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Work Shoes

Best Shoes for Roofing in 2024: Tested, Reviewed & Ranked

Roofers face a unique challenge every day as walking and working on a steep platform poses a range of potential hazards. Some nails can penetrate your shoe and your feet, flames that can melt your laces (torch-on), and tiles can make you lose balance at any time. So what should we wear when we’re roofing?

The answer is roofing shoes. These are shoes that have been purpose-built to withstand nail attacks, high heat, traction of metal roofs, and steep pitches. These nifty shoes can support your ankle with incredible grip and comfort.

Interested to learn more? Dive deep with us today and together we’ll explore some of the finest roofing shoes the market has to offer. Are you coming along?

5 Most Suitable Shoes for Roofing

01 Nike Rosherun Anthracite

Nike Rosherun Anthracite

Why It Stands Out to Us?

When you’re planning to grab a roofing shoe, you surely aim for something long-lasting and comfortable to wear. This is one of the specialties of this shoe. No matter what the odds are, this shoe will have you covered.

Usually, the shoes you see in the market aren’t the all-time bests regarding traction and durability. But this champ here knows how to give you the best roofing experience with desired traction and stability.

Even if you have a glimpse of their website, you’ll see customers booming the comment sections with reviews regarding the astounding service they have received so far. So, if you are planning to give your feet a new definition of roofing experience, then this shoe can be at the top of your must-have list.

Our Experience

We can confidently state that this is a champ as far as a roofing shoe is concerned. Keeping the traction and durability aside, the overall material of the shoe is at its very best. Here are some of the factors we shortlisted during our roofing shoe hunt.

  • Gripping and Traction

Our hunt for the best roofing shoe with optimum traction and gripping became a lot easier when we first came across this astounding roofing shoe. And we can surely say that this amazing shoe would indeed offer you the best gripping and overall traction.

  • Durability and Material Quality

As far as durability is concerned, we think it will take over the current shoe industry with this feature. Moreover, the material quality is also a hot feature since it doesn’t stink your feet or compromise overall foot safety.

  • Comfort and Design

Comfort is something that melted our hearts for this shoe. We can assure you that this shoe won’t hurt your feet during heavy roofing tasks due to its outer leather material and inner phylon sole. However, the design is something we personally didn’t appreciate since it appeared too basic.

  • Ankle Support

The ankle support appears pretty basic, like any other roofing shoes. However, a few tweaks make its ankle support outstand other branded shoes. That is, it covers the ankle support to ensure optimum safety.

What Could Be Improved and Why?

Well, the only segment that actually got us in question is the overall styling and appeal of the shoe. As the overall texture and design are too basic, we think it needs to focus a bit on the shoe’s attractiveness.

Specifications

  • Material: Mesh
  • Color: Black
  • Sole Material: Phylon
  • Outer Material: Leather
  • Closure Kind: Lace-up

Reasons to Buy

  • Provides astounding grip and traction to conduct heavy-duty roofing
  • No odor due to high-quality material
  • Pretty durable and comfortable
  • High-quality lace-up closure
  • Basic yet remarkable ankle support

Reasons to Avoid

  • The overall design and style are too basic

02 Merrell Mens Moab

Merrell Mens Moab

Why It Stands Out to Us?

Merrell has been leading the shoe industry in producing some of the best and most appealing roofing shoes. It not only ensures the ultimate safety of your feet but even allows your feet to have proper stability during heavy-duty tasks.

The shoe’s wide base and more athletic design give footwear enthusiasts an overall positive and motivating vibes. Moreover, the material used allows your feet to have a foot breather, which means no chances of foot stinks.

So, you can say Merrell Moab 2 is a king itself with the supremacy of quality according to its price.

Our Experience

As far as the quality is concerned, we can say there’s not a single brand in the market that can stand out, Merrell. So, during our search for the best, we actually came across a champ. Here’s why.

  • Comfortability

Comfort is a must, especially when you’ve heavy roofing tasks on your shoulder. This is where it makes a statement! The overall footing comfort is pretty remarkable, and it has that soft feet bedding that ensures your feet stay out of post-roof pain.

  • Weight

Well, as far as weight is concerned, Merrell Moab 2 is moderately lightweight, giving you the right stability and agility during your tasks. We don’t say it’s the lightest of all, but it’s light enough to give good feet stability.

