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Quick Picks
| Pick | Product | Why | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety-toe and wet-work pick | BRUNT Marin Welted (Comp Toe) - Men's Size 8.5, Dark Tan | Composite safety toe, waterproof membrane and FARMGUARD leather, ASTM F2413-24 M I/75 C/75 EH [S4] | Check Price on Amazon |
| USA-made soft-toe pick | Thorogood American Heritage 8" Soft Toe Work Boots for Men | Built at Thorogood's US plants, oil-tanned full-grain leather, removable shock-absorption footbed [S3] | Check Price on Amazon |
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Last Updated: September 2026
Two 8-inch, Goodyear-welted wedge work boots. Both slip-resistant, both EH rated, both built to be resoled instead of thrown away. On paper they look like twins. They are not.
The BRUNT Marin Welted (Comp Toe) has a safety toe and a waterproof membrane. The Thorogood American Heritage 8" Soft Toe Work Boots for Men listing is explicit that it is a plain-toe, soft-toe boot made in the USA, and it does not state whether the boot is waterproof. That single split decides most of this comparison before you get to insoles or lace hardware.
Quick Answer
Buy the BRUNT Marin Welted if your site requires a safety toe or you work wet. Its listing describes a non-metallic composite safety toe that the manufacturer says does not conduct heat or cold and is 15% lighter than steel, plus a waterproof membrane and waterproof, barnyard-resistant FARMGUARD leather. [S4] It also lists an ASTM F2413-24 M I/75 C/75 EH rating. [S4]
Buy the Thorogood American Heritage 8" Soft Toe if you want an American-made, unrestricted soft-toe wedge. Thorogood's listing states these are made at Thorogood's US plants with USA and globally sourced components, in premium oil-tanned full-grain leather, with a removable Ultimate Shock Absorption footbed over a Poron Comfort Cushion insole. [S3]
Here's the thing: if your employer mandates a protective toe, the Thorogood soft toe is simply not eligible, no matter how good the rest of it is.
Full Comparison Table
| Feature | BRUNT Marin Welted (Comp Toe) - Men's Size 8.5, Dark Tan | Thorogood American Heritage 8" Soft Toe Work Boots for Men |
|---|---|---|
| Toe | Non-metallic composite safety toe; manufacturer says it does not conduct heat/cold and is 15% lighter than steel [S4] | Plain toe, soft toe design [S3] |
| Height | 8" [S4] | 8-inch flexible ankle support [S3] |
| Construction | Resoleable Goodyear welt [S4] | Goodyear storm welt, described as fully serviceable [S3] |
| Outsole | BRUNT rubber outsole, oil and slip resistant, high-heat resistant up to 572 degrees, extra-deep lugs [S4] | MAXWear Wedge, slip-resistant wedge outsole [S3] |
| Waterproofing | Waterproof membrane plus waterproof, barnyard-resistant FARMGUARD leather [S4] | Not stated in the supplied listing information; leather is premium oil-tanned full-grain [S3] |
| Electrical hazard | EH & ESR rated; ASTM F2413-24 M I/75 C/75 EH [S4] | Meets ASTM F2892-18 electrical hazard resistance [S3] |
| Slip/chemical standards | ASTM F1677-96 Mark II and ASTM F2913-19 SATRA non-slip; outsole and midsole meet ASTM D471-06 903 oil and isooctane chemical resistance [S4] | Slip-resistant wedge outsole; no specific slip standard stated in the supplied listing [S3] |
| Shank | Lightweight nylon [S4] | Fiberglass [S3] |
| Insole | Triple Layer BRUNT Cush'n: nonstick top layer, memory foam midlayer, cushy bottom layer, anti-odor treatment [S4] | Removable Ultimate Shock Absorption footbed on Poron Comfort Cushion insole, dual-density, air-permeable open cells [S3] |
| Width | SWITCH-FIT adjustable: remove gray insert to go from D to EE [S4] | Listed here in 10.5 D US [S3] |
| Origin | Not stated in the supplied listing information | Made at Thorogood's US plants with USA and globally sourced components [S3] |
| Price | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
Design & Build Quality
Both boots use Goodyear welt construction, which is the whole reason either belongs in this conversation. BRUNT calls the Marin's welt resoleable and says it is engineered to extend the overall life of the boot. [S4] Thorogood specifies a Goodyear storm welt and says it provides wear resistance and a moisture seal between upper and midsole, describing the result as fully serviceable. [S3]
That storm welt wording matters. A storm welt is a variant that adds a raised lip at the upper-to-welt junction, and Thorogood's own listing ties it to a moisture seal at that seam. [S3] That is a seam-level claim, not a waterproof-boot claim — and the supplied Thorogood listing does not state that the boot is waterproof anywhere.
