Work Boots 2023 Test: Which Brand Wins?
In our 2023 test we compared 13 work boots options head to head. Red Wing came out on top. See the measured results, the runner-up, the budget pick, and a link to the full test video.
Red Wing
Price shown in test: $275
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Reebok
Price shown in test: $111
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Black Hammer
Price shown in test: $40
Affiliate link. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
The quick take
The short version of why each pick lands where it does, built straight from the measured results.
“Taking the average across all four categories, the Red Wing came out on top, but the Redback and the Steel Blue also performed very well.”
Best in 3 of 7 measurements, including Dry traction, 2x4 pull test, Sole strength, bolt press to 1 inch compression and Overall average including comfort and heat damage.
Best in 1 of 7 measurements, including Oily traction, 5W30 motor oil.
Placed top three in 2 of 7 measurements.
The measured results
Every number below is read straight from the test. Products are listed in the order they finished.
Dry traction, 2x4 pull test
- 1Red Wing92.4 lb
best result of all boots tested
- 2Reebok91 lb2nd
- 3Redback70.2 lb
- 4Black Hammer88.6 lb3rd
- 5Larnmern86.4 lb2nd
moved into second place at the time
- 6Steel Blue88 lb4th
- 7Carolina69.2 lb
- 8Rockport
struggled at only 53.4 lb, last place
- 9Herman Survivors
struggled at only 54 lb
- 10Dunlop84 lb
- 11Ad Tec80 lb
about 5 lb less than the Brahma
- 12Brahma85 lb
described as performing well for a budget boot
- 13Emoji (sp?)58 lb
almost 35 lb less than the Red Wing
Oily traction, 5W30 motor oil
- 1Red Wing28.4 lb
above average
- 2Reebok31.4 lb
tied for best with Landman/Larnmern
- 3Redback31.8 lb2nd
- 4Black Hammer26.2 lb
- 5Larnmern31.4 lb
tied for best with Reebok
- 6Steel Blue34.6 lb2nd
- 7Carolina23.6 lb
- 8Rockport23.2 lb
- 9Herman Survivors
struggled at only 21.2 lb
- 10Dunlop
struggled at only 23.8 lb
- 11Ad Tec38.4 lb
best result of all boots tested
- 12Brahma27.8 lb
- 13Emoji (sp?)26.2 lb
outperformed several of the pricier boots
Sole puncture resistance, 16 penny nail
- 1Red Wing97 lb
tied for third with Reebok
- 2Reebok97 lb
tied for third with Red Wing
- 3Redback77 lb
- 4Black Hammer
did not get punctured at over 300 lb, best result of all boots tested
- 5Larnmern106 lb2nd
- 6Steel Blue52 lb
- 7Carolina76 lb
- 8Rockport
gave up early at only 35 lb
- 9Herman Survivors71 lb
- 10Dunlop89 lb
best of the boots without a steel lining
- 11Ad Tec66 lb
much better than the Brahma
- 12Brahma
only 21 lb, worst result of all boots tested
- 13Emoji (sp?)
only 14 lb, does not offer very good sharp object protection
Electric shock protection, 8,300V fence charger
- 1Red Wing7,150 V
a little lower than average
- 2Reebok7,300 V
- 3Redback7,300 V
- 4Black Hammer7,000 V
- 5Larnmern7,950 V
best result of all boots tested
- 6Steel Blue7,300 V
- 7Carolina7,550 V2nd
- 8Rockport
experienced the most voltage drop of all boots tested at 4,700 V
- 9Herman Survivors7,550 V2nd
- 10Dunlop7,500 V
tied for best among the mid pack
- 11Ad Tec7,500 V
tied for best among the mid pack
- 12Brahma7,450 V
- 13Emoji (sp?)
result cut off in the transcript, host says it actually did not do too bad
Falling object toe protection, 75 lb iron dropped from 23 in
- 1Red Wing
seemed unfazed by the impact, held up better than all other brands
- 2Reebok
composite toe cap compressed quite a bit but provided adequate protection, no visible damage
- 3Redback
plenty of protection, toe cap bent almost as badly as the Steel Blue
- 4Black Hammer
toe cap compressed less than the Brahma or AdTec, only an extremely small bend
- 5Larnmern
performed about the same as the Dunlop, good protection, toe cap now bent
- 6Steel Blue
toe cap compressed quite a bit, no harm to carrot, but the toe cap is bent pretty badly
- 7Carolina
compressed a lot less than the Reebok or Rockport, small bend in toe cap
- 8Rockport
composite toe cap compressed quite a bit but the carrot pulled through fine, no visible damage
- 9Herman Survivors
performed well with some toe cap compression, small bend
- 10Dunlop
provided more than adequate strength to protect the carrot, toe plate now bent
- 11Ad Tec
protected the carrot but the toe cap is now bent
- 12Brahma
protected the carrot but the toe plate is now bent
- 13Emoji (sp?)
