Best Men’s Work Boots for Narrow Feet

best men's work boots for narrow feet

Wearing work boots is a popular choice among men.  They’re great at protecting your feet while you feel comfortable. But they won’t work if they don’t fit, and regular sizes aren’t optimal for narrow feet. You’ll need the best men’s work boots for narrow feet instead.

Why Is This Important?

Some guys may feel that having shoes designed for their narrow feet isn’t really all that important. That’s not true at all. Having the perfect fit for your shoes is crucial, and that means factoring in the width of your feet too. It’s not just about the length of your feet.

In this article, we will show you how to find out if narrow-fitting boots are right for you, and we will then examine the top choices on the market. This includes an overview of these choices, as well as the pros and cons of each.

By the end of this article, you will hopefully be able to find the perfect narrow work shoes that fit your needs. Talking of which, here’s a table summarizing the 5 men’s narrow boots we review below.

 ImageNameTop FeaturesPricing
#1wolverine 6 inch work bootsWolverine Men’s SR Dura Shock DA Work Boot-Extremely light
-Durable especially the outsole
#2caterpillar waterproof bootsCaterpillar Men’s Diagnostic Work Boot-Has good heel support
#3danner 8Danner Men’s Acadia 8″ Boot-Light weight
-Easy to clean
#4georgia men's athens Wellington boots Georgia Men’s Athens Work Boot-Has good arch support
#5Ariat Workhog boots square toeAriat Men’s Workhog Pro Work Boot-Great shock absorption
-Ample support (less fatigue)

How to measure your feet (DIY)

You can easily determine if you have wide or narrow feet. All you need is a pen or a pencil, a piece of paper (size A4 or bigger), a measuring implement (ruler or tape measure), a flat surface and a shoe size chart. Check out the measuring process in this video.

If you have shoes that are too wide for your feet, you won’t feel as comfortable as you ought to be. You’re working all day long, and that means your slight and seemingly negligible discomfort worsens over time. After several or a few days of this, you may end up distracted at work. You can even experience foot fatigue, when the muscles in your feet cramp up and you end up limping and in pain. You may even end up with a foot injury. This can even result in blisters from your foot moving around and rubbing against the boot.

Work boots are supposed to help you in the workplace, and that’s only possible when they fit your feet right. If they don’t, then your work boots are useless, and they’re more of a liability instead of an asset. Work boots aren’t typically cheap, so you’ve just wasted your money too.

This means you might end up with unsatisfactory work productivity and foot pain due to your work boots, and the rest of your day will be crap. The problem will affect not just your work life but even your social life too. So you may as well nip the problem in the bud by get the best-fitting work boots for you to use.

To help you with that, we’ve compiled a list of terrific work boots that you should consider. Here’s our list of recommendations for the best men’s work boots for narrow feet:

1. Wolverine Men’s SR Dura Shock DA Work Boot

wolverine 6 inch work boots

The Wolverine brand has been around since 1883 when it was first established in Michigan, and they’ve learned quite a bit about work boot craftsmanship over the years. They’ve made it their mission to provide the most comfortable work boots that can help protect you from the most challenging work environments.

Product Highlights

Let’s start with the soles. These are slip resistant soles, and this is perhaps the most important feature you need to get for your work boots. Slip resistance makes it so you hopefully don’t ever slip on the floor when you’re at work. It’s not just because of the pain and potential injury, but also because it’s embarrassing and can look unprofessional.

So even if your workplace has lots of wet spots, you’re not going to be as prone to slipping in these work shoes. Even when you step on oil, you can just drag your feet on any other surface and the oil will be expelled.

For the upper, you have tumbled full-grain leather. This means that the textured leather is nicely flexible to accommodate your foot movements. It’s also water-resistant, and it’s able to easily endure extended periods of wear and tear.

It’s able to keep your feet dry from the inside too. Even if your feet sweat, the mesh interior lining wicks away the moisture so that you’re feet doesn’t stay wet. This comes with an antimicrobial layer, and it really works, as this shoe passes the smell test.

With the steel toe, your toes are armored and protected from any impact from the outside. The EH designation also indicates that you’re protected from electrical hazards as well.

It’s comfortable too, with the full-cushion dual-density foot bed. This is a removable insole, so it’s easier to wash, or so you can put in orthotics if you need them.

The Good

Obviously your feet get great protection with these shoes. What’s really astonishing is that the comfort level is amazingly high. The whole shoe is lightweight, even though these boots are basically like armor for your feet. They’re so light that they weigh similar to typical cross trainers.

You can wear this all day, and you’ll feel comfy even if during the course of the day you walk 5 miles or more. It feels so light that you forget you’ve got a steel toe. It’s very durable too, as the outsole doesn’t easily show signs of wear.

The Bad

You do have to understand that it’s not completely waterproof. This means you can’t expect your feet to remain dry if you wade into a stream. The tongue isn’t designed to keep the water out from the top, so even a heavy downpour can get some water inside.

