The Best Work Boots of 2023

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 that sits between you and workmen’s comp is a work boot. Finding the proper footwear is a step toward a long and healthy career.

We sent a crop of the latest work boots out into the field this year to see which rose to the task. We’ve categorized boots into steel-toe, safety-toe, and soft-toe varieties. To better evaluate each boot’s utility, we rated each on a “utility scale,” measuring a boot’s casual wearability against its utility. For the full rundown of what you should consider in a work boot, head on down to our buyer’s guide and FAQ sections. If you know what you’re in the market for and need help with a final decision, check out our comparison chart.

From weekend chore masters to heavy-duty diesel drivers, here are the best work boots of 2023.

The Best Work Boots of 2023

Work Boots Comparison Chart

Why You Should Trust Us

Taylor has been working in the trades since 2006 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.

For this guide, Taylor has compiled some of the classic and up and up-and-coming models that accommodate a wide range of uses. From toe protection to electrical hazards, he’s clearly indicated which boot is up to each task and highlighted the strengths of each model.

Buyers Guide: How to Choose a Work Boot

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 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.

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 use waterproof leather. In addition to waterproof leather, Timberland adds a waterproof-breathable membrane to its Boondock (which also resists bloodborne pathogens). 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 g of insulation in the liner (with 400 g 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, my dad worked on a farm that still plowed the fields with steel-wheeled tractors. Long story short, he 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.

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.

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 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-F2413 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 F2413-11: Complies with the performance requirement of F2413, issued in 2011
• 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 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. 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.

Work boots can be expensive, but they’re part and parcel of your health and wage. Buy wisely, and they should serve you well for years to come.

Frequently Asked Questions