Toe Types 101

Know the Differences

Safety footwear comes in many different styles and configurations, and its important to know what makes each kind unique when picking the best footwear solution for your work environment. Lets review some of the main categories, and what makes each of them different. 

Soft Toe

Soft toe footwear is what most of us typically wear on a day to day basis. These shoes come in many different styles, but all are similar in that the shoe construction does not include any type of hardened cap that covers your toes. Soft toe footwear is ideal for individuals who are not working with heavy objects or operating heavy machinery. 

Steel Toe

Steel toe footwear have an ASTM rated steel toe cap built into the construction of the shoe. These toe caps are designed to help protect your toes in the event you accidentally drop a heavy object on them. These shoes are a great solution when youre working in environments such as warehouses or construction, where working with large or heavy objects is a regular part of the job. 

Composite/Alloy Toe

Composite, or alloy toe footwear have an ASTM rated toe cap built into the construction of the shoe. These types of caps are different from steel toe in that they are typically lighter weight, and thus can help reduce fatigue compared to wearing steel toe options. These toe caps are designed to help protect your toes in the event you accidentally drop a heavy object on them, and would be worn in the same environments as steel toe footwear.  Please note that if you drop a heavy object on your boots or shoes that actually bends the safety toe cap, you should look at purchasing a new pair as the integrity of the toe cap has been compromised, and may not hold up as well if another heavy object is dropped on the toe cap.