By Jayden Mark
If you have any experience whatsoever with anything hot, then you don’t need anyone to tell you the consequences of being unprepared. Even fireworks have warnings, and cars have multiple cup holders to make sure your hot coffee stays in the cup. However, there are certain jobs where neglecting basic protection will cost you more than just minor injuries.
Welding Boots With Metatarsal Protection
Welding Boots With Metatarsal Guard
Whether you are a professional welder who takes his career seriously or just the neighborhood weekend warrior, having reliable personal protective clothing is a definite must. Of course, you’ve got your face and eye guards, protective gloves, fireproof gear and the most important part, a great pair of welding boots. Boots specifically designed for welding purposes not only protect your feet from severe injuries, but also protect themselves as well. So instead of killing about a dozen regular work boots every other week, why not invest in decent footwear that will keep you safe and protected year after year? If you want the best value for your money, then here are some of the top boots with metatarsal protection.
1. Timberland PRO Men's 40000 Met Guard 6" Steel Toe Boot
Leave it to Timberland to make one hell of a first impression. Only the designers over at the leading footwear company could turn what is essentially an armored tank for your feet into one of the most stylish pieces of footwear you will ever lay eyes on. We’re talking about their new Timberland PRO 40000 Met Guard Steel Toe boot that is quickly becoming an occupational favorite. These welding boots incorporate outstanding protection and have been designed to protect both men and women welders.
In addition to incorporating Ever-Guard leather accents that promote abrasion resistance, all other protective features are centered around keeping you safe and comfortable on the job. The boots incorporate Goodyear welt construction to guarantee that nothing tears them apart. The construction is further reinforced by the presence of an ASTM rated steel toe that protects your toes from impacts and compression forces.
It extends all the way to the bottom forming an even sturdier steel shank that supports the feet and protects from punctures and sharp objects. However, it’s the external metatarsal guard that really sets the Timberland Pro 4000 apart. In addition to being surrounded by flame resistant Thread Kevlar for the ultimate protection, it also features a hinge to make squatting easier for all welders.
2. Keen Utility Men's MT. Vernon Met Industrial and Construction Shoe
If you ask most veterans in the welding industry about their work boots, chances are that they’ll talk a bit about Keen. Most notably, the Keen MT. Vernon Met Industrial and Construction shoe that has been a go-to boot for colder seasons. The fact that these welding boots are American built means that you can rest easy knowing the quality is world class.
With all the basic safety features you would expect from experts like Keen, they still managed to surprise us with a little extra for the professional welder. Let’s take a closer look at the Mt. Vernon and what it has to offer.
The Keen Industrial boots have obviously been built to withstand years of abuse as well as burns, spills, and cuts. The uppers are built with waterproof, nubuck leather that will not allow any water or liquid to find its way to your feet. At the same time, Keen still incorporated their patented Dry membrane that releases sweat and heat to keep you cool and fresh. Welding can get hot and sweaty, so that’s a bonus. Now for the hardware. The Mt. Vernon welding boot features a steel toe that exceeds ASTM ratings as well as electrical hazard protection to protect welders and electricians from open circuits. Couple that with the external metatarsal guard and you are well protected.
3. Timberland PRO Men's Endurance 6" Steel-Toe EX MetGuard Boot
If you consider yourself a hard working brute, then you’re definitely used to being under constant fire. Whether out in the battlefield or safe in your smithy, it’s no doubt that even the best of the best comes under the flame now and then. The Timberland PRO Warrick Smelter boots offer extremely high levels of all rounded safety and protection; 10 inches of protection to be precise.
With supple, shiny but damn tough fire retardant leather uppers and Kevlar threading, you can be sure that it’ll take a whole lot to damage these safety boots. They are joined together by Goodyear Welt for even more durability.
Underneath those tough uppers are the popular, nonmagnetic steel toe caps that are rated according to ASTM safety standards. The toe extends at the bottom to connect with a fiberglass shank for more protection from punctures and sharp objects. As a bonus, the Warrick Smelter boot also incorporates electrical hazard protection since welding involves one power source or the other. Another feature that really sets the Warrick apart is the use of heavy duty, self-extinguishing thread and the high vamp design that helps shed molten materials from the boot easily.
4. Delta Plus Panoply Cobra 3 S1P Black Leather Welders Welding Safety Boots
Does your job involve dealing with extreme temperatures as well as walking around a wide range of job sites? Well, having protection is great, but at the same time, you also want something that will let you walk around without getting awfully fatigued. This is where the Delta Plus Panoply Cobra 3 Welding Safety boots come to the rescue.
Compact, stylish, protective and flexible, the Cobra’s are at their own level of functionality. As the leading units in the Classic Delta range, these welding boots feature a high cut and a very casual design.
