExtremeWear and those for Paramilitary applications. The Bova Maverick falls into the Core range within the HeavyWear category. The Core range might be entry-level HeavyWear, but the Maverick is considered a “rugged, hard-wearing safety boot”.

While these safety boots are, indeed, ruggedly designed, they really are something of an everyday all-rounder. Out of five, Beier rates its abrasion, heat and water resistance at a three, with slip resistance at a four. The company has achieved this in numerous ways.

The shoe’s upper section is constructed with 2,0 to 2,2 mm barton-print water-buffalo hides, for strength and high-wearing durability. The foam-padded bellows tongue is from a soft PVC-coated fabric for extra comfort, while the Bova Comfort vamp lining is made from a special needled hi-tech fibre blend.

This offers excellent perspiration absorbency resulting in a low heat build up – which means a more comfortable shoe for the wearer. Additionally, this material has undergone “Ultrafresh” treatment, which imparts additional hygienic and anti-bacterial properties to the lining.

Beier has also looked at the finer details – the speed rings are made from steel, and are treated with a corrosion-resistant brass coating; while the lace is braided using a polyester yarn, with high abrasion resistance, and a central core for additional strength.

The insock is cut from a specially developed anti-static, non-woven material that provides exceptional directional stability, durability and comfort, while the moulded footbed insock is made from a synthetic woven fabric.

The outer sole comprises foamed dual-density polyester polyurethane, for lightness, comfort and flexibility. The midsole has a shore hardness of 0,45 for soft comfort next to the foot, and the outer sole has a shore hardness of 0,64 to 0,65 for durability and slip resistance. A steel or kevlar penetration-resistant midsole is also available.

An excellent insulator against the cold, the polyurethane sole also has a heat resistance of between 100 and 110°C.

The shoes are fitted with steel toe caps, which are imported from either Europe or South America. These comply with the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) specification to withstand an impact load of 200 joules. The toe caps used in the Maverick have an extra-wide fit to accommodate the largest variety of feet possible. Beier uses six different sizes to cover the men’s size range of 4 to 13.

The Maverick safety boot conforms with SANS/ISO 20345 Type S1, and can be made as a Type S2 if so required.

So, what do we think of the Maverick boots? The shoes are well-shaped and are, indeed, comfortable enough to wear every day. The soles offer a good amount of impact absorption and provide good levels of grip on dry, loose and wet surfaces. The ankles are also snugly supported. Beier’s claim of a low heat build-up holds true as well.