Four tips when buying safety shoes - Houweling Group

Safety shoes are special shoes that offer protection, thereby increasing safety. This protection can vary greatly, from protection of the feet against sharp objects to protection from the wet.

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Safety shoes are an example of personal protection equipment (PPE). There are more types of equipment, such as hearing protection, hand protection and face protection.

Tip 1: Determine against what your safety shoes have to protect.

The choice of safety shoes depends on the purpose: against what do the shoes have to protect? If you know that, you can choose from various safety norms and safety features.

Safety norms

• SB (Safety Base): These shoes meet the minimum requirement and have a steel, composite or aluminium toe cap. These also provide sufficient protection against falling objects and have a dent resistance of at least 200 Joules. The shock absorption of the heel is at least 200 Joules.
• S1 class: The shoe is antistatic and absorbs energy in the heel.
• S2 class: The shoe has the same properties as the S1 norm and offers higher waterproofing.
• S3 class: The shoe has the same properties as the S2 norm and has a hardened midsole and an antislip tread.
• S1P class: The shoe has the same properties as the S1 norm and has a steel or steel-free midsole. This is to prevent nails and other sharp objects from being able to penetrate the shoe to your feet.
• S4 class: The shoe has the same properties as the S3 norm. They are all made from plastic, making them waterproof.
• S5 class: The shoe has the same properties as the S4 norm and has a hard midsole and an antislip tread.

Safety features

In addition to the guidelines of various safety classes, there are also safety features. This allows you to see at a glance the protection offered by the safety shoes:

• P – puncture resistance
• C – electrical resistance (non-conductive)
• A – electrical resistance (anti-static)
• E – energy-absorbing heel
• HI – heat insulation (degree to which the feet remain cool in the shoe)
• CI – cold insulation (degree to which the feet remain warm in the shoe)
• WRU – water repellent uppers
• HRO – heat-resistant outsole (300 °C)

Tip 2: Decide whether you need a high-cut or low-cut safety shoe

If you know the safety norms and safety features the shoe must meet, then you can choose between a high-cut or low-cut model of safety shoe.

A high-cut model of safety shoe provides more support around the ankle and achilles tendon than a low-cut model.
A low-cut model of safety shoe is more comfortable if you have to kneel down a lot during your work, as the ankles are easier to move. The low-cut shoe model, however, offers less protection to the achilles tendon.

Tip 3: Ensure that the shoe fits well.

It is important that your safety shoes are comfortable to wear. After all, you will often have to wear them intensively and for long periods of time. The shoes must be of the right size; if the shoes are a little tight or too loose, it is wise to try another size. Along with the unisex models, there are also male and female models.

Tip 4: Don’t forget to maintain your safety shoes.

The life of safety shoes can easily be lengthen by looking after them properly. Shoes often get wet. If the shoes have been brushed and well smeared with grease, they will keep in good condition for a long time.

How often safety shoes are replaced

On average, people need new safety shoes each year. If the shoes are broken or worn, they will have to be replaced sooner. This depends of course on the person; the use to which safety shoes are put varies from person to person. The replacement of safety shoes depends on the environment, the frequency of use and the maintenance. Look at the following to see whether your safety shoes need to be replaced:

• Do they have any cracks or tears?
• Do they have any holes?
• Has the sole come loose. Is it broken or perforated?
• Is the anti-slip tread worn out?
• Are the steel toe caps dented?
• Is the lining around the steel toe caps still compete?

If the safety shoes have one or more of the above defects, they need to be replaced.

Buying new safety shoes

Like any tool, there’s a right boot for the job. While most of us will sacrifice comfort for safety and function, bulky and stiff work boots can lead to chronic pain. Overall, the best work boots should balance the competing priorities of comfort and utility.

Even if you’re careful, heavy materials can unexpectedly fall and crush a foot. When that happens, the only thing between you and workers’ comp is a work boot. Finding the proper footwear is a step toward a long and healthy career, so we took dozens of boots to work to find the best ones.

To help you find the best work boot for your needs, we’ve included a buyer’s guide, a price & value section, and a comparison chart. To better evaluate each boot’s utility, we rated each on a “utility scale,” measuring its casual wearability against its utility. So, from weekend chore masters to heavy-duty diesel drivers, here are the best work boots of .

Editor’s Note: We updated this guide on October 28, , to add BRUNT Workwear 6-Inch Sullivan Comp Toe and Wolverine’s Durashocks SR Icon work.

