Doc Martens are some of the most classic and popular shoes out there, they are not only embedded in fashion history but have stayed pretty popular throughout time and are still a common sight among the fashion savvy kids and fashion veterans of America.
They are appreciated globally now for their fashion, comfort, and safety.
Not only are they a fashion piece but many enjoy the style that Doc Martens bring to a smarter outfit and moreover, many people enjoy using Doc Martens as ‘work shoes’ when they are working an event or are in the hospitality industry.
Not only are they a fashion piece but have a large sole and rigidity to them that some enjoy while working.
For many reasons, people think that Doc Martens are effective as non-slip shoes.
Whether you are using them for work and want to know if they meet the industry requirements, or you simply want to use them in your mundane life and want to know if their safety is reliable or not – we have the answers.
We did our research into whether Doc Martens are slip resistant and if there are any other styles of the Doc Marten shoes that are focused on slip safety.
Keep reading to learn if Doc Martens are slip resistant, their safety, and about the shoe in general.
What Are Doc Martens?
Doc Martens are a British shoe company who make their unique line of shows. The shoe is often characterized by their yellow stitching on leather material, it has ‘air cushioned’ soles dubbed ‘bouncing soles’.
The simple silhouette of the shoe is part of its popularity among many people within the fashion world for how the shoe can easily be used in many applications, both work and recreation, and how they are easy to pair with an outfit.
While the shoe is fairly codified in UK culture as a symbol of the punk culture who adopted the shoe at one point, it is generally seen as a symbol of non-conformity, often being one of ht only ‘smart’ shoe brands that are allowed in ‘formal’ settings, being recognized as an alternative choice to your regular dress shoe.
Yet, Doc Martens are also well known for their durability, comfort and utilitarianism making them a popular shoe for workmen, gardeners, and the like.
The shoes’ general features as well as clever silhouette make them popular in both fashion settings as well as labor settings. Although a little late to the party, the shoes have become globally popular as well as in the US.
The shoes are available in many styles, even as sandals, but the two most popular options are either the boot style or the low rise style, both are very similar but the boots come up higher, obviously
Are Doc Martens Non Slip?
Many of those who enjoy Doc Martens enjoy them as ‘work shoes’ will be happy to hear that Doc Martens have many patented designs that are specifically engineered with your safety in mind, allowing their shoes to meet most industry requirements for ‘comfortable and non-slip shoes’.
There are many other elements of a Doc Marten which make them suitable for work.
Let’s focus on the non-slip features of a Doc Marten before moving onto other safety features. Back in 2001 Doc Martens did a bit of re-design on some of their popular models.
These models are their three most popular designs, but other makes of their shoes do also exhibit this non-slip sole. The three designs initially changed were the 1460, 1461, and 2976 models.
But either way, in 2001, the already popular shoes were given an innovative tread that is slip resistant, it is known as the ‘GripTrax’ Sole design.
So, if you have ever seen Doc Martens they have a pretty thick sole which is good for a number of reasons, but in terms of slip resistance this allows the tread to be pretty deep already.
As the tread is pretty deep, you get an extra level of grip that means things like tarmacked roads and dirt paths can even be conquered with these Doc Martens; the depth of the sole and tread itself allows Doc Martens to be used almost as walking boots.
Moreover, the sides of the sole itself are rigged meaning you don’t slip on the sides of the sole either.
The hard material the bottom of the sole is made from means that this tread will likely be around for a long time and won’t require too much drastic upkeep.
We would suggest making sure that your tread isn’t blocked as this could potentially cause a slip if the tread has been filled in with dried mud or sand or similar debris.
So, Doc Martens are pretty ideal to wear as a work boot thanks to this clever re-design back in 2001.
Doc Martens suggested the redesign was “Built for keg lifters, baristas, table servers, and on your feet all day professionals.”
Tests have been undertaken which show they can remain grippy in oily, wet, or lubricated conditions for the most part.
With this in mind, pre-2001 Doc Martens may not have the sole we are describing, but any of the post-2001 designs will.
So when you are looking in the vintage shops of the world and you find a pair of classic Docs, you can tell their design often by the sole used.
What Other Safety Features Do Doc Martens Have?
While this patented sole makes the Doc marten an ideal shoe for work, there are many additional features which are also ideal for the working man or woman that make them both comfortable and safe to wear within any industry.
On the Doc Marten shoe you may have seen the words ‘AirWair’ before, may on the shoe itself or on the marketing that surrounds the shoe such as the box.
Regardless of whether this term is actually displayed on the shoe or not, almost all designs of the Doc Marten exhibit their interesting sole design which operates like many modern sneakers do.
