Red Wing Apex Women's BOA Work Boots

Red Wing BOA Apex Boots Offer Comfort and Convenience for Women on the Job

Red Wing boots have been on our list of the Best Work Boots for many years now. We like them for their comfort, design features, and, in the case of the Apex boots, their BOA lace system. We already had a pair of men’s Apex boots in for testing, so when Red Wing announced a women’s specific Apex BOA work boot, I knew I wanted to take them for a spin.

Pros

Comfortable right out of the box
BOA Lacing system for easy tightening
BOA side orientation creates even pressure
Waterproof design
Aluminum safety toe
Lightweight design

Cons

More expensive than other medium-duty work boots

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BOA Fit System

If you haven’t used the BOA fit system before, it’s pretty simple, and it makes adjusting your boot tightness a super-quick process. It uses a thin cable that adjusts using a ratcheting twist mechanism on the side of the boot. Simply twist to tighten the laces, and pull out on the mechanism to loosen.

When you’re on the job, your boot laces can become loose over the course of the day, but with the BOA lace system, tightening them back up takes only seconds. It’s much more convenient than untying and retying the laces every time you need to adjust. The cable system also feels snug all the way up, with no pressure points or loose areas.

With the side-entry design created by the BOA fit system, there’s also no way for the tongue to migrate to the side. The tongue is actually fixed solidly to the side of the boots, leaving no room for it to move side to side. Tongue migration is a huge annoyance for me in both my work and casual shoes, so it’s nice not to have to worry about adjusting it every few minutes.

I did wonder if the BOA dial’s side placement would catch or bang against anything as I worked, but that hasn’t been the case for me. In fact, I found the placement to be more convenient for quick adjustments throughout the day.

Red Wing Apex Women’s BOA Work Boot Design

Weight: 2.4 pounds (pair)
Height: 6 inches
Construction: cement
Electrical Hazard (EH) rated
Aluminum safety toe
Slip-resistant
3-later waterproofing system
Women’s fit

These boots are very lightweight, weighing just 2.4 pounds for the pair. An aluminum safety toe protects the tops of your feet without adding a ton of extra weight. For additional safety, these boots are heat-resistant up to 475°F, Electrical Hazard (EH)-rated, and slip-resistant. The Apex boots are also waterproof, featuring a 3-layer system to keep your feet dry.

Red Wing designed these boots using post-consumer recycled plastic in the outsole, midsole, bootie, footbed, and even the wire BOA laces. However, it still feels as robust, if not more so, than other combination leather/mesh boots we’ve tested.

The Apex women’s boots feature a cement connection type. While cement is the least durable of the three primary Pro-grade construction types, it’s also the most flexible. They require almost no break-in period, making them comfortable and ready to wear right out of the box.

Fit and Comfort

I typically wear shoes sized between 10 1/2 to 11 (women’s), and the boots I am reviewing are a size 11. Based on my experience, the sizing is spot on, with plenty of room in the toe box to move around while still feeling snug and secure in the center.

As these are women’s boots, Red Wing designed them to fit the naturally slimmer feet of many women. When I have had to wear men’s or unisex boots in the past, they often felt bulky, or they moved around so much as I walked that blisters could form. I appreciate the contour of the Apex Women’s boots, as they feel more fitting to the natural shape of my feet than other pairs I’ve tried on while maintaining all the premium benefits of the men’s version.

Red Wing Apex Women’s BOA Work Boots Price

These boots retail for $264.99, and you can get them directly from Red Wing or your local Red Wing store. They come in sizes 5 through 11, and like most boots, you can choose between Regular (B) and Wide (D).

If you’re after a traditional lace-up, Red Wing also offers a non-BOA women’s 5-inch Apex boot available for $224.99.

The Bottom Line

Right out of the box, it’s clear that the Red Wing Apex women’s boots are different than traditional work boots. They wear like something closer to a hiking boot while offering medium-duty protection. Plus, they’re purpose-built for women’s feet, making them more comfortable than compromising with a men’s boot. The BOA fit system is the icing on the cake, providing comfort and security for your feet and ankles in seconds. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into the design of these boots, and once again, Red Wing knocked it out of the park.