For the past few years, I’ve pulled back from traditional leather work boots and shifted to wearing European-made hiking boots at work. I find them to be just as durable as leather work boots but more comfortable and oftentimes lighter. In particular, the Trango Tech Leather GTX from La Sportiva - made to be a snug, sturdy mountaineering boot - has proved to be a worthy construction work boot.
The Trangos are made of quality materials, with a mix of nubuck leather and modern synthetics, including Gore-Tex to keep feet dry. While these boots were stiff out of the box, they broke in relatively quickly and fit well within a work week. Although this boot doesn’t have traditional protection such as a steel toe, the rubber toe cap and multilayer over-mold is robust without being bulky and provides moderate protection from the usual wear and tear encountered on remodeling jobsites. The lacing system is a little quirky, using a mix of traditional speed hooks and paracord-like loops to secure the laces. But I quickly developed the muscle memory to adjust to this feature.
The Trangos offer a ton of support and are comfortable for working on the ground, climbing ladders, standing on an aluminum pick, and even walking on a 4:12 pitch roof. They were also warm on chilly autumn mornings. In lieu of a pull loop at the ankle of the boot is a padded flap of material that you grab to slide your foot in. I love this because it ensures that my pant legs will fall over the back of the boot and not get stuck on a pull loop, which I often cut off anyway.
Other features include a padded collar, Vibram outsole, and a silhouette you would expect from a European boot. When the weather shifted to winter, I found the boots to be a bit slick on some snowy surfaces. I recommend the Trango Tech Leather GTX as a three-season boot for outdoor construction work, demolition, landscaping, material handling, and, of course, hiking. Price: $279. lasportivausa.com
