The Best Work Boots for Every Type of Job

Most boots are built to last. But work boots go above and beyond: They’re strong, long-lasting and just warm enough to stay on your feet for most of the colder months. (Waterproof work boots are a plus if you plan to, well, get wet.)It’s no surprise the style was more or less perfected half a century ago. Editions since expand on certain features to cater to certain customers or emphasize comfortability — since work often requires a lot of standing.

The no-frills lace-up style protects the lower legs and feet and usually features a durable lug sole. A steel toe is ideal, but it’s rare you find an affordable boot with one. Protective toes are another thing entirely: They prevent stubbing when you kick a crate or topple a tree log.

What to Consider

Height

Find a boot with a high rise: 6 inches or taller. These are the best bet against all floor-level debris, whether it’s dangerous or not.

Material

Leather boots are best because the material is more durable than rubber, mesh, nylon or cotton canvas.

Protective Elements

Steel toes are the end all be all of protective footwear features, but a reinforced toebox will do if you can’t spend the extra dough. As for on the bottom, always get a lug sole. The thicker the better, in my opinion. They should have slip-resistant tread, too — like that on Red Wing’s Moc Toe boot.

Construction

Goodyear-welted boots can be resoled if you wear through them, making your work boots last longer.

Price

An expensive boot is almost always worth it as long as the feature warrants the price — not just the aesthetics. They’ll last longer, look better as they age and prevent the annual re-up we all dread.

Zappos

Best Overall Work Boot

Red Wing Iron Ranger Cap Toe Boot

• $350.00 at Zappos

If you just want to know which work boots to get, the Red Wing Iron Ranger is it. The brand’s reputation is built on its Goodyear-welted boots and its Iron Ranger is among its most iconic. It features a protective cap toe, cork misdole that adapts to the wearer’s unique foot shape, speed hooks and resolable Goodyear-welt construction.

The pull-up leather (tanned by Red Wing) is beautiful from the start, even more with time. You’ll need to step into them knowing about the tough break-in period, but fans will tell you it’s totally worth it.

Viberg

Best Upgrade Work Boot

Viberg Service Boot 2030 – Chromexcel

• $860.00 at Viberg

I wouldn’t go sloshing around a wet worksite in these, but jobs done in a studio or small- to mid-sized factory? For sure. These are Viberg’s most iconic style, with a history stretching as far back as 1931. They’re cut from hard-wearing Chromoexcel leather, feature a Dainite sole and brass hardware.

Amazon

Best Affordable Work Boot

Timberland Waterproof Boot

• $195.00 at Amazon
  $210.00 (7% off)

When Timberland introduced its now-iconic work boots in 1973, it was a revolution. The cement construction made it among the first boots to be truly waterproof and the design has remained much the same since. The nubuck uppers are constructed with quadruple needle stitching and outfitted with PrimaLoft insulation padded ankle collars and tough rubber lug soles.

Courtesy

Irish Setter Elk Hunter Boot

• $240.00 at

Technically a hunting boot, the Irish Setter Elk Hunter Boot works even in a zombie apocalypse — just ask Joel from The Last of Us. These are his on-screen boots of choice, even though a costumer picked them out.

But they made the right choice. These are tall and comfortable, durable and 100 percent waterproof. Plus, they have a memory foam footbed and a scent-blocking membrane.

Zappos

Wolverine 1000 Mile Boot

• $385.00 at Zappos

This is Wolverine’s 1000 Mile Boot. It’s named after the number of miles you can put on a pair, but you can probably add even more. This one is modeled after the original’s pattern, which was first produced in 1914, and made in Big Rapids, Michigan. Unlined, the boot’s upper is made from premium Horween leather and there’s a leather outsole with a Vibram heel, too.

Huckberry

Red Wing Heritage 6-inch Classic Moc Gore-Tex

• $340.00 at Huckberry

When Red Wing introduced the Moc Toe, it was designed for outdoorsmen — people trekking through mud and over rough terrain, who needed to strike a balance between comfort and courage. This version of the venerable boot is made with a Gore-Tex membrane, making it entirely waterproof. You won’t sully your feet should someone splash or a puddle surprise you. Plus, they’re plenty comfortable still.

Ariat

Ariat Groundbreaker 6″ Work Boot

• $140.00 at ariat.com

This Ariat boot is one of the brand’s more affordable options, but that doesn’t mean it can’t do the job — whatever it may be. It’s a six-inch, lace-up boot with a rubber Ariat sole and a heel tab for easy removal. You won’t find a steel toe here, but you can add one for ~$50 dollars. Some customers have cited a discrepancy between this version and pricier Ariat boots, but you get what you pay for — and that’s plenty still.

Baker’s

Wesco Standard Steel Toe Jobmaster

• $430.00 at Baker's

Whatever the job requires, Wesco’s Jobmaster gets it done with full-grain leather uppers and a hunky Vibram lug sole which boost it to 10 inches tall. With effectively indestructible build quality, full-leather insoles and midsoles, and brass eyelets that get better with age, it’s worth considering the price jump from our top pick.

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Keen San Jose Waterproof Boot

• $190.00 at keenfootwear.com

Keen’s San Jose Boots are the same height as Timberland’s classic wheat work boot, but they are way lighter. Keen opted for aluminum instead of steel, creating tough toes that weigh 35 percent less. But less weight doesn’t mean these are any less protective: They come with Keen’s KEEN.DRY waterproof membrane, are both safe from Electrical Hazard (EH) and Electric Shock Resistant (ESR) and feature a siped outsole that drains faster, giving you better control on wet surfaces.

White’s Boots

White’s Boots 350 Cutter

• $700.00 at

The 350 Cutter was originally designed by then White’s owner Otto White, who famously took a chainsaw to a taller boot to make something loggers could wear on off days. The upper’s waterproof and there’s a mini Vibram outsole, plus each pair is both resoleable and rebuildable.

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