Ariat Mens Catalyst VX Work Wide Square Toe Waterproof Composite Toe Work Boot Review

I was iffy on buying them based off of the reviews but my company gives us a $200 boot allowance so I figured I’d try them. I always oil my boots but I didn’t have a chance to before I had to wear them. My first job in them was a 17.5 hr shift I work on conveyors in quarries And the top of the boot was chafing my shins and the back of my leg they kept pulling down my socks as I walked. I ended up stuffing rags around the top and I was fine after that. 17.5 hrs in mud and water my feet got wet through the boots. Not soaking wet just a little damp just enough I could feel it but that’s also 17.5 hrs constantly standing in mud which is very good considering I wasn’t able to oil them (piling them helps waterproof). But at the end of shift when I got home my feet had a little bit of an ache nothing crazy still better then my Double H boots I had before. So I ended up finally being able to Oil my boots the next day before I left for another job. Once I did that and got my over the calf socks it was game over 100% best boots I’ve owned My second job with them was at a lime stone mine and it was on concrete and again 16 hr shift and if you work on concrete you know it’ll kill your feet. I got home pulled my boots off and again just a little ache and my lower back wasn’t tight at all. But anyhow the point of this review is I work in crazy environments every day and they’ve been great boots I’ve been in mud, on concrete, on cat walks, climbing up and down conveyor structures, and at the end of the day now that they’re finally broken in I have zero pain in my feet I could wear these all day no issues. I ordered a half size down. People were complaining about them being hard to pull your feet out. I like that you don’t want to step in a mud hole and your boot come off or to be walking up a hill or something and slide around in your boot. You should always oil your boots before you wear them it helps relax the leather and water proof them I feel like that was the issue a lot of people were having them being too tight. And I’m sure oil would solved some of them complaints.Also just as a note it’s been in the 30s-40s here and my feet have stayed warm I haven’t had issues with my feet getting cold and that’s the first thing that gets cold on me besides my hands.

I have to say that I have owned a pair of these for over a year and put them through some serious use. They’re still holding up great. That being said I have bought a good number of boots that claim to be tough. I went through red wings toughest boot in about 7 months. I have gotten 2 pairs for the price of one for a few years at RW, but I finally gave up on them. For that kind of money I’d say go with Carolinas, Rockies, Justin’s, wolverines, or one Ariat’s other work boots. But if you want the toughest boot out there this is it. Recently I put these on the price alert app. A week after doing so I woke up to a notification saying these boots were on sale for $149. I thought it was a typo or glitch. So I ordered myself 2 more pairs. Couldn’t pass up that deal. Just received them today. If it was a typo then somebody stayed true to their mess up. I looked the next day and the deal was over. Glad I ordered them. I inspected them, everything is perfect. So I basically got 2 for the price of 1. Great boots. Worth normal cost, but glad I was able to get an outstanding deal on them.

I wore Timberland Boondocks Pro for over a decade until they gave me bad customer service after multiple boots over the years. So I made the change to Ariat and never looked back. These are by far the most comfortable boots I have ever worn on my feet for long periods of time. Trucking through water and snow for 2 years of everyday hard work use. Highly recommend

Let me first say these boots are hands down the most ruggedly stout behemoth of a boot you could ever want (or need)! Therein, however, lies the minus 1 Star issue. The Catalyst fit true to size and the updated Cobalt footbed was phenomenal, these were simply too big. Though they fit perfect they were nearly 2" longer than my Mucks and about 1.5" longer than my Ariat Work Hogs. Though these riveted beauties would most certainly stand up to the next Zombie Apocalypse or fare well where Mad Max meets Robocop, they would not flex enough for me to wear in a normal work situation, nor fit in many areas I'd need them to. I work in the Oil Fields in North Dakota and everything from the sole, to the overall build quality was exactly what I need, just not the bulk... someone in the comments stated they were similar to Ski Boots, I'd have to agree with that. For anyone interested, the pull tab on the back is flexible not rigid and didn't cause my pants to look odd, I still prefer the side pull tabs though. Hope this is helpful. Still Love Ariats!

Work for utility company. Best boot I have purchased no leaking durable comfortable.

Hasn’t lasted but about 7 months. The inner sock liner is coming out of one of the boots and makes it impossible nearly to remove it. For the price I expected more then life expectancy by a little at least. The outside of the boots still look great and soles not it bad shape yet either. But for the price I’ll go back to my normal ariats for $180 and know that I can get around 12 months out of a pair.Save you money it’s not worth the gamble. There not anymore comfortable then the regular work hog boots. I only bought this hoping it would last longer seeing how the toes and sides are usually gone by 12 months.

These boots are very comfortable once you get them on! I've never owned a pair of more difficult boots to put on. Takes 5 minutes per boot to get on, then the heel folds over and you have to fight that issue. Definitely not worth $350.

When I first got the boots I hated them. They were tight in ankle area and both boots rubbed the inside of my heals raw. I had to use mole skin for about a week. The thing is they needed to be broke in. After that the boots fit great. Only had them a moth but love them so far. A little pricey but if they give me 3 years I’ll buy another pair