Choosing the Best Workboots for You This Winter

By Laura Jones

Steel toe, soft toe, work shoes, work boots, logger boots or oil-resistant boots- you need some good footwear this season! Fortunately there are many different brands and styles of boots to choose from. However, that is also the bad news. There are actually so many different types of footwear that have so many different features that shoppers often become confused and frustrated, and then they quit looking! We’ve all been there, and we’ve all done that. Then the cold weather comes and we are kicking ourselves for not getting a darned pair of good workboots! Here is some information to help you decide which boots to consider and which boots to pass up.

First up are the oil-resistant and slip resistant work boots. These are the guys you want when you often have to walk on oily and wet floors. Did you know that 15% of deaths each year in the workforce is because of people slipping and falling? You need to limit your chances of slipping and falling by getting some workboots with good traction. They are available in a variety of styles, sizes and colors, and many of them are also waterproof!

Speaking of waterproof, waterproof work boots obviously are going to have to be your top choice if you splash around in water or some other liquid all day long. Be sure that you choose workboots that use GORE-TEX® technology- for the most durability and longevity, GORE-TEX® allows sweat vapor to pass right out and leave the shoe, so your feet stay dry and comfortable. There are 9 billion pores per square inch in this footwear! Rather than just treating the leather, you should go with a good pair of workboots that are truly waterproof!

Chances are pretty good that you are most familiar with the steel toe work boots. These of course offer reinforced tips in the toe of the boot, so if you are someone who often does hevy lifting, or you work around large machinery and heavy objects, you are going to need some steel in your shoe!

Finally, we come to insulated work boots. There are many different degrees of insulation that are used in insulated work boots, but it is usually recommended that you at least go with a pair that has 200 grams of insulation. Insulated footwear is recommended for cool conditions and high activities when the person generates a great deal of body heat through activity. Although the 200 grams of insulation is excellent, you may want to go with a pair that is at least 400 grams in them, or your little toes might still always be cold for yet another winter.