The Best Work Boots of

Best Work Boots Comparison Chart

How We Tested the Best Work Boots

Our Expert Testers

Constance Mahoney grew up on a cattle ranch in Montana. She is no stranger to long days on her feet in all weather conditions. She understands the importance of having the right boot for the job and thinks work boots are just as important as the tools she works with. Quality matters.

Constance’s husband, Taylor, has been working in the trades since , and is on-site 5 days a week putting the gear he’s wearing to the real test. He is also a licensed chiropractor trained in biomechanics, gait, and orthotics, giving him a unique perspective on how work boots should support, fit, and flex.

Nick LeFort started his career as a teen selling work boots for one of the largest workwear retailers in New England. He eventually ended up working in multiple environments that required work boots to keep him safe and comfortable during long days on his feet. In fact, he’s been known to wear work boots out on the trail when he’s hiking.

In the last decade, LeFort has owned three pairs of Timberland PRO Boondock 6-inch Comp Toe. As both an engineer and someone working down on the assembly floor, he lauds them for their comfort and, as he will tell you, being able to kick things around when your hands are full.

Our Testing Process

Work boots make up almost one-third of all the footwear sold in North America. With that kind of statistic comes a wide variety all with different heights, different features, and different forms of protection for your feet in the workplace. 

Here at GearJunkie, we don’t shy away from manual work. Most of us either work blue-collar jobs, have worked blue-collar jobs, or punish ourselves with laborious tasks during our free time. Our crew is used to being on their feet for hours in all different weather and working conditions. In any case, safety, stability, and comfort are all a priority when work boots are a necessity.

Hiking in Work Boots: Some of the boots in our selection are versatile enough to hike in, and some of us do. However, if you’re looking to get into the woods after you’ve clocked out, check out any of our other guides for further inspiration, like our list of the best hiking boots, best hiking shoes, and best hunting boots.

Boots that aren’t made to certain standards or are ill-fitting can be more than uncomfortable — they can be dangerous. That is why it is so important for us to list all of the safety ratings for the boots in this guide.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Work Boots

Soles

Of course, a work boot should protect your feet, but the unsung task of the work boot is to enable you to work hour after hour, day after day.

If the boot isn’t working, your legs, hips, back, and neck will compensate and eventually take the brunt (and do so with less grace). Above all else, a work boot’s task is to address stress at the ground level. A comfortable boot is arguably a safer boot. You’ll be more sure-footed and focused on the task at hand in a comfortable boot.

The outsole is where the rubber meets the road. Riding over the cushiony midsole and in direct contact with the ground, the outsole is about grip and protection.

Many boots use special formulas of urethane compounds that strike a balance of flexibility, durability, and increased traction on slick surfaces. If you work in shops where oils occasionally spill on the floor, look for shoes that specifically indicate oil and slip resistance. The best of the best are certified to meet SRC slip-resistance standards.

For standing all day on concrete, we prefer the simple wedge-shaped sole. Unlike a heeled boot, the sole has full contact with the ground. This helps absorb the shock with every step and disperses forces equally across the sole. A full-contact outsole also adds a little extra traction and, hence, is often a preferred sole for those working on slick surfaces.

When you think of the wedge sole, you immediately think of the classic moc-toe boot. We listed Thorogood’s American Heritage 6-inch moc toe MAXwear Wedge as our preferred soft-toe boot. But if your shoes are resoleable, a wedge sole can be added to any work boot regardless of the toe type.

If you’re standing all day on cement, like working the floor at Costco, a wedge-shaped sole should be on your list. Or, if your work brings you outside, look for a hiker-like tread that provides more traction in dirt and mud.

Sitting opposite the wedge sole is the heeled boot. The raised cowboy-style heel shifts your center of gravity slightly forward. These boots can be extremely durable and stable. But that gap between the heel and under the ball of the foot doesn’t give the foot full contact with the ground.

Because of this, they can feel a little squirrelly on slick ground. But they seat well with climbing spurs and have added ankle stability while climbing. Hence, you’ll often find taller heels on logger-style boots.

Soles can be cemented or welted to the boot. Cemented boots are lighter, more flexible, and arguably more comfortable out of the box. But once the sole wears out, shoes with cemented outsoles are irreparable.

