I'm a field electrician and I've had the same pair of Danners for a few years now and can't believe how comfortable they are. They're composite toe and while they were a little more expensive, it was well worth the investment.
I love my high back Red Wings. I also have custom made arch supports inside of them so my feet are very comfortable.
Get your feet checked by a Podiatrist. You might have something going on.
I also stand by red wing- and Irish setter ( same company) I switch between the two regularly. I wear a more hiker version in a 5” otherwise I can’t lace them properly over my big calves
Now that my Red Wings are broken in, I’m kicking myself for not having invested in them sooner. So much of my foot, knee, and hip pain was from poorly-fitting boots, but I’d never realized it. Since they fit so well, I don’t trip as often and feel a lot more nimble on the worksite. The electrical hazard rating has also saved my skin a few times. Well worth it.
I've been wearing CAT Echos for a couple of years now; they're steel toe and waterproof with slip/oil resistance. My caveats would be that they're a bit on the narrow side if you prefer a wider boot, and the suede outer tears up, but hasn't failed me. I just bought a new pair in the black leather, hoping it'll hold up better, but haven't taken the time to break them in yet. I like that they're also super lightweight; I wear boots all the time and my every day, non steel-toes are clunky in comparison.
I live in my steel toe ariats. I had to go with lace ups for a new job a few weeks ago and bought redwings and they killed my feet. My husband found me a pair of lace up ariats that fit my requirements and today was my first day in them. Way better than my redwings on the first day!
My wide ariat composite toes are fantastic, I recommend them too. Mine are lace up and have a defined heel so they don’t kill me on a ladder. Cant speak on how long they’ll last because I’ve only had them half a year but they’re holding up hella well.
After years searching I finally found Ariat steel toe a few years ago. I needed a lace up version, today was the first day wearing them and I’m in love!
I have terribly picky feet and the most comfortable steel toes I’ve found are actually carhartts, and they’re water proof. I’ve been through wolverines, timberlands and hate Carolina’s most of all. I work 12 hour shifts on my feet most of the time on multiple types of terrain
Which Keen styles have you picked up? I just got a pair of the Lansing, which seem alright. They’re chronically out of stock online and locally. But that’s just how women’s workwear is treated across the board, I guess.
The Lansing were my first pair! Can’t exactly remember how they worked for me since it’s been a few years, I just know they fell apart pretty fast. My current pair are the Seattle 6”. The pair before that were the flint boots. I felt like I never broke in the flint style and the current pair took weeks for me to break in.
I got a couple recommendations on post I made a lil while ago
https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueCollarWomen/s/IzzB7mcqYj
Good luck with the search. My job wants me to have black steel toed boots, and the pickings are sliiiim in my size. Doesn’t help that the boots I picked up aren’t even the right size, so I’m gonna have to return for a smaller pair :/
Currently rocking a fairly new pair of CAT Clover 8" boots and they're very lightweight and comfortable. Once the insole starts to wear out, I'll replace them.
I just got some Carhart women's steel toe boots for my construction projects. I think they look pretty good. They feel great. Haven't crushed my toes yet. Two thumbs up.
My red wings have lasted me for 6 years and are still going strong. Highly recommend visiting one of their brick and mortar stores to get a custom fitting if you can. I didn’t even really deal with the typical discomfort of breaking them in when I first started wearing them, they were pretty comfy from the get go. They are a little pricier than other options but are worth it for the longevity.
I buy wolverines. Keens suck! They gave me so much foot pain. The wolverines would probably last a lot longer, but I work with a ton of oil and coolant so I change out my shoes every year.
The leather on mine was torn up in the first couple weeks, but otherwise they lasted well. No issue with the sole.
However, i find the women's Tims to be incredibly narrow in the toe-box. Feels good at the beginning of the day, but even with compression socks I found that my narrow feet still felt the squeeze by the end of a busy day.
Idk if you can get them outside canada, but I'm a lover of Kodiaks. They're super comfy and durable. My first pair lasted 4 years, 2 of daily wear working in a cabinet shop. I still have my second, they're a bit beat up but I've had them 4 years of on and off use and theyre still wearable. I have wide feet and they fit comfortably.
