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As a welder, acquiring the best pair of boots for your work can be challenging. These boots come in different styles and from various manufacturers. As a beginner or even an expert welder, the number of choices you are faced with can be overwhelming. To assist you in narrowing down your options, we have spent time to review hundreds of welding shoes on the market. After reviewing these, we have come up with five of the best welding boots you can buy. Aside from these options, we have also provided a guide that highlights the vital factors to consider when making your choice.
Contents
Best Welding Boots
1. Dr. Martens Men’s Ironbridge Welding Boots – Best Light-Duty Welding Boots
Dr. Martens Men’s Ironbridge Welding Boots are an excellent pair of boots that offer excellent comfort and protection. If you frequent a welder’s shop, you will likely find these boots on the feet of welders. They are comfortable and great on the feet.
These welding boots are made of 100% genuine leather, which makes them durable and high-quality. They come with a steel toe cap which provides the ultimate protection. Furthermore, the padded steel metatarsal guard, along with the reinforced shank ensures that even if heavy objects fall on your feet, they won’t be damaged.
The full-grain leather material on these boots makes them waterproof and durable, as with many leather boots. The material is also fire-resistant. If you work in a workshop and your welding involves a lot of sparks flying around, the shoes will not catch fire. To enhance the durability of the boots, it comes with double stitching on the seams. The double stitching ensures the shoe is held together firmly, and the hot-sealing holds the upper sole and lower sole together.
The sole of the boot is made of rubber. It is designed to be slip-resistant and has a non-skid tread to ensure your stability and safety.
An essential factor in every welding boot is comfort. During our testing, we wore the boot for long periods without feeling any discomfort. The boot feels incredible. Some of the features that we believe contributed to the comfortable feel of these boots include the padded ankle support and the soft insole. Hence, you can bend, walk, stand, or engage in different activities for long periods without feeling fatigued in the feet. Aside from the sole of the boots, the upper part of the boots also feels great. The model we tested was our shoe size, and it provides enough space for your feet to breath.
You do not have to worry about smelly feet because it comes with moisture-absorbing fabric lining. Overall, this is one of the best welding boots you can acquire today. Click here to see the best price.
Features
- 100% Leather shoes
- Synthetic shoe soles
- Water-resistant material
- Steel Toe Boot
- Comfortable design
- Durable construction
- Heat, water, and electric resistant boot
- Not built for heavy-duty work
2. Caterpillar Men’s Second Shift Steel Toe Boots – Top-Rated Welding Boots
Welding boots are vital in the workshop and prevent injuries to your feet. The Caterpillar Men’s Second Shift Steel Toe Work Boot is our top choice of welding boots. It is one of the safest boots to wear and feels super-comfortable as well.
With over two thousand reviews on Amazon alone, and with a rating of 4.2/5, any welder looking for a pair of serious work boots will love these boots.
For a shoe to be comfortable and safe, the materials it is made of play a significant role. The Caterpillar Men’s Second Shift Steel Toe Work Boots are made of 100% genuine leather. Therefore, as befits the best leather material, it is durable and impressive to behold. The boots weigh two pounds, which is the standard fare for boots of this caliber. It doesn’t feel too heavy on the feet, and it is very comfortable to wear.
The outsole of the boot is made of rubber. Hence, it is resistant to electrical shocks. Furthermore, the sole has a firm grip. However, we found that the oil-resistance and is skid-resistance are quite poor. With this boot, you cannot walk quickly on wet floors with peace of mind because you might slip.
To protect your feet, the shoe comes with a steel toe cap. This safety measure ensures that even if you bump your feet against a hard edge, or something falls on the boot, your feet will be protected.
To enhance comfort, the boots have a padded collar. Therefore, your feet sit well inside the boots, and the collar provides stability. An insole that disperses moisture and keeps your feet clean and fresh prevents smelly feet.
