Gruntz Men’s 6” Internal Metguard Steel Toe Boot
Built tough with a Tramper Potting Soil leather upper and steel safety toe, this boot features a polyurethane internal metguard, mesh lining, and removable dual-density EVA footbed for comfort. Electrical hazard rated with a steel shank for support, our Gruntz Steel Toe boot features cement construction and a heavy-duty oil & slip-resisting rubber outsole which ensures reliability on the job.
Key Features of the Carolina CA3594
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Steel Safety Toe Cap — Meets ASTM F2413 for impact (I/75) and compression (C/75).
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Polyurethane Internal MetGuard — Meets ASTM F2413 Class Mt75. Built between the layers of the upper, so it bends with the boot.
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Tramper Potting Soil Leather Upper — Rugged full-grain leather.
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Mesh Lining — Breathable against the foot.
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Removable Dual-Density EVA Footbed — Memory-foam top layer with an improved heel cup; comes out for orthotics.
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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 Polyurethane, and Why Internal
The guard is polyurethane rather than metal, and it sits between the layers of the upper rather than strapped over the lacing. That means it flexes as the boot flexes, adds nothing to the outside profile, and gives you nothing to snag on a ladder rung. For a guard you'll wear every day rather than occasionally, that comfort difference is the whole argument.
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 CA3594?
Toe and metatarsal protection with an EH rating, in a boot light enough to walk in all day.
Similar Styles to Consider
Prefer an external guard you can see and inspect? The CA3595 is the same boot with a heavy plastic external 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 internal guard is more comfortable, flexes with the boot, and won't catch on anything. An external guard is easier to inspect and takes direct, repeated abuse better. Choose on the work, not the rating.
Is the metatarsal guard metal?
No. Carolina specifies a polyurethane 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 CA3594 waterproof?
This Gruntz is an uninsulated, unlined-membrane 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.