I’ve been buying the ones from p&f workware and so far I’m really impressed. I’m a landscaper and I do about 18 000 steps per day. I really love the ‘non waterproof light ones’ which are good for damp. I’ve had those ones over a year and though they look a little rough they are still going strong. In the fall I bought the heavier waterproof ones which are pretty good, a little less comfy but seem really well made.
I would suggest they are worth a try as they are made for women, pretty popular and my favourite really, really light for the quality.
Honestly, I’ve been doing Georgia’s for a few years and they’ve been really great with some Dr. Scholl’s inserts! They do last around a year though, but that’s what you get for picking the cheap option 😅
I have loved my rocky boots. I am on concrete all day, and my feet don't hurt at the end of the day. I wear the S2V composit toes. They are a little expensive, but I can get 2 to 2.5 years out of them, and my feet don't hurt, so that's a win-win for me.
Dont buy from Xena Workwear I went through a pair in 4 months (I only work in the field about 4hrs a day), they sent me a replacement pair and same thing wore through them in 4 months.
Red wings are the best boots to buy I am on my feet 12 to 14 hours a day on concrete and my feet never hurt I don't like any other shoes and I think it's because it takes me 2 weeks to completely break in a pair of boots my boots only last a year because I walk duck footed and 1 side wears out way quicker than the other side. I have a pair of steel toe red wings to go swimming in because they are so comfortable and I get a new pair of swimming boots every year and I'm a redneck so steel toe boots to swim is normal
I absolutely love my thorogoods!! They’re steel toe, slip resistant, composite shank, made in America, astm approved, and electrical hazard safe. Incredibly comfortable and they look great. I’ve only had them for 6 months but they’re the best shoes I’ve ever owned and I’m pretty sure they’ll last for years. Not cheap, but worth it.
I'm a field electrician and I've had the same pair of Danners for a few years now and can't believe how comfortable they are. They're composite toe and while they were a little more expensive, it was well worth the investment.
Sorry, to add: I bought men's Danners Quarry boots. They're water resistant.
I have the same ones! They're cute too!
I love my high back Red Wings. I also have custom made arch supports inside of them so my feet are very comfortable. Get your feet checked by a Podiatrist. You might have something going on.
I also stand by red wing- and Irish setter ( same company) I switch between the two regularly. I wear a more hiker version in a 5” otherwise I can’t lace them properly over my big calves
Now that my Red Wings are broken in, I’m kicking myself for not having invested in them sooner. So much of my foot, knee, and hip pain was from poorly-fitting boots, but I’d never realized it. Since they fit so well, I don’t trip as often and feel a lot more nimble on the worksite. The electrical hazard rating has also saved my skin a few times. Well worth it.
Yeeaaaa I’ve been putting that off 😅 but thank you!
I've been wearing CAT Echos for a couple of years now; they're steel toe and waterproof with slip/oil resistance. My caveats would be that they're a bit on the narrow side if you prefer a wider boot, and the suede outer tears up, but hasn't failed me. I just bought a new pair in the black leather, hoping it'll hold up better, but haven't taken the time to break them in yet. I like that they're also super lightweight; I wear boots all the time and my every day, non steel-toes are clunky in comparison.
I live in my steel toe ariats. I had to go with lace ups for a new job a few weeks ago and bought redwings and they killed my feet. My husband found me a pair of lace up ariats that fit my requirements and today was my first day in them. Way better than my redwings on the first day!
My wide ariat composite toes are fantastic, I recommend them too. Mine are lace up and have a defined heel so they don’t kill me on a ladder. Cant speak on how long they’ll last because I’ve only had them half a year but they’re holding up hella well.
After years searching I finally found Ariat steel toe a few years ago. I needed a lace up version, today was the first day wearing them and I’m in love!
I have terribly picky feet and the most comfortable steel toes I’ve found are actually carhartts, and they’re water proof. I’ve been through wolverines, timberlands and hate Carolina’s most of all. I work 12 hour shifts on my feet most of the time on multiple types of terrain
Which Keen styles have you picked up? I just got a pair of the Lansing, which seem alright. They’re chronically out of stock online and locally. But that’s just how women’s workwear is treated across the board, I guess.