carrot completely destroyed, worst result of all boots tested
Sole strength, bolt press to 1 inch compression
- 1Red Wing304 lb
best result, very good foot comfort and protection
- 2Reebok182 lb
- 3Redback235 lb4th
- 4Black Hammer286 lb2nd
- 5Larnmern113 lb
- 6Steel Blue211 lb5th
- 7Carolina256 lb3rd
- 8Rockport199 lb
- 9Herman Survivors165 lb
performed better than average
- 10Dunlop112 lb
- 11Ad Tec112 lb
more outsole strength than the Brahma
- 12Brahma91 lb
folded inward a full inch, minimal padding
- 13Emoji (sp?)not tested
Top of foot leather puncture resistance
- 1Red Wing50 lb4th
- 2Reebok59 lb
took the lead at that point
- 3Redback61 lb2nd
- 4Black Hammer39 lb
- 5Larnmern
struggled at only 25 lb
- 6Steel Blue35 lb
- 7Carolina35 lb
- 8Rockport66 lb
best result of all boots tested
- 9Herman Survivors48 lb
one pound short of tying for first
- 10Dunlop43 lb2nd
took the second place position
- 11Ad Tec49 lb
- 12Brahma
gave up early at only 10 lb, worst result of all boots tested
- 13Emoji (sp?)not tested
Heat resistance, 450F for 1 minute
- 1Red Wing
experienced some damage but not as much as the Redback
- 2Reebok
well designed to withstand the heat
- 3Redback
sizzling pretty badly, quite a bit of damage
- 4Black Hammer
held up just fine, no visible damage
- 5Larnmern
did a great job of withstanding the heat
- 6Steel Blue
smoking and sizzling, quite a bit of damage
- 7Carolina
some visible smoke, no visible damage
- 8Rockport
held up just fine, no visible damage
- 9Herman Survivors
held up just fine
- 10Dunlop
no visible damage, designed to handle the heat
- 11Ad Tec
smoking and sizzling, did not hold up well to the heat
- 12Brahma
no visible smoke or sizzling, held up well with only a small amount of damage
- 13Emoji (sp?)not tested
All measurements (3 more)+
Toe crush resistance, 2,500 and 5,000 lb with carrot indicator
- 1Red Wing
still had plenty of space around the carrot at both loads, best of all boots tested, metal toe plate had only a small bend
- 2Reebok
fine at 2,500 lb, but 3,600 lb caused hazard to the carrot and 5,000 lb caused carrot injury, composite toe cap experienced a lot of damage
- 3Redback
passed 2,500 lb easily, carrots pressed into padding but survived at 5,000 lb, toe plate became bent
- 4Black Hammer
easily passed 2,500 lb, carrots experienced a little pressure at 5,000 lb but survived, metal toe plate held closest to its original shape of any boot tested
- 5Larnmern
held up fine at 2,500 lb and survived 5,000 lb as well, metal toe plate had only a small bend
- 6Steel Blue
carrots crushed at 5,000 lb but plenty of padding, metal toe plate bent pretty badly
- 7Carolina
withstood both loads fine, metal toe plate a little bent
- 8Rockport
made it to 2,600 lb which was the limit, toe plate completely collapsed before reaching 5,000 lb, composite toe cap broke in a couple areas
- 9Herman Survivors
easily handled both loads, metal toe plate still in great shape
- 10Dunlop
easily passed 2,500 lb, 5,000 lb was right at the max, carrots squeezed with no visible fractures, toe plate a little bent
- 11Ad Tec
easily passed 2,500 lb, carrots still fine at 5,000 lb with less damage than the Brahma
- 12Brahma
easily passed 2,500 lb, carrots nervous but fine at 5,000 lb, metal toe plate experienced quite a bit of bending
- 13Emoji (sp?)not tested
Overall average including comfort and heat damage
- 1Red Wing
best average finish at 2.8
- 2Reebok3.72nd
second best overall average
- 3Redback3.93rd
third best overall average
- 4Black Hammer4.2
called out as performing well for a $40 boot
- 5Larnmern4.35th
fifth best overall average
- 6Steel Bluenot tested
- 7Carolinanot tested
- 8Rockportnot tested
- 9Herman Survivorsnot tested
- 10Dunlopnot tested
- 11Ad Tecnot tested
- 12Brahmanot tested
- 13Emoji (sp?)not tested
Overall average across the 4 objective test categories
- 1Red Wing
came out on top overall
- 3Redback
performed very well, among the top finishers
- 6Steel Blue
performed very well, mentioned alongside Red Wing and Redback as a top finisher
- 2Reeboknot tested
- 4Black Hammernot tested
- 5Larnmernnot tested
- 7Carolinanot tested
- 8Rockportnot tested
- 9Herman Survivorsnot tested
- 10Dunlopnot tested
- 11Ad Tecnot tested
- 12Brahmanot tested
- 13Emoji (sp?)not tested
How it was tested
- dry traction, 2x4 pull test
- oily traction, 5W30 motor oil pull test
- sole strength, bolt press until 1 inch of compression
- subjective half mile comfort walk
- sole puncture resistance, 16 penny nail
- top of foot leather puncture resistance, nail
- heat resistance, 450F surface for 1 minute
- toe crush resistance, 2,500 lb and 5,000 lb with a carrot as an injury indicator
- electric shock protection, 8,300V electric fence charger
- falling object toe protection, 75 lb iron dropped from 23 inches
“Taking the average across all four categories, the Red Wing came out on top, but the Redback and the Steel Blue also performed very well.”
