WOLVERINE Men's Raider DuraShocks Insulated 6 Inch Soft Toe Construction Boot

Product Information

Once we had finished the wearing phase, we put each pair of boots through a series of safety and performance tests. The first was around traction. I built a 45-degree small ramp with asphalt shingles to mimic a 12-pitch roof, which is fairly steep. From there, I tried to stand up on the ramp in each pair of boots. We sorted each pair into one of three categories. Lowest was if I couldn’t actually get enough traction to stand on the ramp without holding on. Second was if I could step up onto the ramp unaided but then slip down a few seconds later. Highest was if I could stand on the ramp and stay put. Many reviewers point out that the Wolverine SR Direct-Attach 6″ Work Boots are relatively lightweight: Don’t be afraid to wear band-aids or fabric tape during the breaking-in period in places where it feels like blisters might form. And don’t think that uncomfortable boots will suddenly become comfortable after breaking in. If they’re not at all comfortable in the store, then they won’t be comfortable at home. Stiff boots will loosen up—painful boots probably won’t stop being painful.

These are not just really cool-looking work boots they come already broke in, comfortable and the leather is flexible.” However, if you’re just looking for a pair of boots to mow the lawn on the weekend, then these safety features may not be necessary. A lighter, more flexible pair might be the best option for you. FitThe outstanding safety and control found with this pair do not come at the expense of comfort. By the end of our testing, these were some of my favorite boots. They climb high up the calf, giving plenty of ankle stability without any uncomfortable collar pressure. The arches are high and supportive, reinforced with a steel shank, letting you stay on your feet all day without aches or cramps. The Ever Boots Work Boots were a major surprise throughout my testing. I fell in love with these affordable boots from the moment I put them on. They are comfortable, with a mix of flexibility and stability through the foot and up the ankle. The arches, which include a steel shank, are on the low side, but still provide plenty of support to wear comfortably all day. I experienced no uncomfortable chafing or blistering while I was testing these out. Most of the time, boots—especially those with natural material like leather—come out of the box stiff. If you try to wear them for eight or ten hours on day one, you’re going to wind up with blisters and sore feet. It’s well worth taking the time to break in a pair of boots before you start to use them in your regular day-to-day.

To find the best work boots for men, we tested nine of the most popular work boots available. After stress testing and wearing each for multiple days of yard work and in my woodshop, the Chippewa 55025 Hador Steel Toe BootsAbove all, you want to walk naturally in your new boots. Anything else is going to drain your energy and leave you with sore legs and feet day after day. Break Them In Wolverine is a globally known brand recognized for its excellent quality and incredible designs. With more than 130 years of experience in the shoe-making industry, this brand takes pride in its status as one of the most reliable footwear companies in the world. The first step was to break in and assess the comfort and fit of each boot. There are many strategies for breaking in boots, but we went with a tried-and-true method: wearing them. I tried to wear each pair of boots for five days, starting with an hour or two the first day, and then ending with some kind of multi-hour working session either out in the yard or down in the shop. As I wore them, I looked at overall fit, breathability, and support, as well as signs that the durability wasn’t up to snuff, such as leather peeling or stitches pulling. Featuring innovative Contour Welt technology that allows the boots to flex and bend along with the natural movement of your feet, these rugged safety boots are designed with comfort chiefly in mind. The removable MultiShox insoles help to cushion your feet when out and about all day, while the mesh lining helps regulate the internal temperature.

We were particularly impressed by the traction of the soles. We tested each boot using a shingled dummy roof pitched at 45 degrees and these were one of the only boots that let me stand right up without slipping. I’d feel confident wearing these for any roofing job (with other proper equipment, of course). People swear by different methods to break in boots. Conditioning the leather with a product like mink oil is a great option. Simply folding, bending, and massaging the leather can soften it, particularly around the ankle and toes where the boot needs to flex the most. But the most reliable way to break in boots is to wear them gradually. Start with an hour, then two, then a few more, building up over the course of several days or a week. This allows the boots to stretch and form around the shape of your foot, which is the ultimate goal anyway. If you’re looking for a pair of durable work boots that'll perform day after day, week after week, and month after month, then you’ll be hard-pressed to do better than the Chippewa Steel Logger Boots. Made of heavy-duty leather, these work boots offer all the protection that you need. The steel safety toes are rated at the ASTM standards for impact and compression, and the soles feature electrical hazard protection to keep you safe even in certain dangerous conditions. Our next test was a drop test. We filled the toe of each of the boots with modeling clay, and then dropped a 40-pound weight onto the toe from 22.5-inches in the air. This gave us the energy impact equivalent to the ASTM 175 safety standards, which is the highest impact rating in the U.S. Not surprisingly, all of the steel toe boots passed this test with flying colors. Also not surprisingly, this test showed the importance of not dropping 40-pound weights on your feet without steel toes.I’m Jean Levasseur, a former conveyor mechanic, property manager, and hobbyist woodworker, in addition to being a writing instructor at a local university. I come from a family of tool-users—my grandfather was a carpenter, my father owned an excavation company, and my mother was a mechanic. Between growing up working for my family’s businesses and then moving onto my own projects, I’ve used most tools you’ve heard of and quite a few that you haven’t. I spend a lot of time out in the yard maintaining my landscaping or on my feet in my shop woodworking. The Tests emerged as the clear winner. They look and feel great, and offer the protection and traction that you need to make it through a full day’s work. Timberland is one of the top names in working footwear, and the Pit Boss steel toe work boots are a good example of why. They’re made of high quality, durable leather, provide plenty of support, and meet ANSI, ASTM, and F2892 standards for safety. What’s more, they’re one of the lighter pairs of heavy duty work boots that we tested, and never got uncomfortably warm. The antimicrobial footbed and odor-resistant interior help keep your feet fresh even after a long day at work.