As a farmer’s wife, I understand the struggle of finding a good work boot. Often times, boots tear up in months after dropping a pretty penny on them. Farmers are creatures of habit — once they find something they like, they are a committed customer. These work boots are sure to last longer than four months, and it may just have you ordering the same pair, year after year. For 2021, we want to help you find the best work boots for farmers, and we’ve found boots that fit a variety of style preferences and price ranges.
The biggest tip for a lasting pair of boots is swapping out the insoles. A good insole can be a game changer for your feet and can be easily replaced. Check out what we were able to find for some of the best pairs of work boots! (Don’t worry ladies, we also have a list for you.)
And if you don’t see something on this list that you think should be here, be sure to check out our favorite pairs of Muck boots for men, neoprene rubber boots for men, and others we have coming soon.
Here is our expanded list of the best work boots for farmers, which we’ve updated for 2021:
Ariat Work Groundbreaker Work Boot
This 100 percent full-grain leather foot with suede upper with a rubber sole and removable insole. The 1-inch heel is sure to give you the extra lift to reach great heights. The heavy duty oil and slip resisting Duratread outsole is sure to be helpful in the shop. Ariat boots are built to meet the athletic demands of the job. Backed by decades of revolutionary innovation, each pair is engineered to be the ultimate in performance, comfort, and durability for those who live and work under the open sky.
Promising reviews:
- The boots fit as expected and stand up to the wear and tear of my day job (automotive and truck technician), while being worn outside of work almost daily. This is my third pair of Ariats in nine years, and I highly recommend them.
- I went to the local B–t Barn to check out boots and didn’t find what I wanted so I rolled the dice and ordered these without seeing them in person. Arrived quickly and were in perfect condition. Fit and finish were great. The salesman from the brick and mortar store said it should “feel like the arch area of your foot is getting a firm handshake if they fit right”, and this was what I got. Just solid and a great fit. I wouldn’t hesitate to get them again.
- These are just what we needed around our small ranch. Good for everyday chores, stomping weeds, mucking stalls, feeding chickens, running with the dogs. Price won’t break the bank and they are super comfortable and look great too. Can’t go wrong with Ariat brand.
Carhartt 6 Work Safety-Toe NWP Work Boot
A 100 percent leather boot with a rubber sole and 1.25-inch with a cushioned collar and lace-up closure is sure to get you the right fit. Other benefits include storm defender waterproof breathable membrane, and rain defender durable water-proofing. The Goodyear welt construction with lug bottom Carhartt rubber outsoles provide superior traction and durability. A PU Cushion Comfort Insole and PU strobel cushion pad provide comfortable support and reduce foot fatigue. All styles incorporate FastDry Technology linings that wick away sweat for comfort.
Promising reviews:
- After it’s broke in its extremely comfortable. I opted to remove the thin insole for a Timberland Pro insole I purchased through Amazon like a previous reviewer had done. The insole thast comes with the boot lacks quality. Carhart could improve there. The outsole is a flexible rubber which aids traction on slippery surfaces and also gives some to absorb some shock as a person walks. Overall would recommend to someone looking for a comfortable all day work boot. Update: After a year of hard use these boots are still holding up quite good.
- I work indoors on concrete. These are very comfortable all day long- my knees feel much better. Seems to be pretty rugged after bashing them into metal test stands repetitavily and occationally catching falling wrenches with them. I’m buying a second pair with a shoe credit offered from my employer.
- Bought for a friend, they loved them. They fit just as expected. My friend had a pair just like them he’d bought 7 years ago and wore daily, and it was time for a replacement. DEFINITELY a good work boot.
Caterpillar Second Shift Work Boot
This pair is a great deal price-wise, and they are a three-peat purchase of one of our staffers over the past dozen years. The Second Shift comes with a T3 rubber outsole, which delivers slip resistance for optimal traction. It also has Goodyear Welt Construction to provide maximum durability while offering forefoot flexibility, and they can protect against open circuits up to 600 volts in dry conditions. The Second Shift Steel Toe work boot delivers protection, comfort, and durability, and the rugged styling and quality leathers make this boot an easy everyday choice on and off the job.
Promising reviews:
- I don’t leave a lot of reviews but these boots are so great, I felt compelled to leave one. I have had them for almost 6 months now. I wear them everyday or at least 5-6 days a week. I work in construction and I put these boots through hell everyday. They step on nails, (never had a puncture), go through water puddles (never penetrates to my feet), kick heavy trash and debris and they hold up very solid. They are also comfortable. They broke in easy and they feel good on my feet. These are Great work boots at a great price. I highly reccomend them.
