Japanese Tabi Safety Boots

There aren't many occasions where I have learned of a thing to desiring that thing and then owning that thing within 48 hours, but these boots were one of those things.The boots shipped in good time, arrived when expected and in good condition.Listed on other sites for about $120 (including shipping), these boots are a bargain. They are well made and exactly as advertised, made with rugged canvas with solid stitching, rubber soles, and steel toes. They do run a little large, but I put some work-grade insoles inside cut a size larger than the boot so they went from heel to toe cap and that made the fit nice and snug. There is still a little play in the heel area, but I don't foresee that being an issue.They lack arch support, but this is no issue for me as I am flat-footed and too much arch support hurts my feet.The first time I put them on I was wearing ankle socks. There were no stray fibers or stitching poking my skin and excessive friction was not an issue. The material of the boot settled around my leg like a pair of Chuck Taylors.If you're looking for a comfortable pair of steel-toed boots that don't scream steel-toed boot, these are for you. As comfortable as a pair of sneakers and at an excellent price, these boots can't be beat.

These are comfortable, easy to put on, take off, very light-weight, well-constructed excellent work boots. I was positively surprised by how well made these boots are; the photo on the Amazon page does not show the higher quality than in real life - the boots look better than in the photo. I need to wear work, safety-toe boots for portions of my work day; then change into another pair of shoes for other work tasks; these boots are perfect for this as they have sturdy Velcro straps (only two) that make quick off or on fast and easy. I also need the true rubber soles for work around electrical equipment - these boots, unlike many others, have real rubber soles. The sizing is accurate, fits about right. I have put arch supports into the boots as they are made flat-footed, but are still comfortable. The price is excellent. I will purchase a second pair as soon as possible.

I bought these because I need to wear barefoot style footwear and I work in a metal shop so I appreciate the steel toe. The aesthetic is great, I get a lot of compliments. they seem a bit narrow and long but I got used to that quickly. There’s no real grip and they’re falling apart after about 3 months. I’m still using them almost daily because they’re still wearable, but the quality matches the price

A note: the "lack" of arch support and cushioning is a feature, not a bug - just like other minimalist barefoot-style shoes.Update: DEFINITELY order a half size smaller than your usual shoe size. My first pair (the grey pair) I bought in my usual size (8.5M), and they were far too loose. The black pair I ordered in size 8 and they fit like an absolute dream.Lightweight, well-built, zero-drop, barefoot-style safety shoes are a rarity, to the point that after 30+ hours of research these and the split toed "tabi" variety are the only ones readily available apart from some more common brand shoes that require a little modification. So far they are very comfortable, with a decent sized toe box (narrower than your usual barefoot-style show but still with more than enough room for my wide front foot area). Ordering a half size down lets these fit like a dream, every bit as comfortable as my significantly more expensive Xero & Freet! brand minimalist shoes but with the added benefit of being safety toes that are required for my work. I don't work where sole puncture resistance is necessary, but I'd be a little cautious if that's something you'll need -there's plenty of grip from the tread pattern, but I'd imagine that nails or sharp metal would go through them without much effort.

I have to say these shoes were very comfortable to me although the toe box is much more narrow than I would have appreciated. I wanted a barefoot style safety toe boot and where is this has a very thin sole that gives the feel of a barefoot shoe the toe box is much too narrow to truly have the same benefits. I coated the boots in paraffin wax and they were waterproof up until I broke through the sole. Pictures are after 5 months of use

I wear a size 11 in shoes and a 11.5 boot. These boots are compatible and nice to stand in for a long day. The reinforce toes are a plus keeling then strong fit working on a sight or if. Worth the price and I'm looking to get more in other colors

I wore the shoes for a few weeks, and didn't have any problems with them. That was until I went outside in light rain for about an hour. I wiped the shoes down immediately when I got home, but the metal parts had already started to rust. I tried to clean the rust off as best as possible and kept wearing them, but about a week later the glue holding the soles and toe caps on started to fail. Literally the lowest quality shoes I have ever owned. Less than a month of light wear and they're completely unwearable.