These boots are the ultimate working boots and are used in other professions aside from welding. They are found in industries, factories, and other industrial workplaces. It might fall into the $100+ range, but the comfort and protection it offers make it worth every penny. Click here to see the best price.
Features
- Full-grain leather material
- T3 Rubber outsole
- Removable sock liner
- Durable and protective steel toe
- The rubber sole is hardwearing
- Comfortable to wear
- The sole insert is removable
- The laces are of poor quality
- Poor slip resistance
3. GW Men’s Steel Toe Welding Boots – Best Cheap Welding Shoes
When searching for a welding boot, three factors are often considered: comfort, style, and durability. If the welding boot lacks just one of these factors, you might not enjoy your experience wearing it. Thankfully, the GW Men’s Steel Toe Welding Boots ticks these three boxes.
Let’s see how.
The GW Men’s Steel Toe Welding Boots features a lovely, serious design. It looks solid and dependable. The boots are made of genuine leather, which enhances the feeling of durability. Although we didn’t wear the shoe for an extended period, the time spent wearing and testing it led us to believe the leather will last for a long time. While checking out some reviews, we observed that some folks have had these boots for over one year, and claim that they still look new. Welding boots often come across as bulky and bad-looking. However, these shoes look great and can be worn even on regular days.
These shoes ensure that you can focus on your job without bothering about stability or similar issues. It is built for comfort and safety. The rubber soles on these boots listed as non-slip, and we can attest to this. You can wear this boot during the rain without getting your feet wet: it is water-resistant.
The boot features steel reinforcements to protect the sole. Therefore, even if you step on a nail, you can rest assured that your feet are protected from harm.
Aside from the protection it offers, the main draw of this boot is the price. It is far cheaper than the others on this list. While it might not offer similar levels of protection as more expensive boots, it is the best you can buy at this price. Click here to see the best price.
Features
- Genuine leather boots
- Rubber sole
- Steel toe boots
- Affordable price
- Water-resistant
- Impressive protection both on top and below
- Not as durable as other boots
- Takes time to break-in
4. Timberland PRO Men’s Metguard Boots – Best-Looking Welding Boots
Every welder that knows about welding shoes knows that Timberland is one of the most renowned makers of quality footwear in the world. The Timberland PRO Men’s Metguard Boots is another world-class product from this famous manufacturer.
The Timberland PRO Men’s Metguard Boots is one of the best-looking welding boots on the market and is unarguably the best looking on this list. It looks so good that it can be worn fashionably outside of the workshop.
The boots are not just great-looking, but they also offer excellent protection. Firstly, the boots are made of genuine leather that looks great and offer impressive durability. The leather is water-resistant, and Timberland claims that it is ten times as strong as other leather materials. It comes with an Anti-microbial lining that keeps your feet smelling fresh and looking clean.
The sole of the boot is made of rubber and has an impressive grip. It comes with slip-resistance, abrasion-resistance, and oil-resistance. Thus, when on a slippery surface, you are assured that these boots will help you keep your balance.
During our testing, we wore the boots for around six hours, and we felt no discomfort in that duration. It weighs two pounds, just like most of the best welding boots on this list. If you are proud of the work you do and you want to do it in comfort and style, then look no further than the Timberland PRO Men’s Metguard Boots. Click here to see the best price.
Features
- Leather boots
- Rubber sole
- Waterproof boots
- Metatarsal protection
- Beautiful design
- Genuine leather offers impressive durability
- Sole is hardwearing and offers slip, oil and abrasion resistance
- Some reviewers found it to be a tight fit
5. Caterpillar Men’s Revolver Pull-On Welding Boots – Best Slip-On Welding Boots
The Caterpillar Men’s Revolver Pull-On Welding Boots is the second product for Caterpillar on this list. This attests to the impressive line of products from the manufacturer.
Unlike other boots on this list, the Caterpillar Men’s Revolver Pull-On Welding Boots is a slip-on boot. Therefore, it is the easiest to wear and remove. It is a versatile boot that can be used for a plethora of projects. The genuine leather material of the boot makes it durable and hardwearing.
