Best CAT model
Caterpillar Work Boots, Model by Model
The most widely stocked work boot brand in America, with a lineup that runs from a welted workhorse to a mesh safety sneaker. Those are not the same purchase.
The short answer: buy the Excavator Superlite if you want one waterproof rated boot that stays light, the Second Shift if you want a welted boot you can have resoled, the Diagnostic Hi if you work outdoors in real cold, the Streamline 2.0 if you need a rated toe in summer heat and nothing else, and the Outline if you need to meet a site rule for the least money and can stay out of the wet.
Caterpillar footwear is licensed from the machinery company, which is the first thing to be clear about, because people buy these boots expecting equipment-grade engineering and then review them as if the brand had lied to them. What CAT actually is, in footwear, is one of the best-distributed mid-market work boot lines in the United States: honest specifications, ASTM ratings where it counts, prices that sit below the heritage brands, and availability in farm stores, shoe stores and warehouses everywhere. On those terms it is good value, and the Second Shift in particular is a genuinely well-built boot.
Where it is not competitive is the top end. There is no USA-made tier, no recrafting service, no GORE-TEX, and outside the Second Shift no welted construction - so if what you want is a boot you keep for a decade and rebuild twice, you are shopping the wrong brand and should be reading Red Wing work boots or Thorogood work boots instead. The honest comparison for CAT is against Carhartt work boots and Irish Setter work boots, which play the same mid-market game with slightly different strengths.
The specs on the listings, decoded
- ERGO. CAT's comfort platform - the combination of last shape, footbed and midsole geometry the brand puts under most of its work boots. It is a real system rather than a sticker, but it is support rather than plush cushioning.
- SRX outsoles. The brand's slip-resisting rubber compound. Oil-, water- and abrasion-resistant, and tested for slip resistance rather than merely marketed as grippy.
- Thinsulate. 3M's insulation, used at 200g on the Diagnostic Hi. The gram figure is weight per square meter of insulation, not boot weight - it describes how cold a day the boot is for.
- Goodyear welt. On the Second Shift. The sole is stitched to a welt so it can be replaced; everything else here is cement-constructed and cannot be. Goodyear welt vs direct attach covers what that is worth.
- Composite vs steel toe. CAT sells both across the line at the same ASTM F2413 rating. Composite is lighter, non-conducting and detector-safe; steel is thinner, so it leaves more room inside the same boot. Neither is safer: composite toe vs steel toe.
Quick picks
Ranked by our published scoring rubric. Tap any row for the full write-up.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Caterpillar Excavator Superlite Waterproof Composite ToeThe best all-round CAT: waterproof, non-metallic and genuinely light for what it protects. | A waterproof rated boot that does not weigh you down | 9.5 | |
| 2 |  Caterpillar Second Shift Waterproof Steel ToeThe long-running CAT workhorse - waterproof, steel-toed and Goodyear-welted at a mid-market price. | Buying a welted boot cheaply | 9.4 | |
| 3 |  Caterpillar Diagnostic Hi Waterproof Steel ToeWaterproof, 200g Thinsulate and a steel toe - insulated protection at a price that barely exists elsewhere. | Cold, wet outdoor work | 9.4 | |
| 4 |  Caterpillar Streamline 2.0 Mesh Composite ToeNot a boot at all - a mesh safety shoe with a composite toe, for heat rather than weather. | Summer heat and the lightest possible rating | 9.0 | |
| 5 |  Caterpillar Outline Steel ToeFull-grain leather, a steel toe and EH protection at the bottom of the range - with no membrane. | Meeting a site rule for the least money | 9.1 |
#ad Prices pulled from Amazon and stamped as of November 14, 2026; they change, and we show no number we cannot verify. How we are funded.
Top pick · A waterproof rated boot that does not weigh you down
Caterpillar Excavator Superlite Waterproof Composite Toe
The best all-round CAT: waterproof, non-metallic and genuinely light for what it protects.
#ad Price as of November 14, 2026. How we are funded
- Our score
- 9.5/10
Category-defining
If you want one CAT boot and have no special requirement, this is it. The Excavator Superlite does the thing most mid-market waterproof boots fail at, which is keeping the weight down - it carries a carbon composite toe rated to ASTM F2413 and a waterproof construction in a build that does not feel like you strapped equipment to your feet. Non-metallic throughout also means no detector problems and no cold bridge to your toes, which quietly makes it the better winter boot of the two mainstream CATs despite having no insulation.
Light builds pay for it in lifespan. The outsole wears sooner than the Second Shift's, there is less mass underfoot so you feel sharp debris more, and it is not resoleable. It is also a 6-inch boot, so it is no help against anything deeper than a puddle. If low weight is your actual priority rather than a nice bonus, lightweight work boots compares it against the rest of the category.
