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Bogs Workman Review

These boots are just about perfect for most applications and perform excellently
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Bogs Workman Review (The Bogs Workman are great for wading around in streams!)
The Bogs Workman are great for wading around in streams!
Credit: Richard Forbes
Price:  $160 List
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Manufacturer:   Bogs
By Richard Forbes ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Jun 12, 2024
81
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#1 of 18
  • Weather Protection - 25% 7.0
  • Comfort - 25% 8.0
  • Traction - 20% 8.0
  • Warmth - 15% 9.0
  • Wearability - 15% 9.0

Our Verdict

The Bogs Workman Soft Toe are great boots, a perfect combination of protective and comfortable. They ranked highly in every test we put them through, from warmth and traction to weather protection, and we feel confident that these boots will keep you happy regardless of the weather surrounding you. We're also impressed by Bogs' innovations, from the modular insole setup that lets them work for most shapes of feet to the heel-locking collar that keeps everything feeling secure to the impressively lightweight construction. Our full rain boot review shows how it stacks up versus competing products.
REASONS TO BUY
Great traction
Adjustable fit
Everything we want in a boot
REASONS TO AVOID
A bit pricy
Cushioning in midsole is slightly lacking
Editors Note: This review was updated June 12, 2024, to add comparisons to similar products.

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Price $160 List
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Overall Score Sort Icon
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Star Rating
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Bottom Line These boots are comfortable, warm, and fit perfectlyThese boots are too much for urban use, but are perfect for those who require top-notch warmth and water resistanceIf you're looking for a classic rubber rain boot, this is one of the best we've found at a solid priceWhile these boots are impressively insulated, they're too flexible underfoot for all day useGreat cushioning, solid traction, and warm, what's not to love about these deck boots?
Rating Categories Bogs Workman The Original Muck B... Baffin Enduro Kamik Forester Huk Rogue Wave
Weather Protection (25%)
7.0
9.0
8.0
5.0
3.0
Comfort (25%)
8.0
4.0
6.0
5.0
7.0
Traction (20%)
8.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
6.0
Warmth (15%)
9.0
10.0
3.0
8.0
5.0
Wearability (15%)
9.0
6.0
8.0
6.0
6.0
Specs Bogs Workman The Original Muck B... Baffin Enduro Kamik Forester Huk Rogue Wave
Weight per Pair (size 13) 5.11 lbs 5.35 lbs 5.49 lbs 5.46 lbs 3 lbs
Flood Height (inches from bottom of sole to lowest point at top of shaft) 14.75" 17.60" 16.30" 12.25" 6.50"
Mouth Circumference (inches) 16" 15.25" 17.50" 16" 13"
Lining/Insulation 7.5mm Neo-Tech waterproof insulation Fleece Synthetic Thermal Guard Neoprene
Upper Material Neotech/Rubber Rubber Rubber Rubber Rubber
Outsole Material BioGrip slip resistant outsole MS-1 molded outsole Rubber Rubber with adjustable nylon collar Grip-X Non-Marking Outsole
Insole Modular Algae-based EVA footbed EVA molded midsole with contoured footbed and 2mm thermal foam underlay Gel-Flex shock-absorbing heels and midsoles None besides thermal guard liner 8mm Molded EVA Footbed
Unique Features Seamless Construction to reduce weight + Heel Lock Neoprene shaft, thick insulation, and aggressive outsole Aggressive outsole Comfortable down to -40°F, Vegan-friendly, Oil & acid Resistant Reinforced Webbing Pull-Straps
Width Options Regular Regular Regular Regular Regular
Sizing info Order next size up Order next size up Order your true size Order next size up Order next size up

Our Analysis and Test Results

The Workman is a great boot. They take all the best parts of older Bogs models and improve on them. We're most impressed by their weight — these full-size boots weigh just over 5 pounds per pair for a men's size 13, lighter than many other serious workboot in our test.