  • Breathability

There’s no question about the breathability of this shoe, and we can bet our money on this statement. This is because the materials used to manufacture it has been of the best quality.

  • Support

The stability, along with the support, has made this roofing shoe a killer product. And we can assure you that with this shoe on your feet, you will have the best footing experience. The flexibility it offers to you is something we highly appreciate and recommend.

What Could Be Improved and Why?

In our opinion, Merrell Moab 2 could have been made a bit lighter in weight compared to other roofing shoes in the industry. Moreover, we also think the shoe might have average traction and surely has space for improvement.

Specifications

  • Fabric Type: 100% Leather
  • Sole Material: Suede
  • Outer Material: Leather, mesh, and Suede
  • Closure Type: Lace up

Pros

  • It has an astounding build and design
  • Pretty durable and steady
  • Amazing breathability
  • Comfortable to wear

Cons

  • No waterproofing feature is available
  • The traction is average

03 Thorogood Men’s Crosstrex-Waterproof

Thorogood Men's Crosstrex-Waterproof

Why It Stands Out to Us?

Thorogood is undoubtedly an astounding shoe brand that produces some of the finest roofing shoes ever. And that’s true enough when you actually start using them. You can simply say that the roofing shoe is jam-packed with features that’ll surely mesmerize you.

Whether it’s the overall looks or even the quality of the building, this shoe surely is a killer product to have roofing footwear. The composition of different materials has made this shoe an ideal pick for astounding traction and waterproofing ability.

Therefore, there’s no question why you won’t be picking this champ as your ideal roofing footwear partner.

Our Experience

Thorogood Crosstrex is undoubtedly a footwear roofing shoe that deserves recognition. And do you know why? It’s because, during our hunt for the best roofing shoes, we’ve found some astounding features that would make you fall in love with them. Here are some of the shortlists.

  • A1 Durability

Roofing is a harsh task, and you need a robust shoe for it, no question! This is what Thorogood Crosstrex offers. The outstanding firm-built and jam-packed features make this shoe one of the best footwear options for you. And according to us, no second brand can offer such a robust feature.

  • Functionality

This is one of those multi-purpose shoes that you can have as footwear. Not just roofing, but this shoe is even an astounding choice for running, hiking, tactical, and more. So, in short, we can say you’ll be having an all-around feature-enriched shoe with this champ around.

  • Weight

Well, weight comfort might be debated since the shoes are comparatively heavier than many other shoe brands. However, we’re not saying that weight is too much, as you’ll have the flexibility you need during your roofing.

  • Waterproof

This feature is something that we’re pretty impressed with. The waterproofing it provides is undoubtedly worthy of praise. No matter how south the weather is, its waterproofing feature is there to help you out. So, if you plan to do some hiking or even roofing in the worst of climates, this is the champ you put your money on.

What Could Be Improved and Why?

It’s our personal opinion, and it may be otherwise to you. But there is space for weight improvements, and making it a bit lighter would surely make them a killer product. Moreover, the material compositions also need some chance since wearing them too long gives a slight odor smell.

Specifications

  • Fabric Type: Mesh and Full-grain Leather
  • Sole Material: Slip-resistant Crosstrex
  • Closure Type: Lace-up
  • Outer Material: PU (Polyurethane)

Reasons to Buy

  • Amazing robust design
  • High-quality waterproofing feature
  • Pretty durable and can withstand wear and tear
  • It’s multi-functional
  • Pretty stylish and appealing

Reasons to Avoid

  • Wearing the shoe for a more extended period can result in an odor smell

04 Nike Stefan Janoski

Nike Stefan Janoski

Why It Stands Out to Us?

It’s a roofing shoe you fall in love with! The overall texture, robust design, and jam-packed combination of comfort and durability make this a great shoe to carry out your roofing tasks.

So, we think, if you’re looking for a shoe that’ll not only protect your feet from harsh roofing but also provide you with the required comfort, this shoe is a must-have. Choices may vary, but in our opinion, the materials used to manufacture Nike Stefan Janoski make the shoe one of the best among the best.

Our Experience

  • Fit and Comfort

If you have wider feet, then this shoe is the king! You can benefit significantly from the overall toe box space as it aids your feet to slide in smooth, and it’s not much of a biggie.

Yes, we admit, it’s going to feel tight at first (and it’s pretty standard for most shoes), but the fit is astounding once the suede starts doing its job. So, there’s no question regarding the overall comfort you’ll have while having these champs on while carrying out your roofing work.

  • Performance

Let us be honest with you. There’s space for improvements regarding the performance. However, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t provide you with the required performances.

We’re stating this because we love the NIKE brand a lot, and there’s no doubt it’s one of the leading brands. So, it is evident we have high hopes for it. In contrast, the performance is pretty remarkable, but it can indeed become one of the best if improvements are made.

  • Cushioning

According to us, this shoe might have one of the best cushioning so far on the list. And the reason we’re stating this is because of the materials used. Suede itself is a comfortable material, so cushioning it with this material makes the shoe one of the best for optimum cushioning.

  • Durability

As far as durability is concerned, we think this roofing shoe has got what it takes to be the best. So, if you’re planning to go through intensive roofing, this shoe can indeed back you up.

However, extensive use without proper maintenance might wear it off gradually. And the reason is pretty simple, too, since the shoe provides optimum comfort, so the materials used are pretty soft. Therefore, to prevent the shoe from early wear-offs, try to maintain it after excessive use.

What Could Be Improved and Why?

Overall it’s an ideal product; however, there’s quite a space for improvements regarding the shoe’s performance. Since it’s a brand of high values, we can simply put our high expectations on it.

Specifications

  • Sole Material: Rubber
  • Inner Material: Manmade
  • Outer Material: Synthetic
  • Kind of Closure: Lace-up

Reasons to Buy

  • It has the best cushioning feature
  • Pretty comfortable to wear
  • It doesn’t leave any odd odor
  • The rubber sole provides necessary traction
  • One of the best cushioning

Reasons to Avoid

  • No waterproofing guarantee
  • Regular maintenance is required to prevent gradual wear and tear

05 Red Wing Prairie

Red Wing Prairie

Why It Stands Out to Us?

Well, if style and fashion possess you, then this shoe is the ultimate champ. Definitely, it’s a remarkable roofing shoe, but the overall appearance simply takes the shoe to a whole new level.

The shoe also provides astounding performance and durability while keeping you within budget. That’s not all; even after excessive use, there’s little to no odor spell at all. This is something that we think is a piece of excellence since roofing is sweat work and having footwear that doesn’t stink much is something worth praising.

Overall traction and ankle support are also worth praising. Nevertheless, it’s a product that we personally think is worth having as a roofer.

Our Experience

  • Optimum Gripping

The gripping is super pleasing, and we can say that the shoe doesn’t offer any slip-offs in any way possible. Since the sole is made of high-quality rubber, so you’ll be getting the ultimate traction during your roofing work. This ensures safety from slip-offs and even provides you with the necessary stability.

  • Perfect Comfort

As far as comfort is concerned, we think there shouldn’t be any complaints from your side. The 6-inches shaft height and the high-quality leather will provide you with a firm and comfy fit. Therefore, you’ll have an astounding experience during your heavy-duty roofing.

  • Ankle Support

The leather provides your ankles with the necessary support and ensures safety from trips and hits. Although we won’t say that hits won’t hurt you, at least it’ll protect the ankle from severe damage. Nevertheless, you’d surely appreciate the overall support the shoe provides you during roofing work.

  • Overall Construction

As mentioned above, the overall construction is bliss. Whether it’s the robust structure or the hot-shot appearance, this shoe is a class itself. Not only can you wear it for roofing work, but it can also provide you with a classy look and a hot finish.

What Could Be Improved and Why?

The odor and the absence of waterproofing features may have some fuss among users. And we believe that having these fixed can make this roofing shoe a killer product in the market. So, at this point, if manufacturers give a little attention, they can surely get these shoes selling like hot cakes.

Specifications

  • Fabric Kind: 100% Leather
  • Sole Material: Leather
  • Lace Type: Chestnut leather

Pros

  • It has an awesome design and styling
  • The overall construction is pretty robust
  • Amazing ankle support
  • Provides you with an astounding grip on wet surfaces
  • Super comfy to wear

Cons

  • The odor might be an issue
  • No waterproofing feature is available

About the author

Benedikt Meyers

Benedikt Meyers is an accomplished executive with significant experience in global sales and marketing, product development, and supply chain for the apparel and footwear industries. He’s a skilled relationship builder who has lived in Asia for 10 years and visited the world to develop key alliances with industry partners in order to meet production and supply demands in ever-evolving markets.

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