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Quick Picks
| Pick | Product | Why it fits | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for wet ground without a safety-toe requirement | CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot | Listing specifies a waterproof membrane and breathable leather upper | Check Price on Amazon |
| Best for sites requiring steel toe protection | CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot | Listing states the steel toe protects against impact and compression, citing ASTM F2413-18 | Check Price on Amazon |
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Last Updated: September 2026
Two CAT work boots, two completely different jobs. One is built around a waterproof membrane and a soft toe. The other is built around a steel toe that the CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot's listing states protects against impact and compression, citing ASTM F2413-18. Choosing between them isn't a matter of taste — it's a matter of what your worksite requires and what your feet are standing in all day.
Here's the thing: these boots are not competing for the same buyer, and the published specifications make that unusually clear.
Quick Answer
Buy the CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot if wet ground is your problem and no safety-toe rule applies to you. Its listing specifies a waterproof membrane and a breathable leather upper — a combination aimed at damp, muddy, or rain-exposed work where a hard toe cap isn't mandated.
Buy the CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot if your site requires impact and compression protection. Its listing states the steel toe protects against impact and compression, citing ASTM F2413-18, plus oiled full grain leather and a removable PU sock liner.
Both listings specify a slip-resistant outsole. So traction intent is common ground; protection type and water resistance are where they split.
Full Comparison Table
| Feature | CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot | CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot |
|---|---|---|
| Toe type | Soft toe (per product title) | Steel toe; listing states protection against impact and compression, citing ASTM F2413-18 |
| Water protection | Waterproof membrane | Not stated in the supplied listing information |
| Upper material | Breathable leather | Quality oiled full grain leather |
| Outsole | Slip resistant | Slip-resistant, described for grip on low traction surfaces |
| Insole | Not stated in the supplied listing information | Removable PU sock liner |
| Colorway shown | Real Brown | Black |
| Size shown in listing record | 13 | 9.5 |
| Price | Check Price on Amazon | Check Price on Amazon |
A note on the blanks: "not stated in the supplied listing information" means exactly that. It does not mean the feature is absent, and it does not mean CAT never publishes it elsewhere. Treat an empty cell as unknown, not as a strike.
Design & Build Quality
The leather descriptions are the most interesting difference here, and they point in different directions.
The Threshold's listing calls out a breathable leather upper. Breathability paired with a waterproof membrane is a classic wet-weather construction logic: block liquid water from the outside, let vapor move outward. The listing doesn't name the membrane, its rating, or a hydrostatic figure, so treat "waterproof" as the manufacturer's own listing language rather than a quantified spec.
The Striver's listing calls out quality oiled full grain leather delivering long-term durability and protection. Full grain is the intact outer layer of the hide, and oiled full grain is the traditional choice for abrasion-heavy industrial wear. That's the manufacturer's durability claim, not an independently verified lifespan — the supplied record contains no wear-test data for either boot.
Preferred option: different priorities, not a winner. Breathable leather over a membrane suits damp conditions; oiled full grain suits scuffing, dragging, and general jobsite abuse.
Features & Functionality
The Striver carries more listed features, and the extra ones are functional rather than cosmetic.
- Steel toe with a named standard. The Striver's listing states the steel toe protects against impact and compression, citing ASTM F2413-18. That is a specific, citable protective-footwear standard reference — the single most decision-relevant line in either listing.
- Removable PU sock liner. The Striver's listing describes it as providing all-day comfort. Removability matters practically: a liner you can pull out is a liner you can dry, replace, or swap for an orthotic. The listing doesn't confirm orthotic compatibility, so that's an inference about the design, not a promise.
- Waterproof membrane. The CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot's listing specifies a waterproof membrane. The CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot's supplied listing information does not mention water protection either way, so treat that as unknown.
- Slip-resistant outsoles on both. The Threshold's bullet reads "Slip resistant Outsole." The Striver's adds context — grip on low traction surfaces. Neither listing names a slip-resistance test method or coefficient, so you cannot rank one above the other on traction from this evidence.
Performance
Be careful here, because this is where spec sheets get over-read.
A waterproof membrane addresses water ingress. It says nothing about insulation, and the Threshold's listing doesn't mention any. If you're working cold as well as wet, that's a gap to confirm with CAT before buying.
A steel toe addresses impact and compression. It does not address puncture from below, electrical hazard, or metatarsal injury — ASTM F2413-18 covers multiple optional protection categories, and the Striver's listing names impact and compression only. If your employer requires EH or puncture resistance, this listing doesn't establish it.
Also worth saying plainly: steel conducts. A steel toe cap is a metal component at the front of the boot, which is a standard consideration in cold environments and around metal detection. The supplied listing doesn't address either scenario.
Preferred option: not established by the supplied data. Neither record includes weight, shaft height, insulation, break-in guidance, or wear-life figures, and those are what would separate two boots on all-day performance.
Price & Value
No dollar amounts here — offers move, and you should see the live number. Check current pricing for the CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot and the CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot before deciding.