A Goodyear welt can be resoled several times, increasing the life of your purchase. The outsole welt is sewn to the bottom of the shoe, enabling boots to be sewn and re-sewn multiple times. The shoe won’t be as comfortable underfoot as a boot cemented to an EVA midsole, but the durability and support are reasonable trade-offs. Over time, slipping into a Goodyear-welted boot will feel wonderfully comfortable.

If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Model Sole Safety Shoes.

Need more support? Consider an aftermarket insole. Available in a variety of thicknesses and cushion levels, Superfeet orthotics add a touch of personalized support to your boot. We particularly recommend an aftermarket insole for boots that lack a midsole.

Weatherproof

Dry feet are warm feet. If you’re working in truly wet conditions — like pulling crab pots off the Aleutian Islands — look for 100% waterproof boots. If it’s both wet and cold, upgrade to a thicker neoprene shell like Muck Boot’s fleece-lined Arctic Pro. It’s both 100% waterproof and rated down to -60 degrees F.

Other boots, like the BOGS Bedrock, use waterproof leather. In addition to waterproof leather, Timberland’s Boondocks and Kenetrek Hardscrabble ST boots add a waterproof-breathable membrane to keep moisture out. These membranes allow boots to be both waterproof and breathable.

Insulation

Cold-weather boots include a thermal footbed and insulation in the shaft. The insulation is listed in the fabric’s weight per yard in grams. The higher the gram count, the warmer the boot is.

For cold job sites, we recommend boots with no less than 200 grams of insulation in the liner (with 400 grams the preferred winter standard). Muck Boot’s Arctic Pro has a fat neoprene outer lined with fleece.

If winter work boots have a safety toe, look for boots with insulation around the cap (or composite cap). This reduces the conductive effects of heat transfer from the toes to the safety toe.

High-vis accents are also great, especially if your work starts and ends in the dark or if you’re working roadside.

Toe Protection

When he was younger, our lead tester’s dad worked on a farm that still plowed the fields with steel-wheeled tractors. Long story short, he now has nine toes. The importance of protective boots can’t be overlooked.

“Safety boots” are boots that have a protective cap that covers the phalanges (your actual toes). The cap resists compression, puncture, and impact forces.

Steel toe versus safety toe: What’s the difference? All steel-toe boots are considered safety-toe boots. Safety-toe boots are available in composites, alloys, Kevlar, and hard plastics. Steel is more durable and is considered the gold standard on many job sites. But they can conduct cold, heat, and electricity. Our top pick for a steel-toe boot is the Caterpillar Alaska 2.0 steel-toe boot. The Caterpillar (CAT) Second Shift steel-toe work boot is a great budget-friendly option.

Composites still meet the compression and impact safety standards, but they may only be able to sustain one of these impacts. On the flip side, composite-toe boots are lighter and won’t conduct currents. If you need toe protection on cold-weather job sites or work with high-voltage equipment, consider buying a non-metallic safety toe boot like the Perkins boot. Or if you are looking for an office boot with a composite toe, check out Kodiak’s McKinney Chelsea.

Nineteen of the foot’s 26 bones sit under the tongue and vamp of a shoe. The five bones that connect the toes to the ankle and form the arch of the foot are your metatarsals. Some boots like the Danner Steel Yard come with an additional protective “met-guard” that lies over the laces, protecting the metatarsals.

ASTM Safety Standards

Protection is what elevates a boot from a supportive hiker to an industry heavy-hitter. Standards provide confidence in the boot’s ability to perform under specific stressors.

If you poke around work boots enough, you’ll likely come across safety ratings set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). These are international standards that identify the minimal requirements for protective footwear on the job site. They rate everything from viral penetration to puncture resistance to compression ratings.

ASTM-F standards rate boots specifically for compression, impact, metatarsal, conductive properties, electrical hazards, static dissipation, and puncture. Here are some typical ASTM abbreviations:

• I for Impact
• C for Compression
• Mt for Metatarsal
• Cd for Conductive
• EH for Electrical Hazard
• SD for Static Dissipating
• PR for Puncture Resistant
• CS Chain Saw cut resistance
• DI for Dielectric insulation — insulation from circuits or conductors

Each is followed by a number. To find how your prospective boot rates, the ASTM standards are outlined in four lines:

• Line 1: Compliance and year
• Line 2: Gender/impact/compression/metatarsal resistance
• Line 3-4: Specific hazards the boot protects against

So if we interpret the Timberland Boondock, we get the following:

• ASTM F-11: Complies with the performance requirement of F, issued in
• M/I/75C/75: A men’s boot that complies with the impact and compression requirements of a 50-pound weight dropped from 18 inches, delivering 75 foot-pounds of force on the toe, and can endure 2,500 pounds of rolling force over the toe
• EH: Outsole is made from non-conductive materials that are shock-resistant

Buying Your Work Boots

Which boot is best for you? If you’re puttering around the house on weekends, choose a comfortable boot with appropriate protection for your daily tasks.

