| A boot is a type of footwear
that covers at least the foot and the ankle and sometimes extends up to
the knee or even the hip. Most boots have a heel that is clearly
distinguishable from the rest of the sole, even if the two are made of
one piece. Traditionally made of leather or rubber, modern boots are now
made from a variety of materials.
High-top athletic shoes are generally not considered boots, even though they do cover the ankle, primarily due to the absence of a distinct heel. Boots designed for walking through the elements may be made of a single closely-stitched design (using leather, rubber, canvas, or similar material) to prevent the entry of water, snow, mud or dirt through the gaps left between the laces and the tongue in other types of shoes. Specialty boots have been made to temporarily protect steelworkers if they get caught in pools of molten metal; to protect chemical workers from a wide variety of chemical exposure; and there are insulated, inflatable, boots designed for walking in the Antarctic continent. However, most work boots are "lace-ups" made from leather; formerly they were usually shod with hobnails and heel- and toe-plates, but now usually with a thick rubber sole, and often with steel toecaps.
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