What are the Differences Between Steel-Toed and Composite Toe Shoes Composite toe shoes are similar to steel toe boots, but they are not the same. They are both designed to protect your toes and meet the same ANSI standards. As the name suggests, instead of steel, composite toe shoes have a type of composite material in them. These composite materials are usually a combination of plastic, Kevlar aramid fiber and carbon fiber. People who work in construction or with electricity are normally required to wear steel toe boots or shoes by their employer,Athletic Safety Shoes, but they may run into issues by wearing them. If your employer also requires you to pass through a metal detector to enter your workplace, for example, but youre wearing steel-toed boots, doing so wouldnt be possible. If you are allowed to wear composite toe instead, that would pose a simple solution for passing through the metal detectors. Examples of jobs that require the use of metal detectors and composite toe or steel-toed boots might include airport security and laboratory personnel. The composite toe shoes on our site come in many different styles,6 Inch Work Boots, brands and sizes, to give you a large selection of this type of safety shoe. All composite toe shoes are marked with the symbol shown below.