Like all reliable safety boots, the Cobra 3 also incorporate ASTM rated steel toe caps that have been tested up to 200jules of impact. There’s also a Velcro fastened leather flap that protects your boot’s uppers from sparks and welding spatter. Since the leathers are sewn with Kevlar seams, hot molten metals just roll off the boot without any damage. The safety features do not end there; these bad boys actually have a penetration resistant midsole that protects against sharp objects piercing you from below. The outsole boasts of an energy absorbing heel that is oil, slip, and solvent resistant to give you optimum grip in any position. So whether you are a welder, blacksmith, engineers, garage hand or construction worker, Delta plus has your feet covered.
5. Oliver Footwear Smelter Boot
When flames are sparking, and sparks are flying all over the place, the last thing you want is for a hot ember to find its way to your skin. Most other body parts are well protected, but never make the mistake of trusting your old work boots. When the proverbial dung hits the fan, your feet will suffer the most since they are the first point of hard contact with the ground.
The Oliver Smelter Boot is specifically designed to keep all flames, sparks and molten metals at bay. Consisting of black, water and fire resistant leather, these bad boys can withstand daily life in furnace-like conditions.
Thanks to the construction on the Oliver boots, the shape will not change drastically even under high pressure. For additional protection, Oliver made sure that they included a safety toe that is actually ASTM rated to handle over 75 lbs of impact and about 2000 lbs of compression. The wide shape of the safety toes means more wiggle room for your toes. As with any other boots for welders, a metatarsal guard is an essential companion. These boots also include an external metatarsal guard that protects from both impacts and heat.
6. Blundstone Men's 881 Smelter Boot
While most kids wanted to rush to the beach and play around with the sand and water, you wanted to walk inside a volcano and kick the lava around. Since you are now all grown up, you get to do the next best thing; play around with molten metal. All jokes aside, welding is no funny business, especially if you’re doing it without the right protection.
If you’re looking for a pair of incredibly tough and highly specialized, adaptable work boot, then look no further than the Blundstone 881 Smelter Boots. Designed, tested and found capable of handling serious heat levels thanks to flame retardant leather, you can weld away with reckless abandon.
The Blundstone boots for welders come in galosh cut uppers that allow for minimal seam exposure and Kevlar stitching for optimum protection against immersion and splashes. They have been dip tested to temperatures of 1760 degree in molten aluminum and over 2768 degrees in liquid steel. The heat resistance if further complimented by the presence of safety toe caps for protection against impacts and compression forces.
Like any other great work boot, the comfort features have to be at par with standards to let workers focus on the task at hand. The Blundstones incorporate heavily padded collars as well as cushioning on the interior. The convenient and quick slip Velcro securing straps allow for an instant and custom fitting on the boots.
7 More Boots with Metatarsal Guard
Yeah, yeah, we’ve seen them all; from thick steel toes to some of the widest shanks you’ll ever see. But when you see a work boot that also incorporates a metatarsal guard, then you know that things just got serious. For all you greenhorns who are new to the world of boots, here’s all you need to know about metatarsal guards in a few sentences. The five long bones that extend all the way from your ankle to your toes at the top of your feet are known as metatarsal bones.
With a typical steel toe boot, the metatarsals are still left out in the open; susceptible to impacts and crushing forces. Nobody wants an injured foot; that’s why some heavy duty work boots incorporate metatarsal guards to protect the top of your feet from impacts and compression forces. Enough chit chat’ it’s time to check out some of the best steel toe metatarsal guard work boots on the planet.
Metatarsal Guard Work Boots
1. Timberland PRO Mens Helix Met Guard Work Boot
You can always rely on Timberland to make one of their toughest work boots absolutely stylish too. Coming to you with an eye-catching design and an internal metatarsal guard for even more style, the Timberland Helix boot is definitely in a class of its own. Somehow managing to blend all the safety features you need with incredibly light construction, it’s no surprise the Helix makes it to the list. Let’s take a closer glance at the features on this bad boy and where it excels most.
The Timberland Met Guard boot features premium leathers that are durable, stylish and very rugged. The come in a brown color with orange threading and the PRO logo sitting proudly on the sides. The fact that Timberland combined ultra flexible cement construction with an internal metatarsal guards is simply genius.
This means that while you can still move about freely and comfortably, the metatarsal guard lets you rest easy and work confidently. Before we wrap up the safety features, it’s worth mentioning the ASTM-rated safety toe that protects from the top while the outsole features a Ladder Lock and better grip with oil and slip resistance.
2. KEEN Utility Mens Louisville 6" Internal Met Work Boot
When duty calls, real men have to answer with a stern heart and unwavering determination. It doesn’t matter if your boss threw you in the trenches or smack dab in the middle of a demolition; you’ve got to stick it out to the very end. But like all smart men, you need to have the right equipment and the safest PPE by your side. If you want a work boot that will work as hard as your crew, then look no further than the KEEN Louisville boot. Aside from the met guard, what else does this mean boot have to offer?
