What are the best breathable work boots? Although perspiration is a natural body process, if you allow your feet to sweat for so long, you may suffer from conditions such as unnecessary fatigue and headaches caused by dehydration. Your feet may also suffer blisters, chafes, and bad odor.
The solution to minimize or prevent sweating is wearing a pair of breathable work boots for sweaty feet.
These types of boots prevent sweating; ensuring you stay productive, while still offering safety from workplace hazards.
Benefits of Getting the Right Breathable Work Boots
Prevents bad odor
When your feet sweat a lot without proper channels to dry or drain the sweat, your shoes becomes a breeding site for bacterial which feed on sweat. Consequently, these bacterial produce a foul-smelling byproduct making your feet smell. Having a pair of breathable work boot prevents these bacteria from breeding.
Prevent dehydration
If you sweat too much, you may suffer from dehydration. With the right pair of breathable work boots, sweating is minimized and so is dehydration.
Keep your feet comfortable and healthy
It feels so uncomfortable when your boots are drenched in sweat or any type of fluid. Also, if your shoes stay wet for so long, your feet may suffer from blisters, chafes, and diseases caused by fungus. To prevent this, a breathable pair of work boots is necessary.
Buying Guide (What to consider/lookout for)
Having the best breathable safety boots is necessary especially in the summer when your body is exposed to too much heat. However, not every advertised shoe is breathable. Before paying for any shoe claiming to be breathable, there are some aspects you need to consider.
Breathability
When talking about breathability, there are two main points to consider- Insulated or ventilated. Most insulated boots are used for winter to keep your feet warm- they might not allow breathability. On the other hand, ventilated boots ensure proper circulation of air thus keeping your feet dry. For breathability go for the ventilated boots, even though it is possible to find a boot that is insulated and ventilated.
Comfort
You want a comfortable pair of shoes to reduce fatigue when working. Therefore, go for the one with a cushioned footbed to ensure shock absorption when walking on hard ground. Also, see if the inner lining is cushioned and the tongue is padded to prevent friction. Additionally, make sure the shoe is slip-resistant for safe and comfortable walking on slippery surfaces.
Protection
Even if you are looking for breathable mesh work-boots, you can’t ignore the fact that they should protect you from workplace hazards. The main feature to look for is the toe safety to ensure protection from impact. Again, make sure your boot can protect you from electric hazards if electrocution is an issue in your workplace. Additionally, the safety of the boot should meet some set workplace safety standards e.g. ASTM.
Waterproofing
Most waterproof work boots compromise on breathability. However, you can get advanced boots, where waterproofing ability and breathability are both considered in there engineering. These shoes have moisture-wicking membrane technology where the water from the outside is repelled while the sweat from the inside is drained.
Arch support and Weight of the boot
Just like any other muscle of your body, if you overwork your feet, they will sweat. That is why it is necessary to have lightweight boots that will not tire your feet. Also, ensure the boot you buy has arch support for minimized fatigue on your ankle, thus preventing over-exhaustion. It is important to know that even if the shoe is breathable, your feet might still sweat if exposed to extreme staining.
Construction and design
The construction of a shoe determines its comfort and durability. Since you want something that can serve you for many years, look for boots made of leather upper and rubber sole. If you can get a shoe with leather upper and another mesh material, the better- it allows for enhanced breathability.
Best Breathable Work Boots in the UK Reviews
Are you looking for the best breathable work shoes for sweaty feet? Well, you have come to the right place.
We know it can be tough to get the best breathable work boots due to the availability of options in the market. Lucky for you, we have researched and reviewed the best three to help you make an informed buying decision.
KEEN Utility Men’s Detroit Mid Steel Toe Work Boot