It comes with a steel toe cap that protects your feet from danger. As a leather boot with rubber soles, it is resistant to electrical shocks. The rubber sole is listed as slip-resistant and during our testing; we found that it delivers on this specification. If you love the slip-on design, these boots are one of the best you can buy. Click here to see the best price.
Features
- Slip-on design
- Leather welding boots
- Slip-resistant rubber outsole
- Slip-resistant rubber outsoles
- The leather material makes it durable
- It has a lovely design
- Poor cushioning affect the level of comfort
How to Choose the Best Welding Boots
As fun as welding is, one thing we have noticed is how tough it is on shoes, boots, and other footwear. Some of the things that wear boots out include sparks and slag. These can destroy a good-looking and expensive pair of shoes.
A good pair of welding shoes will protect your feet from sparks and slag and will last for a long time. Your choice of welding footwear should be comfortable and safe. If you choose the wrong pair of welding boots, it can lead to an unenjoyable welding experience. To assist you in selecting the right pair of welding boots, we have made this buyer’s guide. In this guide, you will see the vital factors to consider before choosing a pair of welding work boots.
Type of shoe toe
As the workshop can be a hazardous place, you have to wear the best protective footwear. This footwear comes in different styles. There are three main types of welders work boots. They are:
- Steel Toe welding boots
- Aluminum Toe welding boots
- Composite Toe welding shoes
Steel Toe Welding Boots
As the name implies, this kind of welding footwear comes with a metal plate inserted into the toe of the boot. If you want the safest type of welding boots, you cannot go wrong with steel toe welding boots.
For most professionals, steel toe welding shoes are the industry standard. Some of the advantages of these boots include:
- They provide the highest level of protection against impact
- They can be worn in hot temperatures while providing protection
It is not all rosy with steel toe shoes, though, because they are heavier than other types of protective footwear.
If you opt for a steel toe cap, choose a style that is convenient and fits your feet. Furthermore, try to choose one that isn’t so heavy.
Aluminum Toe welding boots
These boots have a cap made of aluminum. Aluminum isn’t as heavy as steel toe shoes. They also offer excellent protection, although not as much as steel toe boots. The main reason why folks opt for aluminum toe boots is the lightweight nature of these shoes.
Composite Toe welding shoes
Composite to shoes have their toes made of a variety of materials. The cap is usually a combination of materials like Kevlar, carbon fiber, or plastic. These shoes are the lightest in weight of all the welding shoe styles. They are highly resistant to changes in temperature and are great for working in working conditions with adverse weather conditions.
However, since they are made of different materials, they come in a bulky shape.
The boots’ soles
The bottom of the shoe is an important factor in choosing a welding boot. Just as the toe, soles are also made of different materials. These materials include:
- Rubber sole
- Thermo Polyurethane sole
- Ethylene-vinyl Acetate midsole
Rubber Outsole
Rubber is the most popular material used in making the soles of welding shoes. These boots offer excellent grip, are abrasion resistant and oil resistant.
If your welding involves working at a construction site, you will find welding shoes with rubber boots perfect for wear. These soles are safe, and prevent you from slipping; even on oily or wet surfaces.
Thermo Polyurethane (TPU) Outsole
TPU outsoles are chemically produced from materials that prove quite durable and excellent for footwear. These outsoles are like rubber outsoles in that they are oil resistant and abrasion-resistant. Unlike rubber outsoles though, they are also chemically resistant.
Also, these soles are lighter and more durable than rubber outsoles.
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) midsole
This midsole is designed to be extremely comfortable to wear. It doesn’t protect as much as it delivers comfort. EVA midsoles spread your weight across the sole of the shoe and ensure more stability. This material is like foam in nature. As a result, it is lightweight and flexible. If you feel your welding shoes are too hard, a welding shoe with an EVA midsole will provide the comfort you seek.