Even though this design is very innovative and is still used by many shoe brands to this day, it has been exhibited on the Doc Marten Shoe since they were bought out by Grigg’s in 1959. In essence, the design, which was originally focused on creating comfortable boots for their initial consumers who were workers, exhibits small air pockets in the sole.
The extra air pockets, rather than one solid sole, means that there is less resistance as you put your foot down which is much more comfortable over longer hours.
This operates exactly like the air bubble in other popular running and sneaker shoe brands. This design is in nearly every Doc Marten make, old and new.
In addition, nearly all Doc Martens are equipped with highly durable leather. This leather is very resistant to general wear and most sharp things won’t penetrate it.
However if extra toe protection is sought or required Doc Martens to have steel toe designs for those extra durable requirements.
Although if leather isn’t something you are comfortable with then Doc Martens do have more redesigns of their popular products as you can buy many designs with vegan leather instead.
One thing that is important to Doc Marten with this material is that it remains as strong as their leather.
Another good feature that keeps safety high is seamless stitching, this means that the shoes will not come undone at the seams as the sole and the shoe itself are seamless, a super addition for when it comes to safety.
Even in hospitality settings hte closed toe shoe is great for spills, as even hot liquid won’t damage the shoe which is ideal as a member of hospitality staff.
While this isn’t necessarily a safety feature, you can get Doc Martens in many different styles which makes them suitable for working in any situation.
If you work among the public and are required to wear something low key you can easily get black leather ones to meet this requirement. Or go with some of the crazier colors if fashion is your focus.
Our Verdict
As you can see there are many features that make Doc Martens very suitable for plenty of different working situations. If safety is your number one priority then Docs are really worth considering as a work shoe.
They are really safe, it’s unlikely you will slip with Doc Martens on as their tread is so thick they can really latch onto almost any surface, a design that was patented in 2001.
Beyond this, the leather, or the vegan leather, are both equally durable which is great, meaning that liquid and sharp objects are unlikely to penetrate the shoe in most normal situations.
On top of this the sole itself has the AirWair design that is characteristic of the Doc Marten is a very useful feature made with workers in mind.
Its air pockets allow the sole to be somewhat squishy and act as suspension for your legs. This is really helpful on those long shifts where you are on your feet all day.
One small misgiving we have with Doc Martens in working situations is that they can be a bit on the heavier side.
Obviously, this is thanks to the large sole for the most part, but this same sole affords much of the safety the shoes have, so it’s a give and take relationship. But we would prefer it if they were a little lighter.
Additionally, what can be annoying with Doc martens is they can take a few weeks to break in the leather. THis does mean you should consider breaking them in before wearing them to work or something similar.
The breaking in period, when not done properly can lead to blisters, we suggest wearing thick socks if you have to wear them early on and wait until they break in.
We think that Doc Martens are a really safe shoe to wear at work, school or just in general. They can be very fashionable but importantly are super safe and comfortable for your feet.
Yes, Doc Martens do cost a good amount of money, but you are paying for a really high quality shoe that will certainly last and reciprocate your fiscal investment, as well as stopping accidents.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Do Doc Martens Weigh?
This is hard to give a direct answer for, of course if you wear a big size of shoe then they will naturally be heavier than the smaller shoes.
Classic Doc Martens weigh around 1 lb 9.6 oz given you are wearing size US 11, and for women this is generally around 1 lb 4.8 oz for a US size 8.
Weight can also be affected by the type, low rise or boot style, the additional leather will play a part.
This means that Doc Martens are around double the weight of most other popular lightweight shoes such as Converse.
If you have never worn Doc Martens before you will certainly feel like they are really heavy but this will decrease with time as you get used to them, although this will happen naturally as you break the shoes the first time you wear them.
Final Thoughts
As you can see it’s clear that Doc Martens are slip resistant. However, we should also realize that almost no shoes are 100% resistant to slips or falls.
You can still fall or slip or trip in Doc Martens so caution should be taken with your steps as you would any shoe you purchase or wear.
However, Doc Martens are proven to be pretty slip resistant in most circumstances, there are potentially some ‘better’ work shoes out there which can provide even more safety and security, especially for those in manual laboring situations.
However, you can rest easy with Doc martens in most situations, let’s remember they were originally popular as work boots before they became a fashion symbol of non conformity.
Hi, my name is Jenna Reign and I have teamed up with my best friend, Sam, to deliver you all of the style secrets to help you stay ahead of the trends. We both met in fashion school and have been inseparable ever since!
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