This is a review of Brahma Work Boots. I have been wearing Brahma boots for over 5 years (multiple pairs) and can give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. Brahma boots are a budget-friendly work boot option that can save you some money if you don’t want to have to pay up for a premium brand.
Brahma boots give workers an affordable option in several different styles of work boots. I personally wear the Brahma Defender Waterproof 8″ Soft Toe Work Boot. Here’s one of my pairs that has spent 2 years on the job:
Let me just say to start, I am not one of those guys who needs an incredibly comfortable boot. Yes, of course I’d prefer it, but my feet don’t bother me that much and so even though I’ve tried premium boots, I never found the extra comfort they gave to be worth the extra money.
Will Brahma boots be the most comfortable boots on the market? Probably not. But I personally found the comfort level to be more than reasonable in comparison to the price, and that’s ultimately why I have stuck with them now for over 5 years.
If your feet give you problems, paying up for a premium pair of work boots might be best. But if you’re like me, and your feet don’t bother you, these boots can be a great option, especially if you are looking to save a bit of money.
As I mentioned earlier, Brahma offers several different types of work boots. They offer both soft-toe and steel-toe, and have 6″ and 8″ styles. They also offer pull-on work boots, waterproof work boots, and safety-toe work casual shoes.
In this Brahma boot review, I am going to focus most of my attention on the pair of boots I have worn for several years, which is the Brahma Men’s Defender Waterproof 8″ Work Boot.
Brahma Boots Review: Fit and Comfort
In my experience, I have found Brahma boots to run true-to-size. I have owned 3 separate pairs of Brahma boots over a 5+ year time-span, and they have all fit true to size.
Comfort is one of the biggest issues for work boots, and this will likely be one of the most important aspects about deciding if Brahma boots will work for you. How comfortable are Brahma boots?
In my experience, I would rate their comfort as average to slightly above average. Again, for me, when you compare the comfort with the price point, I was pleased. Yes, premium boots might offer a bit more comfort, but in my experience, the difference was minimal and so I ultimately chose Brahma to save some money.
The tongue and upper parts of the boot are padded, and so is the footbed. I lace my boots generally quite tight, and the padded tongue keeps the tight laces from bothering the tops of my feet.
As I said above, I have owned 3 different pairs over a 5+ year timespan. I wear these boots to work everyday, so I put some pretty good stress on them over the course of time.
I am able to get about 1.5 to 2 years of life out of each pair of my Brahma boots. After that, I do feel a noticeable drop in the comfort, and usually just go buy a new pair. I should also note that I am someone who tends to wear boots out to the bitter end to make sure I get all the life out of them as possible.
Here is a look at one of my newer Brahma boots (left) compared to one of my older Brahma boots (right) that I have now retired to lawn duty:
Again, I put a pretty good amount of stress on these boots. I work on my feet all day, on concrete and gravel. These boots brand new give me what I consider average to slightly above-average comfort. As I said earlier, if you have consistent foot pain or other lingering issues, perhaps it is best to just pay up for a premium pair of work boots.
If you are more like me, and your feet don’t cause you any issues, in my experience I have found the comfort level of these boots to be quite reasonable when you directly compare it to the price point. Are there $200 boots out there that are more comfortable? Absolutely. But when you factor in the price point of Brahma boots, in my opinion, the comfort level is reasonable and tolerable enough for me to get 1-2 years of work life out of each pair.
Conclusion on Comfort: Brahma boots will not be the most comfortable boots on the market, but I personally found them to be reasonably comfortable in comparison to their budget-friendly price point. I have found all of my Brahma boots to fit true-to-size.
***This article is property of workwearcommand.com***
Brahma Boots Review: Safety and Features
Brahma offers both soft-toe and steel-toe work boots. Although I have owned a pair of steel-toe Brahma boots in the past, I have since turned to using their soft-toe boots. I wear the Brahma Men’s Defender Waterproof 8″ Soft Toe Work Boot.
The sole and tread on a work boot is very important, not only for the life of the boot, but also for safety. Slipping in your boots, as we all know, can be quite dangerous. Are Brahma boots slip resistant?