Pros

  • Looks good
  • Water resistant
  • Steel toe protects from impact
  • Very comfortable
  • Keeps your feet dry
  • Passes the smell test
  • Protects from electrical hazards
  • Non-slip outsole
  • Extremely durable
  • Lightweight

Cons

  • Not for wading in streams

2. Caterpillar Men’s Diagnostic Waterproof Steel-Toe Work Boot

caterpillar waterproof boots

This Men’s Diagnostic Hi Steel Toe Work Boot from Caterpillar is designed to help your feet withstand the elements, even while you look good wearing these work boots. Caterpillar is a famous brand due to how it offers various tools to make the job at a site easier. You can regard these work boots as one of those tools.

The primary goal of these shoes is to help ensure that you’re comfortable in the workplace all day, even if you need to do a lot of standing and walking.

Product Highlights

The key to its effectiveness in providing all-day comfort is how it’s designed to fit your feet in an anatomically correct way. Cat Footwear here uses what they call their ERGO It supports not just the actual shape of your feet but the natural movements of your feet too. Instead of having a generic shape, it features specific contours that are meant to support every step.

Here you have a high-cut 6-inch shaft with lots of padding for all-day support. Then you also have the protection brought by the steel toe. Then you get additional support from the removable, perforated EVA that comes with gel technology to absorb the impact of each step you take.

It’s especially great in wet and cold weather. This comes with 200 grams of thermal insulation to keep your feet nice and warm. Your feet are also kept nice and dry from the outside, with the waterproof full-grain leather upper that’s impervious to moisture. The outsole is also slip-resistant.

The Good

What you have here is a pair of boots with excellent protective features. But what will really make you smile is how comfortable these boots are for your feet. Your foot movements are not hampered by the boots as you take each step.  The heel support is incredible as well.

The Bad

With all its rugged materials, it’s not surprising that it’s a bit on the heavy side. But for most men, the weight isn’t really all that bad. You just need to consider the extra weight when compared to all the additional features, and decide which is more important to you.

Pros

  • Protects your toes
  • Waterproof
  • Nonslip sole
  • Very comfortable
  • Keeps your feet dry from the inside
  • Keeps your feet warm
  • Lets you walk naturally
  • Very durable

Cons

  • May be a bit heavy

3. Danner Men’s Acadia 8″ Boot

danner 8

These look a lot slicker and more stylish, but then again it’s quite an expensive pair. It’s a US-made pair of boots made with leather and cordura, and it’s a favorite among the uniformed services. It’s protective and stable, and at the same time it doesn’t hamper your ability to move quickly. So it’s not surprising that it’s very common among special tactical units.

Product Highlights

The upper uses full grain leather which you can easily polish, and 1000-denier nylon that resists scuffs, tears, and abrasions. The nylon enhances the breathability, and it dries quickly when you get it wet. You have a lace to toe design that gives you a secure and comfy fit. Inside the Gore-Tex liner is both breathable and completely waterproof.

The hand-crafted stitchdown construction gives you a wider platform to enhance your stability. Additional support and stability come from the fiberglass shank. The heel height is 1.5 inches, with the weight of each shoe (size 10) coming in at a pound and 13 ounces.

The special “Vibram Kletterlift” outsole also helps to make these boots both durable and comfortable to wear. The outsole offers terrific stability, along with great traction for wet and dry surfaces. The heel is very comfortable, especially with its nice shock absorption.

The Good

This gives you a nice snug fit, yet at the same time your feet can move freely and quickly. This keeps your feet nice and dry, while you also keep your footing on wet and dry floors. This looks great, and it’s also easy to clean. It’s lightweight as well.

The Bad

Just remember that these are still boots and not running shoes. So while they’re on the light end of boots, they’re certainly heavier than regular sneakers. You’ll also need to break this in, as it will be a bit stiff out of the box.

Pros

  • Tough upper
  • Breathable
  • Secure fit
  • Waterproof membrane
  • Very comfy
  • Not too heavy
  • Keeps your feet dry
  • Nonslip
  • Easy to clean
  • Looks great

Cons

  • It needs to be broken in
  • You won’t do sprints easily with these
  • A bit expensive

4. Georgia Boot Men’s Athens Work Boot

georgia men's athens Wellington boots

Do you just hate it when you’re wearing shoes and your feet still get wet? That’s not going to happen with these boots, as they’re completely waterproof. They are 10 inches tall, so if you only wade in streams that don’t reach the top of the boots you’re good to go.

Product Highlights

The waterproof system is perhaps its most well-known feature, but that’s not all benefit you get. This boot is quite strong, so you can expect it to last a while. It’s still comfortable too, so your feet won’t complain. Along with the EVA midsole you have the advanced memory polyurethane (AMP) footbed that offers ample arch support. The arch support makes this a great choice for those with fallen arches.

For support, you have a TPU shank along with the Georgia anchor disk. The rubber outsole is slip-resistant too, so all in all it’s great.

Pros

  • Completely waterproof
  • Durable and tough
  • Comfortable
  • Slip-resistant

Cons

  • No steel toe
  • Customer service needs improvement

5. Ariat Men’s Workhog Pull-on Waterproof Pro Work Boot

Ariat Workhog boots square toe

Pull-on boots can be rather annoying, as they can pose a challenge when you need to put them on. It’s not easy when the top of the boot is up to your shins. But that’s not an issue with this work boot at all.