- I’ve worn these boots ever since I first found them probably 10 years ago. I used to do landscaping full time, so they would only last 8 months to a year or so, but that’s pretty much to be expected with heavy use. One thing I have always LOVED about these is that they fit GREAT, and feel GREAT straight out of the box – EVERY TIME! Every other pair I’ve worn had a “break-in” period, where they would hurt for like the first few weeks. Not so with these. They’re absolutely the best boots I’ve ever worn. My last pair lasted around 5 years, since I dropped down to only 2-3 days of outside work per week, so they are EXTREMELY durable.
- I love these boots! I wear them all day almost every day of the week! Been wearing this for 6+ months and they are holding up great! The soles feel solid abut not too hard so they should last long. The leather isn’t too hard and I love the color! Favorite boots to date.
Wolverine Rancher 10″ Steel Toe Work Boot
The western-inspired rancher Wellington comes equipped with a full-grain leather upper and a removable ortholite cushioned footbed to make sure your feet stay comfortable and dry all day long. And a steel shank provides strength. This 100 percent leather boot with a synthetic sole has a 1.75-inch heel and a slip resistant rubber lug outsole to safely keep your footing in slippery conditions.
Promising reviews:
- My husband loves these more than he loves me and our animals. Seriously. If the house was on fire he’d grab them before anything else.
- I have been trying different work shoes: jogging steel toe, chukka steel toe, western boots. I have worn these for only a month. But these boots seem to solve all the issues I’ve had. No seams around the toe to come undone. Dark brown un polished so I can scuff and muddy them without worrying. Steel toe for protection. Low heel for comfort. Slip resistant. Since these are boot, I had to get the exact size for comfortable fit. I feel like walking an working all day in these. Like lexus for my feets.
- I work road construction. These have held up through everything. Very comfortable. Have been through a few sets of insoles as I wear them out quickly. But the boot itself is still going strong.
Irish Setter Wellington Work Boot
Although a little more expensive, this 100 percent leather boot has a rubber sole, 1.5-inch heel, heat-resistant outsole, and full grain waterproof leather combined with a Vibram sole for superior durability and traction. Irish Setter’s UltraDry construction combines a moisture management lining with waterproof components for dry, long-lasting comfort and performance.
Promising reviews:
- Wow, wow, wow, these are a perfect fit for the size 12 that I wear and I ordered. You can wear these right out of the box, just as I did.These boots EXCEEDED MY HIGH EXPECTATIONS!! Wow what an amazing boot! My searching and stressing over getting the right pair of boots is over. These are officially my new favorite boots! Thank you Irish Setter for a great fitting pair of slip on boots that also look great!
- They look nice and last so much longer than other brands. We get a solid year and a half out of these before we have to replace them. My husband does industrial electricity and utilities so he is really rough on boots.
- I am a big fan of the Redwing Boot Line, started purchasing Irish Setter a few years back and was blown away. This is my first pair of Wellington Work Boot and I am not disappointed. They are durable and comfortable. I bought them as around the yard work boot to protect my feet from machines to snakes and they work great!
Danner Bull Run Wellington Boot
The Bull Run Wellington is a utilitarian work boot with a timeless design that stays in style when you punch out. The full-grain leather upper is the perfect blend of strong and soft. Combine that with the sturdy Danner Wedge outsole and you get all-day comfort that lasts. You can wear them with a lot of confidence while walking through pastures filled with deep divots and with rocks unearthed by livestock hooves. In fact, we liked this pair so much that we did an extended review of them, which you can read here.
Promising reviews:
- Very easy to slip on and off. Very comfortable to wear all day anywhere you go. Looks great at an affordable price. Would purchase again.
- These boots are great. Well worth every penny. True to size if I wear heavy socks. Very short break in period. Very good warranty offered. The last pair of boots I had in this style were from a cheaper company and started falling apart from the inside after only four months, and their warranty was lousy. But I’ve owned Danner boots back before I read more about reviews stating these boots are great. I was not disappointed.
- Outstanding boot! Fits well, feels great, and han almost no break in. I wear these between 8 and 15 hrs a day and I couldn’t be happier.
Carhartt 6″ Rugged Flex Waterproof Soft Toe Boot
Carhartt developed Rugged Flex work boots for hard working men and women who demand extreme levels of comfort, durability and safety. These boots incorporate FastDry lining with a cushioned polyurethane insole. They have a rubber toe and heel bumper for stability and protection, and offer secondary protection against incidental contact with electrical circuits of 18,000 volts or less under dry conditions. An EVA midsole with PU strobel pad provide extra layers of cushioned comfort. The Carhartt rubber Rugged Flex outsole is cement constructed.
