Work boots are a must-have for workplace safety. Whether you work in a construction site or the metal industry, you must wear a pair of work boots to protect your feet from any possible hazards. That’s why most workers will often consider the safety features of the work boots while buying them.
But one thing workers often ignore is the size of their work boots. They will often get a pair of too loose or tight work boots and suffer. Therefore, you must know, “How should work boots fit?”
To answer it shortly, your work boot should fit perfectly to your feet comfortably. It shouldn’t be loose or tight and not cause blisters to your feet.
Different work boots have various size charts, and so you need to look and understand their size variation to get the perfect fit. Unfortunately, most workers don’t know much about how should steel toe boots fit?
So, here’s our discussion to solve all your confusion on work boot fitting and how to get your right fit to work comfortably and safely.
How Should Work Boots Fit?
At many workplaces, safety toe boots or work boots are part of your uniform. Hence, you must get the right fit for the work boot as part of your uniform. Also, choosing the right fit is essential to ensure the proper safety at the workplace.
On top of it, a properly fitted pair of work boots will relieve you from discomfort and back pain. On the contrary, if your boots are too tight or loose, you will find them pretty uncomfortable, and it will eventually cause inconveniences in the short and long run.
So, what is the right fit for work boots?
Ideally, work boots must be comfortable on your feet. If you feel it tight or loose, you need to check the larger or smaller sizes until you find the right fit. Also, your work boots shouldn’t be too narrow or wider for your feet.
When you buy work boots, we recommend you to wear them and walk a few steps to find the right fitting.
Understand The Foot Types For The Right Work Boot Fit
Not every human has the same shape for their feet. The foot’s shape varies from person to person, and this variation will also largely determine your work boot fitting. Hence, you must know your foot shape and type to choose the right fitting for the safety boots.
Triad Foot & Ankle Center recommends three basic types of foot shapes for humans. The list includes:
Flat Arch:
People with a flat arch will leave an entire footprint on the surface of the walk. A similar is true for their boots as well. Flat arch people will find a footprint in their boots midsole. Also, flat feet, according to pediatrics, are almost always linked to pronation problems.
Pronation refers to the inward or downward rolling of your feet while you walk. If you have pronation issues, you will find inner edges worn out of your work boots. People with pronation will have better flexibility of their feet. But they will lack stability.
| Hence, you will need improved support for the footwear. Also, it should be heavier and have enough space at the front for the feet’ flexibility. |
Neutral Foot Shape:
People with neutral foot shapes will have a normal arch. You will see a half-filled footprint in the middle of the foot. It is the most comfortable foot shape and also the most common among humans. Since it is comfortable and easily finds the right boot size, a normal arch or neutral foot is the most desired foot shape.
| You will also feel lucky with a neutral foot shape. It is because most work boots will easily fit into your feet. Hence, you don’t need to go overboard with it. |
High Arch:
High arch foot refers to feet with a high arch around its middle. Hence, you won’t find any footprint on the surface and inside the midsole of your boots. So, you will only see impressions of your toe and heel on the midsole.
High arch feet are often linked with the supination where your feet will have an outward rolling, So, you will see more wear and tear around the work’s boots outside edges instead of the interior. When you have a supination problem, your feet will become less flexible and stiffer. This condition is just the opposite of the pronation problem.
| Thus, your work boots need to have improved cushioning and padding around the insole of your work boots. Also, its toe end should be roomy and fit your feet comfortably. |
How To Tell If Boots Fit Right
You know now how should work boots fit for a comfy and convenient feel while standing, walking, and working. But how do you find the right fit for your work boots? Or, is there any technique to tell if your boots fit right? Or, should boots fit tight or loose?
A properly fitted work boot will be comfortable to wear and feel supportive and stable on your feet. Also, it will ensure that your toe stays in its original position throughout the day.
Thankfully, there’re multiple ways to judge the fitting of your work boot for maximum comfort and durability of the boots as well. The checking list includes:
Step 1: Never forget your socks
Although many people dislike wearing socks these days, it is not recommended. Socks are designed to offer the perfect fit of human feet with improved blood circulation and breathability. So, when you wear socks to judge your work boot fitting, always wear your regular socks before trying your new pair of safety work boots.
