Your Guide to Getting the Best Fitting Work Boot

If you’re wearing your work boots every single day all day long you don’t have to be told that the fit of your work boots really matters – you already know that. Ill-fitting work shoes can cause discomfort or even injury in your feet, ankles, knees, and back, not to mention the effect on your mental attitude. Read more in our article about the Benefits of a Well-fitting Work Boot. In this article our aim is to walk you through what to look for and consider when purchasing new work boots to achieve your desired comfort level.

High Quality Work Boots

The first thing you can do to ensure a comfortable fit is to purchase high quality work shoes. Cheaper, mass-produced footwear may come with an appealing price tag but their manufacturing processes often cut corners that not only affect the durability of your footwear but can lead to discomfort. For example, Bucks® footwear is manufactured with full polyurethane sole whereas many competitors save material by leaving a cavity in the sole of the shoe. This results in a lack of support that may not be noticeable when you first try on your work boots in the store but will become very noticeable after a full day of wear. Start by choosing a brand that designs shoes specifically for work environments and has positive customer reviews.

Wear the Right Socks

It may seem minor but wearing the right kind of sock can have a big impact on shoe comfort and fit. Purchase socks that are intended for work. They’ll be breathable, moisture-wicking, and likely have increased padding.

Ideally, Try the Work Boots on In-Store

If you’re buying the exacts same boot style in the same size that you’ve purchased and worn before, go ahead and buy online. But if you’re trying a new style or size of shoe, it is best to try them on in the store. Be sure to wear your work socks when you try on work boots because if you wear thicker or thinner socks when trying on it may affect the fit of your footwear.

Don’t be shy when trying on boots either. Try both left and right boots on, lace them up, and walk around testing them with your regular stride. If possible, imitate regular movements you would normally make in a work day. Try walking up and down steps if available, imitate stepping up into your work trailer, jog, bend over, pick things up, etc.

What to Pay Attention to When Trying on Work Boots

• Heel – Your heel should not lift up out of the boot, nor should it rub against the back of the shoe.
• Toe – There should be enough room in the end of your shoe that your toes are not pressed up against the end of the boot, nor shoe there be so much space that your foot slides forward in the boot, compressing your toes.
• Flex Point – Tip your foot forward and check where the boot naturally flexes. It should match the flex point of your foot. If the flex point is too far forward or too far back for your foot’s flex point the shoe does not fit.
• Width – There should be no painful pressure points on the sides of your feet when trying on a work boot.
• Ankle Support – Slowly roll your ankle and gently stand on the sides of your feet to test the ankle support of the footwear. Check that it is not too restrictive, bearing in mind that leather footwear is quite stiff before it is broken in, you should still be able to tell if the shape of the shoe will inhibit your mobility.

How to Measure Your Foot For Online Purchasing

If you can’t make it to a store to try on your work boots before they buy them, make sure you’re measuring your feet properly and comparing to the manufacturer’s size guide. Every manufacturer may have slightly different standards for sizes depending on their styles, materials, and manufacturing processes so do not rely on your ‘usual size’ as an indication of what size shoe to purchase.

• Measure your feet while in a standing position. This may require some assistance, but your posture will slightly affect the shape of your feet and it is important that the boot fits best while you’re standing.
• Measure from the back of your heel to your longest toe.
• Measure both feet. Rarely are both left and right feet actually the same length so take both measurements into consideration.
• Favor your longest foot. If you find that you are between shoe sizes always go with the size above, not the size below.
• Tip: if you don’t have someone to assist your or have trouble getting an accurate measurement of your foot, try tracing your feet onto a piece of paper and measure the tracing.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to the Tatra support team if you’re still have trouble selecting a pair of work boots online. Our team can assist with selecting the right style of boot for your work requirements and foot shape and it all else fails and you find that you’ve ordered the wrong size boot view our return policy for a full refund.

Breaking-in Your Work Boots

No matter how much care you put into choosing the right size work boot it is not going to fit perfectly right out of the box. While they should not have any slippage or pinch points as listed above you can expect that they will not feel quite as comfortable as your old worn-in work shoes right when you take them out of the box. This is because everyone’s feet are slightly different, even your left and right foot aren’t exactly the same. But don’t be discouraged because a quality leather work boot in the right size just takes a little breaking in to become conformed to your exact foot shape. We’ll write a full article about breaking in your work boots in the future but for now, just know that it does take a little time and patience. Don’t try to rush the process by applying heat or water. The only way to properly break in your shoes is simply to wear them.