Product Highlights

They have a special patented system called the U-Turn Entry System which actually makes it easier for you to get your feet inside these boots. Once they’re in, your feet are in for a treat.

For shock absorption, you have the EVA midsole and the gel-cushioned footbed. To reduce foot fatigue, you have an extra-wide shank along with stabilizers for the forefoot and heel.

The outsole is resistant to slips and oil. While it’s flexible enough to support your foot movements, it’s also highly resistant to wear. It’s even self-cleaning, so you don’t track in dirt from the outside.

These boots are also styled like cowboy boots, so if that is your preference, then you will find that these boots look great.

The Good

You won’t find it hard to put this boot on, despite its looks. As it’s like you have a piece of leather covering your entire foot. It’s also completely waterproof. Then, you get great shock absorption with ample support to minimize foot fatigue.

The outsole is terrific, as its resistant to wear, slips, and oil. It lets you move freely and it doesn’t track dirt. This boot is ideal for doing your job without having to worry about workplace hazards. Simply put them on and get to work.

The Bad

This will feel a bit snug at first, as you need to break the leather in. This is the case with many boots that go up to your shin. The more material there is, the more there is which needs to be broken in. You will have to balance this against the extra protection and waterproof nature of the boot.

Pros

  • Not hard to put on
  • Very durable
  • Waterproof
  • Oil-resistant
  • Slip-resistant
  • Doesn’t track dirt

Cons

  • Needs to be broken in

Men’s Narrow Width Boots Buying Guide

Once you’ve made sure that your work boots fit your feet, you then need to make sure that they help you at the workplace. This means you need safety features to protect you and your feet from workplace hazards and conditions. You also need features that also make you feel comfortable.

An ideal boot might have a mixture of both of these. However, the ideal mixture for you will depend on personal preference.

Here’s a nice checklist of features that you might want:

Some additional safety and functional features you can look out for are:

  • Adequate shock absorbency
  • Breathability
  • Breathable and moisture wicking lining that regulates temperature or has anti-microbial properties
  • Comfortable insole and footbed with ample cushioning
  • Durable construction for reliable endurance
  • Electrical hazard protection
  • Extra padding for the tongue and heel
  • Heat and molten metal protection
  • Insulation against cold weather conditions or extreme indoor cold
  • Insulation or protection against extreme heat
  • Lightweight construction
  • Metatarsal protection
  • Outsole that resists slips, punctures, abrasion, oil, heat, and chemicals hazards
  • Safety toe layer of protective steel, alloy or composite
  • Stable shank made of fiberglass or steel
  • Static electricity build-up prevention
  • Support for heels and arches
  • Waterproofing

Of course, good looks count too, though this is very subjective. You may want to avoid overly bright colors that may not seem professional and fitting for the workplace. In fact, when in doubt just get them in either black or brown, just as you would for your leather shoes. Those colors always work.

Narrow Men’s Boots Fitting Tips

  • To really make sure you’re getting the right size for your narrow feet, you have to wear the boots to see that they fit. So you can do this by going to a shoe store to try on the work boots, and then you buy those boots online. If you’re skipping the shoe store stage, you better have generous return conditions (ample time and no return fees) so you can have the boots replaced if they don’t fit.
  • Try out the boots at noon or during the afternoon. Basically, do this when it’s the warmest time of the day. That’s when your feet are at its most swollen point.
  • Wear the socks you normally wear with your work boots when you try out a new pair.
  • The heel should fit snugly.
  • Stand and walk around a lot to gauge how comfortable the fit is for you.
  • If it’s feels too tight, then it’s not right. While you can break in the boots so they fit you better, the initial fit should already be snug.
  • Don’t assume that your foot size won’t change as the years go by. Things change as you get older. So be sure to take foot measurements from time to time.

Picking Narrow Shoes for Men

Now that you have read through our buyer’s guide, and seen the different factors and considerations that go into selecting a boot, the time has come to pick the proper boot for you. Our number one recommendation in this regard is to first fully analyze your situation. The proper choice of boot comes with a full understanding of what you actually need in a boot.

So before you choose, evaluate the type of work you are going to be doing, and choose a boot that will meet the safety standards of that work, and will also allow you to get the job comfortably. Of course, if any types of boots are required by your job, then those are the ones you should get.

Being able to balance features, weight, and comfort is a hard task when it comes to choosing a boot. We recommend that you always choose a boot that you can wear for long periods of time in comfort. The best boot might just be one that you don’t notice at all.

So before you make your choice, be sure that you know exactly what you are looking for. This will make the amount of options on the market far less overwhelming.

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed our buyer’s guide for the best work boots for those with narrow feet. We know that choosing a work boot is not always an easy task. That’s why we tried to pack this buyer’s guide with all the relevant information you need to make your choice.

The most important consideration is what you are looking for. So sit down and give some thought to the type of features important to you, and then go through our buyer’s guide to find a style of boot that you think is best. We are confident you will find a pair that will have you working in comfort for a long time to come.