Every pair of boot or shoe is usually target-made. What’s the target behind launching Rocky Mobilite boots? ShoeAskers are pretty sure that Rocky targeted ultra-comfort. So, these stay on a top position in the chart of comfiest boots.These are indeed premium, manly work boots, packed with awesome features (and there are some cons as well).
Would you like to try an excellent evaluation?
“I am tough on footwear, but these are lasting about twice the life of other boots that I’ve used. I’m on my fifth pair now and have my sixth sitting on the shelf waiting. Just wish the sole cushioning didn’t collapse after a while. They seem to get tired and start to lean over at around 10 months to a year. The sole itself doesn’t wear out, it’s the heal support structure.”
2019 Update: Best ones always sell a little less. These are still one of the very best work boot classes.
Contents
- 1 Types of Rocky Mobilite Work Boots
- 2 In-depth Review and Analysis of Rocky Mobilite Work Boots
- 2.1 Remarks & Suggestions
- 2.2 Better for
- 2.3 User, Expert & Trade Recognition
- 2.4 Price vs Durability
- 2.5 Comfort
- 2.6 Water, Chemical & Spill Proof
- 2.7 Slip Resistance
- 2.8 Toe Box & Safety
- 2.9 Break-in Time & Fitting
- 2.10 Electrical Hazard
- 2.11 Stylish & Presentable
- 2.12 Breathable & Insulation
- 2.13 Leather, Upper, Lace & Heel
- 2.14 Tongue, Collar & Weight
- 2.15 Insole, Midsole, Shank & Arch Support
- 2.16 Outsole, Construction & Sewing
- 2.17 Anti-odor & Cleanable
- 2.18 Warranty, Return & Post Purchase Service Policy
- 2.19 Brand Faith
- 2.20 Special & Uncommon Features
- 2.21 Cons
- 2.22 Editor’s Boost
- 2.23 Close Alternatives
Types of Rocky Mobilite Work Boots
There are six pairs in the Mobilite class.
Common Features in all Rocky Mobilites
- Premium breathable waterproofing by Rocky Waterproof.
- Removable polyurethane cushion footbed.
- “Widest oblique toe box in the industry” as rocky claims.
- Oil- and slip-resistant.
- 3-density supportive EVA midsole for extensive comfort.
- Oil resistant 3 part (cemented together) rubber MobiLite outsole is lighter than standard soles.
- TPU shank for flexibility, stability and lightweight.
- Lightweight flexible cement construction.
- Solid, manly, stylish yet uncommon outlook.
- Super comfy padded collar and tongue in non pull-on boots.
- Abrasion resistant toe and ankle.
- Stabilizing heel counter helps during climbing or bending.
- Upper looks better than most of the premium work boots.
Two Steel Toe Mobilite Boots
Mobilite Six Inch Steel Toe Work Boot
Stunning fitting, excellent rating.
There’s a reason I like them the most, look at the fitting report and user ratings.
One Comp Toe Mobilite
11” Mobilite Western Work Boot
Three Soft Toe Boots
Rocky Men’s Mobilite Six Inch Steel Toe Work Boot
Mobilites are from another planet, aren’t they?
Amazon’s choice.
In-depth Review and Analysis of Rocky Mobilite Work Boots
ShoeAsk Points: 86 out of 100
Editorial Recommendation: Very high, editors’ choice for unmatchable features, look, comfort and price.
Remarks & Suggestions
Above-average durability and best of the best comfort. If you think it will be good to invest a bit more per month for unmatched comfort- these are for you. It is pretty common to use them for 3-5 years; if you can use Mobilites for such a timespan, then they will turn into the cheapest premium boots.
Better for
This is a wide as well as unrelated classification. Why?
Mobilite is OK or more than okay for a number of circumstances. From firefighting to hiking through construction jobs they rock.
Best for: Firefighting, hunting, hiking, camping, standing and walking all day in concrete. Engineers, on-site officials, foremen and site inspectors will find Mobilite suiting the best.
Better for: Construction, ladder climbing, electricians and technicians.
Pull-on or wellington versions are better for farmhouse, backyard and gardening.
OK for: Manufacturing, warehouse, law enforcement, security, military and special forces.
User, Expert & Trade Recognition
Points 4/5
Rocky’s a good old brand. There are workmen who use Mobilite for 15-20 years.
“farm work, construction work, and any other activity done staying dry and ending the days with healthy (not aching) feet.”
Price vs Durability
Points 4/5
Rocky boots are cheaper yet premium. You will be hard pressed to find an old American brand selling supreme quality and awesome stylish boots at this price point.
Mobilite has the most unusual lifespan as well. We did not find any pair that usually last for 1 year and 5 years!
Yes, stats say that if you are fortunate enough, they may last for 5 long years. We’ve seen that in a handsome number of cases: “I get about 4-5 Years of use and I beat them up really good working construction and around the house.”
6-10 month is a minimum. What’s the practical average?
“5th pair in 10 years”
If you are a rough user, expect to use them for 8-18 months.
Minimum durability for careful use should be 1.5 to 2.5 years.
Use two pairs, the lifespan will be increased from 1.5x upto 3x.
Comfort
Points 5/5
One of the most comfortable steel toe work boots. No doubt.
5/5 for comfort. Top notch from the day 1 to last day of use. Easy to put on and off. No foot ache, back pain or soreness after a very long work shift: “stand up to my rigorous use pretty darn good and they are comfortable right out of the box”
There are a number of factors behind comfort nearly all of which are covered by Rocky.
