The Best Lawn Mowing Shoes and Boots For Men and Women

The best lawn mowing shoes and boots for men and women are comfortable, provide foot protection and are rugged and long lasting.

There are also “2nd tier” buying factors like value for money, water proof and they don’t look ugly.

Today we’ll take you through the 2 best pairs for men and the 2 best for women – all are suitable for homeowners and professional lawn care services.

But before getting into the best let’s look at why you should be wearing proper safety boots and shoes when mowing the lawn.

Why Own Dedicated Lawn Mowing Shoes?

Accidents Happen

85,000 people enter the ER each year from lawn mower accidents.

Nearly 20% of those injuries are foot injuries.

And what was the main cause?

Not wearing proper footwear. Mowing the lawn barefoot or in sandals.

People follow safety rules at work but when they get home do all sorts of dangerous things. And for no reason.

Wearing proper shoes and boots for mowing the lawn is essential.

Grass Stains Are Tough To Get Out

If you wear your daily runners to mow the lawn the soles will get all the clumpy grass stuck in them. And they will get grass stains that last for weeks – even if you clean them.

Owning a dedicated, affordable pair is a great option for avoiding these problems.

Normal Shoes Can’t Handle The Wear And Tear

Whether you are mowing everyday for income or a hobbyist mowing your lawn once a week – having proper rugged boots/shoes designed to mow the lawn is ideal.

If you wear normal walking or running shoes they will last a few weeks/months only.

If you get proper designed boots they will last 3x the time. And be more comfortable when worn.

7 Main Qualities Of The Best Lawn Mowing Shoes

There are countless features available but the below 7 are most important.

It’s hard to peg the exact order – as everyone has a different situation – but we think the below is a good ranking:

1. Comfort – The most important factor for people who mow all day is comfort. When you are wearing shoes all day there is nothing worse than if they are rubbing on your heel wrong or too tight at the toes.
2. Safety – Steel toes are important to protect your feet. Did you see the picture above? Also a sturdy ankle support to prevent rolling is important. A well designed sole for traction is important.
3. Rugged & Long-lasting – If you are paying $100 – 200 for a pair of lawn mowing shoes you want them last years (part-time) or a year (full-time). This means they will stand up to tough surfaces with ease and keep doing so for a long time.
4. Breathable – Especially in hot climates, this is the main reason people hate wearing work boots to mow the lawn at their home. You lose tons of heat through your feet so wearing boots makes you hot and uncomfortable. Having breathable lawn mowing shoes is a key factor in wanting to wear them in the first place. Unfortunately, a breathable shoe will not be as robust at blocking projectiles.
5. Good Value for Money – If you spend $40 on a pair of shoes and the sole falls off in 2 months is that good value for money? You need to buy 6 pairs a year. Value for money is buying a great boot or shoe that provide everything you need and keep doing so for years to come.
6. Waterproof – Grass is dewy when mowing in the morning. Your mowing shoes are bound to get wet at some stage and having a layer of waterproofing is important to keep your feet dry and the shoe material protected.
7. Look Good – Even though many would say they don’t care how their work boots looks it is still important. You don’t want to be walking around mowing the lawn in clown shoes.

Boots vs. Shoes For Mowing

Technically, the difference between boots and shoes is ankle support. Shoes stay below the ankle and boots provide ankle support.

Which Type is Best For Mowing?

Ankle support is ideal – especially if you are mowing hills. So boots or shoes that come above the ankle are best. Nothing is worse than rolling your ankle.

But if you are a homeowner and your lawn is flat then proper designed shoes will be find.

Brands We Like The Most

Red Wing Shoes

Red Wing Shoes are well know and loved in the landscape industry associations. Red Wing have 170+ different styles of work footwear from traditional steel toe work boots to hard plastic/carbon fibre toe athletic looking work shoes.

But one thing is for sure: You get high quality shoes & boots from Red Wing.

Best part is Red Wing Shoes 30-Day unconditional comfort guarantee. You have 30 days to wear them and if they don’t fit right you get a refund. They also have a 12 month limited warranty.

Thorogood

Thorogood is a company with an amazing story. It was started in 1892 and was producing 60 pairs of work boots per day by 1900.

Today they are well known for their quality and pioneering style.

Wolverine

The affordable option.

Wolverine is a popular brand of work and outdoor wear.

Their work boots are great value for money costing less than Red Wings and Keen.

Some users report longer sole life from their Wolverine’s.

Keen

Keen is another popular lawn mowing shoe – and for good reason. They have a comfortable, quality product, that looks great and performs well.

They offer a similar size range to Red Wing with similar warranty and 30-day return policy.

A great brand.

Kujo

Kujo is interesting because they position themselves as the yard wear footwear brand.

They only sell shoes and boots for yard work.

With fun styles and different toe options – we like what Kujo is trying to do.

FAQ

Can you wear baseball cleats to mow the lawn?

Baseball cleats have great traction but horrible ankle support. They are better than wearing barefoot, sandals and some running shoes but are not as good as proper lawn mowing shoes.

Do I need shoes if I have a riding mower?

Yes. A riding mower is potentially more dangerous than a push mower so for how easy wearing closed-in shoes is – why not do it?

How do I clean my grass stained mowing boots/shoes?

The best way to clean lawn mowing shoes is with a toothbrush and toothpaste. Use your old toothbrush and scrub the soles and sides of your boots or shoes to get the grass stains out. The toothpaste will clean just like it does your teeth.