Bogs Workman Review

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 work boots 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 redesigned the boot, adding a quarter pound of extra heft. Since we love everything else about them, we gave them another chance, as we love everything else about them since. Even when they were leaking, we found ourselves wearing them on chilly and snowy mornings when we knew they wouldn't be fully immersed. They're just that comfortable. We've now tested the new iteration multiple times, and spent the last few years wading around in them, and they've proved to be fully waterproof.

Weather Protection

The Workman has a shaft height of 14.75 inches, making it suitably tall for almost any 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 neoprene material for its shaft, which helps shave almost a half-pound off compared to the older neoprene style. We waded through creeks and rivers in Western Montana and the California Sierra Nevadas, and our feet stayed bone dry.

Comfort

Comfort is relative to the boot type; no protective work boot will ever feel as comfortable as a sneaker because the features that make it a good protective work boot (stiff midsole, high shaft, etc.) get in the way. With that in mind, we love how comfortable and easy to wear these boots are.

In particular, their light weight makes a huge difference. 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 takes more strain off your legs. These boots feature a supportive “rebound” cushioning midsole system, which can also take the strain out of long days on your feet. We couldn't distinguish it from the feel of the older model, but we felt comfortable in both versions. Bogs also incorporated a new technology called “Max-Wick” into these boots, which helps them breathe better in warm weather.

One of our favorite new innovations in this boot is the modular insole setup, which features two pairs of insoles that, 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, it also provided enough room to wear extremely thick socks in colder temperatures. We've never seen this type of modular insole setup before, and we love how simple yet effective it is in making these boots comfortable for everyone. The insoles are made from eco-friendly algae, marking the first nod toward sustainability in the rain boot industry. We don't think algae insoles will solve the world's problems, but we appreciate the effort.

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Our other 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, locking the heel 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. We love the heel-lock collar, but it did take some getting used to, and we acknowledge that it may not be suitable for everyone.

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Traction

The Workman comes with an aggressively lugged outsole. This outsole made us feel confident on a wide range of loose and wet terrain, from damp pine needles to wet river rocks.

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

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 keep our feet dry and warm. They are in the top tier for warmth overall.

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 such low temperatures in our region. Still, we do know they were cozy down to zero degrees on chilly days in Western Montana.

As with any warm boot, we'll point out the caveat that these boots may be too insulated for mild conditions (above 60 degrees Fahrenheit), despite their “Max-wick” technology.

Wearability

These are some of the most wearable boots in the test. When the Montana winter gets rough, we pretty much live in them. They're easy to get on, and the super useful heel stud makes it just as easy to kick them 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 the true-to-function design, and we felt totally comfortable wearing these around town in the wet fall weather.

The Workman does have a larger profile than some of the other boots in our test, and this might not be your cup of tea if you are looking for more casual footwear. These boots announce to the world that you are here for function, not for fashion, and they may be a bit overkill for some urban environments.

Should You Buy the Bogs Workman?

We're extremely excited about these boots. The Bogs Workman takes everything great about a rain boot—its protectiveness, warmth, traction, and ease of use—and somehow fixes everything that's typically awkward, like the clunky weight, loose heels, and sometimes sloppy fit.

What Other Rain Boots Should You Consider?