You sometimes don’t realize that you should’ve donned your rubber and neoprene boots until you’re ankle-deep in the mud after a good rain or a snow melt. That goes double for the areas around gates or where the animals gather to feed. Having some of the best neoprene boots can be your saving grace on those mornings.
We’ve worn a lot of these boots over the years (my family has several of them lined up in our mudroom, as you can see in the main image on this article). They’re comfortable, waterproof, warm, and I don’t think twice about walking through even the freshest horse apples in them.
Based on our experiences, and what people in the farming and outdoors industry have had to say about these kinds of boots, we’ve pulled together an expanded list of six of the best neoprene boots available for men. We like boots that are durable and truly keep our feet and lower legs protected — no imitations allowed! We genuinely love the neoprene rubber boots on this list, but if there are others out there that you really gravitate to or have bought repeatedly, we want to hear about it. All of these brands have several different styles that are better for things like cold weather or being in the weeds, but we’ve opted to focus primarily on our favorite all-purpose boots from each company.
Updated for 2023, these are our choices for the 6 best men’s neoprene boots for farms, ranches, and other kinds of messy work sites:
LaCrosse Alpha Range 14″ Work Boot
I’m starting here because this is my go-to pair of neoprene rubber boots. They were reviewed for AGDAILY when brand new, and even now, they’ve been through some messy rough stuff, and I still love them. The Alpha Range boots boast durable ZXT rubber, with reinforcements in the toe and heel. They have an ActiveFit design, that cushions your foot and makes for a very comfortable and lasting fit. They also have adjustable gussets to hug the calf muscle, and the heel plates make sliding them off without using your hands extremely easy. There are many other versions of these, including Lite for the summertime and Thermal for winter, though I’ve found the Range ones are highly versatile for all seasons.
For something a little thicker, we’ve also gotten to put the Aerohead Sport to the test — it’s another great LaCrosse boot, and you can see what we had to say in our video soon after unboxing.
Dryshod Muslinger Boot
Made using drysuit-grade Densoprene, a dense self-insulating neoprene material that keeps cold and wetness out while keeping warmth in, the Dryshod Mudslinger boots are especially great for farmers and hunters, where having dry feet makes for a long and comfortable day away from home. As far as rubber boots go, they were breathable — on its website, Dryshod mentions that this is because of the WIXIT Cool-Clad wicking airmesh lining.
They also had really great traction, and the tread didn’t hold onto the thick, clay-like red mud that they were tested in. And with many rocks and roots on some lands, the Mudslingers have a steel shank in the arch for support, and a reinforced shell and other features to protect against those kinds of things.
Read AGDAILY’s extended review of the Mudslingers and another Dryshod boot here.
Muck Boot Company Chore Tall Boot
No way we can leave this one out! This is really the classic in the Muck line — a versatile work horse that’s at home on any farm or ranch. Reviewers have said that this is the boot they come back to time and time again. These boots have a steel shank with a durable rubber outsole, and they are comfort rated from sub-freezing up to 65 degrees. You’re likely to find that you will start wearing these primarily in snow and rain, but when you realize how comfortable and how easy on and off they are, these will be your go-to for a lot of chores. The tall, shown here, go up 16 inches, but you can also find others in the Chore Series, such as the mid-size at 12 inches tall and the steel-toed (though we haven’t worn either of these before).
Northside Grant Falls Insulated Boot
Hitting a more affordable price point than others on this list, Northside’s Grant Falls Boot has held up well and maintains good traction on some slippery surfaces. It has a rugged 17-inch mid calf upper with a water-tight neoprene shaft and waterproof rubber shell with fully insulated lining. The seam-sealed construction is waterproof, too, and it has a moisture wicking neoprene lining keeps feet warm and dry. The removable and washable EVA insole is a bonus, offering extra cushioning for your feet.
Rocky Core Neoprene Waterproof 1000G Insulated Boot
These outdoor boots are about versatile performance — and if you’re looking to save a couple of bucks, they’re among the most affordable ones on this list. They have a rugged rubber lug outsole that helps with traction on any terrain, while also being infused with 1,000 grams of 3M Thinsulate Ultra Insulation (something that’s sure to keep you warm when you need it!).
Bogs Men’s Rancher Winter Boot
These boots are waterproofed over four-way-stretch inner booties with 7 mm of high-tech insulation to keep feet comfortable down to minus-40 degrees Fahrenheit. The linings include a moisture-wicking material and antimicrobial odor-fighting treatment to make sure feet stay dry and fresh. Durable, shock-absorbing, nonmarking, nonslip, and self-cleaning rubber outsoles are also featured.
What is neoprene?
Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that was originally a patented name by the DuPont company but has since become a generic-use term for the material. It is produced by the polymerization of chloroprene, and neoprene can consist as either a solid or a liquid. It is a favorite by many companies as a mud-boot material because it is stable and waterproof, and neoprene in and of itself is not considered toxic (though the process to make it has some harsher characteristics).
What brands of neoprene boots are best?
Muck Boot Co., LaCrosse, and Bogs are three of the biggest and most popular neoprene-boot makers in the United States. But like with any footwear, there is rarely going to be one that can be overall and consistently considered “the best” brand. Individual boot models have different features, and geography needs vary (someone in the North will be more interested in arctic or insulated boots than would someone who lives in the South).
