Thorogood vs Irish Setter
Thorogood vs Irish Setter
Both good, both sensible. One is resoleable; the other goes taller and costs less.
This is one of the closer comparisons in the library, because both brands make honest, well-built American work boots at sensible prices with no obvious weakness. There is no trick answer and no brand to warn you off. The decision comes down to two specifics: whether you want to resole, and whether you need height.
The resoleability difference
Thorogood's American Heritage boots use a Goodyear storm welt, so the outsole is stitched and replaceable. Irish Setter's work line generally uses cemented or direct-attach construction, which bonds the sole permanently - excellent for waterproofing, since there is no stitching to leak, and terminal when the sole wears out.
Since the outsole is nearly always what ends a work boot's life, that is the biggest long-run cost difference between them. If you wear boots full time and will use a cobbler, it favors Thorogood clearly. If you replace boots annually anyway, it is irrelevant and the price difference favors Irish Setter. Work boot sole types covers the constructions.
Head to head
Ranked by our published scoring rubric. Tap any row for the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Thorogood American Heritage 8" Steel ToeWinner if longevity matters: the storm welt means this boot can be rebuilt. | Keeping the boot for years | 8.4 | |
| 2 |  Irish Setter Two Harbors 11" Steel ToeWinner where height matters: 11 inches of pull-on leather at a lower price. | Height, and no laces | 7.8 | |
| 3 |  Irish Setter Ely 6" Steel ToeThe unglamorous pick that just fits and works, for less money. | Comfort out of the box at a fair price | 7.4 |
#ad Prices pulled from Amazon and stamped as of October 6, 2026; they change, and we show no number we cannot verify. How we are funded.
Winner for longevity · Keeping the boot for years
Thorogood American Heritage 8" Steel Toe
Winner if longevity matters: the storm welt means this boot can be rebuilt.
The structural advantage is the Goodyear storm welt. Irish Setter's work boots are generally cemented or direct-attach, which means when the outsole wears out the boot is finished; a welted Thorogood gets resoled instead.
Full-grain leather on a flat MAXwear wedge, steel toe, 8-inch shaft. It costs more than the Irish Setter, and the wedge sole is poorer on ladders and loose ground than a lugged alternative.
Specs that matter
- Toe:
- Steel toe, ASTM F2413 rated
- Height:
- 8 inch
- Sole:
- MAXwear wedge
- Build:
- Goodyear storm welt
Our scoring
- Resoleability
- 9.4
- Leather quality
- 9.0
- Price
- 6.4
- Shaft options
- 7.6
- Comfort out of box
- 7.6
What works
- Safety toe plus resoleable welt construction in one boot
- Taller shaft keeps debris out on demolition and dirt work
- Full-grain leather that takes conditioner and keeps going
What to know
- Steel conducts cold in winter — composite is warmer
- 8 inch shaft takes longer to break in across the ankle
- Heavier than the composite-toe competition
Winner on height · Height, and no laces
Irish Setter Two Harbors 11" Steel Toe
Winner where height matters: 11 inches of pull-on leather at a lower price.
Thorogood does not make an 11-inch pull-on, and for welders, grain handlers and anyone working in brush or spatter that height is the specification. No laces to burn, clog or pick debris from, and it covers the gap between boot and pant cuff that is where people actually get burned.
Red Wing-family leather quality at less than the Thorogood. It is hot, heavy, not resoleable, and demanding about calf fit as all pull-ons are.
Specs that matter
- Toe:
- Steel toe, ASTM F2413
- Height:
- 11 inch pull-on
- Electrical hazard:
- EH rated
- Upper:
- Full-grain leather
Our scoring
- Resoleability
- 4.0
- Leather quality
- 8.8
- Price
- 8.0
- Shaft options
- 9.4
- Comfort out of box
- 7.4
What works
- 11 inches of leather is real protection against spatter and debris
- No laces to burn through when welding
- Red Wing-family leather quality
What to know
- Hot — that much leather does not breathe
- Heavy
- Hard to size when your calf is large or small
No. 3 · Comfort out of the box at a fair price
Irish Setter Ely 6" Steel Toe
The unglamorous pick that just fits and works, for less money.
A plain 6-inch steel-toe laced boot that is unusually comfortable from new by safety-boot standards, EH rated - which plenty of boots at this price are not - and simply constructed with little to go wrong.
Not waterproof, an unremarkable outsole on loose ground, and no real wide-width depth. If you want a compliant boot that does not need a break-in and do not care about resoling, this is a sensible buy.
Specs that matter
- Toe:
- Steel toe, ASTM F2413
- Height:
- 6 inch
- Electrical hazard:
- EH rated
- Sole:
- Oil and slip resisting rubber
Our scoring
- Resoleability
- 4.0
- Leather quality
- 8.0
- Price
- 8.4
- Shaft options
- 6.4
- Comfort out of box
- 8.4
What works
- Comfortable out of the box by the standards of steel-toe boots
- EH rated, which many boots at this price are not
- Simple construction with little to go wrong
What to know
- Not waterproof
- Unremarkable outsole on loose ground
- No wide-width depth in stock
Where Irish Setter has the range advantage
Height and pull-ons. Irish Setter's 11-inch Two Harbors has no equivalent in Thorogood's Heritage line, and for specific trades that is decisive rather than a preference:
- Welding, where spatter finds laces and the gap above a 6-inch boot: boots for welding.
- Grain and farm work, where chaff and seed clog laces: boots for farming.
- Brush, forestry and utility work, where the shaft keeps debris and growth out.
Irish Setter is also typically cheaper at comparable spec, and the Red Wing family connection means the leather is genuinely good.
Where Thorogood has the edge
The welt, as covered, plus a slightly better leather and the wedge-sole option - which is the right geometry for flat-site and shop work, per boots for standing on concrete. Thorogood also offers a women's last, which Irish Setter's work line does less consistently: women's work boots.
The verdict, plainly
Thorogood if you want one pair you keep and resole, or if you want a flat wedge for flat-ground work. Irish Setter if you need an 11-inch pull-on, if you want comfort out of the box without a break-in, or if the price difference matters more than resoleability. Both are safe choices - this is not a comparison where one brand is a mistake.
Frequently asked
Are Irish Setter boots good work boots?
Yes - they are well made with genuinely good leather, from the Red Wing family, usually EH rated and typically cheaper than comparable Thorogoods. The main limitation is that most are not resoleable, so the boot's life ends when the outsole does.
Can Irish Setter work boots be resoled?
Generally no. Most use cemented or direct-attach construction, which bonds the sole permanently - excellent for waterproofing but terminal when the sole wears out. Thorogood's Goodyear storm welt is stitched and can be replaced by a cobbler.
Which is better for welding, Thorogood or Irish Setter?
Irish Setter, because of the 11-inch pull-on option. Welding wants height and no laces - spatter lodges in laces and burns through them, and a tall smooth shaft covers the gap above a 6-inch boot. Thorogood's Heritage line does not offer an equivalent.
Is Thorogood worth the extra money over Irish Setter?
If you will get boots resoled, yes - the welt turns a premium boot into a multi-year purchase. If you replace boots annually, the resoleability buys you nothing and the Irish Setter is the better value at similar quality.
Sources
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