Georgia Boots

Depending on your background, Chelsea boots might be stylish urban boots, rugged riding boots, or footwear for manual labor. Variants of the Chelsea boot have gone from the feet of royalty — they were originally designed as Queen Victoria's walking boots — to the feet of Australian stockmen to the Beatles themselves, who popularized the style and helped them to become known as "Beatle boots" in the 1960s. There are Chelsea boots for just about everyone. But are there Chelsea boots on the market that are good for work? Rest assured, there's a pair available for your style and needs. With my Red Wing Chelseas "working" What is a Chelsea Boot? A Chelsea is a laceless boot with elastic goring on the sides. The Chelsea boot was originally designed as a walking boot in Victorian England. They were a popular style until World War I when they fell out of fashion until they were redesigned for the Beatles with a pointed toe and Cuban heel and became a fashionable urban boot. Here is where you can see the origins of the "dress Chelsea," like Carmina's. While popularity in England waned, popularity in other countries like Australia continued to grow. It became the preferred work boot of Australian ranchers, who would wear Chelsea boots riding horses on large ranches, similar to cowboy boots in America. Tasmanian bootmaker Blundstone's rugged Chelsea boots are extremely popular (no doubt due to their low price) and you'll see people wearing them all over the planet, from New York City to Alice Springs. Another Australian brand, R.M. Williams, has become the go-to brand for higher end Chelsea boots in various styles. All Chelsea boots share a few traits: six inches in height and elastic goring on the sides to make them laceless and easy to pull on and off. Red Wing's Helpful Safety Card, via Red Wing What Makes a Good Chelsea Work Boot? Good Chelsea work boots meet industry safety standards such as electric shock resistance, puncture resistance, and steel toes. Proper work boots for people who work on risky work sites must meet ASTM standards for protection. They include electric shock resistance and safety toes, among other safety features like puncture resistance soles and metatarsal protection. Of course, many people want work boots for less risky endeavors like yard work that may not require the extra protection needed by ASTM standards. While you may work in these boots, you can get away with casual Chelsea boots that look better with jeans and can be worn out without looking too much like something you'd find on a construction site. While Chelsea work boots aren't as popular as lace-up boots, a few companies make ASTM-certified Chelsea boots. The Best Chelsea Work Boots: Here are a few of our top picks for Chelsea work boots. Blundstone Work Series Meets ASTM safety standards Rugged oil-tanned leather Soft foam cupped footbed Blundstone's work series is a top-notch work safety boot. This oil-tanned leather Chelsea boot is ASTM F2413-18 M I C EH certified. This certification means the Blundstone Work Series has metatarsal protection (M), impact resistance (I), compression protection (C), and electrical hazard protection (EH). It also has soft foam for added shock absorption, a steel shank, and a durable TPU outsole. Blundstone has brown Chelsea boots and black leather Chelsea boots. Ariat Chelsea Work Boot - Ground Breaker; Image Source: Ariat Website Ariat Chelsea Work Boots Chelsea boots that meet a wide variety of ASTM standards Come in wide sizes Have metal detector-friendly non-metallic options Ariat makes a ton of different work boots for men with their Turbo and Ground Breaker models. They are all ASTM certified, but you'll need to check which certs match your requirements. For example, the Ariat Groundbreaker Chelsea Wide Square Toe Waterproof Work Boot is a soft toe and only meets electrical hazard safety requirements. The Groundbreaker Chelsea Wide Square Toe Waterproof Steel Toe Work Boot has a steel toe and is ASTM F2413-18 M I/C EH rated for metatarsal, impact/compression, and electrical hazards. Ariat Turbo Chelsea via Instagram Ariat is a well-known and well-respected brand. They make wide sizes for many of their boots, they come in multiple colors and leathers, and most of them also have a waterproof membrane. Lastly, Ariat adds a removable anti-fatigue insole and foam midsole for added shock absorption and comfort. Wolverine I-90 Chelsea Work Boot; Image via Wolverine website Wolverine I-90 EPX® Romeo Carbonmax® Chelsea Work Boot Soft toe and composite toe options Composite toe has ASTM F2413-18 M I/75 C/75 EH rating Wide width available Under $150 The classic American workboot manufacturer Wolverine makes a Chelsea work boot. The composite toe Romeo is ASTM F2413-18 M I/75 C/75 EH rated composite toe. It also comes in a soft toe, which does not meet those standards. Wide-footed guys will like to appreciate the EW (extra wide) option and despite their flagship fashion boots costing well over $350, the work chelseas are good value at $145. Georgia AMP Chelsea Work Boots; Image via website Georgia Boots: Various Models Resolable Goodyear Welts Tons of options and styles Waterproof lining ASTM ratings $175 Georgia Boots make some lovely Goodyear welted Chelsea work boots. First, I know it's subjective, but I think their Amp LT Wedge Steel Toe is the best-looking Chelsea work boot. I'm biased because I like Goodyear Welted boots and the wedge sole, but their boots are packed with great features. Georgia AMP Chelsea Work Boots; Image via website For one, it's Goodyear welted which means it's durable, resolable, and water resistant. All of the other boots on this list are cemented, meaning the rubber soles are glued to the uppers of the boot. You may have had a pair of boots or shoes where the sole fell off or separated from the rest of the shoe — Goodyear welted boots are repairable. I like Georgia boots because they take this heritage-style Goodyear welted construction and combine it with modern materials like EVA foam, fiberglass shanks, and slip-resistant outsoles. Timberland Chelsea Work Boots; Image via website Timberland: Chelsea Work Boots Timberland began as a work boot company before becoming a symbol of urban fashion. With a background in workboots, it's not surprising that they make Chelsea boots for work. They have a composite toe and electric hazard protection but they don't mention any certifications or standards like the ASTM, so you'll want to confirm that these will work for your job before making any investments in the boots. They make great around-the-house, shop, or garage boots, though. They have a lot of features like slip-resistant outsoles, a comfortable anti-fatigue insole, and are made from recycled materials. They come in wide widths and brown and black leather. Wrapping Up You won't be wearing Chelsea work boots with a suit or a smart casual outfit like brown suede Chelsea boots, but you can definitely pull off these Chelsea boots with jeans. More importantly, we hope we've proven that you can indeed use Chelsea boots for work. Wear Chelsea Boots as Work Boots FAQs