Months pass by and the CAT Second Shift work boot stays in the bestseller list. We’re seeing this boot in the top 7 for a very long time. A constant best seller. Why is it there for like eons?
Update: It’s April 2019 and I just saw it’s in the first position. It’s hell of an experience seeing them in the top position. The soft toe variant also stays in the upper half of top 100 sellers. Both the steel and soft toe are now in the Amazon’s choice bandwagon. Users seem happier this year, there are more and more 5 star ratings and you should always keep the fact in mind that, these are not extreme premium pairs, so, there will always be some shortcomings.
Contents
- 1 In-depth Review and Analysis of Caterpillar Second Shift Work Boot
- 1.1 Remarks and Suggestions
- 1.2 Better for
- 1.3 User, Expert and Trade Recognition
- 1.4 Price vs Durability
- 1.5 Comfort
- 1.6 Water, Chemical and Spill Proof
- 1.7 Slip Resistance
- 1.8 Toe Box and Safety
- 1.9 Break-in Time and Fitting
- 1.10 Electrical Hazard
- 1.11 Stylish and Presentable
- 1.12 Breathable and Insulation
- 1.13 Leather, Upper, Lace and Heel
- 1.14 Tongue, Collar and Weight
- 1.15 Insole, Midsole, Shank and Arch Support
- 1.16 Outsole, Construction and Sewing
- 1.17 Anti-odor and Cleanable
- 1.18 Warranty, Return and Post Purchase Service Policy
- 1.19 Brand Faith
- 1.20 Special and Uncommon Features
- 1.21 Cons
- 1.22 Editor’s boost
- 1.23 Close Alternatives
The CAT Legacy
Caterpillar is a well-known brand for huge construction machineries. They stayed close to the construction professionals, and did see a gap they could fill by themselves. Safety boots cost a lot. High investment on boots is unavoidable but those footwear frequently fail to ensure everything a worker needs.
Professional boots are usually ugly. Not that comfortable. Don’t serve for a long time. Now that CAT entered the footwear bazaar, they started making boots that are nice looking, very affordable, last for a decent time and most importantly, work-specific.
People trust the brand CAT as they operate their excavating tools. So they are more than happy to wear CAT whom they trusted for a long time. Now, why do the 2nd Shift Work Boot sort of reign atop the chart? CAT can feel workers’ pain.
The very first thing is comfort. People working in harsh conditions need unprecedented comfort at an affordable price. They need to protect their feet and they do work for prolonged hours.
You can barely protest if you must work for the second shift, right? That’s for the job safety and more work done means more payment.
Types of 2nd Shift Boots
There are two types of 2nd Shift work boots:
Steel toe second shift
Soft toe second shift.
And there are basically three colors: Dark brown, honey and black.
In-depth Review and Analysis of Caterpillar Second Shift Work Boot
ShoeAsk points:76 out of 100
Editorial Recommendation: Very high, mostly due to its price and constant popularity
Remarks and Suggestions
If you go through a thousand reviews just like we did, you will find that hard working honest people who are building the nation love CAT in the United States. Why not? This is the sworn overtime boot. Made in China, decent construction though.
Better for
Construction experts, electricians, equipment operators, industrial workers, carpenters and boilermakers. Industrial developers, designers, engineers, site managers, supervisors and forklift truck drivers love these too. People working in the oil, gas and power section also wear them.
User, Expert and Trade Recognition
Points 4/5
Most of the evaluations are more than positive. You can bank on them. Better material. However, there are some negative evaluations from old users.
Experts do recognize them very well. We’ve found a lot of recommendations all over the social media: Reddit, Facebook, Quora etc.
Price vs Durability
Points 4/5
If you can use them for 10 to 12 months, it’s more than OK.
Some used a pair for 18 months. CAT Second Shift are not the longest lasting ones but these are neither the crappy ones you will find for 30-50 dollars. Many say that these did not last for more than 6-8 months. The thing is, if you can do a little caretaking and if you can use more than one pair wearing every other day, they will definitely serve for 10+ months.
Comfort
Points 4/5
These are comfortable than the most. If you want to compare, brands like Timberland, Red Wing, Keen and Wolverine are more comfortable. 2nd Shift are not soft enough from inside? Maybe you need some more cushion comfort. Try using some gel pads, it worked.
Some evaluations like this one- “My husband does not think they would be too comfortable for standing long periods of time.” may lead you to find more pricey boots.
Water, Chemical and Spill Proof
Points 3/5
They are water resistant, but you can waterproof them. The soles are waterproof.