Uppers diverge more than the welts do. Thorogood lists premium oil-tanned full-grain leather in a plain toe design, offered in Tobacco Brown (814-4364) and Black Walnut (814-4269). [S3] BRUNT lists waterproof, barnyard-resistant FARMGUARD leather paired with a waterproof membrane, and says it resists the damaging effects of harsh chemicals. [S4]
Shanks split too: fiberglass in the Thorogood, which the brand says gives flex and strength to hold shape under heavy duress, versus a lightweight nylon shank in the Marin. [S3][S4] Neither listing publishes a stiffness figure, so treat this as a materials difference rather than a measured performance gap.
Preferred for build: not established by the supplied data. These are different design intents, not different quality tiers.
Features & Functionality
The Marin's headline feature is fit adjustability. BRUNT's SWITCH-FIT system uses a removable gray insert that converts the boot from a regular D fit to a relaxed EE fit. [S4] For anyone who has ever been stuck between widths, that is a genuinely unusual bit of engineering to find in a welted boot, and the listing also specifies pass-through/wrap-around lace hooks and heavy-duty eyelets. [S4]
The Thorogood answer to fit is more conventional: this listing is the 10.5 D US configuration, with 8-inch flexible ankle support up top. [S3] No width-adjustment mechanism is described in the supplied listing information.
Cushioning philosophies differ in an interesting way. Thorogood's removable Ultimate Shock Absorption footbed sits on a Poron Comfort Cushion insole using dual-density, air-permeable open cells the brand says both resist moisture and absorb shock. [S3] BRUNT's Triple Layer Cush'n insole stacks a nonstick top layer, a memory foam midlayer and a cushy bottom layer with anti-odor treatment, and the boot adds a triple-padded collar to stabilize and cushion the ankle. [S4]
Thorogood explicitly calls its footbed removable. [S3] The supplied BRUNT listing does not state whether its insole is removable — that is unstated, not a no. If you rely on custom orthotics, confirm with BRUNT before ordering.
Preferred for features: BRUNT Marin Welted (Comp Toe), on the strength of the documented D-to-EE SWITCH-FIT conversion, which has no counterpart in the Thorogood listing. [S4]
Performance
Protection
This is the cleanest split on the page. The Marin's composite safety toe is covered by ASTM F2413-24 M I/75 C/75 EH per BRUNT's listing — impact and compression classifications plus electrical hazard. [S4] The Thorogood in question is a soft toe boot. [S3] If a job hazard assessment calls for a protective toe, the decision is made.
BRUNT also notes the composite toe does not conduct heat or cold and is 15% lighter than steel. [S4] Anyone searching for a steel toe alternative should read that carefully: it is a claim relative to steel, and BRUNT publishes it, not us. In cold-weather or heat-adjacent work, a non-conductive toe cap is the practical argument for composite over steel.
