An often-overlooked but vital part of how a boot is created is the last. Therefore, we thought it was about time it was put in the spotlight to highlight how important this step is in boot making by sharing some eye-opening facts about the importance of this modest-looking piece of hardware. 

We're also going to illustrate how we combined traditional craftmanship with top-level innovation to develop the highly specialised V12 last, allowing our wearers to enjoy maximum safety, outstanding comfort and great foot health.

Blueprint for a boot - the last

The last is a mould that's used to shape a boot or shoe when it's being constructed. It’s a solid foot-like shape around which the rest of the shoe is built. Because of this, the last leaves a significant mark on how your safety work boot ends up looking and - crucially - feeling. The correct last is the most important step to ensuring a comfortable fit. 

So, a boot that doesn’t fit well won’t always be because of the material or safety components - there’s a good chance it will be because it was made on a last shape that doesn’t suit your foot shape. This can lead to pinching, or even discomfort such as blisters, but wearing a boot built on a last shape that doesn’t suit your foot can gape and lead to slipping – an obvious safety hazard – which can also cause the wearer to alter their gait and develop more serious lower limb issues. 

The problem with lasts

Most of the world’s footwear is manufactured in Asia. In fact, according to Statista, China, India, Vietnam and Indonesia produce 75% of all footwear. Asian lasts are often based on Asian foot shapes, but Europeans typically have wider feet than Asian people, so when footwear made in countries like China and Vietnam is shipped to Europe, many wearers end up with boots that are too narrow, as they were built around the narrow lasts based on Asian wearers.

Some factories also use a more generic and less contoured last simply as a ‘catch-all’ method. In these factories, lasts are often standardised - their contours and finer details are ground away and rounded off so they encapsulate as many different foot shapes as possible from different cultures and climates.

As a result, many in the UK have got used to wearing a slimmer boot than their foot requires. And this often means wearers feeling the pinch of a narrow shoe will go for the next size up, and then mistakenly think this is their true size, as the majority of their footwear will be made using a narrow last. And this is why people often remark that V12 footwear feels different to other safety brands when they find they have to size down. Well - they should!

Our safety boots may well feel wider because they fit properly – the bespoke and specifically designed last resulting in a roomier and more supported fit.     

How is the V12 last different? 

We were committed to making a last specific to safety boot wearers, who need comfort and safety with no compromises. So, our last had to be different – it needed to have fully contoured shape to provide the highest level of comfort and the most appropriate design to reflect the foot of the European wearer. 

How did we do it? 

We spent over two years developing the V12 last and worked with the only remaining British lastmakers in the country. Spring Line lastmakers are world-renowned for their traditional skills and craftsmanship, but we amalgamated their longstanding experience with cutting-edge innovation by basing the last shape on data created from combining the scans of over 4,000 global foot shapes. 

And so, the V12 last was created: hand-crafted with passion and expertise but developed with innovation at the fore, it allows our wearers the most universally comfortable fit. 

While many manufacturers see the safety features of a boot such as toecaps, midsoles and ankle protection as the only way to keep the wearer’s feet safe, V12 were the first manufacturer to understand that at the core of safety is comfort – and our last reflects this thinking, ensuring our wearers stay focussed on safety, firm-footed and free of foot complaints.

Spot the difference?

Look at the blue V12 last on the left. Now contrast it with the generic last on the right used to create so much footwear globally. Note how much more simplistic and lacking in shape it is. Now look at your feet! Which one of the lasts reflects what your foot looks like?  

Now also consider the fact that the shapeless and generalised last on the right would normally be used for male and female shoes. So if you wore a boot based on a generic last – which is very likely as they are so common – you'd firstly be served up something like the image on the right - a non-specialised, formless item of footwear that doesn’t take into account the contours of your foot. But worse, boots made from this type of last don’t in any way address the fact that your foot will be differently shaped due to your gender, and that footwear should be built around a last that has a specific male or female design.

Men and women's fit

Women and men’s feet are anatomically different, which is why we developed a women’s range based on a specifically designed last. This last has been expertly fashioned to give the female wearer the best fit based on the female foot shape and size including being sculpted with a narrower heal and to better accommodate the toecap. 

Interested in our women’s range or the difference between men and women’s feet? Learn more in our blog here. 

One last thing 

While the V12 female range is built on a specifically developed last, this doesn't mean our men’s range is built on a generic or standardised last. Just like the female styles, our men's range last has been equally anatomically sculpted and contoured, meaning our time and expertise has been invested in both ranges, ensuring bespoke protection – with no exceptions. 

Now you know the level of passion and precision that goes into crafting every V12 boot, start exploring our full range and find the safety boot that’ll let you step up in comfort.