Specs that matter
- Toe:
- Carbon composite toe, ASTM F2413
- Height:
- 6 inch
- Waterproof:
- Yes
- Weight:
- Lightweight construction
Rubric profile
Raw per-criterion marks out of 10, before weighting — this is the shape of the pick, not its published score. A low mark is a scope limit, not a fault: how we score.
- Comfort
- 8.8
- Durability
- 7.2
- Protection
- 8.2
- Weather
- 8.6
- Value
- 8.8
Why we picked it
- Genuinely light for a waterproof safety boot
- Non-metallic throughout — no metal detector problems
- Cheaper than most composite-toe waterproof boots
Good to know: Light for a waterproof safety boot, which the outsole pays for over time; less underfoot protection than a heavier build.
Best built · Buying a welted boot cheaply
Caterpillar Second Shift Waterproof Steel Toe
The long-running CAT workhorse - waterproof, steel-toed and Goodyear-welted at a mid-market price.
#ad Price as of November 14, 2026. How we are funded
- Our score
- 9.4/10
Outstanding
The Second Shift has been in the line for decades and it earns the space. It is Goodyear-welted, which at this price is genuinely unusual: the sole is stitched to a welt rather than glued on, so a cobbler can replace it and the boot can outlive its first outsole. Add waterproof construction and an ASTM F2413 steel toe and you have a boot that covers general construction, yard work and plant maintenance without asking for heritage-brand money. It is also stocked everywhere, which sounds trivial until you need to replace a pair in a size that fits.
It is heavy - noticeably heavier than the Excavator - and the stock footbed is minimal, so budget for an insole on day one. The leather needs conditioning or it stiffens and cracks at the flex point, and a steel toe is the cold-conducting option in winter. Buy it for the welt and the durability, not the comfort; boot care and conditioning is what keeps it alive long enough to be worth resoling.
Specs that matter
- Toe:
- Steel toe, ASTM F2413
- Height:
- 6 inch
- Waterproof:
- Yes
- Build:
- Goodyear welt
Rubric profile
Raw per-criterion marks out of 10, before weighting — this is the shape of the pick, not its published score. A low mark is a scope limit, not a fault: how we score.
- Comfort
- 7.0
- Durability
- 9.0
- Protection
- 8.6
- Weather
- 8.6
- Value
- 8.8
Why we picked it
- Welted construction at a mid-market price
- Waterproof and safety-rated together
- Widely stocked, so sizing is easy to replace
Good to know: A heavy boot by modern standards, and the stock footbed is minimal — an insole makes more difference here than on most boots.
Best for cold · Cold, wet outdoor work
Caterpillar Diagnostic Hi Waterproof Steel Toe
Waterproof, 200g Thinsulate and a steel toe - insulated protection at a price that barely exists elsewhere.
#ad Price as of November 14, 2026. How we are funded
- Our score
- 9.4/10
Outstanding
Insulated and waterproof and safety-rated, all three at once, is normally a premium combination, and the Diagnostic Hi is the cheapest honest version of it we have found. The 200g of Thinsulate is the right amount for genuine cold without turning the boot into a winter pac boot, the waterproof leather handles slush and wet ground, and it carries EH protection with CAT's SRX slip-resisting rubber outsole. The gel EVA insert is removable, so your own insole still fits.
Insulation is not a free feature. At 200g this boot is too warm for anything but cold work - wear it in a heated warehouse and your feet will sweat, which in winter is how you end up with cold feet anyway. The steel toe works directly against the insulation by conducting heat out of your toes, which is the single biggest argument for a non-metallic winter boot instead. And it is heavy. What the gram ratings actually mean is in boot insulation grams explained.
Specs that matter
- Toe:
- Steel toe, ASTM F2413
- Height:
- 6 inch
- Waterproof:
- Yes
- Insulation:
- 200g Thinsulate
Rubric profile
Raw per-criterion marks out of 10, before weighting — this is the shape of the pick, not its published score. A low mark is a scope limit, not a fault: how we score.
- Comfort
- 7.2
- Durability
- 8.0
- Protection
- 8.6
- Weather
- 9.2
- Value
- 8.8
Why we picked it
- Insulated and waterproof together, which is rare at this price
- EH rated with a slip-resisting SRX rubber outsole
- Removable gel EVA insert, so you can swap in your own insole
Good to know: 200g of insulation is specifically for cold outdoor work — too warm indoors or above roughly 50F.
Lightest option · Summer heat and the lightest possible rating
Caterpillar Streamline 2.0 Mesh Composite Toe
Not a boot at all - a mesh safety shoe with a composite toe, for heat rather than weather.
