The protection of your toes is the most important part of a work boot. Falling objects account for the highest percentage of injuries that occur in the lower extremities.
Steel caps are the most common safety feature on work boots to prevent these objects from squashing your toes. However, a little-known alternative to steel is composite. It’s composed of different non-metal materials such as carbon fiber, plastic, fiberglass, and kevlar.
Composite has become more popular in recent years. I believe the best composite toe work boots are better than steel. Don’t take my word for it, let’s look at the facts.
Why Go Composite Over Steel Toe
- Weight – Composite material is much lighter than steel. Even a few ounces makes all the difference when you’re on your feet and moving around throughout the day.
- Heat – Because it is non-metal, it doesn’t conduct heat and holds temperature nearly the same. This means it won’t get extra warm in the summer or be cold in the winter.
- Electricity – These materials do not conduct electricity at all. This is ideal if you’re an electrician or anyone who works with and around electrical hazards.
- Metal Detectors – Unlike steel toe boots, these boots won’t set of metal detectors.
The only two negatives to choosing composite over steel.
- Cost – It is more difficult to produce making it slightly more expensive.
- Selection – Since steel is the industry standard, your selection of choices will be considerably smaller when looking for comp toes.
What Do The Numbers Mean?
ASTM International is an international standards organization that develops and publishes technical standards across many industries. They define and score safety toes by using impact(I) and compression(C). The toe is then tested for the weight of impact force it is capable of withstanding. They denote these numbers with 30, 50, and 75 pounds.
The impact is a simple measurement used to define the amount of weight a safety toe can withstand. I/30 means the toe is capable of withstanding a direct impact of up to thirty pounds of force. I/50 can withstand fifty pounds of force and I/75 is seventy-five pounds of force.
Calculating compression is a slightly different process. C/30 can withstand 1,000 pounds of compressed force, C/50 withstands 1,750 pounds, and C/75 will withstand up to 2,500 pounds of force.
There are many myths that composite is not as rugged or strong as steel. This is simply not true and should be disregarded.
Discuss with your employer the level of protection you will need before purchasing a boot.
Okay, we made it through the facts and science. Let’s look at the reviews.
The Best Composite Toe Work Boots Reviews
Timberland PRO Men’s Helix Boot Review
The Timberland Helix boot is exceptional at what it does. It has great ankle and arch support and composed of premium waterproof leather uppers. They use a cement construction method that increases flexibility and also reduces break-in time. The foot-bed is open-celled polyurethane with an antimicrobial cover. This increases breathability and odor control. They also have a nylon shank that offers structural support to the boot.
The composite cap is rated to within I/75 and C/75 making it the strongest available.
Why We Love Them: There incredibly comfortable even during extended shifts. We’ve had guys wear these for 10+ hours and still, their feet feel fine at the end of the day.
Where We Think They Could Do Better: They don’t have the greatest traction on mud and dirt. The outsoles were built for concrete and similar flooring in mind.