Traction and chemical exposure
BRUNT documents its slip performance against named standards — ASTM F1677-96 Mark II and ASTM F2913-19 SATRA — and states the outsole and midsole meet ASTM D471-06 903 oil and isooctane chemical resistance, with extra-deep lugs for traction. [S4] The outsole is also listed as high-heat resistant up to 572 degrees. [S4]
Thorogood describes a slip-resistant MAXWear Wedge outsole but the supplied listing does not name a slip-testing standard. [S3] Wedge outsoles generally trade deep-lug bite for a flat contact patch that sheds less debris on finished floors, which is one reason wedges are traditional carpenter and roofing footwear. Reasonable inference, not a tested result: the Marin's extra-deep lugs suggest more purchase in loose ground, while a flatter wedge tends to suit hard, flat surfaces.
Electrical hazard
Both are EH boots, but against different standards as published: ASTM F2892-18 for the Thorogood, and ASTM F2413-24 M I/75 C/75 EH for the Marin. [S3][S4] F2892 is the standard for soft-toe protective footwear; F2413 covers footwear with protective toe caps. That is consistent with each boot's toe construction, not a contradiction. Neither rating replaces your site's own electrical safety procedures.
Weather
BRUNT states a waterproof membrane and waterproof FARMGUARD leather. [S4] The Thorogood listing states oil-tanned full-grain leather and a storm-welt moisture seal at the upper/midsole junction, which is not the same as a waterproof boot. [S3] For barn work, wet concrete, or spring mud, the Marin is the one with the documented waterproofing.
Preferred for performance: BRUNT Marin Welted (Comp Toe) for hazard coverage and wet conditions, on the basis of its published safety toe, waterproof membrane, and named slip and chemical standards. [S4]
Price & Value
Check the current price on Amazon for both — offers move, and a stale number helps nobody.
Value here is not about the sticker. Both boots are Goodyear welted and built to be resoled rather than replaced, which is the strongest cost-per-year argument either brand makes. [S3][S4] Thorogood goes further and calls the American Heritage "fully-serviceable," while BRUNT specifies the welt is resoleable to extend the overall life of the boot. [S3][S4]
The non-price value differentiator on the Thorogood side is domestic manufacture: Thorogood states these are made at its US plants with USA and globally sourced components. [S3] If that matters to you — and for a lot of tradespeople it genuinely does — it is a documented claim, not marketing vapor.
On the BRUNT side, the value case is bundled hazard coverage: safety toe, waterproofing, and named slip and chemical standards in one boot. [S4] Buying those capabilities separately usually means owning two pairs.
Preferred for value: not established by the supplied data, since current pricing is checked at Amazon and neither listing publishes a warranty term.
Which Should You Buy?
- Your site mandates a protective toe. BRUNT Marin Welted (Comp Toe), no debate. It publishes ASTM F2413-24 M I/75 C/75 EH with a composite toe cap. [S4] Check Price on Amazon
- You work in mud, barns, or standing water. The Marin again — waterproof membrane plus barnyard-resistant FARMGUARD leather. [S4]
- You want a soft-toe boot made in the USA. Thorogood American Heritage 8" Soft Toe, built at Thorogood's US plants. [S3] Check Price on Amazon
- You're between widths. The Marin's SWITCH-FIT insert converts D to EE. [S4]
- You run custom orthotics. The Thorogood American Heritage 8" Soft Toe Work Boots for Men listing specifies a removable Ultimate Shock Absorption footbed on a Poron Comfort Cushion insole. [S3] The supplied BRUNT Marin Welted (Comp Toe) listing describes a Triple Layer BRUNT Cush'n insole but does not state whether it is removable, so confirm with BRUNT before ordering. [S4]
- You work around oils and solvents. The Marin's outsole and midsole are listed as meeting ASTM D471-06 903 oil and isooctane chemical resistance. [S4]
- You want a wedge for hard flat surfaces and no toe cap requirement. The Thorogood MAXWear Wedge with the Poron-based cushioning stack is built for exactly that job list — the listing names bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, mechanics and pipefitters. [S3]
How We Research
This website does not perform hands-on testing. For this comparison, both boots were assessed from their Amazon Creators API verified product records retrieved on 2026-09-08 and from the published listing feature bullets on each product page. [S3][S4]
The work is close reading: matching each published spec to its counterpart on the other boot, checking which ASTM standards each brand actually names, and flagging where a listing is silent rather than assuming an absence. Where a spec is missing — waterproofing on the Thorogood, insole removability on the BRUNT — we say it is unstated, because a listing gap is not proof the manufacturer never publishes the detail elsewhere. For your own consumer-protection questions, CPSC and USA.gov are the authoritative starting points. [S1][S2]
Final Verdict
The BRUNT Marin Welted (Comp Toe) is the more broadly capable boot as specified. It carries a composite safety toe under ASTM F2413-24 M I/75 C/75 EH, a waterproof membrane with FARMGUARD leather, named slip standards, chemical resistance on the outsole and midsole, and a width system that converts D to EE. [S4] That is a lot of documented hazard coverage in one welted wedge.
