10 Best Work Boots for Chemicals | 2023 Guide

Last Updated on February 8, 2024 by Boots Guru

Workers that work in contact with chemicals daily are known to have a difficult time in terms of selecting a quality pair of work boots.

I mean, they are exposed to a lot of issues, such as:

• Spending most of their days on their feet constantly walking on hard surfaces, which brings problems such as feet, knees, and back pain
• Dealing with hazardous chemicals that not only could ruin their boots but also, when in contact with the skin, could cause some serious health problems
• Being always exposed to getting their toes crushed by heavy tools falling
• Slipping and falling when walking on slippery surfaces which could end up in them getting badly injured

These problems, though difficult, are not impossible to solve, they just require time and money to test many work boots and finally select those that are really worth it.

And that’s exactly what I did as I made sure to test lots of work boots to arrive at a nice selection of boots I think will perform the best when in contact with chemicals.

List Of The Best Work Boots For Chemicals

These are the work boots I personally selected as they were the best performers when in contact with various hazardous chemicals:

• 1) Servus Xtp 15″ Pvc Chemical-Resistant Soft Toe Men’s Work Boots
• 2) Timberland Pro Men’s Powerwelt Wellington Work Boot For Chemicals
• 3) Carhartt Men’s CMF6366 6 Inch Composite Toe Work Boots For Chemicals
• 4) Wolverine Men’s Overpass 10″ Composite Toe Waterproof Work Boots For Chemicals
• 5) Carhartt Men’s 6″ Energy Waterproof Composite Toe CME6355 Industrial Work Boot For Chemicals
• 6) Servus Max 15″ Pvc Chemical-Resistant Soft Toe Men’s Work Boots For Chemicals
• 7) Wolverine Men’s Overpass 6″ Composite Toe Waterproof Work Boots For Chemicals
• 8) Muck Boots Chore Oil, Chemical & Slip Resistant Steel Toe Men’s Rubber Work Boots For Chemicals
• 9) Oliver 65 Series 6″ Leather Chemical-Resistant Puncture-Resistant Steel Toe Men’s Lace-Up Work Boots For Chemicals
• 10) Carhartt Men’s 8″ Energy Waterproof Composite Toe CME8355 Work Boot For Chemicals

1. Servus Xtp 15″ Pvc Chemical-Resistant Soft Toe Men’s Work Boots

When talking about footwear with workers that do their jobs in constant contact with chemicals, there is one thing that always comes up in the conversation, and that is the need for comfort features.

This is why I love these Servus CTP chemical resistant work boots as they have great features such as:

• Cushioned insoles that provide great feet and arch support for dealing with those 10 to 12-hour work shifts a lot of workers have to deal with
• Higher, wider kick-off lugs for easy on/off
• Dual compound center soles that provide feet support when walking on hard surfaces

In terms of protection, these work boots also performed really well during the testing period as they came manufactured with an injection-molded waterproofed PVC with triple density technology that made the boots resistant to water and degradation from various chemicals.

Moreover, these Servus boots have open pattern outsoles that self-clean liquids and debris which provides perfect traction on every step.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 230 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.5 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

2. Timberland Pro Men’s Powerwelt Wellington Work Boot For Chemicals

There is no better feeling than going to work knowing that you’ll be comfortable and supported for the whole day.

And that’s exactly what you’ll be able to achieve with these Timberland PRO Powerwelt work boots as they have attributes such as contoured open-cell PU footbeds that cushioned my feet really well while testing them on hard surfaces at my workplace.

Additionally, they came with a “fingertips” pull-on that made the experience of putting on and taking off the boots really easy and simple.

Have you ever walked in a place where you’re constantly exposed to slippery surfaces filled with chemicals and other liquids?

It’s the worst, right?

Well, the good news is that these Timberland work boots have good protection features that solve this issue, such as their dual-density slip-resistant PU outsoles that give workers the confidence of knowing they will have perfect traction on all surfaces, regardless of how slippery they are.

Their steel safety toes are another feature worth mentioning, as most workers appreciate the feeling of knowing that no matter what type of heavy object fell into their toes, they won’t get crushed.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 585 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.3 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

3. Carhartt Men’s CMF6366 6 Inch Composite Toe Work Boots For Chemicals

If there’s something that a worker is used to, is having to work on their feet for many hours (sometimes 10 to 12 hours) on hard surfaces with barely any rest.

