Anyone who is working a strenuous job in which there’s a real possibility of having their toes injured by falling or rolling objects is going to want to buy the best pair of steel toe boots available. These boots protect the toes from pinching, rolling and falling objects, so the wearer can work without having to worry about their feet or toes being damaged in the process.

Protecting the toes isn’t the only benefit a good pair of steel toe shoes should provide, however. They also should be comfortable for a person to wear, particularly if they’re working long hours while on their feet. Fortunately, we’ve found steel toe boots that provide the protection a worker needs and do it while remaining extremely comfortable. And we’ve listed the boots that we’ve found below.

Best Steel Toe Boots – Reviews

10Caterpillar Men’s Second Shift Work Boots

buy button

When most people think of the Caterpillar name they think of tractors or backhoes, but their name can also be found on some of the best steel toe boots available. These boots are made from 100% leather, have a durable rubber slip-resistant sole, and are designed for all different types of harsh working conditions. Their steel toes also conform to ASTM F2413-11 work standards, they have an oil-resistant outsole, and they’re also extremely comfortable to wear for long periods. It’s no wonder why so many workers place their trust in these high-quality steel toe work boots. They are a great combination of comfort, performance, and durability.

9Caterpillar Women’s Echo Waterproof Boots

buy button

The selection of women’s steel toe work boots is a bit slim, so it can be hard for women to find boots that hold up as well as men’s boots. Fortunately, these boots from Caterpillar solves that problem by incorporating some of the same features that can be found in men’s work boots. They are made from 100% leather and feature a rubber sole that provides great traction. They also have a polyurethane foam footbed that makes them comfortable to wear, even for long periods of standing. And they’re not only oil and slip-resistant but also conform to ASTM-F2413-05 safety standards.

8Condor Dakota Men’s Work Boots

buy button

These steel toe work boots are designed to protect the wearer’s feet against a variety of hazards and come up far enough to protect the wearer’s ankle, too. These boots are made from 100% genuine nubuck leather, contain a polyurethane midsole and a thermoplastic polyurethane outsole. They also feature steel toes that meet ASTM F2413-11 standards for work protection against impacts up to 75-foot-pounds or compression loads up to 2,500 pounds. It also provides the user with slip, oil, and abrasion-resistant as well. And because it comes in either brown or tan, there’s a pair that suits just about every worker’s style.

7Skechers For Work Men’s Workshire Boots

buy button

These Skechers Workshire boots are designed to deal with harsh working conditions that other work boots simply can’t deal with. This product is made using high-quality leather that protects the upper foot and a rubber sole that provides plenty of traction. They also have steel toes that have been independently certified to meet ASTM F2413-2011 standards for work impact and compression hazards. It also meets industry standards for electrical hazard work, too. All of these certifications mean that these work boots can hold up to a variety of hazardous conditions and can adequately protect the wearer’s feet when necessary.

6Rock Hard Steel Toe Electrical Hazard Boots

buy button

These steel toe boots are designed to not only be comfortable but are also designed to protect the wearer against electrical hazards that can result from repairing electrical lines or dealing with electrical faults. That makes these work boots suitable for use by both electricians and linemen. They are also made with a durable construction that allows them to hold up to harsh environments and a thick sole that provides the wearer with traction. They’re also puncture-resistant, so they provide the wearer with additional protection from dropped nails, parts or metal shavings as well. That makes them a good overall workboot suitable for several different jobs.

5Timberland Pro Men’s Pit Boss Boots

buy button

Since the early 1970s, Timberland has been producing high-quality leather workboots that perform above and beyond expectations, and these boots aren’t an exception to that rule. These boots are manufactured in the Pit Boss style and not only look good but provide the performance that the wearer expects out of a steel toe shoe. They’re made using 100% quality leather and have rubber soles that provide excellent traction. These boots are designed to be safe as well and meet all ANSI safety standards that concern work boots. And because they’re made with the worker in mind, they won’t tire feet after excessively long workdays.

4Wolverine Men’s Ranger Work Boots

buy button

Wolverine is a company that’s been making high-quality boots since 1883 and their expertise shows in these work boots. Using an iconic western-inspired design called Wellington, these boots will make the wearer feel like they’re a 19th-century rancher ready to bring home the steer. Just because it has a quaint design, however, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t provide modern-day performance and safety because it does. These boots are made using 100% leather that’s naturally water-resistant and helps to protect the wearer’s feet at the same time. They also have soles that dig in and provide the wearer with the traction they need.

3Wolverine Men’s Overpass Work Boots

buy button

Manufactured using a blend of leather and textile materials, these work boots are designed to not only be comfortable but are also designed to provide the wearer with the performance they need for a hard day of work. They’re made with a carbon max toe cap that’s designed to be lightweight, but still, provide the protection and the fit that a person needs. These boots also have a rubber sole that provides great traction control and uppers that are water-resistant, too. Additional features include heavy-duty stitching, high-quality boot laces and a removable Ortholite cushioned footbed for added comfort.

2AdTec Logger Steel Toes For Men

buy button

These logger-style boots are designed not only to provide superior comfort but they’re also designed to survive the trials and tribulations of the backwoods. They’re made using a durable construction that features real leather uppers and a lug sole that provides the wearer with the shock absorption properties they need. These shoes keep the foot extremely stable, so the wearer is always capable of keeping their footing. This makes them suitable for not only logging work, but also for construction or even just hiking down a nature trail. These are all-purpose boots with steel toes that are comfortable and protect the feet from just about any hazard.