Slip Resistance
Points 4/5
Oil-resistant traction outsole prevents sudden fall. Good grease resistant.
Toe Box and Safety
Points 5/5
Toe box is roomy. There are soft and steel toe versions.
How did they manage to keep the price comparatively low? Instead of using comp or aluminum toe, they used the traditional yet popular steel toe. People still trust steel toe more than anything else. Their steel toe is certified for industrial and construction jobs: ANSI Class 75 Steel-toe, ASTM F2413-11, I/75, C/75 steel toe.
Break-in Time and Fitting
Points 4/5
Fits well (80% say so), just get the size that you normally wear…
Some say CAT Second Shift is not wide enough.
You may need to work in them for a couple of days to break in. A little break-in period is not that bad.
Electrical Hazard
Points 5/5
Electrical hazard (EH) construction- they can handle up to 600 volts in dry conditions.
Stylish and Presentable
Points 3/5
Well, these are the long shift work boots. Big, chunky, solid; not meant for fashion or something else.
Breathable and Insulation
Points 3/5
Climasphere lining helps regulate the temperature inside the boot to keep feet cool and breathable around the ankle. These solid looking boots can not provide ample breathability for their size and shape. Inadequate insulation. Not made for snow work.
Leather, Upper, Lace and Heel
Points 4/5
The leather quality is above average which is significantly good. Sturdy uppers. The wider heel provides better sturdy grip. 2nd Shift’s structure is not beatable and fragile. Lace and eyelets are not bad.
Further reading: leather.
Tongue, Collar and Weight
Points 4/5
Plush collar and tongue. Each boot is 2 pounds; pretty heavy? Maybe for a regular pair of boots but not for work boots. You will find pricey boots weighing the same.
Insole, Midsole, Shank and Arch Support
Points 4/5
Well, they come with an insole but the insole’s quality is not good enough. They are removable and contoured. As stated by a user, “The insole is a ¼ inch thin piece of foam and the same thickness heel to toe (the heel should be thicker).”There’s no arch support from the insole, but you can purchase a pair.
Midsole quality is better than the most but not as good as the top products of the industry.
The shanks support these heavy boots well.
Outsole, Construction and Sewing
Points 4/5
Goodyear welt construction will give you solid and durable boots. They are not that flexible though! That’s not we crave for as our main concern is safety and durability as well as comfort. The Goodyear welt construction is repairable. The rubber soles feel solid on ground. There are some comments stating that soles ripped after an unexpected period.
Further reading: boot construction.
Anti-odor and Cleanable
Points 3/5
We did not find any mention of antimicrobial treatment. These are not much breathable so odor problem may occur.
Rough cleaning can do a little damage which is not good.
Warranty, Return and Post Purchase Service Policy
Points 5/5
What support do CAT offer after you’ve purchased their products? 1 year limited warranty through the manufacturer which is not bad at all.
Brand Faith
Points 4/5
Caterpillar focused on affordable boots in their early days when they did not put much emphasis on curated quality. Now that people consider them to be one of the most dependable brands, CAT is making more reliable work footwear. Hungry for more? Here’s a good one:
Special and Uncommon Features
Points 4/5
The price and incredible popularity. These are not super specific products.
Cons
Points 2/5
- Not insulated which can inhibit your work flow during the winter.
- A number of complaints regarding laces.
- Not lightweight.
- Not much breathable.
- May not last for long as outsole can come off quickly.
- Less flexibility. CAT Diagnostic is more flexible than this one. ShoeAsk review of Diagnostic Boots
Editor’s boost
Points 3/5
We would love to love CAT 2nd Shift boots the most, but there are not many excellent features compared to the industry leading brands.
Close Alternatives
Popular Alternatives
Caterpillar Men’s Diagnostic Waterproof Steel-Toe Work Boot
(Insulated, WP, Puncture Resistant, Electrical Hazard and Steel Toe)
Similar Style
Timberland PRO Men’s Pitboss 6 inch Steel-Toe Boot
(WP, Slip Resistant, Electrical Hazard and Steel Toe)
Different and Uncommon
EVER BOOTS Tank Men’s Soft Toe Oil Full Grain Leather Insulated Work Boots
(Insulated, No wp,Slip resistant ,Electrical Hazard and Soft Toe)
Do we recommend them? Yes, they are affordable than the most. But if you decide to invest more money, it is better to spend them on the profound brands out there.
Did the article help? Could we make it better? Did we miss any point and are you using them? Let us and others know, we are happy to discuss. The following video is kind of funny: