When it comes to the work boot accessories it helps to have the best. Whether you need work boot conditioner, boot protectors, or even a work boot dryer, there are dozens of brands of work boot products that are marketed to boot owners. But how do you know which accessories you actually need? Let’s face it, some of them are gimmicky and ineffective, and some are the exact same thing as another, only with a different brand label. But some work boot accessories are the real deal. Those in the last category (the real deal), are the work boot accessories we searched out just for you.
Therefore, we recommend the following work boot accessories:
Table of Contents
7 Must-Have Work Boot Accessories
1. Tuff Toe Boot Protector
Best Feature: Easy application
It’s like laminating your toes! OK, maybe not quite, but the concept is the same. What Tuff Toe Boot Protector does is create a hard shell over the tips of your work boots.
The manufacturer claims that it extends the life of your work boots by up to three times. That may be a stretch, given that the only portion of the boot this product actually protects is the toe. However, for that purpose, this is a great product.
Application is easy. Using masking tape, you mark off the area you want to treat. The Tuff Toe product comes out of an applicator that mixes two components as they travel through tubes. The mix is spread evenly over the marked-off area, and then you slowly rotate the boot for a couple of minutes to allow the spread to level out. Remove the tape carefully and let the mix cure for 24 hours.
It dries to a tough-as-nails shell that resists scuffs, bumps, chemicals, grease, oil, dirt and water. It’s non-conductive and fire resistant up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Tuff Toe can also be used for sole and heel repair, but you shouldn’t use it for any part of the boot that touches the ground.
It comes in two basic colors – brown and black. There is a different version that allows you to create custom colors and artistic patterns, but we would advise sticking with the basics.
2. KG’s Work Boot Guard
Best Feature: Made with Kevlar®️
Similar to Tough Toe, this urethane/fiber brush-on reinforcement protects the toes of the boots. It works on shoe leather (except suede) and vinyl and can be used on horse saddles and tack. It can even be brushed on steel.
It protects against water, chemicals, dirt and abuse, and has Kevlar®️ imbedded in it for strength and durability. A bead can be run along the edges of the soles to help seal out water.
Boot Guard goes on in two coats, about two hours apart. Let the second coat dry overnight, and you’re ready to go.
3. DryGuy Work Boot Dryer
Best Feature: Works for gloves as well as boots
Don’t use a hair dryer to dry your boots! The heat will drastically shorten the lifespan of your boots. Use the DryGuy instead.
DryGuy isn’t forced air and it isn’t fan-driven. It heats to 105 degrees and allows convection to move the air upward, creating the perfect pace for drying out leather. It can dry a pair of boots in six to eight hours.
Boots rest upside down at the top of two plastic tubes, through which the air flows. Three-pronged holders a the top allow you to put gloves on there as well.
DryGuy is a safe guy. It consumes tiny amounts of electricity and does not get hot enough to burn sensitive skin. It’s also kind to leathers, fabrics or other delicate materials.
DryGuy is also a quiet guy. There are no moving parts and therefore no sound. The 30-watt heater is midget-sized by design, so that the unit can dry a pair of boots at a pace only slightly more rapid than air drying.
If there’s one negative, it’s the fact that there is no off-on switch. To turn the unit on or off you have to plug it in, and if your utility room – or the room where you would likely keep the boot dryer in – has hard to get-to outlets, this could be a disadvantage.
4. DryGuy DX Forced Air Boot Dryer
Best Feature: Can dry two pairs of boots at once
This would be a great product to put in the construction office. The DryGuy Forced Air Boot Dryer has posts for two pairs of boots, and uses forced air for faster drying properties.
Like its little brother, the Dry Guy DX doesn’t generate a lot of heat – just 105 degrees – so it is safe for all types of leather and fabrics. But unlike its little brother, the DX can accommodate large boots – up to 16 inches tall.
Also unlike its little brother, the DryGuy DX has an on-off switch, plus a rotary fan speed control. At its maximum setting, the unit can dry two pairs of work boots, work shoes, or even gloves in two hours.
Something to consider: The DryGuy line of boot dryers also prevents the growth of mold and fungus by removing trace amounts of moisture. So even if your boots are not soaking wet, they probably have a bit of perspiration in the liner, and ridding the boots of any tiny amounts of moisture will pay dividends.
5. Bickmore Work Boot Care Kit
Best Feature: Multiple products in one kit
The best thing about multi-pack kits is that you get multiple products from the same make in one package. The worst thing about multi-pack kits is that you get multiple products from the same make in one package.
If a brand is known for one product – say a brand puts out a great boot cleaner, but its conditioner is, meh, you’re stuck with the so-so conditioner because you bought it along with the whole package. The good news here with this Bickmore Boot Care Kit is that all three products that come with it are top-quality.
Here’s what comes in the kit:
- Leather cleaner
- Waterproofing agent
- Conditioner
The cleaner is aggressive but not abusive. Its formulated to quickly remove surface dirt and grime, plus sweat and salt deposits. It dries quickly and does not leave a residue.
Follow up the cleaning (Never try to waterproof boots that need cleaning!) with Gard-More water and stain repellent. It seals out moisture and protects against scuffing, rub-off and stains.
Last but not least, Bick 4 leather conditioner is perfect for maintaining leather throughout its useful life, achieving a balance of hydration and softening of the leather, yet allowing it to breathe.
These products are suitable for all leather except suede. It comes in a handy zip-up bag that is transparent, so that you can readily see what’s inside, plus a lint-free cloth and a brochure outline the proper boot care technique.
6. Leather Honey Work Boot Conditioner
Best Feature: Multi-use (can be used on more than just work boots)
There have been a number of gimmicky products claiming to be able to restore leather that have catchy names and dazzling promises. They made a stir on the market, made some money and then disappeared, after consumers realized the companies’ claims were writing checks that their quality couldn’t cash.
But here is a product that has stood the test of time, and remains a favorite for leather conditioning – Leather Honey. It’s been around since the 1960s, and its formula is essentially the same as it’s always been. Descendants of the inventor continue to manage the family-run business in the USA.
It’s use is not limited to work shoes and work boots. It’s suitable for pretty much all kinds of leather – jackets (not suede, though), clothing, baseball gloves, saddles, belts, purses and bags, furniture, car seats and more.
One treatment on your work boots will last for six months, but most often goes beyond that. It’s also great for restoration of leather that may have been neglected in the past, re-moisturizing dry places and bringing new life to old leather. Make those old work boots look new again with this great product.
7. DryGuy Travel Dry DX Boot Dryer and Shoe Dryer
Best Feature: Easily portable
Okay, yes, it is another work boot dryer. But the DryGuy Travel Dry DX was too hard to pass up. This handy little device is great for workers on the go. It’s also nice if you happen to be a hunter, skier, fisherman, or hiker and need to use it to dry other boots you might be wearing, besides your work boots.
The best thing about this boot dryer, other than the fact that it is easily portable, is that it is effective. It only takes two to five hours to dry your boots. And because it’s so affordable, it’s a pretty effective boot dryer for regular home use as well (and don’t worry, you get two in a package so you don’t have to buy two of them).
It’s powered by A/C and heats up to 99-degrees, much higher than other portable boot dryers. It uses forced air to do the drying. And the best part is that it is safe for most materials.
This portable boot dryer also comes with a generous one-year warranty, so if it breaks, no sweat. Pick up one now… or maybe two, one for your wading boots as well.
I think I’m going to need to try the boot conditioner! Thanks.