Step 2: Wear both boots
Although many people won’t believe it, most humans have two different sizes for their two feet. Almost in all cases, one of their foot will be slightly longer than the other foot. According to multiple pieces of research, almost 80% of people will have their left foot slightly longer than their right foot.
Scientists believe it happens because most people are right-handed, so they extend their right hand to perform any task. It makes their left foot exercise more. As has been happening for millions of years, most humans now are born with a longer left foot. However, the length difference of both your right and left foot is often so negligible that you won’t notice it.
Long story short, you should always wear the boot of your work boots and find if the boots fit properly to your right and left feet.
Sometimes, both boots might be tied with a lace limiting your movement. If you see such ties on the boots, you should untie them and then try both boots on your two feet.
Step 3: Try walking with the boots on
When you have put your work boots on, you must try a few walking steps with them. Make sure you can move freely without any discomfort. On top of it, you may even try hopping, sprinting, and a few knee exercises.
As you walk or stand wearing the work boots, you should consider a few important things closely. It will help you find the right fit for work boots with ease.
Step 4: Observe your walking conditions
When you stand or walk with the work boots on, observe the boots fitting for the following things:
- Your heel should remain inside the boot. It should never come off while walking. Also, the heel shouldn’t rub against the back of the work boot.
- There should be a 1-inch gap between the front of the boot and your toe. If the gap between the toe and the boot’s front is less or more than 1-inch, you need to try another pair of safety boots.
- Also, observe both sides of the boot for comfort and pressure. You shouldn’t experience any pressure from either side of the boot.
- When you walk, the toe should stay in its position. If it moves forward or slides back when you walk or exercise, the boot has an inappropriate fit. Thus, you need to try another pair of the work boot.
Step 5: Check the ankle support
The ankle support of your feet is also important, especially when you consider getting a pair of work boots. It is crucial since most workplaces have demanding conditions, and you would want maximum protection of your feet from all situations.
Hence, your work boot needs to have proper ankle support as well. For this, when you walk with your boots on, roll your ankles gradually but carefully. As you roll on your ankle, try to feel the ankle support and decide how it feels. If you feel enough support around your ankle, the work boot pair is good to go.
Step 6: Check the boot’s tongue
This is the final step to finding the right fit for your work boots. Check the stitching and design of the boot’s tongue. The stitching of the tongue shouldn’t create obstacles around your feet when you walk. At times, due to manufacturing faults, the tongue of the boot might be faulty. Thus, you need to ask the employer to give you another pair of work boots of a similar size.
Understand The Basics of Boot Size Width
While most people think that only the length of their work boot determines the size of the boot, that’s not true. In fact, shoe size width is also crucial for your work boot size and fitting. Sadly, most people are ignorant about their boot size width.
Thus, how tight should work boots be?
Well, to answer it, you also should consider its width. It is crucial since the size of your booth is the combination of its length and width. For instance, if you have narrower feet, you shouldn’t consider wider work boots.
The width of your boot and shoes are presented with the English alphabet in chronological order. Thus, the work boot fit for its width is presented with AAA, AA, A, B, C, D, E, EE, and EEE. Here, AAA stands for the narrowest work boots, and EEE refers to the widest work boots in the American market.
However, the width of the boot is different for men and women. For instance, B refers to standard wide for women’s boots but refers to a narrow work boot for men.
So, what’s the take?
Average American men will need work boots fitting width from C to D, mostly. Only around 15-17% of men will need work boot size over E. And for women workers, the work boot fit will be B to C.
How Are Steel Toe Boots Supposed To Fit
In demanding workplaces, workers need to wear safety boots, aka steel toe boots. It is also important since safety toe boots are inflexible and won’t mimic your feet’ natural movement. On the other hand, your feet will swell or enhance slightly in size over the entire course of the day.
So, how should steel toe boots fit? Here’s the answer-
When you select a pair of work boots, you should leave some space around the toe of the boot. If your toe touches the front of the boot, your feet will find it utterly discomforting when your feet swell and extends to their maximum size in the evening.