Potential Durability/Waterproofing Issues


We want to be transparent; we had some leaking issues with our first version of these boots. However, Bogs has done a redesign, adding a quarter pound of extra heft, so we gave them another chance, as we love everything else about them. Even when they were leaking, we found ourselves wearing them on chilly and snowy mornings when we knew they wouldn't get us wet. They're just that comfortable. We've now spent the last few months wading around in this improved version, and they've proved fully waterproof.

Performance Comparison


bogs workman - we love just about everything about these boots, and highly...
We love just about everything about these boots, and highly recommend you give them a chance.
Credit: Richard Forbes

Weather Protection


The Workman has a shaft height of 14.75 inches, making them suitably tall for almost any reasonable use. If you know you'll be wading through seriously harsh weather conditions, you might need something taller, but for most people and situations, this height will be sufficient.


This boot uses a new type of neoprene — Bogs calls it “seamless” — which helps shave almost a half-pound off similar Bogs boots with the older neoprene style. We waded through creeks and rivers in Western Montana and were impressed by how secure and dry our feet stayed.

bogs workman - not even a montana river in spring flooding could breach these...
Not even a Montana river in spring flooding could breach these boots' waterproofing.
Credit: Richard Forbes

Comfort


The variety of boots in this test requires us to rate this section pretty flexibly because “comfort” is relative to the boot type. No protective workboot will ever feel as comfortable as a sneaker because the things that make it a good protective workboot (stiff midsole, high shaft, etc.) get in the way. With that in mind, we love how comfortable these boots are.


In particular, their light weight makes a huge difference. Bogs advertises them as “30% lighter” but doesn't say what they're being compared to. However, they're around 15% lighter than the Classic Ultra High, which feels and fits very similarly. But this doesn't fully illustrate how much lighter they are than the competition — the only workboots that are lighter are much less insulated and protective. This lighter weight means these boots are easy to wear for long days, as any weight savings puts a lot less strain on your legs.

bogs workman - in our world, it's basically crocs (in 4wd) or the bogs workman. one...
In our world, it's basically Crocs (in 4WD) or the Bogs Workman. One or the other will always get the job done.
Credit: Richard Forbes

On top of their weight, these boots have many additional features that help bring them to the next level. We like the supportive “rebound” cushioning midsole system, though we couldn't really differentiate them from the older model feel (which we also like). Bogs also put a new technology called “Max-Wick” into these boots, which supposedly helps them breathe better in warm weather, though we couldn't feel much of a difference.

One of our favorite new innovations in this boot is the modular insole setup — the boots have two pairs of insoles, which, when combined, work well for those with standard-width feet. However, those with wider feet can remove the lower insole and get significantly more room in the boot. When we removed the secondary insole, this also gave us enough room to put on extremely thick socks in colder temps. We've never seen this type of modular insole setup, and we love how simple but effective it is to make these boots comfortable for everyone. As a side benefit, the insoles are somehow made of eco-friendly algae, which is the first nod toward sustainability that we've seen in the rain boot industry. While we don't think algae insoles will fix the world, we appreciate the effort.

bogs workman - this modular insole setup is a great concept and works well when we...
This modular insole setup is a great concept and works well when we want to throw on our thickest socks.
Credit: Richard Forbes

Our other new favorite aspect, the “heel-lock” setup — may be slightly polarizing. This cushioned collar is sewn into the heel of the boot and is designed to wrap around the Achilles tendon to lock the heel down in place. Our main tester has narrow heels that are always moving around in laceless boots and really appreciates this new design. In versions without this collar, our heels rubbed a divot into the neoprene at the back of the heel, so we think this new collar setup may help the Workman boots last longer. However, while we love the heel-lock collar, it did take some getting used to, and we recognize that it may not work for everyone.

bogs workman - the collar in the heel of the boot wraps the achilles tendon and...
The collar in the heel of the boot wraps the Achilles tendon and helps prevent slipping. It's one of the boot's many highlights.
Credit: Richard Forbes

Traction


In keeping with the rest of their changes, the Workman addresses the poor grip pattern of past versions. The Workman comes with a much more aggressively studded outsole, a significant improvement from the older model. This outsole made us feel confident on all sorts of loose and wet terrain, from damp pine needles to wet river rocks.