The KEEN Internal Met boot is another handsome devil from Keen that looks almost as damn good as it performs. The combination of brown, tight leather and black synthetic material with Keen’s logos stands out from a bunch of boots. Underneath the tough exterior is an even tougher steel toe that guards against heavy impacts and compression forces exceeding ASTM recommendations.
But we all know some jobs need more than that. Fortunately, the internal metatarsal guard on these Louisvilles can more than hold their own in dangerous situations. However, Keen may have made their boot a tad compact, so make sure you go with a full size larger than you generally wear.
3. Rhino Men's 6MS01 6" Steel Toe Metatarsal Leather Work Boot
Do you work in an environment where heavy objects, logs, and metals may quickly come crashing down on your feet? Or maybe you work around heavy equipment, trucks, and machines that could roll over your feet. When it comes to insane amounts of hazard protection, the Rhino 6MS01 6" boot definitely gets my vote.
The apparent protection is just a tip of the iceberg. If you’re serious about your protection and would rather cut back on your comfort to keep all your 10 toes, then here’s all you need to know about the Rhino boots.
Boasting of some of the toughest, all black genuine leather uppers, you know that the Rhino Steel Toe Metatarsal boots are built to outlive your career. Combine that with the fact that the boots use Goodyear welt constructions and you have a few more years with your favorite pair. As for the protection, the metatarsal guard is quite obvious since it is external. Not only does this give you more protection and comfort, but it also allows for the protection of your uppers in case of damage or chemical spills. Underneath the metatarsal guard is an ASTM rated steel toe as well as electrical hazard protection for all our boys in the electrical industry.
4. Wolverine Men's Mckay Metatarsal Guard Boot
When it comes to metatarsal work boots, there’s a reason why the Wolverine Mckay boot reigns supreme for many brave brutes. Boasting of an absolutely seamless construction, it’s hard to know where the steel toe ends and where the metatarsal guards begin. This is a very hard feat to achieve, even with a globally recognized brand, but Wolverine managed it just fine.
The internal metatarsal guard makes the Mckay look like a regular work boot complete with the Wolverine logo over the side. But once you slip your feet in these bad boys, you immediately feel the difference.
The Wolverine Metatarsal Guard boot shows up to the party in genuine, full-grain leather with instant comfort, extra strength, but less visual aesthetics than some of the other boots in our list. However, you won’t mind the plain exterior when your feet are still dry in inches of water. This is all thanks to the waterproof CK mesh lining that will not let a single drop of water make it to your feet. The much preferred Classic Goodyear welt construction guarantees you an almost invincible work boot; with the option of resoling in case it comes apart. As for the comfort, you can rest while working thanks to a plush removable cushion bed.
5. Carhartt Men's CMW6610 6 Inch Met Work Boot
Like most men, I bet you’re a gambling guy, right? That’s great; after all, you never know when lady luck is on your side. However, there’s one thing that even the most daring gamers would not dare mess with – their safety. Why gamble with your footwear when the next day at work could be your worst? Accidents happen, and it pays to be prepared with your very own pair of the Carhartt CMW66boot. With Carhartt on your side and under your feet, you can rest assured that nothing’s getting, though.
When it comes to safety, the CMW6610 6 Met boots are playing with a full house. With all credit to the steel toe caps and flexible metatarsal guards on each boot, you are entirely shielded from heavy compressions and sudden impacts from falling objects. If you’re working in wet and slippery conditions, there’s no need to worry about getting wet or falling flat on your back.
You can thank the waterproof membrane and oil/slip resistant high traction outsoles. Another feature that I definitely can’t miss is the Goodyear Welt construction that makes the CMW6610 extra tough and durable. In addition to compounding the lifespan of your work boot, Goodyear welt construction allows free flow of air to keep your feet fresh and cool.
6. Dr. Martens Men's Ironbridge Steel IM Boot
If you’ve got the name doctor on a pair of shoes, then you know that these guys definitely know their stuff. So, what do you get when you merge comfortable clogs with a rough and tough rugged pair of work boots? Simple, you get the perfect combination of durability, protection, and comfort. In other words, you get Dr. Martens Ironbridge boots. These handsome brown safety boots from the Doc come with all the safety features you expect in a world class boot along with an added touch of comfort.
The uppers on the Ironbridge are crafted from very supple and water resistant leather to keep you at ease all day. The double stitched seams also give you additional ruggedness and strength needed to survive a treacherous working environment. Speaking of treacherous, the internal metatarsal guards are made with the latest D30 tech to give you the highest standards of safety and protection.
Combine that with an ASTM rated safety toe and abrasion-resistant outsole and you have a shoe that won’t give out for anything. Comfort has also not eluded us this time thanks to Dr. Martens Smartmask PU cushioned footbed for all day comfort.
In outside winter conditions steel toes make the feet painful and cold. Do you make a composite toe met guard boot. The quality you have is impeccable, I would love them except for the toe!