This is why I appreciate when work boots such as these Carhartt CMF6366 boots come with features such as their EVA midsoles and cushioned footbeds that end up being solely responsible for providing the shock absorption and cushioning needed for transforming a painful day of work into a nice and productive work shift.

When spending serious cash on some chemical resistant work boots, you’ll want them to have great protection features.

Well, lucky for you, this is exactly what’s gonna happen with these Carhartt work boots as they have rugged flex rubber outsoles that provide great traction when walking on slippery or uneven surfaces and composite safety toes with toe and heel bumpers which are great for protecting your toes from chemical spills and heavy falling objects.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 1,439 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.4 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

4. Wolverine Men’s Overpass 10″ Composite Toe Waterproof Work Boots For Chemicals

The feet and knee pain that comes as a result of having spent most of the day working on your feet on hard surfaces is more than real for many workers.

This is why I appreciate when manufacturers build work boots such as these Wolverine Overpass as they come with great comfort features such as:

• Removable Ortholite cushioned footbeds
• Shock absorbing PU midsoles that return the energy to your feet when walking on hard surfaces
• Moisture-wicking mesh lining that keeps the worker’s feet cool when working in humid and hot environments

On top of that, they have really good protection features that I personally tested, such as their abrasion-resistant toes that keep the toes safe at all times, and their PU dual-compound rubber outsoles that provide great traction when walking on slippery surfaces.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 315 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.3 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

5. Carhartt Men’s 6″ Energy Waterproof Composite Toe CME6355 Industrial Work Boot For Chemicals

Would you be happy if I told you I found a great pair of chemical-resistant work boots that are not only protective but really comfortable?

Well, if you would actually be happy, then you’ll love these Carharrt CME6355 work boots as they came with really comfortable features such as their Inside technology footbeds and EVA midsoles that kept my feet cushioned when walking on hard surfaces.

Working surrounded by chemicals and heavy tools is another big issue for workers.

This is why I love how these work boots have features such as abrasion-resistant rubber heels, slip-resistant outsoles, and composite safety toes that keep the feet safe from getting burned by chemicals and the toes crushed by heavy falling objects.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 340 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.5 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

6. Servus Max 15″ Pvc Chemical-Resistant Soft Toe Men’s Work Boots For Chemicals

If you want to avoid dealing with the unbearable pain that comes after working on your feet for 10 to 12 hours on hard surfaces, then you should consider taking a look at these Servus MAX chemical resistant work boots.

In terms of comfort, they performed pretty well as they came built with cushioned insoles and dual-compound center soles which gave me the feet and heel support I needed to deal with the previous issues discussed.

Chemical resistant work boots are nothing without proper safety features.

This is why I loved these Servus work boots when it came time to test them as they had open pattern outsoles that cleaned themselves from liquids and debris, providing me with perfect traction, and they also were manufactured with an injection molded PVC with triple density technology that resisted degradation from various chemicals.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 503 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.6 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

7. Wolverine Men’s Overpass 6″ Composite Toe Waterproof Work Boots For Chemicals

In terms of protection, these work boots have dual-compound rubber and PU outsoles that give perfect traction on all terrains, which keeps workers safe from slips and injuries.

These Wolverine Overpass work boots have comfort features such as their removable ortholite footbeds and PU midsoles that are responsible for cradling the feet and supporting them.

In terms of protection, they have composite toes that keep workers safe from getting their toes crushed which is a guarantee loved by most of their users.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 994 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.5 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

8. Muck Boots Chore Oil, Chemical & Slip Resistant Steel Toe Men’s Rubber Work Boots For Chemicals

These Muck Boots have features workers that do their jobs in contact with chemicals so desperately search for, such as their Honeywell oil chemical resistant rubber.

This material makes these boots perfect for workers that might get into contact with harsh chemicals that could burn their feet or produce other more serious injuries.

Additionally, these boots have slip and abrasion-resistant outsoles that provide enough grip to walk on slippery surfaces without mental worries.