Are Brahma Boots Slip Resistant?
Yes, my Brahma boots are slip resistant, but it can vary depending on the type of boot/shoe you choose. Mine have an oil and slip resistant sole, and over the 5+ years that I have worn this boot I personally have not had any kind of slipping issues. I don’t work around a lot of machinery, so I can’t say for sure how it holds up to oil, but I have used it on wet concrete and snow a lot and have had no issues.
Here is a look at the bottom tread of one of my newer pairs of Brahma boots (left) compared to one of my pairs that is about 2 years old (right):
Overall, I feel like the soles on these shoes last reasonably well especially for the price point. Yes, after about 2 years there is noticeable wear just like any pair of work boots.
Are Brahma Boots Waterproof?
This boot is listed as waterproof, and although it does repel water, I like to think of it more as water-resistant. Companies use so many different definitions nowadays for waterproof vs water-resistant it is hard to keep track of it all. It seems what one companies considers waterproof another company considers water-repellent.
I’d just say that in my experience, these boots hold off rain well. If you work outdoor construction, these boots should keep your feet dry even in rainy conditions. Now, would I call them completely waterproof? Probably not. If you go walking through marshy areas where you could possibly submerge the whole boot, absolutely expect some water to leak in.
When I think of waterproof, I think of rubber knee-high work boots. These Brahma boots obviously won’t keep water out like that, but yes, they do repel water and I do notice they dry quickly coming out of the rain or snow.
Are Brahma Boots Good For Snow?
Yes, in my opinion, the Brahma boots are quite good in the snow (especially compared to cost). How well they handle the snow is actually one of my sneaky favorite things about these boots (besides the budget-friendly price).
They are reasonably warm. The tongue is padded with 3M Thinsulate insulation to help add some warmth to the boot in colder conditions. ***I personally wear these boots year round, in both winter and summer, and feel like they work fine in both conditions.
My experience in the snow is, yes, the waterproof design keeps most all the moisture out, and these boots dry very quickly once you get in out of the snow. These aren’t boots where you take them off and they stay soaking wet for 2 hours.
The traction is fine (yes, still watch out for ice). In comparison to other boot brands, I consider these boots to have very reasonable traction in the snow. Yes, you will still need to be cautious for ice, but for the price point, these boots handle themselves quite well in snowy conditions.
Are Brahma Boots Leather?
This will depend on the specific type of boot you choose. In general, yes, many types of Brahma boots use authentic leather for at least part of the construction of the boot. For example, the pull-on Brahma boots use leather over the foot, and then a canvas material near the upper parts of boot.
My Brahma Men’s Defender Waterproof 8″ Soft Toe Work Boots uses suede (a type of leather). Brahma also has lace-up work boots made of leather and not suede, but I just happen to prefer the boots that are made of suede.
Are Brahma Boots Good?
So, what is my conclusion from using Brahma boots for 5+ years? Are Brahma boots good? I hate to take the easy way out on this question, but the truth is it will likely depend on you. Yes, obviously I like them enough to stick with them for 5+ years and multiple pairs of boots. But, whether or not they are right for you likely comes down to these two scenarios:
- Yes, Brahma boots are good if you are looking for a budget-friendly pair of work boots that have reasonable comfort in comparison to cost. It’s impossible for me to know how your feet will feel inside these boots, but I think these boots provide adequate comfort. Remember, these aren’t the most expensive boots on the market, so yes, there are more premium boots with extra comfort. But these boots have a nice balance between cost, comfort, and quality. My Brahma boots are slip-resistant and water-resistant, and handle well in most all conditions.
- No, Brahma boots are not good for you if you have very cranky feet and need the most comfortable boots on the market. If you have feet that give you issues, I would recommend paying up for a premium brand. If your feet give you very little problems, then Brahma boots will work just fine for you.
- Overall, I feel like these Brahma boots have very reasonable quality in comparison to the price point, and also hold up at a reasonable rate compared to the price point. Again, here is a look at my newer Brahma boots compared to my pair that has been on-the-job for 2 years:
