If you’ve been welding for some time you will probably know what it’s like to get hot welding sparks or, even worse, a piece of red hot arc welding slag down inside your welding work boots. There is nothing you can do. You cant get your boot off quickly enough to stop the burning, it burns through your socks and you just have to suck it up and let it burn flesh! No fun at all! But nowadays there are solutions and getting fitted out with the best welding boots is the first step to keep those painful welding burn situations at bay.
Recently we spent over seven closely checking out every pair of safety boots for welders we could find. What we discovered and proudly present to you here, are the top 6 best welding boots available today. Our time investment can save you hours of brain-numbing research, wasted purchases, and endless frustration at having chosen good welding boots suitable for all welders – that just didn’t deliver as you expected. Our top three picks for best welding boots are these beauties.
Welding Boots With Attitude
Wearing proper work boots on the job in any trade is a necessity. But it’s especially important for welders because they safety and a level of protection you can’t get from the run of the mill boots. In this article, we review our top five best boots for welding, specifically for use on the job in welding shops and schools.
1. Dr. Martens Ironbridge Met Guard
Check out other customer reviews here
Our #1 top pick for the best welding boots are Doc Martens Men’s Iron-bridge Met Guard Heavy Duty Industrial Boots. If you’ve never worn a pair of Doc Martens before – you’re in for a treat. These boots are made of weather-resistant leather with a synthetic, slip-resistant sole. They feature steel toes and also have a rigid steel metatarsal card. If you’re looking for a boot that provides solid comfort, durability, and stability, you are hard-pressed to find something better than these Doc Martens.
Clearly, we’re not the only ones who think so thee Doc Marten Ironbridge boots are hot stuff. They score an impressive 4.2 out of five possible stars – from nearly 350 actual customer reviews.
How long will they last? Well, that depends on how you use and care for them – as it does with any brand of boot. No other trade is tougher on boots than welders and boilermakers – that’s just the nature of the industry. And if you’re using them every day on the job for 10 or 12 hours, you already know that no boots are going to last endlessly. These ones are solidly built to withstand the rigors of work welders put into their jobs. And they’ve proven to be capable boots for walking, twisting, and crouching – as well as for deflecting welding splatter that goes with the job.
These Doc Marten boots seem to hold up through all types of welding. And the comfortable fit makes enduring those long, 10 to 12 hour days somewhat more bearable too. They seem to hug the foot very well, providing lasting comfort over long hours of work. These have one of the best welding boot metatarsal guards available.
Ironbridge boots are recommended by other MIG welders and machinists who are routinely exposed to metal chips and hot embers all day long. You can probably expect them to last anywhere from six months to a year and a half, depending on how hard you are on them.
It’s important to note that these boots are just slightly larger and heavier than several of the other work boots out there, although they are lighter than some. But what you’ll find is that these may be the most comfortable safety boots you’ve ever owned.
Stitching is tight and solid and holds up well. Doc Martens are well-made boots that are quite affordable. On the downside, they may not be the most comfortable if you’re squatting or crouching down a lot. Also, due to the way that they’re made, you cannot get these boots re-soled. Also, they do not seem to be available in half sizes.
_________________________________________
2. Timberland Pro 8-inch Met Guard Welding Boot
Check out more customer reviews here
Another one of our favorites, the Timberland Pro men’s safety boots are flexible, breathable, flexible, and quite comfortable. They look great too. These boots were designed to meet or surpass the ASTM safety standards in terms of metatarsal impact and resistance to compression.
The rubber sole on these timberlands is both slip and abrasion-resistant. That’s a nice advantage to have in any kind of shop. The boot itself features waterproof leather and Kevlar stitching, which holds tends to up well for welders.
These boots feature a hinged metatarsal guard to protect the foot against impact. Also, they were cleverly designed to fit the foot comfortably in any position – whether you are standing straight, bending over or squatting.
Solid construction means they should hold up reasonably well in a welding shop environment. But that also depends on variables like shop conditions, the nature of your work, hours you typically put in on the job and so forth. But if you take care of your Timberland Pros, you’ll get good value from them. Like our top-ranked Doc Marten’s, Timberland boots are a close second because they’re comfortable to wear for 10 to 12 hours a day and they provide solid foot protection.
One thing that makes the Timberland hold up so well is the stitching. It’s strong and durable. Interestingly, the steel toe cap on these boots is a little bit larger than other boots we tested, providing better overall comfort.