What the specs do tell you about value: the Striver's listing documents four features, including a standards-referenced safety component and a removable liner. The Threshold's documents three, including a waterproof membrane. The CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot's supplied listing information does not state water protection either way, so if waterproofing is your requirement, confirm that spec directly with CAT before comparing feature counts.
Value in work footwear is mostly about not buying the wrong category twice. Confirm your site's toe requirement first, then price.
Sizing and Fit Notes
The supplied records show the Threshold in size 13, Real Brown, and the Striver in size 9.5, Black. Those are the specific listing variants documented — other sizes and colors may exist on the product pages. Neither record states width options, last shape, or fit guidance, so check the size chart on the listing itself.
Which Should You Buy?
You work outdoors in rain, mud, or wet grass, and no safety-toe rule applies: the CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot. Waterproof membrane plus breathable leather upper is the whole point of the design. Check Price on Amazon
Your site mandates protective toe footwear: the CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot, because its listing states the steel toe protects against impact and compression, citing ASTM F2413-18. Confirm with your employer or site whether that listing designation meets its requirement. Check Price on Amazon
You're indoors on hard floors and no safety-toe rule applies: the CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot is titled as a soft toe work boot. Neither supplied record states a boot weight, so on-foot lightness isn't established here. Both listings specify slip-resistant outsoles.
You rotate insoles or dry your boots overnight: the CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot's listing specifies a removable PU sock liner, so its footbed can come out. The CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot's supplied listing information does not mention its insole either way, so treat that as unknown rather than a drawback.
You need waterproofing AND a steel toe: neither of these two listings gives you both. Look at a different CAT model and confirm the spec directly with the manufacturer.
How We Research
This site does not perform hands-on testing. For this comparison, we pulled each boot's verified product record from the Amazon Creators API on September 8, 2026, and read the published listing feature bullets line by line for both ASINs.
Every specification above traces to one of those two listings. Where a field is absent — insulation, weight, shaft height, warranty — we say it's not stated rather than guessing. Safety-standard language is quoted at the scope the listing gives it, no broader.
For general guidance on protective equipment claims and consumer recourse, see CPSC and USA.gov consumer protection.
Final Verdict
If I had to make one call from these two spec sheets: the CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot's listing states its steel toe protects against impact and compression, citing ASTM F2413-18, and specifies a removable PU sock liner. That's a boot described for a jobsite toe requirement.
But a documented safety toe is not automatically "right for you." The CAT Footwear Men's Threshold Waterproof Soft Toe Work Boot lists a waterproof membrane, while the CAT Men's Striver Steel Toe Industrial Boot's supplied listing information does not mention water protection either way. For anyone whose real enemy is standing water rather than dropped steel, that documented membrane is the spec to weigh — and the Striver's water performance is worth confirming with CAT rather than inferring from its bullets.
Decide on requirement first, comfort second. Then check the live price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the CAT Threshold a steel toe boot?
No. The product is titled as a soft toe work boot, and its listing bullets cover a breathable leather upper, a slip resistant outsole, and a waterproof membrane — no safety toe is listed.
Is the CAT Striver waterproof?
The supplied listing information for the Striver does not state waterproofing. Its bullets cover the steel toe, slip-resistant outsole, removable PU sock liner, and oiled full grain leather. Absence from the bullets isn't proof of absence, so confirm with CAT if water resistance matters to you.
What does ASTM F2413-18 mean on the Striver?
The Striver's listing states its steel toe protects against impact and compression, citing ASTM F2413-18. That standard covers protective footwear performance requirements. The listing names impact and compression specifically, so it does not establish electrical hazard, puncture, or metatarsal protection.
Do both boots have slip-resistant soles?
Yes. The Threshold's listing specifies a slip resistant outsole, and the Striver's specifies a slip-resistant outsole for grip on low traction surfaces. Neither listing names a test method or coefficient, so the specs don't let you rank one above the other.
Can I use my own orthotics in either boot?
The Striver's listing specifies a removable PU sock liner, which suggests the footbed can come out — a reasonable inference, though the listing does not confirm orthotic compatibility. The Threshold's supplied listing information does not mention a removable insole either way.
Which leather lasts longer?
The supplied evidence doesn't allow a verdict. The Striver's listing describes quality oiled full grain leather delivering long-term durability and protection; the Threshold's describes a breathable leather upper. Those are manufacturer descriptions, and neither record includes wear-life data.
Are these boots insulated?
Neither supplied listing record mentions insulation or a temperature rating. If you need cold-weather performance, verify directly with CAT rather than assuming a waterproof membrane implies warmth.
Sources & Methodology
Nobody here put these boots on. There's no lab behind this page and no wear trial — what there is, is a close reading of two Amazon Creators API verified product records retrieved on September 8, 2026, and the published listing feature bullets attached to each ASIN.
That kind of evidence is genuinely good at one thing in work footwear: telling you what each listing itself documents. It cannot establish whether a boot is legally or functionally eligible for your worksite; confirm that with your employer or site. Toe type, standard reference, membrane presence, liner removability — those are documented, and they decide most purchases in this category. What it can't tell you is how either boot breaks in, how it fits your foot shape, or how the leather holds up in year two, so treat the fit and longevity questions as open and check the size chart before ordering.