When I bought my first work boot as a teenager, all the guys on the framing crew swore by a wedge-sole moc-toe boot. It’s a staple among iron workers, and over the last couple of years, among hipsters too. It seems that hipsters have an affinity for Red Wing, and I know commercial guys who swear by them. I have purchased both expensive and mid-range boots for work, but I don’t buy expensive, more-than-$200 boots anymore. Work boots can get trashed so quickly, I can’t justify spending more than that.
It has been a few years since I wore a wedge-sole moc-toe boot, but I decided it was time again, and reached out to Golden Fox shoes. I had seen them on social media and saw they were selling at a good price. The company sent me a 6-inch non-safety-toe boot. At the same time, my co-worker decided to try wedge soles. He bought Thorogood 8-inch safety toes because they were available locally where he could try them on.
Golden Fox 6-inch Moc Toe Wedge Pro Work Boot. This boot features “oil full-grain leather,” a pigskin collar, and a polyurethane wedge sole that is oil and slip resistant. It has a PVC welt (the piece that forms a sort of gasket between the upper boot and the sole ) and uses Goodyear welted construction (a technique for stitching the upper leather, lining, and welt to the sole-insole assembly). According to Golden Fox, a PVC welt holds up better to liquid elements like water, but doesn’t do as well in snow and freezing temperatures.
The features of this boot are straightforward. What I noticed after taking the boots out of the box and wearing them around the house is how instantly comfortable they were. I’ve been abusing these boots for four months and wore them in pouring rain and my feet stayed dry—though they are not technically waterproof. What I really like about wedge-sole boots is there is no heel shock, as there is with a boot with heels. I also find that when walking walls or girders, I have better balance with the wedge sole.
The Golden Fox runs about $135 and is made in China. The size fits true (I wear a 10 1/2 and they were right on the money). I doubt I’ll get more than a year out of them, but that’s OK with me. Boots become less supportive as they age, and because I’m on my feet all day every day, I need the support. So I’m fine with getting a new pair every year.
Thorogood 8-inch Moc Toe Safety. My co-worker, Kyle Davis, bought these boots after trying them on locally. They’re similar to the Golden Fox in that they feature a Goodyear Storm Welt (which uses a wider welt that allows for a better water seal between the sole and the upper boot), a removable footbed, and a polyurethane wedge sole. Davis went with a safety toe, which can feel narrow and uncomfortable to some users, but he hasn’t had that experience with these. After wearing them the last four months, he’s sold on the comfort and quality of these boots. He will easily get a year out of them. His aren’t waterproof; if you frequently work in wet weather, we recommend going with the waterproof version.
The Thorogood runs about $190 and is made in the U.S.A. These boots, too, fit true to size. He went with a slightly smaller size because the store carried only whole sizes, but they’ve stretched nicely and he’s very happy with the fit.
Both of us noticed—and I suspect this is true of other wedge-sole boots—that they don’t stick well to roof sheathing. Walking a 6:12 roof with OSB, both of us felt less sure, and I slipped a few times. Other than that, neither of us has any trouble recommending these boots.
A version of this article originally appeared in Tools of the Trade.