Unless you’re Clark Griswold, you probably don’t need a heavy-duty, steel-toe boot to hang Christmas lights. You’d be better served with a comfortable, supportive boot with traction like the Danner Vicious. If you want something more stylish that pairs well with suites and shop work, look at the American-made Red Wing’s Iron Ranger. However, if you’re splitting wood or mowing the lawn, it’s not a bad idea to consider a safety toe for protection.

Many jobs will explicitly share which footwear meets required ASTM standards before you can step foot on the site. Neglecting to follow them can incur large fines from OSHA. Getting injured while deciding not to wear protective boots on the job can affect your workmen’s comp and insurance. If you’re unsure, ask your boss what standards your boots need to comply with.

You can buy any of these boots online. And some manufacturers, like White’s, will only build a boot off of your mailed measurements. But for most boots, it’s best to try them on at a local shop. A boot’s last can be different than your street shoe. A shop can measure your feet and ensure you’re stepping into a proper-fitting boot.

Try boots on at the end of the day, preferably after work. Your feet swell over a day’s work, and trying on shoes after your shift will provide a better gauge of a proper fit.

When you try on ski boots, you bring ski socks. The same goes for work boots. Bring a pair of socks you intend to wear with the boots. Better yet, buy yourself a new pair of socks; they wear out quicker than you think. Plus, nobody wants to try on shoes with socks pulled from the shop’s community bin.

Take care of your boots. Invest in a good horsehair brush to regularly dust off dirt and grime. Clean your boots with warm water. Leather is like your skin and needs moisturizing. Condition your leather boots after every wash.

Your boots are tools, so periodically check them for wear and tear. Treat the safety toe like a helmet. If a composite toe has taken a hit, it’s probably best to retire the boots. If the boot has a Goodyear welt, uneven wear on the sole’s heel, or any splitting from the boot, it’s a good indication it’s time to resole.

Hiking in Work Boots

Some of the boots in our selection are versatile enough to hike in, and some of us do. However, if you’re looking to get into the woods after you’ve clocked out, check out any of our other guides for further inspiration, like our list of the best hiking boots, best hiking shoes, and best hunting boots.

Price & Value

Work boots are your first line of defense in a work setting – whether it’s in a factory, on the job site, or in your backyard. They face the most abuse from the environment they are being used in as well as weather conditions in general. For these reasons, you want to make sure you invest in the right boot for you that will stand the test of time.

Budget

There’s always a negative connotation surrounding budget work boots. The fact of the matter is that there are quality work boots in the budget category, but they may not meet all of the standards that you need for your job. However, if you’re looking for a good boot for the backyard or workshop, you can save yourself some money.

At $115, the Caterpillar Second Shift work boots are a great steel-toe boot for the price. They’re made from full-grain leather, feature an EH-rated steel toe, and have the added benefit of a resistant outsole. For those of you who don’t need a steel toe and are looking to save a few bucks, the Second Shift is also available in a soft-toe model. 

Mid-tier

When considering a mid-tier level work boot, plan on paying between $150-200. These are boots that are generally made from longer-lasting materials and typically meet all of the required ASTM standards a work boot needs to be used in a hard-working environment.

On this list, our top pick, the Timberland PRO Boondock 6-inch Comp Toe ($200), would be categorized as “mid-tier”. Contributor Nick LeFort swears by these boots and has gotten upwards of two years of hard use out of a pair. This level of comfort, quality, and reliability has made him buy two more pairs over the years.

Premium

In the world of work boots, premium boots meet or exceed everything that you would expect from a mid-tier boot but may have certain features that elevate their price and categorization. One example would be the Thorogood American Heritage 6-inch Moc Toe. These boots are American-made, which impacts their cost. Another example of a premium work boot would be one designed for harsh environments. The Muck Arctic Pro Steel Toe Boot was designed to keep you comfortable, dry, warm, and supported for hours. At $230, this boot is actually a bargain, considering what it has to offer.

For more Aircushion Sole Safety Shoes Manufacturersinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

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