#ad Price as of November 14, 2026. How we are funded
- Our score
- 9.0/10
Outstanding
There is a real job for this and it is worth taking seriously: some people need an ASTM F2413 rated toe and nothing else, in the summer, indoors or on finished floors. The Streamline 2.0 is CAT's answer - a nylon mesh and nubuck upper over a composite toe, EH protection, a slip-resisting rubber outsole, and a listed weight around 1.05 lb per shoe in a size 10, which puts it in a different category from everything else on this page. If your complaint is that your feet cook, mesh solves that in a way no membrane boot can.
Understand what you are giving up, because it is most of a boot. There is no ankle support, no water resistance at all, and a low collar that lets debris straight in. Mesh abrades fast on rubble and rough ground. And it protects your toes only - nothing above the cap, which matters on any site where things get dropped. It is the right tool for a narrow job and the wrong one everywhere else; hot weather work boots covers the breathable options that still cover your ankle.
Specs that matter
- Toe:
- Composite toe, ASTM F2413
- Height:
- Shoe, below the ankle
- Upper:
- Nylon mesh and nubuck
- Weight:
- Listed at about 1.05 lb per shoe (size 10)
Rubric profile
Raw per-criterion marks out of 10, before weighting — this is the shape of the pick, not its published score. A low mark is a scope limit, not a fault: how we score.
- Comfort
- 8.8
- Durability
- 5.8
- Protection
- 6.4
- Weather
- 3.0
- Value
- 8.6
Why we picked it
- Among the lightest ASTM-rated footwear you can buy
- Mesh upper actually breathes, which makes summer heat bearable
- Non-metallic toe with EH protection and a slip-resisting rubber outsole
Good to know: A low-cut shoe, not a boot: right for a dry plant floor, wrong anywhere with debris, water or uneven ground.
Best value · Meeting a site rule for the least money
Caterpillar Outline Steel Toe
Full-grain leather, a steel toe and EH protection at the bottom of the range - with no membrane.
#ad Price as of November 14, 2026. How we are funded
- Our score
- 9.1/10
Outstanding
The Outline is the cheapest honest way into the brand. For the money you get a full-grain leather upper rather than split or corrected leather, an ASTM F2413 steel toe, EH protection and a slip- and oil-resisting rubber outsole on a 6-inch work hiker. If your site has introduced a safety-toe rule and you need to comply this week without rearranging your budget, this is a legitimate answer rather than a compromise you will regret immediately.
It is not waterproof, and that is the headline. Treat the leather and keep out of standing water, or buy the Excavator instead. It is cement-constructed so it cannot be resoled, and the stock footbed is minimal - the insole you add is not optional if you are standing all day. Compare it against the rest of work boots under $100 before deciding, because at this price the field is wider than people assume.
Specs that matter
- Toe:
- Steel toe, ASTM F2413
- Height:
- 6 inch
- Upper:
- Full-grain leather
- Weather:
- Not waterproof
Rubric profile
Raw per-criterion marks out of 10, before weighting — this is the shape of the pick, not its published score. A low mark is a scope limit, not a fault: how we score.
- Comfort
- 7.0
- Durability
- 7.0
- Protection
- 8.2
- Weather
- 4.2
- Value
- 9.0
Why we picked it
- Full-grain leather upper at a genuinely budget price
- Steel toe plus EH protection, which plenty of cheap boots skip
- Slip- and oil-resisting rubber outsole
Good to know: Not waterproof, so treat the leather if your days are wet, and budget for an insole.
The lineup at a glance
| If your day is | Buy | Because |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed site work, wet ground, long hours | Excavator Superlite Waterproof Composite Toe | Waterproof and rated at the lowest weight in the line |
| Hard use, and you want the sole replaced | Second Shift Waterproof Steel Toe | Goodyear welt plus waterproof construction at a mid-market price |
| Cold and wet outdoor work | Diagnostic Hi Waterproof Steel Toe | 200g Thinsulate and waterproof leather with an EH-rated SRX outsole |
| Summer heat, finished floors, rating required | Streamline 2.0 Mesh Composite Toe | Breathable mesh at around a pound a shoe with a rated composite toe |
| A new site rule and a tight budget | Outline Steel Toe | Full-grain leather, steel toe and EH at the bottom of the range |
The cold-weather question, answered properly
CAT sells an insulated boot and most people assume that settles the winter question. It does not, and this lineup is a good illustration of why. Insulation slows heat loss, but a steel toe cap is a large piece of metal sitting directly over the part of your foot with the least blood flow, and it conducts heat out faster than 200g of Thinsulate puts it back. That is why plenty of people find a non-metallic uninsulated boot with a decent sock warmer than an insulated steel-toe boot in the same conditions.
