Introducing the Gruntz 6" Steel Toe External Metguard boot, designed for the toughest jobs.
With a steel safety toe, heavy plastic external metguard, and electrical hazard rating, it offers ultimate protection. Featuring a mesh lining, removable dual-density EVA footbed, and cement construction, it ensures comfort and durability. Completed with a heavy-duty oil and slip-resisting rubber outsole, the Gruntz boot (CA3595) is your reliable choice for demanding work environments.
Key Features of the Carolina CA3595
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Steel Safety Toe Cap — Meets ASTM F2413 for impact (I/75) and compression (C/75).
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Heavy Plastic External MetGuard — Meets ASTM F2413 Class Mt75. Mounted over the lacing, where you can see and inspect it.
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Tramper Potting Soil Leather Upper — Rugged full-grain leather.
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Removable EVA+MEM Footbed — An EVA insert covered in memory foam, with an improved heel cup.
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Electrical Hazard Rated — Tested to withstand up to 18,000 volts at 60Hz for one minute without leakage.
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Steel Shank — Holds the boot's shape under load and torque.
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Cement Construction — A bonded sole that keeps the boot light and flexible.
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Heavy-Duty Oil- & Slip-Resisting Rubber Outsole — Aggressive tread.
What a Metatarsal Guard Actually Protects
A safety toe covers the toes and nothing else. The metatarsals — the long bones running from your toes back toward the ankle — sit exposed under thin leather on an ordinary boot. A dropped die, a rolled pipe, or a load slipping off a forklift lands there. An Mt75 guard is rated to absorb a 75-pound-force impact across that whole area.
Why an External Guard
An external guard sits on the outside of the boot, over the lacing. You can see it, you can check it for damage after a hit, and it takes direct, repeated abuse better than a guard hidden between layers of leather. The trade-off is bulk and a profile that can catch on a rung. Where the guard is doing real work rather than sitting in reserve, external is the right call.
Choose Met Protection From the Start
A met guard is engineered into the boot's construction and rated as part of the finished product. If your work involves overhead loads, heavy material handling, or anything that can drop on the top of your foot, buy the met-rated boot on day one.
Why Choose the CA3595?
Steel-toe and Mt75 metatarsal protection with an EH rating, and a guard you can inspect after every hit.
Similar Styles to Consider
Prefer a guard that flexes and doesn't snag? The CA3594 is the same boot with a polyurethane internal metguard. Don't need met protection? The waterproof CA3593 Gruntz. Browse the full Carolina collection at Overlook Boots.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Mt75 rating mean?
It is the ASTM F2413 metatarsal impact classification. The guard is tested to withstand a 75-pound-force impact across the top of the foot — the same energy threshold used for the I/75 toe rating, applied to a different part of the boot.
Internal or external guard — which should I choose?
Both meet Mt75. The external guard is easier to inspect and handles direct, repeated impact better. The internal guard is more comfortable and won't catch on a ladder rung. Choose on the work, not the rating.
Is the metatarsal guard metal?
No. Carolina specifies a heavy plastic guard on this style. The toe cap and shank are steel.
Can I add a met guard to a boot I already own?
No. The guard is built into the boot's structure and rated as part of the finished product. Choose a met-rated model from the start.
Is the CA3595 waterproof?
This Gruntz is an uninsulated boot built to breathe. Conditioning the leather a few times a year improves its water resistance. For sustained wet, the CA3593 carries Carolina's sealed SCUBALINER™.
How does cement construction affect the boot?
The outsole is bonded directly to the upper rather than stitched through a welt, which keeps a met-guard boot lighter and lets it flex from the first day, with no break-in underfoot.
Does the EH rating still apply when the boots are wet?
Treat it as reduced. EH testing is performed under dry conditions; moisture, damp leather, and worn outsoles all degrade insulation. EH footwear is secondary protection — never a substitute for de-energizing a circuit or using primary PPE.
