Keen Utility Atlanta II Cooler Steel Toe Work Shoes Offers Comfort and Breathability with a Safety Toe
When my pair of Keen Utility Atlanta II Cooler steel toe work shoes arrived, I have to admit that I wasn’t super-enthusiastic. I prefer brown shoes over black and while I like a low cut, the massive gaps in the upper didn’t give them much visual appeal in my opinion.
Pros
- Incredibly breathable
- Ridiculously comfortable
- Lightweight
- Stable, slip-resistant outsole
- Left/right-specific steel safety toes
- EH rated
Cons
- Only available in black
- Upper allows more foot movement than most work shoes and boots
- Not the most visually stylish design
Editor’s Note: Check out our best work boots review article for our favorite products for all applications.
Put Your Best Foot Forward
For the sake of objectivity, I decided to give them a fair shot. I slipped off the shoes I was wearing, put these on, and started walking around the concrete floor of our shop. And you know what? They’re really ridiculously comfortable.
I committed to wearing the Atlanta II Cooler as my everyday work shoes and as days turned into weeks, I’ve turned into a fan of them.
If you care about the way you look (or the people around you care), the first thing you need to do is wear black socks. Unless you look closely, it all but eliminates the odd look of those big gaps.
Once you learn to rock the right look, those gaps are great for allowing tons of airflow around your feet and letting sweat escape much faster than any other boot I’ve worn. They’re also going to let water in faster than other boots if you get caught in the rain or on a wet jobsite.
With steel toes and EH-rated outsoles, they’re appropriate for some jobsites. The one thing I’d look out for is that the material allows your foot to slip left or right more than boots with full coverage around the upper. The outsole is good and stable, though.
The Bottom Line
I like Keen Utility Atlanta II Cooler work shoes as a light-duty option in dry environments that don’t have a lot of uneven or unstable ground. They’re comfortable, lightweight, easy to wear as an everyday shoe, and have a true-to-size fit. They’re even easy to slip on and off.
So they might not be my favorite color and they might not have the trendiest look, but I’m not about to give them up.
If you’re ready to give them a shot, you can pick them up on Amazon for $125.
Keen Utility Atlanta II Cooler Work Shoes Features
- Left/right asymmetrical steel toes
- KEEN.ReGEN lightweight compression resistant midsole provides 50% more energy return than standard EVA foam
- Non-mutilating upper uses eyelets that won’t mar or damage surfaces they rub against
- EH rated to 18Kv
- Siped outsole disperses liquid quickly and increases traction on wet surfaces
- External stability shank supports midfoot
Specifications
- Available Sizes: 7 – 15 (whole sizes only 12 and up)
- Available Colors: Black
- Safety Ratings:
- MARK II Non-Slip Testing Standards ASTM F1677-96
- EH Standards ASTM F2412-17 and F2413-17 M I/75 C/75
- Non-Slip Testing Standards ASTM F2913-17 SATRA
- Safety Toe: Steel
- Materials:
- Mesh/synthetic upper
- Oil and slip-resistant, non-marking rubber outsole
- KEEN.ReGEN midsole
- Moisture-wicking textile lining
- Removable metatomical PU footbed
- Weight: 20.4 ounces each (tested size 13: 25.8 ounces)
- Price: $125
Visit Keen Utility’s website for more information!