Hence, your work boots are supposed to fit with a bit of space around the toe. Ideally, you should leave 1-inch of room around the toe of our steel toe boots. It will help in the natural movement of the feet and boost your stability. On top of it, consider the weight of your work boot since boot fitting has a direct connection with its weight.
If your steel toe boots fit too heavy, it’s not a good match to your fit. So, be aware of it when trying a new pair of safety toe boots or steel toe boots for safety and protection.
What Size Steel Toe Boots Should I Get
Many people think that their work or steel toe boots might fit differently to their fit. But that’s not true. Although steel toe boots are heavier, they should fit just like any regular boots or shoes you wear in your daily life. It is because your feet need the most comfort when you are in the workplace.
So, your work boots should fit your standard running shoes or boots likewise….
But that’s just half the truth.
Most people will wear work boots with thicker socks for safety reasons. Thus, it needs more space inside the boot’s housing. Therefore, we recommend you to choose ½-size bigger work boots than your regular boots.
So, here’s the little suggestion:
| According to the American Boot Size Chart, if your regular boot size is 9.5, you should choose work boots size 10. However, not all boot sizes have an immediate ½-size improvement, and so, you might even need to go 1-size up for the work boots to get the right feet. Also, consider the width of the feet and choose the size accordingly. |
Do Ariat Boots Fit True To Size
Ariat boots started their journey in 1993, and initially, they only manufactured fashion boots for daily comfort and usages. However, they slowly have entered into different boots categories to become the No.1 boot brand in the USA.
Thanks to their immense popularity, many workers prefer the Ariat Boots even in their workplace. Thus, when we answer, “How should steel toe boots fit? We must also consider these popular boots.
Ariat Boot usually runs ½-size larger compared to standard boots and shoes in America. So, when you buy Ariat Boots, you should go ½-size smaller. For instance, if your regular work boot size is 10.5, you need to pick 10 for the Ariat Boots. It will ensure maximum comfort to your feet for daily usages of these high-end and fashionable boots.
How To Make Loose Boots Fit Tighter
Work boots are made for the protection of your feet and also for durability. A large part of the comfort of your work boot comes from its true size. If the boot is loose, you will face reduced stability while walking or standing with the work boots. Thus, you need to find a way to tighten your loose work boots.
For this, you may follow these suggestions:
- The best and easiest way to tighten your loose work boots is to wear thicker pair of socks. You may even wear two socks to get a snug feel with the work boots.
- If your work boot is too loose, you may consider stuffing your boots. It will reduce the internal space of your work boot, and you will get a slightly tighter feel. Thankfully, this process of stuffing boots is pretty easy. All you need to do is enter newspaper, cloth, or cotton inside the boot right to the toe end. As these materials soak moisture, you will also get rid of sogginess inside the work boot and enjoy improved comfort. It is a proven method to fill the gap between your toe and work boot front with the added cushioning.
- If your work boot is too loose and you feel a gap between the bottom and upper part of the boot, you need to fill in the gap. For this, you may consider adding insoles inside the boot. You can easily attach a thinner insole right beneath the upper portion of the work boot. You will get a snug feel. Make sure you choose a good-quality insole for the work boot as it connects with the comfort of your feet.
- If you aren’t using steel toe boots, you may even consider shrinking the regular work boots for the right fit. You can spray hot water on the outside of the work boot. Since leather shrinks in hot water, your work boot will also get tighter. You may even use a hairdryer to shrink the upper leather part of the work boot for a tighter feel.
- Last but not least, you can seek help from a cobbler to tighten your loose work boots. Cobblers may re-stitch the entire boot to tighten it.
Work Boot Fitting Summary
Here we will conclude our discussion on how should work boots fit to your feet. Ideally, your work boot needs to be ½-size larger than your regular boots and shoes. It is because work boots are often made with steel or little alloy toe. So, the extra room in front of the toe will allow your boots to mimic your feet’ natural swelling or expansion.
You also should consider the width of your feet to pick the right-sized work boot. It shouldn’t be too narrow or wide to your feet.
Hence, your work boots should fit comfortably and snuggly to your feet without any tighter feel. You will love the stability and safety the right fit work boots will bring in your work life.
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