The material of the boot
Boots are made of different materials, and if you want the best, you will opt for a leather welding boot. Leather is sturdy and durable. It is also highly heat resistant. Welding processes involve plenty of heat, and you do not want to wear shoes that cannot prevent the heat from reaching your feet.
Leather welding boots keep the temperature from your feet, whether hot or cold. Furthermore, leather boots protect you from other dangers associated with welding like sparks, slag, and electrical shocks.
A leather welding boot is not only heat resistant but is waterproof as well. Hence, you can weld in wet conditions without problems.
Design of the welding boot
Just as with conventional shoes, welding boots come in different designs. The two main designs you find in welding boots are:
- Lace-up welding boot design
- Slip-on welding boot design
The lace-up welding boot design
As the name implies, this design involves the use of laces. Lace-up boots offer distinct advantages over other designs. Some of these advantages are:
- They offer a snug, comfortable fit
- The tightness or fit is adjustable
The disadvantages of having this design are:
- The laces can get entangled with objects in the workshop
- Sparks can alight on the laces and start a fire
- They are cumbersome to wear and remove
The slip-on welding boot design
These are, as the name implies, worn without laces and are “slipped in.” These boots come with advantages.
Advantages include:
- Easy to wear and remove
- They do not readily catch fire, unlike lace-up boots
- They offer slightly more protection
The sole disadvantage of these boots is that they aren’t as comfortable as lace-up boots. The fit and tightness cannot be adjusted.
Protection offered
This factor is tied to other factors like the material of the boot and the toe style. The main aim of welding footwear is protection. Hence, the boots must offer protection from electrical shocks, heat, impact, and other dangers.
To protect from electrical shock, a welding shoe with rubber outsoles offers the most protection. Impact injuries are largely avoided be getting a shoe with steel toes.
Another feature with regards to protection is the metatarsal guard. This feature is vital, especially if your project is in an environment that heavy objects are liable to fall on your feet. It safeguards the upper part of the feet and the toes.
Comfort and Size
While it might still offer a satisfactory level of protection offered, an uncomfortable or undersized welding boot will detract from your welding experience.
If the shoe is undersized, you will likely end up with blisters on your feet. And if it is oversized, it might affect your mobility, and might cause you to trip and fall.
Safety is vital, but it shouldn’t be at the expense of comfort.
Therefore, before making a purchase, ensure the shoe is your size. If you are buying offline, ensure you wear the boot and walk around in it to test the fit and comfort.
Durability
Purchasing a durable pair of welding boots means you will use it for a long time. This not only keeps your feet safe but also saves you money. You do not have to spend your hard-earned funds on replacing a pair of boots every six months.
FAQs
What are the best welding boots?
The best welding boots are the boots that offer you the best comfort, flexibility, and protection. Welding boots come with different styles: they might be laced-up or slip-on boots. Lace-on boots offer a higher level of protection and can be worn or removed easily. Lace-up boots, on the other hand, offer a better fit, but the laces can cause accidents in the workshop.
How much do welding boots cost?
Welding boots are available at different prices. Some are less than $50 while others cost up to $1000.
Conclusion
There are so many welding shoes on the market that it can feel impossible choosing the right one. However, despite the array of choices you have, using this review and guide can help you to choose the best welding boot for you!
Best Selling Welding Boots
- Mid-cut boot with EverGuard waterproof leather upper featuring Goodyear welt construction with Kevlar thread
- Lace front with waterproof Met Guard flap
- Motorcycle inspired^Wide square toe^Mesh lining with X-STATIC sock liner^Protective shin guard^11 upper
- ARIAT
- Full grain leather with round toe and breathable mesh lining
- ASTM F2413-11 M/I/75 C/75 EH rated
- Color-blocked work boot with mid-high shaft featuring pull-on construction and aggressive tread design
- Timberland PRO
- Steel-toe leather work boot with padded collar featuring lace-up front with Met Guard overlay for impact protection
- Breathable mesh lining with moisture control
