Strong, long-lasting and just stylish enough to stay on your feet for most of the colder months: that’s all a work boot really needs to be. Little wonder that the design was more or less perfected half a century ago. The no-frills lace-up style protects the lower legs and feet and usually features a durable lug sole.
Red Wing Iron Ranger Boots
Just Get This
If you just want to know which work boots to get, the Red Wing Iron Ranger is it. The brand's reputation is built on its Goodyear-welted boots and its Iron Ranger is among its most iconic. It features a protective cap toe, cork misdole that adapts to the wearer's unique foot shape, speed hooks and resolable Goodyear-welt construction. The pull-up leather ( tanned by Red Wing) is beautiful from the start, even more with time. You'll need to step into them knowing about the tough break-in period, but fans will tell you it's totally worth it.
Timberland Waterproof Boot
When Timberland introduced its now-iconic work boots in 1973, it was a revolution. The cement construction made it among the first boots to be truly waterproof and the design has remained much the same since. The nubuck uppers are constructed with quadruple needle stitching and outfitted with PrimaLoft insulation padded ankle collars and tough rubber lug soles.
Taylor Stitch Moto Boot
Taylor Sitch's Moto Boot may be marketed toward the hog riders, but it also makes for a great all-around work boot. Crafted in Léon, Mexico, it uses triple-needle stitching and Goodyear storm welt construction for longevity. It's made with durable yet soft weatherproof snuff suede for the uppers and vegetable-tanned leather for the insole, midsole and welt, and comes with a tough Vibram lugged sole.
Wesco Jobmaster Boots
Whatever the job requires, Wesco’s Jobmaster gets it done with full-grain leather uppers and a hunky Vibram lug sole which boost it to ten inches tall. With effectively indestructible build quality, full-leather insoles and midsoles, and brass eyelets that get better with age, it's worth considering the price jump from our Just Get This pick.
Nicks Handmade Boots Robert Boots
Another stalwart in the Northwest bootmakers scene, Nick’s Handmade Boots serves up quality and its Robert boot is as pretty as it is durable. It's crafted with stitchdown construction with a leather midsole, Vibram outsole and a sculpted stacked leather heel, as well as brass eyelets and leather laces.
White’s Farmer/Rancher Boots
White’s Farmer/Rancher boot is a classic workwear design that both fashion enthusiasts and the workforce prize. The noticable heel complements the silhouette of the boot while the stitchdown construction, leather midsole and shank ensure its quality.
Viberg x Division Road Hiking Hunter
Based off a vintage work boot pattern from the 1980s, this collaborative boot is like Timberland's Waterproof Boot if it had gotten into bodybuilding. Crafted in Canada, vegetable-tanned Horween chamois leather makes up the boots' upper with oil-tanned leather at the ankle collars. It's attached to an over-the-top Goodyear commando sole via 360-degree storm welted construction and laced up with rawhide laces.
