Here’s the truth: there aren’t many choices for insulated wedge work boots. We will get into why that’s the case later, but if you need an insulated wedge sole boot for winter, your choices are limited. But, the good news is, you do have a few choices.
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These are our choices for the best insulated wedge sole work boots:
- Thorogood Men’s American Heritage Insulated Wedge Boots (click here to view)
- Golden Fox Leather Insulated Wedge Work Boots (click here to view)
- King Rocks Moc Insulated Wedge Sole Work Boots (click here to view)
***Here’s my advice. If you want a quick understanding of what type of insulation may be best for your insulated wedge sole work boots, then watch my short 45 second video posted below that quickly explains what you need to know. Also, please subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the button below. Thanks!
Even though options are limited, it’s nice that a premium brand like Thorogood has an insulated wedge boot. Thorogood’s American Heritage line of boots is very popular.
In this article we will take a closer look at these three boots so you can decide which one might be best for you. Before we do that, I want to discuss why there are not a lot of insulated wedge boots on the market today. If you are shopping for casual boots, visit our article about the best insulated casual chukka boots.
Insulated Wedge Boot Options
If you prefer to wear a wedge sole work boot even during the winter months, it’s nice to find a boot that has some insulation to help keep your feet warm. But why are there so few insulated wedge sole work boots on the market today?
There are limited choices for winter wedge work boots because a wedge sole is generally used for smooth surfaces, many of which are indoors (like a factory floor). Also, because a wedge sole is built more for comfort than traction, they don’t make for the best boots in snow, ice, and sleet.
But I’d argue there’s a bigger demand for these types of boots than the industry realizes. Yes, wedge soles are best used on smooth surfaces like concrete, tile, plywood and packed dirt.
Because they’re best for concrete and other smooth surfaces, you’ll often see wedge sole boots used on a factory or manufacturing floor.
Often times, workers who are indoors don’t want or need an insulated boot. Some indoor manufacturing environments can be hot even in the middle of winter.
Using an insulated boot in a climate controlled workspace may actually make your feet too hot. So just from that perspective, the use of wedge sole boots doesn’t align well with insulation.
That said, there are plenty of outdoor jobs that also like to use a wedge sole boot. Some people actually even wear a wedge boot when it may be better (or safer) to wear a traditional square heel.
Slip Protection
A wedge boot helps take the stress off the bottom of your foot by evenly distributing the stress across the entire bottom of the foot instead of localizing it on the heel and toe pad (like traditional boots do).
But because wedge boots don’t have that raised, square heel, they don’t offer the amount slip protection that those square heel boots do. If your foot slips with a square heel boot, that raised heel can grab the terrain and help you catch your balance.
Because wedge sole boots are flat, they don’t have as much slip protection. This makes them very poor for rugged terrain, and it also (unfortunately) makes them very poor for slippery winter weather.
But, as I said earlier, not every winter day is slippery just because it’s cold. There are a lot of jobs that might use a wedge boot outdoors, even in winter. Many construction workers like a wedge sole to use on plywood, concrete, and packed dirt.
Yes, if there is ice and snow on the ground, you’d be better off wearing a rugged boot. But not every brutally cold winter day has snow and ice on the ground.
All of that said, I personally think there is a small void in the work boot market for more insulated wedge boots. Yes, of course there will always be a higher demand for insulated square-heel boots, that have the outsole traction to better handle a wintry, rugged terrain.
But there are a lot of people who still like to wear wedge sole boots even in the cold of winter. As of right now, your options are limited. But the good news is, you do have a few options, including an option made by Thorogood, who is well known for making premium wedge sole work boots.
Best Insulated Wedge Work Boots
Thorogood Men’s American Heritage Insulated Wedge Boot
Thorogood boots are made by Weinbrenner Shoe Co., an employee-owned company based in Wisconsin that has deep roots in American culture.
Weinbrenner Shoe Co. started manufacturing shoes in the late 1800’s and was a significant contributor of boots for the US Army in both WWI and WWII. That same American pride is carried forward into their modern-day business, and specifically to the Thorogood American Heritage boots, which are made in the USA by union workers (source).
Thorogood does offer their American Heritage line in an insulated wedge boot version (style 814-4009). Here’s what these boots look like:
This is the current price of these Thorogood Boots available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). These boots have that traditional work boot style.
- Material – The Thorogood 814-4009 boots are made with full-grain oil-tanned leather uppers and a rubber wedge sole. It features Goodyear storm welt construction.
- Comfort – These boots combine the comfortable wedge sole with removable shock-absorbing footbeds to provide cushioning and comfort.
- Made in the USA – These boots are made in the USA by union workers. To see more USA wedge options, visit our article about the best wedge boots made in the USA.
- Insulation – Yes, this boot is insulated with 400 grams of 3M Thinsulate. It also has a Sympatex waterproof barrier to keep you dry when you work in wet conditions. For waterproof boots, visit our article about the best waterproof wedge boots.
As you probably already know, Thinsulate is very useful for winter outdoor gear because it is extremely warm despite being non-bulky and lightweight. It is made and trademarked by 3M (source). The microfibers trap in heat, but don’t take up a lot of space and don’t add much weight.
Unfortunately, this is the only boot on this list that uses Thinsulate. The other two boots use a mesh lining that is built more for a mild winter climate.
Click here to buy these Thorogood Insulated Wedge Work Boots available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Wide sizing is available for these boots. The American Heritage boots fit true to size, but to read more, visit our article about Thorogood boot sizing.
Golden Fox Leather Insulated Wedge Work Boots
Gold Fox has been making footwear since the 1970’s, and they make an insulated wedge boot that is a bit different than the Thorogood boots we discussed first. Here’s what these Golden Fox boots look like:
This is the current price of these Golden Fox Boots available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). These boots have a moc-toe design.
- Lining – These boots have a mesh lining and a pig skin collar to help keep your feet warm in mild cold weather.
***Now, to be clear, these boots will not be as warm as the Thorogood boots we discussed first. These Golden Fox boots are more of a mild winter boot. They do not have Thinsulate insulation. But they do have a lightweight mesh lining and a pig skin collar to provide some mild warmth to your foot.
- Material – The 6-inch boot sports a soft full-grain leather and a rubber sole. This is a moc toe work boot with a wedge outsole.
Click here to buy these Golden Fox work boots available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Multiple colors are available for this work boot.
King Rocks Moc Insulated Wedge Sole Work Boots
King Rocks is actually another brand owned by Golden Fox, and just like the Golden Fox boots we discussed above, these boots have a wedge sole and warmth for winter.
Here’s what these King Rocks Moc Insulated Wedge Sole Work Boots look like:
This is the current price of these King Rocks insulated wedge work boots available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). These boots have that traditional work boot style.
- Material – The upper features a pitstop water repellant full grain leather. Wedge outsole.
- Lining – Just like the Golden Fox boots, these King Rocks boots have a mesh lining that is more suitable for a mild winter climate. These boots aren’t built for severe winter conditions, but they will provide a little warmth.
- Construction – King Rock uses Goodyear welt construction to assemble the footwear.
Click here to buy these King Rocks Boots available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). These boots have a moc-toe style.