And, they do all this without making the boots too bulky or heavy. I mean, they even have breathable linings that let the air flow freely keeping the feet fresh, which is much to say for a work boot that is so protective and full of features.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 12 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.4 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

9. Oliver 65 Series 6″ Leather Chemical-Resistant Puncture-Resistant Steel Toe Men’s Lace-Up Work Boots For Chemicals

When working in constant contact with chemicals, you need special footwear to avoid nasty injuries, we all know that.

Well, in that sense, These Oliver work boots appear as a great option as they have a chemical, liquid, and barnyard acid-resistant leather with TPU reinforcements, and they even have heavy-duty Kevlar stitching which makes the boots resistant to chemicals, cuts, and other abrasions.

Additionally, they offer other attributes that I thought were really cool during the testing period, such as their rubber slip-resistant outsoles that gave me perfect grip and traction when testing the boots on slippery surfaces.

We all appreciate a protective pair of work boots. However, no work boot is great if it’s not comfortable.

In that sense, these Oliver work boots surpassed my expectations as they came with shock-absorbing midsoles that provided me perfect feet support for those work days that I had to spend walking 10 to 12 hours on hard surfaces without breaks.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 22 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 3.8 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

10. Carhartt Men’s 8″ Energy Waterproof Composite Toe CME8355 Work Boot For Chemicals

Have you ever had to work on your feet for 8 to 12 hours on hard floors without much rest?

Well, if you have, then you will appreciate work boots such as these Carhartt Energy boots as they come with features such as cushioned footbeds and EVA midsoles which were great for giving me the arch support and shock absorption I needed to avoid feet, knee, and back pains.

Now, in terms of protection, these boots do not lack attributes as they have features such as abrasion-resistant rubber heels & composite safety toes that give workers the confidence they will not get burned by chemicals nor will they get their toes crushed by heavy falling objects.

Customer Reviews and Scores

There are a bit more than 146 reviews on Amazon.com about this product at the time of writing and they have given it, on average, a 4.3 out of 5 rating, approximately. These reviews are positive overall.

Check price at Amazon.com

My Verdict: The Best Work Boots For Chemicals

Servus Max 15″ Pvc Chemical-Resistant Soft Toe Men’s Work Boots For Chemicals

If you want to know why I chose these Servus chemical resistant work boots as the best ones, then you should read the short review I made about them by clicking the button down below.

Review

Quick Comparison Table

How Did I Test The Best Work Boots For Chemicals

These are the most important tests I performed to make the selection of the best work boots for chemicals.

Comfort Test

I made sure to walk and stand for many hours on hard surfaces to replicate the stress that most workers suffer daily.

Those work boots that substantially reduced my feet, knee, and ankle fatigue passed this so-called ‘comfort test’.

Protection Test

In this part, I performed various crucial tests to weed out those boots that didn’t protect my feet consistently.

These tests were:

• Putting the work boots in contact with various chemicals (under proper control) to measure how well they resisted chemicals
• Letting heavy objects (like tools) fall from safe heights to test if the boots’ safety toes were successful in saving me from serious injuries
• Working in the outdoors in the cold and under the rain to analyze how good the boots were in keeping my feet dry and warm

Durability Test

With most work boots for chemicals being not of the greatest quality nowadays, I made sure to stress-test all work boots for months to recommend only those that will at least endure years of challenging use.

Must-Have Features For The Best Work Boots For Chemicals

There is a combination of features all work boots for chemicals must-have. To save you some time, I decided to show a list of all those attributes:

Comfort & Convenience Features

Cushioned Footbeds & Shock Absorbing Midsoles

With having to stand all day on their feet on hard surfaces comes to fatigue and unbearable feet pain.

Sadly, this is what workers have to deal with fairly frequently, which is why I always recommend getting work boots with cushioned footbeds and shock-absorbing midsoles which take on all the impact from walking on concrete or other hard surfaces.

Easy-To-Clean Materials

Given that workers looking for chemical resisting work boots expect their footwear to be in contact with chemicals and other less hazardous substances it is recommended to get boots with easy-to-clean materials so they can clean and maintain their work boots in good shape fairly easy.

Protective Features

Abrasion Resistant Materials

Workers that expect they might get into contact with chemicals should look for work boots that pass chemical resisting standards.

Each standard guarantees that any given work boot can withstand getting in contact with a given chemical, which lets employers confidently recommend that boot to their employees.

There are lots of agencies that conduct the tests which guarantee chemical resistance in a pair of work boots. These can be:

• American Society for Testing and Materials
• European Committee for Standardization
• OSHA
• Canadian Standards Association

High Boots

Rather than choosing short work boots, workers that expose themselves to hazardous chemicals daily should get boots that cover their feet and part of their ankles.

This is why getting high work boots is the best decision as these workers will have the guarantee that no hazardous chemicals will touch their bearskin.

Slip Resistant Outsoles

A frequent issue workers have is having to walk on slippery surfaces with work boots that do not offer the proper traction.

Thus, getting work boots with slip-resistant outsoles will give them the peace of mind of knowing that no matter where they walk, they will never slip, fall, and get injured.

Safety Toes

Work boots with safety toes are a must-have feature for workers that do their jobs around heavy tools or heavy machines.

I mean, nobody wants to get their toes crushed by a hammer falling directly into their feet, right?

Waterproofing & Insulation

This feature is a must-have for workers that not only work in contact with chemicals and other abrasive substances/liquids but for those who work in the outdoors and are exposed to rain, cold, or even snow.

(If you want to know what type of insulation you should get, go to the “frequently asked questions” of this article)

Durability Features

Great Materials & Construction Methods

The best way to guarantee that you’re not gonna end up deeply frustrated after seeing your work boots break down after a few months of regular use, then you must look for boots with the following features:

• Good construction methods that will secure the work boots’ structure when exposed to a challenging type of use
• Reliable materials used in the work boot’s manufacturing process which will give the guarantee that their new boots are going to stand any kind of test

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a lot of frequently asked questions when it comes to the best work boots for chemicals. This is my attempt to answer most of them:

How Are Chemical Resistant Work Boots Tested?

There is a 3 part process to test work boots for chemical resistance.

In the first part, the work boot is tested for all the terminologies available that depict chemical resistance in a pair of work boots.

In the second process, the work boots are exposed to a degradation test under laboratory conditions.

During this test, the tester measures the time it takes for the boot’s materials to break down and stop being an insulation barrier between the feet and a given chemical.

If enough time passes for two or more different chemicals, then the second test is passed, and the work boot is labeled as ‘chemical resistant’.

The third process, again, consists of degradation and permeation tests under laboratory conditions.

In this case, if enough time passes for three or more chemicals to break down the work boot being tested, then the certification of chemical resistance is earned.

What Are The Degradation And Permeation Tests That Work Boots Are Subjected To?

• Degradation test: it notes down the reaction that the work boot’s material has when in contact with various chemicals
• Permeation test: it measures the time it takes for the chemicals to break through a given work boot and come in contact with human skin. As a result of this test, different permeation classes are assigned to each work boot. For every permeation class, there is a given amount of minutes it takes for the chemicals to break the boots. Class 1 takes 0 to 240 minutes, class 2 takes 241 to 480 minutes, class 3 takes 481 to 1440 minutes, class 4 1441 to 1920 minutes, and class 5 anything above 1921 minutes.

What Will The Best Work Boots For Chemicals Keep You Safe From?

Chemicals used for washing surfaces, painting, or barnyard work: Many workers have to use chemicals as part of their jobs. Some of these activities include:

• Washing the hospital floor, washing rugs and carpets
• Painting walls and other surfaces
• Doing barnyard work with potash, acids, and other corrosive chemicals

Luckily, any of the work boots reviewed in this article are resistant to most of these substances

• Working with batteries: As we all know, the chemicals and acids related to batteries are not only corrosive but highly unhealthy, which is another big advantage for those work boots that have the necessary features to keep their owners safe from this cocktail of hazardous substances.
• Working with nuclear waste: Given that these types of jobs require workers to deal with radiation and dangerous chemicals, it will be a mind-easing guarantee to use work boots that are specially designed for those types of jobs.
• Working with biomedical waste: Having a pair of work boots resistant to chemicals and puncture-resistant will keep you safe from the risks of dealing with needles and pathogens that come with working in the biomedical industry.

Are Chemical Resistant Work Boots Flameproof?

Well, it will widely depend on the type of work boot you get.

If you get work boots with features such as:

• Asbestos
• Phosphate based compounds
• Nitrile rubber

then you will be running with the advantage that your boots are made with flame-retardant materials that will give you valuable time when you most need it.

I’d recommend going back to the list of the best work boots for chemicals I just shared with you and find those that have some of those materials in the boots’ structures.

Who Should Wear Chemical Resistant Work Boots?

Most workers that are exposed to the following substances are more than recommended to get any of the work boots for chemicals reviewed in this article:

• Chemical substances
• Corrosives
• Abrasives
• Garbage, fertilizers, pesticides
• Biochemicals and bio-hazardous materials
• Other hazardous materials such as acids, batteries, etc…

Do Work Boots For Chemicals Have Sealed Seams?

When working in contact with chemicals you’ll want work boots with sealed seams as they will prevent any liquids or dissolved chemicals from slipping into the boots, which will keep the workers’ feet safe.

So yes, most chemical resistant work boots SHOULD have sealed seams.

Why Do Most Work Boots For Chemicals Have Kick-Off Lugs?

The reasoning behind most chemical-resistant work boots having kick-off lugs is that they let the worker slid the front in and out of the boots without touching the actual boot which is very helpful in case there are chemical residues on thier surface.

What Are The Recommended Heights For The Best Chemical Resistant Work Boots?

The basic rule is this, with more height, a better part of your feet and ankles are protected.

This might come in handy when you work in an environment where chemical spills are common. Thus, in my opinion, going for a work boot that has an 8 to the 12-inch shaft is a great idea if you expect to work in these situations.

What Types Of Safety Toes Should I Use For The Best Work Boots For Chemicals?

Well, again, this might be a matter of preference. The only thing that is an assurance here is that most work boots for chemicals should have safety toes to prevent nasty toe injuries from happening.

In terms of what safety toes to choose, here’s a quick guide on the options available:

• Metallic safety toes: These safety toes are a bit heavier but they offer more robust protection. Steel and alloy toes are the most common metallic safety toes and are recommended for environments where heavy objects (like tools) are laying around unsafely.
• Non-metallic safety toes: Composite safety toe work boots for chemicals are recommended for those workers that want protection that’s a bit lighter and that offers electrical hazard protection as non-metallic materials (such as composite) do not conduct electricity

Work Boots For Chemicals Are Better With Laces Or Without?

Well, it will depend on what kind of fit the worker wants.

If you want a tighter, more secure fit, then getting chemical resisting lace-up work boots would be a great idea. The downside is that these boots tend to be harder to clean and put on and take off.

On the other hand, if you go with work boots for chemicals without laces (like pull ons), you’ll be saving yourself the hassle of dealing with laces on top of the added benefit of easily putting on and taking off the boots whenever you wanted. Additionally, these types of boots are fairly easy to clean.

The only disadvantage you might find is that the fit is not that secure as the one provided by work boots with laces.

How Do I Take Care Of The Boots?

The first change you have to adopt to maintain your work boots for chemicals in a good shape is cleaning them regularly.

The process is simple:

• 1) Clean the boots with soap and water.
• 2) Dry them with a dry towel
• 3) (optional) Apply a thin layer of leather conditioner with a clean and dry cloth
• 4) Let the boots rest for a few hours and clean excess conditioner applied in step 3
• 4) Done!

What type of insulation is best for work boots for chemicals?

The level of insulation you need in your pair of chemical and acid resistant work boots will widely depend on the level of temperature you are exposed to when using them.

In order to make things easier for you I made a quick tutorial so you can quickly know what type of insulation you might have to look for in your next pair of work boots for chemicals:

• 200 grams of insulation: This degree of insulation material in a chemical resistant boot is recommended when exposed to temperatures ranging from 30°F to 50°F
• 400 to 600 grams of insulation: Work boots for chemicals that have this level of insulations should be used when exposed to 30°F to 50°F but are mostly in sedentary positions that prevent your body temperature from rising
• 800 to 1000 grams of insulation: As expected, this level of insulation is only recommended when exposed to extremely low temperatures as it will not only be expensive but will also add weight and bulk to the boots