Brands
BRUNT vs Thorogood
A fit system nobody else offers, against a boot you can keep.
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Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Toe & rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  BRUNT The Marin Waterproof Composite Toe Work Boot A waterproof composite toe with an adjustable width system — BRUNT's SWITCH-FIT lets one boot run regular or relaxed, which is a genuinely useful answer for a foot between widths. | BRUNT: adjustable width | Composite safety toe — non-metallic, 15% lighter than steel per BRUNTComposite safety toe with electrical hazard (EH) protection; outsole and midsole meet ASTM D471-06 903 oil and isooctane chemical resistance | |
| 2 |  Thorogood American Heritage 6" Moc Toe Safety Toe MAXWear Wedge (804-4200) A Goodyear-welted, USA-built wedge with a steel toe and an EH rating — the default answer for anyone who stands on a flat hard floor and wants a boot that can be resoled. | Thorogood: welted and resoleable | Steel safety toe, moc toe shapeASTM F2413-18, EH | |
| 3 | BRUNT The Perkins Waterproof Composite Toe Work Boot The Perkins swaps the Marin's profile for a defined 90-degree heel — the version to buy if you spend the day on ladders, scaffolding or roof edges. | BRUNT: 90° heel for climbing | Composite safety toe, non-metallicComposite safety toe with electrical hazard (EH) protection; slip- and oil-resistant |
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The comparison
| BRUNT The Marin | Thorogood American Heritage | |
|---|---|---|
| Width | SWITCH-FIT — adjustable between D and EE in the same boot | D and EE as separate purchases, across sizes 7-14 |
| Construction | Not published as a welt — treat as non-resoleable | Goodyear storm welt — resoleable |
| Toe | Composite, 15% lighter than steel per BRUNT, with EH | Steel, with EH |
| Waterproof | Yes on the waterproof Marin | No — unlined |
| Outsole | BRUNT rubber, heat-resistant to 572°F / 300°C, oil and slip resistant | MAXWear Wedge, slip-resistant, flat |
| Midsole | Polyurethane — outlasts EVA | Rubber midsole with a composite shank |
| Published designation | EH and composite toe stated; full ASTM string not published | ASTM F2413-18, EH |
| Buying | Direct to consumer — harder to try on | Widely stocked |
SWITCH-FIT is a real innovation
Most of what gets called innovation in work boots is a new colorway. BRUNT's SWITCH-FIT is not: it adjusts the boot between regular (D) and relaxed (EE) fit, which means you can correct a width decision after the boot arrives.
That matters because width is the single most common fitting error and the hardest to judge online. Buying direct-to-consumer, which BRUNT does, normally makes width a gamble — SWITCH-FIT largely cancels that disadvantage out.
It is not unlimited. If you need a 4E, this does not reach you. But for the large group of people who are somewhere between D and EE, it is the most useful fit feature on any boot in our registry.
The welt is Thorogood's answer
A Goodyear storm welt means the boot can be resoled by any competent cobbler, repeatedly. That is the single largest determinant of cost per year, and BRUNT does not publish a welt construction on the Marin.
The American Heritage is also unlined, which makes it far more comfortable in summer and lets it mold further to your foot over time. And Thorogood publishes a US manufacturing claim: made in USA with USA and globally sourced components.
A transparency difference worth naming
BRUNT publishes some unusually specific figures — an outsole heat-rated to 572°F / 300°C, chemical resistance stated against ASTM D471-06 903, a 15% weight saving for its composite toe over steel. Those are real and checkable.
What it does not publish, on the pages we checked, is a full ASTM F2413 designation string. It states a composite safety toe with EH protection, which is meaningful, but it is less than KEEN'sASTM F2413-18 M/I/75/C/75 EH or Red Wing's ASTM F2413-24, I/C, EH.
If your employer requires you to show a designation line, that is worth confirming before ordering.
Buy BRUNT if…
- You are between widths and want to adjust after buying.
- You want a waterproof composite toe with a heat-rated outsole.
- You want a PU midsole that outlasts EVA.
- You want a 90-degree heel — take the Perkins rather than the Marin.
Buy Thorogood if…
- You want a boot you can resole.
- You want an unlined upper for summer and faster molding.
- You want to try boots on before buying.
- You want a full published ASTM designation line.
Where both lose
Neither publishes a weight. Neither offers a width beyond EE. And neither is a climbing boot, although BRUNT's Perkins with its 90-degree heel comes closest of the two.
The picks in full
Illustrative category photo — not this model#1 — BRUNT: adjustable width
BRUNT The Marin Waterproof Composite Toe Work Boot
A waterproof composite toe with an adjustable width system — BRUNT's SWITCH-FIT lets one boot run regular or relaxed, which is a genuinely useful answer for a foot between widths.
Published specifications
- Toe
- Composite safety toe — non-metallic, 15% lighter than steel per BRUNT
- Safety rating
- Composite safety toe with electrical hazard (EH) protection; outsole and midsole meet ASTM D471-06 903 oil and isooctane chemical resistance
- Upper
- Leather upper, waterproof on this version
- Outsole
- BRUNT rubber outsole — oil- and slip-resistant, heat-resistant to 572°F / 300°C
- Midsole / shank
- BRUNT polyurethane (PU) midsole
- Construction
- Not published as a welt construction on this model
- Waterproof
- Waterproof
- Insulation
- Not insulated
- Widths
- SWITCH-FIT adjustable between regular (D) and relaxed (EE)
Specifications read from BRUNT Workwear product page (The Marin waterproof comp toe) on 2026-09-27. We have not worn this boot.