But "more features" is not "better for you." If your work does not require a protective toe, the Thorogood American Heritage 8" Soft Toe is a different and legitimate proposition: US-built, oil-tanned full-grain leather, a fiberglass shank, and a removable Ultimate Shock Absorption footbed over Poron. [S3] Soft-toe boots also sidestep the fit compromises a toe cap imposes.
So: safety toe or wet work, take the Marin. Unrestricted job site and a preference for American manufacture, take the Thorogood. Both are welted and resoleable, so either one rewards buying good and keeping it. [S3][S4]
Related reading on this site: how to choose a work boot outsole and Goodyear welt resoling explained.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the BRUNT Marin Welted actually waterproof? BRUNT's listing states the boot is built with a waterproof membrane and waterproof, barnyard-resistant FARMGUARD leather. [S4] Waterproofing claims apply to the boot's construction as sold; leather care and sustained submersion are outside anything the listing addresses.
Composite toe or steel toe — what does BRUNT claim? BRUNT states the non-metallic composite safety toe does not conduct heat or cold and is 15% lighter than steel. [S4] That is the manufacturer's comparison to steel, and it is the practical argument for composite in hot or cold environments.
Can both boots be resoled? Both use Goodyear welt construction. BRUNT calls the Marin's welt resoleable and says it extends the overall life of the boot; Thorogood describes its Goodyear storm welt boots as fully serviceable. [S3][S4] Actual resoling depends on the cobbler and the condition of the upper.
Which boot is better for electricians? Both publish electrical hazard ratings: ASTM F2892-18 for the Thorogood and ASTM F2413-24 M I/75 C/75 EH for the BRUNT. [S3][S4] Choose based on whether your employer requires a protective toe, and follow your own site's electrical safety procedures regardless of footwear rating.
Does either boot let me swap in orthotics? Thorogood lists a removable Ultimate Shock Absorption footbed on a Poron Comfort Cushion insole. [S3] The supplied BRUNT listing describes a Triple Layer Cush'n insole but does not state whether it is removable, so confirm with BRUNT before ordering. [S4]
How do I get the wider fit in the BRUNT Marin? Remove the gray SWITCH-FIT insert to change the boot from a regular D fit to a relaxed EE fit. [S4]
Sources & Methodology
No one at this website wore, flexed, soaked or resoled either of these boots, and there is no lab behind this page. What we did was pull the Amazon Creators API verified product records for both ASINs on 2026-09-08 and read every published listing feature bullet line by line, comparing them attribute by attribute — toe construction, welt type, outsole standard, shank material, insole stack, width system and country of manufacture. [S3][S4]
For work boots, that approach is unusually productive, because the things that decide the purchase are certified and published: ASTM toe and electrical hazard classifications, slip-testing standards, waterproofing construction. Fit, break-in and how the leather ages over a season are not published specifications, and this page cannot tell you about them.