Welding is a dangerous profession that requires a lot of practice and safety. At welding sites, if the proper PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) kit is not worn by the welder then the chance of accident increases. If you are in a welding profession and doing any type of welding process then it is highly recommended to wear safety gears that include welding helmets, gloves, goggles, Jackets, and boots.
Among all safety gear, welding boots are very essential equipment to wear during welding. It protects your feet from slip, oil, water, heat, and electrical shocks and gives extensive comfort on long day runs. But when you think of buying a new pair of welding boots then we have a number of boots available online and this makes us confused and we are not able to decide which one is best to purchase.
After watching a lot of review videos on YouTube and reading review sites, we have prepared a list of the top 5 Best Welding Boots for welders that you can buy. We will also discuss here what are the factors to be considered while buying suitable welding boots easily.
List of Best Welding Boots for Welders
Name of Welding Boots | Image | Material | Rating | Price |
5. Irish Setter Work Men Work Boot | Leather | 4.6/5 | Check Price | |
4. Thorogood American Heritage 8″ | Leather | 4.2/5 | Check Price | |
3. Timberland PRO Men’s 53530 | Leather | 4.5/5 | Check Price | |
2. Caterpillar Men’s Second Shift | Leather | 4.5/5 | Check Price | |
1. Timberland PRO Men’s 6 Inch Boondock Comp Toe | Leather | 4.5/5 | Check Price |
How to Choose the Best Welding Boots in 2024?
1. Resistance to Heat and Burn
During the Welding process, a lot of heat and spatter is produced that may fall on your shoes and may cause personal injury. So it is a must that you choose welding boots that are heat and burn resistant. This may protect your feet from heat, spatter, and molten metal.
2. Material and construction of the footwear
- The material of the welding boots that you planning to purchase must of leather or some heat-resistant material. Leather material has heat and burns-resistant and so if your boot is made of leather it can provide you good protection against heat and burn.
- The stitching of the boots must be of kevlar stitching that has high heat and burn resistance.
- the boot must have welt construction, Welt construction is the double stitching of the leather component that is kept between the sole and the boot’s upper portion. welt construction gives welding boots extra longevity and ruggedness.
3. Steel Toe Top
During the welding work, we deal with heavy tools and metal workpieces and if they fall on our feet will cause severe damage. So it is advisable to purchase welding shoes that have steel top caps. The steel toe cap boots eliminate the chance of damage to almost zero during any heavy object fall.
4. Waterproofing
some welders work at pipeline restoration, sites where water is present on the ground, and in rainy weather conditions. At these sites, they must have welding boots that are resistant to water. this will protect them from electrical shocks due to wet boots.
With waterproof boots you can easily work at sites with water on the ground without worrying about much.
5. Lace or No lace options
You have two options available either you get boots with lace or pull on boots (that do not have lace)
the boots with lace are more exposed to burn and it may make you fall if they remain untied. So if you are going with the boots with lace then make sure the laces are made up of kevlar or they must have metatarsal guards that cover them.
The pull-on boots or no lace boots have advantages over lace boots since they are easy to wear and take off and cover your feet completely but they are a little bit less comfortable.
Most welders choose lace welding boots since they give you a more comfortable custom fit.
5. Shock Resistance
The welding boots that you are choosing must be made of material that is resistant to shock. The sole of the boot must be made up of rubber or non-conductive materials that have shock resistance quality.
6. Durability of Sole Construction
- The sole of the boots must be thicker which can easily provide you protection against punctures and early wear and tear.
- the boots with thicker soles give you extra cushioning and shock absorbing facility and keep you comfortable during your work.
- the sole must possess slip resistance ( do not slip when coming in contact with oils or soapy substances) and be capable of withstanding chemical substances and heat. Rubber is the best material for sole because it provides you greater protection from slip, heat, and shocks.
7. Comfort and Support
The welding boots that you are buying must have the following features for greater comfort.
- They must be breathable i.e.the inflow and outflow of air take place easily. Breathable shoes keep you away from sweat and heat and keep your feet at a suitable temperature making you comfortable during work.
- The inner of the boot must have sufficient cushioning which gives you extra comfort and does not hurt your feet.
- the weight of the boot should be lighter so that you can wear it for a longer time without any fatigue.
Best Welding Boots for Welders: Review
5. Irish Setter Work Men Work Boot
- Material: Leather
- Toe Top: Steel
- Sole: Rubber
- Ratings: 4.5/5
Special Features
- It is made with 100% leather
- Steel toe cap
- rubber sole
- oil and gas resistance sole
- heat and shock resistance sole
- It is waterproof welding boot
- Electrical hazards Safety Rating
Pros
- Oil and gas resistance
- waterproof, heat, and shock resistance
- steel toe cap
Cons
- It is a little bit pricy
4. Thorogood American Heritage 8″
- Material: Leather
- Toe Top: Steel Toe
- Sole: Synthetic Sole
- Rating: 4.2/5
Features
- Full Grain leather
- Synthetic Sole
- Steel toe cap: Meets ASTM F2413-18 safety toe standards.
- It has maxwear wedge slip resistance outsole.
- Meets Electrical hazard safety ratings.
- Welt Construction
- Equipped with shock absorption footbed.
Pros
- steel toe cap
- heat, shock, oil, and water-resistant
- Welt construction
Cons
- No metatarsal guard
- little bit expensive
3. Timberland PRO Men’s 53530
- Material: Leather
- Toe Top: Steel
- Sole: Ruber
- Rating: 4.5/5
Features
- 100% Leather
- Steel toe top
- Rubber Sole
- Heat and shock Resistant
- Waterproof leather
- Goodyear Welt Construction
- Laces are covered with waterproof met guard flap
- Comes with ASTM Safety Standards
- Slip, abrasion, and oil Resistance rubber outsole.
Pros
- Steel toe top
- Welt Construction
- laces have metatarsal guard
- the outer Rubber sole is slip, abrasion, and oil resistant
2. Caterpillar Men’s Second Shift
- Material: 100% leather
- Toe Top: Steel
- Sole: Synthetic Sole
- Rating: 4.5/5
Features
- 100% Leather
- Synthetic sole
- Steel toe Top
- It has breathable insole for better comfort
- Goodyear welt construction
- slip resistant outsole
- Electrical hazard protection safety standards
- Water-resistant
Pros
- Steel toe
- breathable insole
- welt construction
- heat, water, oil, and slip-resistant
Cons
- No metatarsal guard
1. Timberland PRO M
en’s 6 Inch Boondock Comp Toe
- Material: 100% Leather
- Toe Top: Composite Toe
- Sole: Synthetic Sole
- Rating: 4.5/5
Features
- 100% leather
- Synthetic sole (all Weather TPU Sole)
- Composite toe top
- Waterproof Leather
- Electrical hazard Safety Ratings
- Slip, oil, and abrasion resistant
- Antimicrobial Odor Control
- Anti Fatigue Technology
- Welt Construction
Pros
- Waterproof leather
- Electrical hazard safety ratings
- Antimicrobial odor control
Cons
- No metatarsal guard for laces
Conclusion
Here we have reviewed the top 5 Best Welding Boots for Welders of 2024. Among these, you can buy any one if you are going to weld any stuff. It is highly recommended to buy suitable welding boots according to your requirements to keep yourself always safe during welding.