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The KEEN Utility Men’s Detroit Mid Steel Toe Work Boot is a stylish yet tough boot that offers excellent breathability. It is designed with state of the art technology to offer support and protection that meets or exceeds the ASTM standards.
With Dry-lex inner lining that has hydrophobic and hydrophilic two-zone comfort technology, this boot is not only breathable but also does not allow water from the outside to enter.
It is also durable while ensuring protection and flexibility, thanks to its nubuck leather upper construction and superior quality rubber outsole.
The boot also features, dual-density shock-absorbing EVA footbed and rubber midsole for added comfort.
Additional, there is no bad odor from your feet when in this boot due to the CleanSport NXT technology that offers odor protection.
Features
- Durable and waterproof nubuck leather upper construction
- Tough rubber outsole for flexibility and durability
- Torsional stability shank to alleviate pressure and offer support
- Features left and right asymmetrical steel toes for added protection
- Breathable yet waterproof membrane
- CleanSport NXT for odor protection
- Dry-lex inner lining with hydrophobic and hydrophilic two-zone comfort technology
- Removable double density shock-absorbing EVA footbed
- Rubber midsole for added comfort
- Features Reflective webbing to enhance safety and visibility
Pros
- Slip- and oil-resistant
- Prevent sweating
- Absorbs any feet odor
- Waterproof and durable
- Available in multiple colors
- Stylish and comfortable design
- A versatile boot for various occasions
- Offers protection from impacts
Cons
- They are not suitable for use in icy conditions
- They are a bit heavy
Danner Men’s Vicious 4.5 Inch Non-Metallic Toe Work Boot

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If you are looking for a stylish and durable design, that offers protection comfort, the Danner Men’s vicious breathable work boot is an option to consider.
The boot is versatile and can be used for working, hiking, camping, and other applications that require enhanced protection and comfort.
The construction of this breathable safety work boot features a waterproof leather upper molded to an abrasion-resistant Vibram outsole for comfort, flexibility, and long-lasting performance. The outsole is further made oil-, and slip-resistant to offer superior grip in low traction surfaces. To ensure comfort, the footbed of the boot features PU and dual-density EVA midsole that also absorbs shock while still supporting the underfoot.
Additionally, the boot is breathable, yet waterproof, thanks to the GORE-TEX lining which allows sweat to escape while preventing water from getting into your shoes.
Features
- 100% leather upper constructions for enhanced durability
- Vibram outsole crafted to provide long-lasting performance
- Features long shaft of approximately 8.5″ from arch for added protection
- With GORE-TEX lining to ensure breathability and waterproofing
- Cushioned footbed for shock absorption
- Feature non-metallic safety toe for enhanced protection
- With arch support for ankle comfort
- Features anti-fatigue insoles
- With oil- and slip-resistant outsole for enhanced traction
- Cushioned tongue for added comfort
Pros
- Versatile design for home and work
- Provide protection, comfort, and durability
- Enhances ankle support
- Offers enhanced grip in low traction surfaces
- Durable and abrasion-resistant design
- Meets or exceed ASTM safety standards
- Stylish and comfortable design that offers enhanced performance
- Offers support and cushioning to the underfoot
- Has superior traction on slippery surfaces
- Waterproof yet breathable design
Cons
- Appears in one color only
- The boots squeak on some surfaces
KEEN Utility Men’s Tucson Mid Work Boot

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For those who are looking for tough, waterproof, yet breathable work boots that offer support, the KEEN Utility Men’s Tucson Mid Work Boot is a great option.
The boot is crafted with high-quality materials to offer protection and all-day comfort.
What most people love about this boot is the presence of moisture-wicking lining that ensures perspiration and moisture from your feet escapes, while repelling water from the outside.
The shoe is stylish and long-lasting, thanks to the leather upper construction that is attached to a tough rubber outsole.
Also, the toe is protected from impacts while remaining comfortable, all due to the left and right asymmetrical steel toes protection technology. Additionally, you do not have to worry about the cold due to the presence of an insulated inner lining.
Features
- Pure leather upper construction for maximum durability
- Rubber outsole for cushioning and flexibility
- Dry breathable yet waterproof membrane
- Moisture-wicking lining to absorb and drain away moisture from the inside
- Thermoplastic polyurethane shank to offer support to the midfoot
- Customizable insole to ensure ultimate comfort
- Insulated inner lining for warmth
- Waterproof outer membrane to repel water from the outside
- Left and right asymmetrical steel toes for protection from impacts
Pros
- Features anti-fatigue technology to prevent unnecessary exhaustion
- Waterproof and durable design
- Oil- and slip-resistant to offers enhanced traction in all-terrain
- Offer enhanced toe protection
- Stylish design that comes in two color
- A breathable shoe that also keeps moisture away
- Offers protection against electrical hazards
- Warm and comfortable
Cons

- Sharp objects like nails can pierce through the boot
- Cannot be used in extremely hot environments
Parting Shot
When summer comes, sweating of the feet kicks in. This calls for a pair of breathable work boots. There are a variety of boots to choose from out there. However, you need to consider some of the best breathable work boots seen above. You can also opt for the above pairs since they are well researched and proven to offer breathability.