The primary motivation for investing in rain shoe covers is to protect your dress shoes against the weather. Everyone from business executives to attorneys buy them with shoe protection in mind. But a good shoe cover does something else. It helps prevent accidents caused by slipping in bad weather.
We mentioned 'good' shoe covers because not every product on the market offers adequate slip protection. You do not have to worry about that with GC Tech shoe covers for men. Both our slip-on and zip-up models have rubber soles that give you a firm footing on slick sidewalks and streets.
It's All About Friction
A scientific explanation of why your shoes slip on wet pavement points to friction or, more accurately, the lack thereof. Friction is a force that occurs when two surfaces make contact. Scientifically speaking, it is a resistive force that is relative to the motion of the two surfaces.
Friction is that which allows your car to stay on the road while you're turning a corner. It is the force responsible for your bike breaks bring you to a complete stop. And believe it or not, friction is what allows you to walk. Without friction, you would not have the ability to push off with one foot as you stride forward with the other.
Wet pavement interrupts friction by creating a barrier between the pavement and your shoes. Ideally, you would want something to channel away that water so that your shoes can make direct contact with the pavement. Treads do the trick. The problem with most dress shoes is a lack of treads.
Smooth Soles Mean Easy Slippage
Smooth soles actually increase the chances of slipping during inclement weather. By their nature, they do not channel away water. Every step you take is a step directly on that barrier between the pavement and your feet. And because your shoes cannot create strong friction, your chances of slipping go way up.
If you are having trouble grasping the concept, think of the tires on your car. Your tires' treads are purposely designed to channel water off the road. Getting that water out of the way leaves your tires firmly gripping the road. But what if your car were fitted with racing slicks instead of regular tires? You would have a hard time keeping control of the car on rainy days. Those racing slicks just don't grip the pavement.
Dress shoes are very similar. So in order to solve the problem, you need treads. Waterproof shoe covers provide those treads. They do for your shoes what treaded tires do for your car. For that reason alone, every man who wears dress shoes with smooth soles also needs a pair of waterproof shoe covers.
An Easy Way to Hurt Yourself
Just remember that walking on wet pavement in a pair of dress shoes alone increases your chances of slipping and falling. And by the way, slipping is an easy way to hurt yourself. Imagine walking down a city street on your way to the courthouse. Your hands are full, and your mind is occupied with the coming hearing. Without warning, you lose traction and begin to slip. You cannot brace yourself because your hands are full. If you fall, it's going to be ugly.
Even if you manage to remain upright, there's a good chance you could pull a muscle – like your groin, for example. Depending on the muscle in question, such an injury could be quite painful. Yet it could have been avoided with a good pair of waterproof shoe covers with rubberized soles.
