Work Shoes for Men

The best work shoes you can find should be comfortable and protect your feet from all types of hazards. Our collection has a wide selection of work shoes for men that you can choose from. Your work shoes are the most essential piece of work equipment you can get, so think carefully before you make a choice.

They have a significant effect on your productivity, so don’t rush it and find the perfect shoe for you. Decide on the type you like and the protective features you want them to have before you make a purchase.

Classic Work Shoes

Classic work shoes are sturdy and durable. Their primary purpose is to protect your feet from all types of hazards – from an impact injury to an electrical hazard. They weigh more than other types of shoes and can be higher (up to 6 inches).

The category of classic work shoes is broad. You will find a wide range of styles and manufacturers to choose from. If your workplace is too hot to wear boots but that's what you're going for, classic work shoes are your best option. They serve the same function as work boots while being lighter and more comfortable.

Athletic Work Shoes

Athletic work shoes are not true athletic shoes. With true athletic shoes, the goal is to make them as light as they can be. Athletic work shoes, on the other hand, need to protect your feet. These protective features add weight and change the design.

However, they do imitate the style of athletic shoes. And they are the lightest and most comfortable men’s work shoes. Their feel and fit is similar to true athletic shoes, but they provide safety to your feet at the same time.

Hiking Shoes

Hiking shoes are a combination of classic and athletic work shoes. They are designed to be comfortable so that you can stay on your feet for long stretches of time. On the other hand, their weight is similar to classic work shoes and they tend to be higher than other work shoes for men. If your work entails a lot of walking, hiking shoes could be your best bet.

Oxford Shoes

Oxford shoes are the closest to formal work shoes. You can wear them both inside and outside of the office. With certain designs of Oxford shoes, you wouldn’t even be out of place at a semi-formal dinner party. But don’t let the elegance fool you – the best men’s work shoes are made to protect your feet, and that’s what the Oxfords do.

Slip-Ons

If wearing Oxford shoes is not your thing, you can go for the exact opposite – slip-on work shoes for men. Obviously, they’re easy to put on and take off, and they are designed for an easy fit. But that doesn’t mean they provide less safety to your feet. If you decide to buy slip-on work shoes for men, you can take your pick from the same list of safety features that all other work shoes have.

Safety Features

Regardless of the type of work shoes you want, you need to decide on the safety features you need. Some work shoes are made to be all-purpose, while some are specialized for certain workplaces. You can choose shoes that have rubber soles that are oil- and slip-resistant or shoes that provide electrical hazard protection and water resistance, and a whole host of other protective features.

But, the most important one is the safety toe. The safety toe comes in three types: the soft toe, the steel toe, and the composite toe. All three toe types are made with a specific purpose in mind. In essence, you can think of it as a trade-off – more protection and more weight vs. less weight and protection, but more comfort and a better fit.

Soft-toe work shoes for men are just what it sounds like – there is no additional material inserted to provide impact and compression protection. Your feet will still be protected to a certain degree, but only by the leather or rubber the shoes are made of.

They can prevent cuts and bruises but will do you little good if a brick falls on your foot. However, they are the lightest of all the work shoes. So, if an object falling on your feet is not an issue in your workplace, but walking 5 miles straight is, the soft toe may be the choice for you.

Steel-toe work shoes are on the opposite end of the spectrum. They are the heaviest, but also the toughest. They will provide you with impact and compression protection like no other toe can. However, the steel toe does add significant weight to your shoes and it can make for a tight fit.

Plus, steel is not practical to wear in cold weather, as it gets cold quickly and transfers the cold to your feet. Think of the conditions of your workplace when you decide on the type of protective toe you want. If you work on a construction site, the steel toe is the best choice. If you work as a park ranger, it will probably only hamper you in your day-to-day duties.

Composite-toe work shoes for men are an attempt to find a balance between the soft and steel toe. They are neither as light as the first type, nor as heavy as the second one. They provide more impact and compression protection than a soft toe, but not as much as a steel toe.

Work shoes with a composite toe are the jack-of-all-trades of safety toes. They do a bit of everything but specialize in nothing. They can be a good choice if the conditions of your workplace are not consistent. Or you do want some impact protection, but still want to remain light on your feet.

Comfort and Fit

Finally, regardless of the type of work shoe you want and the safety features you want them to have, they should always be comfortable. And the comfort mostly depends on whether they fit properly. So don’t rush it and make sure you get a pair of shoes that are the right size.

Make the Correct Choice

You will wear your work shoes daily, so take your time to make the correct choice. You can choose from a variety of styles and safety features, and there's no reason not to make use of that. After all, these are not dress shoes that you will wear once and put them in the closet for the next 6 months. They are your work equipment and they should be perfect for you.