In the Pits: Closed Toe Shoes

[TD78]

Seems like you can ask yourself this simple question: would you be comfortable wearing them if something fell on your foot or a shard wedged in between your toes? I don't think you need to wear steel toed shoes to competitions, but regular sneakers offer much more protection than shoes like the five-fingers.

[Joe Ross]

I would not wear them at a competition event. However (for better or for worse), they have been declared ok to wear.

Q. A question on the no open toe shoe rule - Vibram Fivefingers do not have "open" toes and are completely covered as well as closed heels. Are they classified in the open toe category? We have 2 students and 1 mentor that were them all the time. FRC4055 2012-02-23
A. Hello Team: Thank you for writing. Vibram Fivefingers are okay to wear at your team's Competition Event. Thank you, FRC Team Support

[DampRobot]

I've wondered this myself many times. However, the potential embarrassment of being thrown out of the pits/shop due to wearing them led to me never attempting to bring them to robotics.

[Alan Anderson]

I talked to someone at the Hawaii Regional about his FiveFingers. My main comment was "I'm glad I don't have the responsibility of deciding whether they're okay to wear in the pit area." He did have a pair of standard shoes ready in case they were disallowed.

[DonRotolo]

Meh, you've got ten toes, it's OK to lose a couple.

No, seriously: while technically closed-toed, I'd prefer to see better toe protection than what those offer. Think of a 3 pound aluminum bar falling end-on to your toes, what would you rather have stopping it?

[Koko Ed]

They're safer than flip flops and sandals and FIRST has been shockingly lenient about those in the pits this year so until FIRST makes an official ruling I say why not.

[ChristopherSD]

Test how safe they are by stepping on a Lego...

...at night.

[Jack Jones]

Originally Posted by ChristopherSD

Test how safe they are by stepping on a Lego...

...at night.

Those nocturnal Legos are the worst kind.

[its da PAT!!!]

I wore fivefingers at champs last year. I had some safety people asked me about them, but I wasn't told I couldn't wear them. This year I saw a couple of people at BMR wearing them.

[Koko Ed]

Originally Posted by its da PAT!!!

I wore fivefingers at champs last year. I had some safety people asked me about them, but I wasn't told I couldn't wear them. This year I saw a couple of people at BMR wearing them.

I have seen other people om drive teams wear them to the field before as well.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Meh, you've got ten toes, it's OK to lose a couple.

No, seriously: while technically closed-toed, I'd prefer to see better toe protection than what those offer. Think of a 3 pound aluminum bar falling end-on to your toes, what would you rather have stopping it?

To be fair, my shoes don't offer much protection from that either.

[LightWaves1636]

I didn't notice that...but I think it's because in the training for FRC referees it specifically told everyone that 5 toed shoes were not allowed........I don't know why FIRST didn't put it in the manual for teams.....

[BrendanB]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

To be fair, my shoes don't offer much protection from that either.

Good point and to be honest with the amount of padding in 5 finger shoes I would rather drop a weight on those than on my shoes!

[Peck]

Originally Posted by DonRotolo

Meh, you've got ten toes, it's OK to lose a couple.

No, seriously: while technically closed-toed, I'd prefer to see better toe protection than what those offer. Think of a 3 pound aluminum bar falling end-on to your toes, what would you rather have stopping it?

your shoes protect from a 3 pound bar falling on your foot from a few feet up (table hight or waist height)? I know that mine don't from a few times dropping stock when machining with coolant covered hands (and the bars i work with don't even weight 2 lbs.). I use standard sneakers.