The practical ordering for cold work is: non-metallic toe first, then a liner or insulation you can dry overnight, then grams. If you are outdoors through a northern winter the Diagnostic Hi is a reasonable buy and the cheapest route to insulated-and-waterproof-and-rated; if you are in and out of heated spaces all day it will cook you. Winter work boots sets out the whole decision, and work socks for sweaty feet covers the half of the problem that is not the boot.
Sizing CAT
CAT work boots run close to true to size, and wide widths are available on the mainstream models including the Second Shift and the Outline. Order your measured length rather than sizing up for toe room: a safety cap is a hard ceiling, and in a boot that is slightly too long your foot slides forward and your toenails find it on every step. That is the mechanism behind almost every black-toenail complaint we see, and it is a fitting error rather than a boot defect - work boot fit and sizing has the checks that catch it before you buy.
Two model-specific notes. The Second Shift's stock footbed is thin enough that it changes the fit when you replace it, so try your intended insole in the boot rather than fitting the boot as sold - insole types explained covers which kind suits which complaint. And the Streamline 2.0 is a shoe last rather than a boot last, so it fits like a sneaker and holds your heel much less securely; if your heel lifts in it, that is the design, not the size.
What we would skip
Skip the Streamline 2.0 unless you genuinely only need a toe cap - it is a good shoe sold into a category where most buyers need ankle support and water resistance they will not get. Skip the Outline if there is any standing water in your week, because an untreated unlined leather boot loses that fight and then stays wet. And skip the Diagnostic Hi if you work indoors at all, because insulation you cannot escape is worse than no insulation.
The thing CAT does better than almost anyone is availability. You can walk into a farm store in most of the country and buy a Second Shift in your size today, and that matters when a boot fails on a Tuesday. Just make the model a decision rather than a default - the five boots above are built for five different weeks, and the one on the end of the shelf is not automatically the one you need. The other tool-brand footwear line worth cross-shopping at this price is DEWALT work boots, which is stronger on waterproofing and on dial closures and has nothing welted at all.
Frequently asked
Which CAT work boot is the best?
The Excavator Superlite waterproof composite toe for most buyers - waterproof, ASTM F2413 rated and the lightest of the mainstream models, with a non-metallic toe that clears detectors and does not conduct cold. If you want a boot whose sole can be replaced, buy the Goodyear-welted Second Shift instead.
Are Caterpillar work boots good quality?
For the money, yes. CAT footwear is licensed from the machinery company and sits in the mid-market: honest ASTM ratings, slip-resisting SRX outsoles, real full-grain leather on most models, and prices below the heritage brands. What it does not offer is a USA-made or recraftable tier, and apart from the Second Shift the line is glued rather than welted.
Can CAT work boots be resoled?
The Second Shift can, because it is Goodyear-welted - the sole is stitched to a welt, so a cobbler can replace the outsole and midsole. The Excavator, Diagnostic Hi, Outline and Streamline 2.0 are cement-constructed, which means the sole is glued to the upper and the boot is finished when it wears through.
Are CAT boots waterproof?
Some are. The Excavator Superlite, Second Shift and Diagnostic Hi are waterproof. The Outline is not waterproof and the Streamline 2.0 is a mesh shoe with no water resistance at all. CAT sells waterproof and non-waterproof versions of similar-looking boots, so read the specific listing.
Do CAT work boots have steel toes?
Depending on the model. The Second Shift, Diagnostic Hi and Outline use steel toes; the Excavator Superlite and Streamline 2.0 use non-metallic composite toes. All of them meet the same ASTM F2413 impact and compression rating, so the choice is about weight, cold and metal detectors rather than protection.
How long do CAT work boots last?
We do not publish a figure we cannot verify, and it depends far more on your ground than your brand. What we can say structurally is that the welted Second Shift can outlive its first outsole because it can be resoled, while the cemented models in the line cannot - when the outsole goes, the boot goes. Conditioning the leather is the cheapest thing you can do to extend either.
Our recommendation
If you read nothing else on this page, these are the two to look at — the one we would buy, and the one to take instead if its trade-off suits you better.
Top pick · A waterproof rated boot that does not weigh you down
Caterpillar Excavator Superlite Waterproof Composite Toe
The best all-round CAT: waterproof, non-metallic and genuinely light for what it protects.
#ad Price as of November 14, 2026. How we are funded
Runner-up · Buying a welted boot cheaply
Caterpillar Second Shift Waterproof Steel Toe
The long-running CAT workhorse - waterproof, steel-toed and Goodyear-welted at a mid-market price.
#ad Price as of November 14, 2026. How we are funded
Prices are read live from Amazon and stamped with the date. How we pick.
Sources
Back to Work Boots, or see how we pick. Spotted something wrong? We publish corrections — see our editorial policy.
