Recommendations for professional kitchen shoes. Must be non-slip, easily cleanable and preferably safety toe.

Submitted by aggressive_seal t3_11ju29g in BuyItForLife

I know it won’t be a BIFL because nothing lasts forever in a professional kitchen but if I’m dropping $100-$200+ on shoes I expect a year and a half at least. I wore Birkenstock professional steel toe for years but quality has fallen off and they went from lasting 2+ years to 6-8 months and I feel I need something with more cushion and arch support. I’m now on my second pair of Merrell jungle moc safety toe. They are comfortable but first pair is pretty rough after 6 months and new pair already has a tear in less than a month. I’m thinking Sanitas maybe? Please no one recommend Mozos. They disintegrated in less than 6 months of light duty. And, yes, I have asked this on the kitchen confidential sub but just too many conflicting opinions over there. Thanks for any and all advice!

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yeeyeekoo t1_jb59003 wrote

Sanitas!!! I just ordered some on sale and received it on Saturday. I wore them to a greasy floor korean bbq spot, stepped on fries on accident and it was still non slip. I also wore them on a 3 mile walk and there is no break in time. totally worth it. And waterproof!

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aggressive_seal OP t1_jb5ksnk wrote

Nice! Do u mind sharing where the sale was and if it's still going on?

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yeeyeekoo t1_jb6xitd wrote

Sanita official website, I got the tokidoki collab for $70 something. They have an outlet site on there too.

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MonaMayI t1_jb5jprl wrote

If you can manage two pairs and alternate they’ll both last much longer. Dansko’s are the closest work shoe I’ve found for 14+ hours on your feet to BIFL. They’re not safety toe, but they’re quite sturdy and strong in the toe box. Sizing can be a bit tricky as they vary a bit between pairs, so worth seeking them out in person.

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aggressive_seal OP t1_jb5niwu wrote

I try to alternate pairs because it definitely extends the mileage. I remember reading something about Dansko's going down in quality because they shifted production to China and that Sanitas are actually the company that used to manufacture Dansko's. How long ago did u purchase ur Dansko's?

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MonaMayI t1_jb5rnw7 wrote

Hmmmm. 7-8 years? Isn’t that just the way? 😭😭😭

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F-21 t1_jb5v842 wrote

I'd probably opt for some kind of professional-line crocks. Cheap and simple, they have decent support and are the easiest to clean. Not sure about being slip resistant, maybe some models?

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pickles55 t1_jb65ccl wrote

They make closed toe nonslip Crocs. Whether they are considered "professional looking" is up to op but they are comfortable

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pickles55 t1_jb65603 wrote

If you buy two pairs and swap them out every day they will last longer. If you wear shoes every day, especially the water resistant ones you'd wear in a kitchen, they don't ever dry out fully. This allows microbes to grow that make your eyes stinky but it also makes the shoes fall apart faster.

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[deleted] t1_jb4exbf wrote

Dunlop heavy duty rubber boots, it's what most butchers wear around here. (Brand can be different)

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aggressive_seal OP t1_jb5dpcp wrote

Unfortunately, I don't think that would work well for me. In a butcher shop, absolutely, but it would probably be too hot in the restaurant I work in. I'd also look rather silly as we wear shorts a lot of the time lol! But I appreciate the advice, thank you!

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Endor-Fins t1_jb7398y wrote

My husband is a chef who swears by Chrome. His boots have taken a lot of abuse in three years now and still look like the day he bought them.

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reptomcraddick t1_jb7dwdu wrote

I’ve heard great things about SAS (San Antonio Shoes), pricey but excellent quality

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aggressive_seal OP t1_jb7n2ng wrote

A lot of the guys I work with wear SAS and they are good quality shoes. But they are still replacing them every 6 to 8 months and at $200+ a pair I just can't wrap my head around that. That's the same lifespan I got out of my Merrell's for $100 more.

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reptomcraddick t1_jb7o7d1 wrote

Fair enough, I have one pair but i don’t wear them for work. I also buy them out of local pride (I live in San Antonio).

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noskcidragon t1_jblpn6i wrote

Check out Clement design, I have the vipers and they’ve lasted me 5yrs so far… from Michelin star restaurants to cooking on the train, all 12-14hrs a day. Just changed the insoles last year. Everything else is 👌

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aggressive_seal OP t1_jbluj3s wrote

Hey, thanks. I've never heard of these before but they look pretty decent. I'll do a little more research but I think I might be willing to give these a try! Reasonably priced too!

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noskcidragon t1_jbluxlp wrote

Yea me neither, apparently they’re one of the biggest brands for chefs clothing in paris(where I got it from). My chef there recommended them to me, honestly surprised how long they last considering the price. Good luck! Let me know what you think!

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