What works
- The width system solves a real fitting problem rather than inventing one
- Chemical resistance cited to a named ASTM test method
- PU midsole outlasts EVA
What doesn't
- BRUNT does not publish a full ASTM F2413 designation string on the page
- Direct-to-consumer only, so trying before buying is harder
- Not a welted construction
Who this is wrong for
Anyone who needs to see the complete ASTM designation before they buy. BRUNT states EH and composite-toe compliance but publishes less of the marking line than KEEN or Red Wing.
Sizing
Use SWITCH-FIT before you change size. Most people who think they need a longer boot actually need the relaxed (EE) setting on the same length.
Illustrative category photo — not this model#2 — Thorogood: welted and resoleable
Thorogood American Heritage 6" Moc Toe Safety Toe MAXWear Wedge (804-4200)
A Goodyear-welted, USA-built wedge with a steel toe and an EH rating — the default answer for anyone who stands on a flat hard floor and wants a boot that can be resoled.
Published specifications
- Toe
- Steel safety toe, moc toe shape
- Safety rating
- ASTM F2413-18, EH
- Upper
- Tobacco full-grain American leather, unlined
- Outsole
- MAXWear Wedge slip-resistant outsole
- Midsole / shank
- Rubber midsole with composite shank
- Construction
- Goodyear storm welt
- Waterproof
- Not waterproof
- Insulation
- Not insulated
- Widths
- D and EE, sizes 7-14 in both widths
- Weight
- Not published on the manufacturer page
- Made in
- Made in USA with USA and globally sourced components
Specifications read from Thorogood product page (804-4200) on 2026-09-27. We have not worn this boot.
What works
- Goodyear storm welt is a resoleable construction, not a disposable one
- Flat wedge spreads load evenly on concrete instead of concentrating it under a heel
- Unlined upper breaks in to the foot rather than around a liner
- EE width is stocked across the whole size run, not just the middle
What doesn't
- Not waterproof and not insulated — the unlined upper soaks
- A flat wedge gives up bite on mud, gravel and ladder rungs
- Manufacturer publishes no weight figure, so weight comparisons are guesswork
Who this is wrong for
Anyone working outdoors on soft or uneven ground, or in standing water. The wedge has no lugs to bite and the unlined upper is not waterproof.
Sizing
Thorogood's moc-toe last is widely reported to run large; owner reviews consistently suggest going a half size down from a measured Brannock length. D and EE are both stocked, so take the width rather than sizing up for room.
Illustrative category photo — not this model#3 — BRUNT: 90° heel for climbing
BRUNT The Perkins Waterproof Composite Toe Work Boot
The Perkins swaps the Marin's profile for a defined 90-degree heel — the version to buy if you spend the day on ladders, scaffolding or roof edges.
Published specifications
- Toe
- Composite safety toe, non-metallic
- Safety rating
- Composite safety toe with electrical hazard (EH) protection; slip- and oil-resistant
- Upper
- Waterproof leather upper
- Outsole
- BRUNT rubber outsole with a 90° heel — high-heat resistant to 572°F / 300°C
- Midsole / shank
- BRUNT polyurethane (PU) midsole
- Construction
- Not published as a welt construction on this model
- Waterproof
- Waterproof
- Insulation
- Not insulated
- Widths
- SWITCH-FIT adjustable between regular (D) and relaxed (EE)
Specifications read from BRUNT Workwear product page (The Perkins waterproof comp toe) on 2026-09-27. We have not worn this boot.
What works
- The 90° heel breast is the single most useful feature for climbing work
- Same width-adjustment system as the Marin
- Non-metallic toe, so no cold conduction
What doesn't
- A defined heel is less comfortable than a wedge on flat concrete
- Full ASTM designation string is not published on the page
- Not resoleable
Who this is wrong for
Flat-floor trades. If your day is spent on level concrete, the heel breast concentrates load where a wedge would spread it.
Sizing
Same last and SWITCH-FIT system as the Marin, so size the same. Check heel hold specifically — a defined heel makes heel lift more noticeable.
Frequently asked questions
Are BRUNT boots any good?
BRUNT publishes some unusually specific figures — an outsole heat-rated to 572°F, chemical resistance against ASTM D471-06 903, a polyurethane midsole, and a composite toe 15% lighter than steel. Its SWITCH-FIT width adjustment is genuinely useful. What it does not publish is a full ASTM F2413 designation string, and the boots are not welted.
What is BRUNT SWITCH-FIT?
An adjustable width system that lets the same boot run regular (D) or relaxed (EE) fit. It is the only system among the boots we track that lets you change a width decision after purchase, which matters most for a direct-to-consumer brand you cannot try on first.
Can BRUNT boots be resoled?
BRUNT does not publish a welt construction on the Marin or Perkins pages we checked, so treat them as replace-it boots. If resoleability matters to you, look for a Goodyear welt or stitchdown stated explicitly on the spec sheet.
Is BRUNT or Thorogood better for wide feet?
BRUNT if you are between D and EE, because SWITCH-FIT lets you adjust after the boot arrives. Thorogood if you know you are an EE, because it stocks that width across the entire size run from 7 to 14. Neither reaches 4E — for that, look at Carolina's loggers.
Sources
- ASTM F2413 protective footwear standard — technical summary — Label format, the mandatory I and C designations, and each optional code
- KEEN Utility — aluminum toe collection and ASTM compliance — KEEN's published ASTM F2413-18 M/I/75/C/75 EH designation and the 35%-lighter aluminum claim
Read next
Best Wide Work Boots
The width question in full, including what SWITCH-FIT cannot reach.
Work Boot Brands Ranked
Why construction, not marketing, separates the tiers.
Best Work Boots for Concrete
Where BRUNT's PU midsole earns its place.
Resoling Work Boots
The argument that puts Thorogood ahead over five years.