These boots can take a beating – and that’s an essential quality of any shop-worn safety boot. It’s even more important in the welding field. But it’s important that you do your best to maintain them to get maximum use value from your Timberlands – or whatever pair you choose from our “best welding boots” recommended list.
_________________________________________
3. Iron Age Welders Boots
Check out more customer reviews here
Here’s a reasonably priced pair of work boots that made the cut, despite not being nearly as well-known as the others on our list. Iron Age boots are made with a synthetic sole and 100% leather boot. They are ASTM safety compliant with an external metatarsal guard and electrical hazard protection as well. Kevlar stitching provided here seems to hold up better than anything during frequent use in a welding shop.
These solid steel toe boots also feature a moisture-wicking nylon mesh – so your foot will be more comfortable in any working conditions – even when you’re sweating a lot. Well, most boots require time to break them in comfortably. But these Iron Age boots seem like they’re ready to be worn on the job immediately – without a lot of breaking in.
Iron Age boots are made for a variety of trades including welders, electricians, concrete workers and masons, metal workers, landscapers, construction trades, and oil and gas workers. That’s a wide range of industrial applications. Not only do they have steel toes, but the external toe and metatarsal protection too.
Some have suggested that these boots are little on the heavy side. There’s no doubt that these are solid safety boots. But to be fair, they look heavier than they actually are. Rest assured they are a well-made boot. And you won’t have to worry about smoldering boot laces when you buy these.
These Iron Age Men’s Ground Breaker Welders Boots offer a lot of protection at a reasonable price. They’re naturally a good match for welders who need a steel toe welding boot and work long days on the job.
_________________________________________
4. Keen 6-inch Steel Toe Work Boots
Check out more customer reviews here
Keen’s boots are another favorite of welders. With a toe box constructed of steel, aluminum and compensate materials – it provides more room than competing models, maximum comfort and is a little lighter too.
You’ll be happy to know that the Keen Mt. Vernon work boots meet all ASTM safety standards. Included is a wide metatarsal guard for extra impact resistance. And the Kevlar stitching used is both spark and heat resistant – making these boots an excellent choice for welders. There’s also plenty of traction provided by the soles of these boots.
Keen’s unique design features a waterproof and breathable membrane that lets vapors escape – without letting water in. That’s a big reason why they’re so comfortable to use for extended periods of time.
What you’re getting when you opt for Keen’s are supportive and comfortable, yet lightweight steel toe boots that provide added impact resistance and longer-lasting comfort. It’s a solid choice for a variety of industrial applications – including welding.
They’re comfortable boots that are safe and slip-resistant too. The only downside is that sometimes the exterior guard can get caught on cords or hoses.
_________________________________________
5. Dr. Martens Steel Toe Heavy Industry Welder Boots
Check out more customer reviews here
These Delta Plus work boots are built with a slip-resistant sole with built-in cleats. Additionally, durable air-cushioned PVC sole and fitted with an EVA footbed and padded ankle support, making them ideal, particularly for welders. As with the other selections from our best welding boots research – this is built with a shock-resistant steel toe.
Dr. Marten’s heavy industry work boots are high cut safety boots that offer maximum protection. The pull-on no lace-up style certainly helps protect against welding splatter. These boots also come with added arch support and an energy absorbing heel, making them more comfortable to wear on those long days.
These boots are also antistatic – making them more versatile and capable in a variety of environments. The iconic Dr. Martens work boots are also resistant to oil, fat, petrol and alkali so be rest assured they will hold up quite well in a welding shop.
Most notable about these Dr Martens Safety Boots is that they are quick to put on and take off since there are no laces to mess with. They’re a comfortable boot to wear that has been built with quality and deflects sparks quite well. If there is a downside to these boots, it would be that the sole doesn’t seem quite as durable over extended use.
The Verdict on Our Top 5 Welders Boots
If you’re looking for the best welding boots for everyday use, we’ve briefly reviewed our top five picks above. For safety, comfort, and reliability – these are among the best work boots you’ll find anywhere. Our top pick overall is Doc Marten’s Men’s Ironbridge Work Boots. But you can’t really go wrong with any of our 5 recommendations as all are good welding boots.
Hey there, Giving great info about Diy and the tools we use to build and create is the driver behind this site. About Us.