Water, Chemical & Spill Proof
Points 5/5
Mobilites feature guaranteed Rocky® Waterproof construction which is breathable as well. Sounds like gore-tex class service. However, you should be aware while spraying water from above. There are certain openings worth consideration.
Slip Resistance
Points 5/5
“outsole is oil resistant which makes it extremely resilient to challenging, oily environments.”
Their soles retain ample traction for hazardous work sites.
Toe Box & Safety
Points 5/5
Legendary oblique toe box is very good for the forefoot. Wiggle room for the toes mean a lot for us. You can get steel or soft toe ones. Pull-ons have comp toe. They call it, ‘Protective Toe’; ASTM F2413 protective toe classification. Explore our article on safety toe for more.
Break-in Time & Fitting
Points 5/5
Mobilites fit true to size and no break-in time required.
Electrical Hazard
Points 5/5
Some of them feature ASTM standard EH while others do not.
Stylish & Presentable
Points 5/5
They are vibrant, manly and look exceptionally better than other high end work boots. Suits from the barracks to sites through jungle, mountain and even casual wear. How boots look is pretty important.
Breathable & Insulation
Points 4/5
Breathable yet waterproof. Take a look at them, Mobilites are big and chunky (not heavyweight), also, they are completely wrapped with leather. Definitely not as breathable as mesh-featuring non waterproof boots. They also have pretty good insulation which somewhat inhibits cold.
Leather, Upper, Lace & Heel
Points 4/5
Soft, full grain, gorgeous leather. High abrasion heel counter leather is so tough that it can withstand metal abrasion. Solid, good looking upper is sewn together with care. The heel support is very comfortable thus sort of delicate. They may fail to hold up after more than one year of use (or may keep supporting you for 5 years). The lace looks good, eyelets last long.
Tongue, Collar & Weight
Points 5/5
The collars are not usual rather they suit anatomical proportions. Top class cushioning. Collar material is waterproof.Tongue is slightly bigger and fluffy enough to keep the lower leg parts warm in winter. They are lightweight. Lighter than most in the class.
Insole, Midsole, Shank & Arch Support
Points 4/5
Removable well padded polyurethane footbed, EVA midsole and TPU shank provide ample support.
Recently there are some issues with the insert. Some of the users say that last year the insole was not good enough.They were meant to provide ample arch support, but there are some dissatisfactions as well. If it does not come with good arch support, it would be better to buy some removable ones.
Outsole, Construction & Sewing
Points 4/5
“Most comfortable boot I’ve ever had. The softer composition of the sole and tread which I believe make them so comfortable, also shortens the life of the sole and tread.”
As we already discussed, their unique outsole comes in three layers glued together. The cemented boots are more flexible, easy to wear and run. Upper part is sewn with caution.
Anti-odor & Cleanable
Points 3/5
Outsole picks up mud easily and is not self cleaning. There is no anti-microbe treatment in the inners. They are breathable which helps Mobilite stay stink-free. Uppers are easy to clean.
Warranty, Return & Post Purchase Service Policy
Points 4/5
Rocky has a support desk to listen to buyers’ suggestions and evaluations. There’s a return ticket option on Rocky’s official site. Rocky provides free return on some sizes and color on Amazon.
Brand Faith
Points 5/5
Brand is a huge factor while choosing vital gears like work boots.
Rocky, an old and faithful brand successfully became dependable over time: “These are at least my tenth pair; I will never purchase a different brand or style.”
On the other hand, Mobilite did establish itself as something like a flagship series of Rocky:
“I bought a pair of these 10 years ago, and have never bought another brand or style of boot again.”
Special & Uncommon Features
Points 4/5
Special toe box, outsole and collar cut.
High abrasion heel counter, mobilite stability.
Comfort, flexibility, speed, good looking.
Cons
Points 2/5
- Cement construction gives flex and lightweight but outsole may come off sooner than the welted boots.
- Uncertain durability. May last for eons or may not last for a year.
- Softer multi layer outsole is comfy but they may wear off quicker than the average.
- Footbed used to be cushy, now since last year, some users report that the onboard insert is not as great or not even as expected. Many bought extra insoles. However, buying extra inserts is a trend now.
- Mobilites are breathable but they can get a little warmer during summer days.
- “the tread. It picks up mud very easily and is not self cleaning.”
Editor’s Boost
Points 4/5
We like mobilite. ShoeAsk editors would love to wear them despite having some limitations. Their simple yet adequate description makes it clear:
Close Alternatives
Nearly Same
Rocky Men’s Iron Clad Eight Inch Steel Toe Work Boot
Popular Alternatives
Timberland PRO Men’s Pitboss 6″ Steel-Toe Boot
Similar Style
Rocky Men’s Iron Clad Six Inch Steel Toe Work Boot
Different and Uncommon
Thorogood Men’s Composite Safety Toe Gen Flex 804-4445 6-Inch Work Boot
High-quality materials, steel protective toe, support, water resistance and cushioning… if those features are on your list, these Rocky Mobilite ST WP Work Boots are the ideal choice for you!
“This is my second pair. I’m a landscape contractor and in my boots 12-16 hours a day. My feet, legs and back are not fatigued at the end of the day. The waterproofing is excellent I’m in wet conditions quite a bit and never have wet feet.”
Made for comfort, speed, flexibility, lightweight and vibrant outlook. ShoeAsk editors chat around saying, Rocky rocks with some flaws. Don’t forget to express your thoughts on the comment box.