Working on a farm, hiking, or spending time in an area where you know things will get inside your shoes can be tricky. You’d say, well you can prevent that by wearing long pants, but the weather is not always chilly, and sometimes you’d want to wear shorts. In those instances, you would want to do something about keeping your work boots clean on the inside.

Boot covers will prevent little grass seeds, rocks and debris from entering your socks and making you feel uncomfortable. These boot guards are placed above the boot and around your ankles, so nothing can enter inside the shoe. If you live in an area where snakes are common, these things are also very practical (your ankle gets double protection from the sharp snake teeth). Let’s see what you need to know about these protective and practical boot covers.

To describe them in the simplest way possible, we can define them as a piece of a pant leg with sewed elastic to hold around your ankle. These protective covers are ideal if you want to prevent unwanted things from entering your shoe and hurting your feet.

Boot covers can be made in various lengths (to match the height of the boots) and different materials. The design can vary and you can pick anything as simple as monochromatic black covers, to something colourful and interesting. And the best thing is that they can be used by anyone, no matter their age.

If you spend a lot of time in nature (hiking or working) these can help you keep your feet clean and comfortable without the need to remove your shoes and shake off things that got inside.

These covers can be used while working in places such as farms or gardens. If your work (or free time) is spent in places such as stables or yards with paddocks, you can use the covers to prevent straws, hays or thorns from getting inside your boots and hurting your foot. If you’re a lumberjack worker, you already know that keeping your feet safe is one of your top priorities. Adding these boot protectors will help unwanted pieces of wood and spikes from injuring your feet.

Hikers and campers are also recommended to use protective boot covers in order to stay safe from certain types of plants, insects or dangerous animals such as snakes. When you’re in nature, you can’t be sure of what types of grass and plants are touching your ankles. Some of them may be toxic or cause allergies. Construction workers are advised to get a pair to protect the inside of their boots as well.

Maybe you think that having little rocks or grass seed inside your shoe is nothing serious and it's only a source of discomfort. However, having an object such as a rock or a piece of straw inside your shoe can injure your toes and foot to a point where they get infected and you won’t be able to walk. Luckily, wearing these boot protective covers will prevent any of these things from entering and puncturing your feet so you can safely continue your activities even in the riskiest places.

Besides the protective part, the cover will keep your shoes clean most of the time. If you have an expensive pair of boots and want to keep them in good condition, the covers will help you in that mission. The cover will act as a physical barrier between sharp objects that can easily destroy the boot material.

If you have children and live in a climate with heavy rain and snows, the covers for boots can save you from many unwanted situations. Children love to jump in puddles or deep snow. No matter the quality of the boots they wear, water and snow can still enter inside from the top. If you buy boot protectors made of waterproof material you will prevent your child’s feet from being wet and cold in the winter. The same goes for adults, by adding the covers over your boots, you will be sure that your feet are dry and warm and avoid serious conditions such as trench foot.

That being said, you don’t have to be an adventurer, a farmer, or construction worker to benefit from these covers. You can simply add them on top of your boots or shoes and be sure that while you walk in areas that can be risky for your legs and feet, you can be entirely protected. They can also come in handy when riding a bike to work. If you want to be sure that your pant legs will remain clean and safe from the dirty bike chain, you should get a pair of these covers.

Pick a material that works best for your needs. Opt for waterproof fabrics if you plan on using the covers during rainy or snowy days. Pick cotton or a lighter fabric if you’ll use them for your gardening work for example. Hikers, campers and farmers should pick tough waterproof material as well because it usually is sturdier and will prevent thorns or hay to penetrate your boots or injure your ankles. Once you get your first pair, you will wonder why you didn’t purchase them earlier.