Bates Men's Safety Enforcer 8 Inch L N Steel Toe Uniform Work Oxford, Black, 7.5 M US

I got these boots for my job as door staff at a local bar in a college town.Sometimes I need to move full kegs around, so I wanted a steel-toed boot. The toe is indeed steel (I discovered a magnet stuck to it). However the boot itself is very light.I am on my feet for hours, and I find this to be very comfortable.My custom orthotics fit in this boot. You may want to get your own inserts to add padding or arch support.The side zipper makes it very easy to get in and out. The zipper seems very tough and I think it will last. There is also a velcro tab that goes over the top of the zipper to keep it from unzipping. The zipper is inconspicuous, so it just looks like a regular lace up combat boot.When I'm in a hurry to get out of the house, or when I come home wiped out at 3am, the zipper makes this boot a dream to get on and off.The boot is good looking. Sometimes I tuck my pant cuffs in, for a more military look, and it's bad-ass. When I have my pants over the boot, the exposed part of the boot is simple and unimposing.The boot is very flexible. At the end of the night we all work together to clean the bar. This involves crouching to roll up carpets and mats; the padded ankles are comfortable and flexible. Also, sometimes I will want to dance a bit when the band is cooking, and for steel-toed boots these are damn danceable.I have not worn them in the cold yet, but they have Thinsulate. We shall see.

I bought these for use around the house and in the metal shop where I often carry around large pieces of steel, welding equipment, etc. They've worked out very well in both instances. I haven't had any issues with the zipper as other reviewers have, and these have seen pretty steady use since I got them a couple of weeks ago. All in all, the boots seem very sturdily made and have been able to take a good amount of abuse over those two weeks. I don't use many harsh or non-household chemicals, so I can't vouch for these boots' ability to withstand that kind of treatment, though the insert with the boots does state that they aren't intended for use in an environment with chemicals, so at least Bates is up front about it.If I had one complaint - and it's minor given that these boots are intended to protect the feet - it's that the boots don't have much ventilation and they get that locker room smell pretty quickly. It goes away (mostly) once you give them a chance to air out, but the funk comes on fast.The boots also look pretty cool, so that's a plus.

I cant say enough about how much I like these boots. Not too heavy. No thick insulation but I tell you, they're warm enough to tromp through some snow and slush with. Good tread life, leather takes a good polish, tough enough not to scuff on every obstacle you kick against. Good arch and ankle support. I just hope that if these ever do wear out they still make them (in 15 years), grin. If I did have a suggestion to make them even better, it would be to put a bigger zipper handle/pull on them. I've had to put small "S-binders" in them so I have a good solid pull on them. Unfortunately, one of them just broke the small opening in the bottom of the pull, and I had to drill out another hole to re-attach the S-binder (I had tried paper-clip before going to the S-binders, but they kept getting caught on things). Even a nice leather lace or strap to assist with pulling the zipper would be great.

My husband is a mechanic and is on his feet walking on concrete for 11 hours a day and he loves these boots. The zipper makes them even better so he isn't constantly relacing the boots. The only reason I didn't give them 5 stars is they only lasted about 9 months. However, the price of the boots that lasted 2 years is remarkably higher, so I suppose that balances it out and he preferred a new pair of these over other brands!

I purchased these boots after reading the good reviews. I love the zipper on the side to make them easy to get on and off. They are very comfortable as I've worn them daily for a while now, but they have one major factor that has me not only never purchasing these again, but looking for a new pair of boots. I am a welder by trade, and the tongue of these boots is not sewed on anywhere but the bottom. Sparks find there way past the tongue on to my feet. Now most boots the tongue is sewn with a flap up along the sides a ways and you can still get sparks and hot metal in there but it stops at the top. Easier to deal with.And you may ask yourself why you should care about this if you're not a welder? Well the other problem that is even more annoying on top of that is they get dirt, rocks, and twigs in there all the time when you're outdoors. Daily I have to clean gravel out of them. If you're working in a factory or never leave the city these are good comfortable boots. If you want to use them camping or construction site or welding, look elsewhere.

The right boot fits perfectly.The left boot however feels terrible.At first they were tight, and I figured that the boots needed time to break in.I am a size 13 but I prefer as wide as possible so I ordered 13 EW.The right one loosened up amazingly. It feels great and it's easy to walk in.The left one however is still much too tight. My big toe is constantly being crushed and it honestly feels like a defect in the steel plate. Alongside that, the ankle part has a hole in it that's digging into the back of my ankle now and has left a nice cut.I'm sure my results are not typical, as I've said the right boot is perfect.I gave them time to break in and I didn't want to send them back as after moving these are my only pair of work boots, so I'll eat the loss.I'd definitely buy again though, maybe a size up this time. If only shoe manufacturers made 13.5.