1GW Men’s 1606ST Boots

buy button

These work boots not only protect the wearer’s toes with a sturdy steel toe box, but it also protects the entire foot from harsh conditions. These boots are made out of durable high-quality leather that’s water-resistant and features a thick sole that’s slip-resistant. This makes these boots good for anyone working in wet or slippery conditions. This product is also designed to hold up to heavy use, so the wearer doesn’t have to change out there footwear more often than necessary. These boots also come in several different colors and styles that include classic work black, wheat, tan, and brown.

Can’t Find What You’re Looking For? Check these suggestions:

A Guide To Buying The Best Steel Toe Boots

When people are thinking about buying steel toe boots, they are looking for a work boot that is not only durable but one that’s capable of protecting their feet against particular hazards they might face on the job. Unfortunately, not a lot of people realize what makes a particular pair of these boots the best ones for their needs. To remedy that situation, we’ve not only listed our recommendations for what we feel are the best steel toe boots available above, but we’ve also written this article that will help guide our readers through the buying process.

Step One: Determine Your Correct Size

Before we jump into safety ratings and other things that the consumer is going to need to consider, we’re going to talk about getting an accurate foot measurement. After all, if the consumer doesn’t have an accurate idea of what size they need, then they’re going to end up buying a pair that’s too tight or too loose. And that can be a disaster in the workplace.

Even though you would think that getting an accurate foot measurement is the natural first step everyone would want to consider, too few people actually consider it. That’s because many people mistakenly believe that they know their boot size and therefore don’t need to measure their feet. Maybe they measured their feet 2 years ago or 10 years ago. What these people don’t realize, however, is that a person’s boot size changes over time, so getting an accurate and current reading is extremely important.

Before a person measures their foot in anticipation of purchasing a steel toe boot, they should do it under the right conditions. What we mean, is that they should measure their feet after they’ve done a full day’s work. That’s because feet are smallest before a day of full activity but swell as the person goes through their day. Therefore, if the worker works a day shift, then they should measure their feet in the evening after work, but if they’re working the graveyard shift, then they should measure their feet in the morning after their shift. Workers should also measure their feet while they’re wearing the socks they intend on using with their boots to get an accurate reading.

The Steps To Getting An Accurate Foot Measurement

  • Start after work and while wearing work socks.
  • Place down a white sheet of paper on the floor and grab a pencil.
  • The foot should be placed in the center of the paper.
  • Put a mark on the paper at the tip of the longest toe.
  • Place another mark at the back of the heel.
  • Draw a line from the heel mark to the toe mark.
  • Measure the line and write down the number.
  • The number can then be compared against a Foot Measurement Table to get the numerical size.
  • Measure the width of the foot and compare it against a Foot Width table to get the letter width size.

Step Two Consider Necessary Safety Standards

The next thing that the consumer should think about when buying a pair of steel toe boots is the safety standards that they need it to comply with. Some work boots are designed to offer almost no extra protection against specific workplace hazards, and others are very specific in what they protect the wearer’s foot against. Of course, not everyone needs steel toe boots to provide additional protection beyond protecting the toes against objects rolling over or being dropped on them. With that in mind, below are some workplace conditions that workers are going to want to consider buying a pair of boots that go above and beyond just ordinary toe protection.

Potential Workplace Hazards The Warrant Additional Foot Protection

  • Electrical Hazards
  • Slipper Surfaces
  • Hot Surfaces
  • Situations Where Static Charge Release Could Lead To An Explosion
  • Sharp Objects That May puncture The Wearer’s Feet
  • Situations Where Molten Metal Is Present
  • Situations Where Poisonous Or Corrosive Materials Are Present.


Parsing Workplace Safety Standards

If the consumer needs a pair of steel toe boots that can be used for any of the above conditions, then they’re going to have to consider the ASTM standards of the boot. This international standard sets forth the minimum requirements that a boot or shoe has to meet to provide the wearer with protection against certain hazards. The most current rating at the time that we wrote this article was F2413-17, but as standards change periodically, the consumer should always search for the most recent standard available and make sure their boots conform to it.

Once the consumer has found a steel toe boot that conforms to that standard, they then should look for the standard behind it that tells the consumer what hazards the boot protects against. For example, if the standard states that its F2413-17 I/75, then it’s rated against impacts. If the boot states that it’s F2413-17 PR, then it’s puncture resistant.

Below are some additional standards that are often seen with work boots. 

  • I/75: Rated Against Impacts
  • C/75: Rated Against Compression
  • CD: Rated Against Conductive Properties
  • EH; Rated Against Electrical Hazards
  • PR: Puncture Resistant

Step Three: Some Final Steel Toe Boot Considerations

As we come to the end of this guide, there are a few other features that the consumer might want to consider before they settle on the best steel toe boots for them. Although we can’t say that everyone will need all of the following features, many of them are quite useful for a steel toe work boot to have and should at least be considered.

  • Slip Resistance
  • Water Resistance
  • Cushioned Footbed For Comfort
  • 100% Leather Uppers