Promising reviews:
- My husband has never had a pair of carhartt boots and he loves these! He is diabetic and works outside in all weather. It’s very important to keep his feet warm and dry and these do! He wore them around the house for 2 days to break them in but he said they felt good from the time he put them on. The second day he wore them to work he ended up standing in 3 inches of water for a few hours and his feet stayed nice and dry. Since he is diabetic he is very particular about the insoles being well cushioned and these are! I also bought him a carhartt winter hat and gloves!
- Comfortable, lightweight, well made, all the reasons this is my third pair of Carhartt boots. The last pair spent 3 years on a ranch then 6 more years in regular life. I wouldn’t given them up but the hole in the sole was starting to leak. The top and inside were worn but still completely intact. Great boots.
- At first I thought a Carhartt brand boot would be some generic garbage they were putting their name on. How else could they be so cheap? Well, it turns out these are in house, purpose built boots that benefit from excellent design and material choices. I have no idea how Carhartt can seriously offer these just 100. I’ve been wearing the 300$ ECCO boots for over ten years. The last remodel of the ECCO boot really killed it for me. I was going to buy redwings but those are total garbage now. Since Asics bought redwings ages ago, they have become more and more like sneakers. OK for warehouse work, but nothing more rugged than that. THESE CARHARTT BOOTS ARE RUGGED. Lace them up tight with good boot socks on. Carhartt must be loosing money on these, so buy your pair before they figure out the typo. These are easily 200$ boots, or more. These are better than the last pair of 300$ ECCOs I had.
Georgia Boot Homeland Wellington Work Boot
The Georgia homeland waterproof wellington work boot is part of the homeland collection. Technology-driven comfort. This pull-on boot is made of full-grain waterproof leather with 900d cordura fabric, keeping you dry in rainy and muddy conditions. This pull-on boot is made of full-grain waterproof leather with 900d cordura fabric, keeping you dry in rainy and muddy conditions. The homeland’s polyurethane thc footbed never breaks down and has channels to promote air circulation, helping keep your feet cool all day. This is made up of 60 percent leather and 40 percent rubber with a rubber sole that is oil and slip resistant while also being waterproof.
Promising reviews:
- For a very clean and well built rubber boot, these are great. Purchased these as I wanted a good pair of slip on boots that didn’t break the bank and where waterproof. I say rubber boot only because the soles are a thick rubber, similar to whats on normal rain boots. But don’t let that deter you. I wear these daily and find they are very well built, still no water issues getting in to ruin the day, and the insoles they come with wear like iron. I’ve had these about 8 months now and just now am seeing a low spot in the middle of the sole, but it’ll be another 6 months before I have to worry about it as the soles are thick.
- The second pair I have owned! We service farms all over Michigan which means they need to hold up to many harsh chemicals Chlorine, Acids, Detergents and many more. These boots have done very well even in the cold, heat, salt, chemicals, manure and mud that we see in this line of work. They lasted almost 1 year and thats a very long time in my industry. Boots usually last a few months and are used up. The price is good for a pair of boots that can hold up this good!
- These boots run true to size for me. Comfortable right out if the box and not real heavy. It’s kind of hard to tell from the pictures but the upper half of the boot is cordura fabric which is ok from My experience with other boots. It does make it a little easier when putting on the boots, is more comfortable on your shins and helps keep the weight down. All in all seems to be a good boot but haven’t worn them in wet weather so I can’t attest to their ability to keep dry.
What makes for a good work boot?
Everyone has a different idea of what makes a work boot good — and that’s perfectly OK! What works for Person #1 isn’t necessarily going to work for Person #2. The post above largely focused on boots that were made of full-grain leather (or some leather/rubber combination), though for a dairy farmer, as one example, a work boot has to be a tall neoprene boot. With all the stuff they step in, and the need for a boot to be waterproof, that’s the only kind of work boot that makes sense for them.
But a lot of people think of work boots as durable leather boots, with thick soles and great traction. And well they should! That’s the idea most people have. However, even there, preferences differ: some may like a slip-on Wellington boot, while others might go for the lace-ups. AGDAILY’s editor is on his fourth pair of the Caterpillar Second Shift Work Boots (shown above) in the past 12ish years. He just keeps going back to that over and over, because it feels great and has all the durability he needs.
But, it’s not like that’s the only boot he has, and it’s unlikely that you yourself have just one pair of boots. The best work boots are the ones for your situation, so a day with 12 inches of snow isn’t going to call for a 6-inch lace up boot. You’re going to want something taller, right? We pay attention, too, to how wet it is and what kind of machinery or debris we’ll be around when choosing a boot. That kind of smarts can save you from a trip to the ER.
Editor’s recommendations
- 8 of the best Wellington boots for men & women
- Danner Bull Run Wellington review: Top-tier craftsmanship boots
- 5 best neoprene boots for farms and work sites
We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works.