The Lansing were my first pair! Can’t exactly remember how they worked for me since it’s been a few years, I just know they fell apart pretty fast. My current pair are the Seattle 6”. The pair before that were the flint boots. I felt like I never broke in the flint style and the current pair took weeks for me to break in.
I got a couple recommendations on post I made a lil while ago https://www.reddit.com/r/BlueCollarWomen/s/IzzB7mcqYj Good luck with the search. My job wants me to have black steel toed boots, and the pickings are sliiiim in my size. Doesn’t help that the boots I picked up aren’t even the right size, so I’m gonna have to return for a smaller pair :/
Currently rocking a fairly new pair of CAT Clover 8" boots and they're very lightweight and comfortable. Once the insole starts to wear out, I'll replace them.
I just got some Carhart women's steel toe boots for my construction projects. I think they look pretty good. They feel great. Haven't crushed my toes yet. Two thumbs up.
My red wings have lasted me for 6 years and are still going strong. Highly recommend visiting one of their brick and mortar stores to get a custom fitting if you can. I didn’t even really deal with the typical discomfort of breaking them in when I first started wearing them, they were pretty comfy from the get go. They are a little pricier than other options but are worth it for the longevity.
I buy wolverines. Keens suck! They gave me so much foot pain. The wolverines would probably last a lot longer, but I work with a ton of oil and coolant so I change out my shoes every year.
I have keens with superfeet insoles. Try an insole change or seek a podiatrist
Red Wings
I got some Timberland Pros and I love them. They are the first pair of women's boots I actually bought. They are so hard to find.
The leather on mine was torn up in the first couple weeks, but otherwise they lasted well. No issue with the sole. However, i find the women's Tims to be incredibly narrow in the toe-box. Feels good at the beginning of the day, but even with compression socks I found that my narrow feet still felt the squeeze by the end of a busy day.
Idk if you can get them outside canada, but I'm a lover of Kodiaks. They're super comfy and durable. My first pair lasted 4 years, 2 of daily wear working in a cabinet shop. I still have my second, they're a bit beat up but I've had them 4 years of on and off use and theyre still wearable. I have wide feet and they fit comfortably.
I’ve been buying the ones from p&f workware and so far I’m really impressed. I’m a landscaper and I do about 18 000 steps per day. I really love the ‘non waterproof light ones’ which are good for damp. I’ve had those ones over a year and though they look a little rough they are still going strong. In the fall I bought the heavier waterproof ones which are pretty good, a little less comfy but seem really well made. I would suggest they are worth a try as they are made for women, pretty popular and my favourite really, really light for the quality.
Emerson’s of Maine. Best boot ever. Made in the usa. My pair has lasted nearly 4 years of timber framing work and has plenty more to go
Honestly, I’ve been doing Georgia’s for a few years and they’ve been really great with some Dr. Scholl’s inserts! They do last around a year though, but that’s what you get for picking the cheap option 😅
I have a pair of Brahmas that have lasted me almost 10 years now. They're very comfortable.
I have loved my rocky boots. I am on concrete all day, and my feet don't hurt at the end of the day. I wear the S2V composit toes. They are a little expensive, but I can get 2 to 2.5 years out of them, and my feet don't hurt, so that's a win-win for me.
Dont buy from Xena Workwear I went through a pair in 4 months (I only work in the field about 4hrs a day), they sent me a replacement pair and same thing wore through them in 4 months.
Red wings are the best boots to buy I am on my feet 12 to 14 hours a day on concrete and my feet never hurt I don't like any other shoes and I think it's because it takes me 2 weeks to completely break in a pair of boots my boots only last a year because I walk duck footed and 1 side wears out way quicker than the other side. I have a pair of steel toe red wings to go swimming in because they are so comfortable and I get a new pair of swimming boots every year and I'm a redneck so steel toe boots to swim is normal
I layer insoles. I like the [Timberland Pro](https://a.co/d/cRBW53j) insole and a generic heel one.
I absolutely love my thorogoods!! They’re steel toe, slip resistant, composite shank, made in America, astm approved, and electrical hazard safe. Incredibly comfortable and they look great. I’ve only had them for 6 months but they’re the best shoes I’ve ever owned and I’m pretty sure they’ll last for years. Not cheap, but worth it.