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You’ve been invited to a business meeting abroad, and you need to wear your steel toe boots with you? Or, you have planned to travel for a hiking trip, and wearing your steel-toed boots is your first pick? In such situations, you might be concerned about passing through the airport security and hopping on a plane with your steel toe boots worn or packed in a suitcase.
Since these boots are made of metal and are heavier and more robust than everyday footwear, many travelers have second thoughts about bringing or wearing them on a plane. The answers to the most common questions like ‘Can you wear steel toe boots on a plane?’ or ‘Are steel toe boots allowed on a plane?’ are somehow complex.
To shed light on these concerns, here’s the lowdown of what you need to know before going to the airport.
Will Steel Toe Boots Set Off the Metal Detectors?
When entering high-security buildings, such as airports or banks, the metal detectors detect the presence of even the most petite metallic object (even if it’s a dental or orthopedic implant). This means that if you’re wearing or carrying anything that consists of metal, be that a belt, zippers, keys, or steel toe boots, the alarm will go off.
Since the steel toe boots are constructed with a steel toe cap, joined in the inner part of the boot, with a mixture of iron and metal, they will indeed get detected by metal detectors. So, once you’ve got to pass through a high-security place like the airport, take off your steel toe boots during the security check procedure. This operation helps prevent any threat that might be caused by objects that contain metal.
Can You Wear Steel Toe Boots on a Plane?
To cut it short, YES – you can wear steel toe boots on a plane, but only after you’ve gone through security checkpoint procedures and followed the TSA instructions. Afterward, you can put them back on or choose to put them in your carry-on or checked bag.
TSA steel toe boots guidelines
TSA is an abbreviation for Transportation Security Administration and airport security agency of the US Department responsible for the protection and security of public traveling. Their dos and don’ts list provides you with advice on what you’re allowed to carry in a flight. Luckily, steel toe boots belong to the “dos” category. However, airport security officers will examine to decide if they can be used as a weapon.
In most cases, the authority will ask you to take off the steel toe boots for a careful examination. If not, each time you pass through a scanner, it’ll immediately beep and warn the authorities with a report. Thus, we highly suggest you read the TSA steel toe boots guidelines thoroughly before your flight.
But, you can choose to avoid such overwhelming steps by using a TSA Precheck. Although you will still have to take your boots off throughout the security gates, you save yourself a lot of time using this system. You can fulfill an online application and consult the closest center for the information you might need. In such a way, they’ll take your fingerprints, and with the number added to your ticket, you won’t have a long and dreadful experience at the checkpoints.
Can You Bring Steel Toe Boots On A Plane
Wearing or not wearing the steel toe boots on a flight? Well, that’s a double-edged sword. You can either keep your boots worn or packed in luggage – and that’s a matter of choice. Some people choose to wear them on a plane since steel toe boots are heavy and take a lot of space. For this reason, to make more room in the suitcase or have it weigh lighter, most people choose to keep them on, instead.
Also, if you have to run to work as soon as you land, choosing to wear them on a plane would save you some time.
Alternatives to Steel Toe Boots
Most employees choose to wear steel-toe boots to keep their feet protected from the hazardous environment they work in. But, if you have to travel every once in a while and need the safety boots with you, it’s better to have alternatives to steel toe boots.
Alloy or composite toe boots have pretty much the same functionality: they are durable, are resistant to oil, water, acids, and chemicals, while being comfy for your feet. They are practical and easier to take off when needed. Above all, they do not set off metal detectors at security entrances.
To avoid these annoying stops at the checkpoints and the beep sounds, you can always go with a pair of a slip-on. This is much easier since you’d only be slipping on and off instead of having to take the shoes off every time you pass through scanners.
Whether you’re a construction worker or a part of a manufacturing business and need to travel for your company quite a lot, wearing these alternatives could set you at ease.
The Bottom Line
We hope we got you at ease after explaining if steel toe boots are appropriate for airplane travel. You can undoubtedly wear or bring steel boots with you on a plane. The only thing you need to worry about is your foot comfort and how annoyed you might feel through security checks. The process of taking these boots on and off might cause frustration, but if you are not bothered by it, then you’d be all good to go.