This new outsole pattern brings the Workman up into competition with the most grippy boots in our test.

The snow shows the great lug pattern on these boots.
The snow shows the great lug pattern on these boots.
These grippy outsoles provide great traction on the slickest of...
These grippy outsoles provide great traction on the slickest of silty riverbanks.
The improved grip pattern of the outsole makes this boot much more secure in slick conditions.

Warmth


The Workman comes equipped for cold weather with 5mm of Neo-Tech waterproof insulation. When our feet got chilly, we found ourselves reaching for these boots because we knew they'd warm us up. They did extremely well in our ice water immersion test, and we found they were in the top tier for warmth all around. The double insole setup kept the bottom of bare feet warm in our ice bathtub testing, which we greatly appreciate!


We can't corroborate Bog's expansive claims that the Workman is “comfort-rated” to -72 degrees Fahrenheit, as we don't have access to that kind of temperature in our region. Still, we do know they were cozy down to zero degrees on chilly days in Western Montana.

As always, we do want to provide the caveat that these boots are insulated enough to be uncomfortable in warm conditions (above 50 degrees Fahrenheit), even despite their “Max-wick” technology.

bogs workman - these boots kept our feet warm even in deep spring snow.
These boots kept our feet warm even in deep spring snow.
Credit: Richard Forbes

Wearability


These are some of the most wearable boots in the test, and when the Montana winter gets rough, we pretty much live in these boots. They're easy to get on and have a unique heel collar to keep our foot situated without making them hard to get off.

Lookswise, the Workman boots are pretty standard Bogs rainboot fare — they're chunky, with a molded rubber wrap around the foot and a new, more aerated-looking neoprene above the ankles. Our testers didn't mind their true-to-function design, and we felt totally comfortable wearing these around town in the wet fall.


The Workman does have a larger profile than some of the other boots in our test, but this didn't alter our opinion of their aesthetic.

bogs workman - they're utilitarian, but we think they look good.
They're utilitarian, but we think they look good.
Credit: Richard Forbes

Fit


A size 13 fit our size 12 feet extremely well, featuring a half-inch of forward and back wiggle room and minimal wiggle room left and right (for our D-width forefeet). We think they'd measure in at a D/E width. They also have the heel-collar setup we mentioned above, which helps the foot feel snugger in the heel. And we love the modular insole setup, which allows the wearer to dial in exactly how they want the boot to fit volume/width-wise.

bogs workman - the bogs kept our feet dry while wading around in the clark fork...
The Bogs kept our feet dry while wading around in the Clark Fork River of Western Montana.
Credit: Richard Forbes

Value


In keeping with being completely transparent about these boots — we had some leaking issues with the previous version. However, this updated version seems a lot beefier, and over the last few months of testing, we haven't had any issues. We believe they're a great purchase and well worth the price.

Should You Buy the Bogs Workman?


We're extremely excited about these boots. The Bogs Workman Soft Toe takes everything great about a rain boot — their protectiveness, warmth, traction, ease of use — and somehow fixes everything that's typically awkward, like the clunky weight, loose heels, and sometimes sloppy fit. These boots address what we want so precisely that they almost feel like they were designed after reading our commentary on other boots over the last few years.

What Other Rain Boots Should You Consider?


The Workman should be able to handle just about anything the weather throws at you. However, if you're looking for a boot that's even warmer and does even better with traction and are willing to give up just a little comfort, check out the Original Muck Boot Company Arctic Sport. Or, for an option that isn't quite so heavy-duty, you might consider the Baffin Enduro. It did a great job keeping our feet dry, but were better suited for milder temperatures.

Richard Forbes