JBs Wear microfibre safety shoe, steel toe

The JBs Microfibre Shoe is a lightweight steel toe safety shoe from JBs Wear, sitting in the Executive end of the work boots range. The upper is microfibre rather than leather, which keeps the weight down, and the whole shoe runs on a PU injected sole. It is the kind of safety shoe you put on for a full shift on hard floors and forget about.

Protection is handled by a steel toe cap with a mesh lining behind it, and the sole does the rest of the work: oil resistant, anti static, SRC slip resistant and non marking. There is a removable insock, so you can swap in your own orthotic footbed if you need to. JBs Wear lists this shoe as certified to AS/NZS 2210.3:2009 by BSI, BMP No 702610.

If you want a closer look at sizing, colours and the current listing before you commit, you can check the JBs Microfibre Shoe product page on Done Right Safety.

Deciding if it suits your work

The JBs Microfibre Shoe is a microfibre safety shoe rather than a leather work boot, so think about where it will spend its life. The SRC slip resistant, oil resistant and non marking sole is built for hard indoor floors, which is why it reads well for hospitality, food areas, warehousing and retail. If your job is wet outdoor ground or heavy abrasion all day, a leather upper boot will usually outlast a microfibre one, so weigh that up first. The steel toe cap and AS/NZS 2210.3:2009 certification cover the safety side for general workplace use.

Getting the fit right

Try the shoe on with the socks you actually wear at work, and check the toe box at the end of the day when your feet have spread a little. The insock is removable, so if you wear an orthotic or prefer a different footbed, you can take the standard one out and drop yours in. Take a moment to confirm your size and any colour options on the product page before ordering, since the listing carries the up to date detail.

Looking after it and knowing when to replace

Wipe the microfibre upper clean rather than soaking it, and let the shoe dry away from direct heat so the PU sole and upper keep their shape. Check the tread regularly: once the SRC slip pattern is worn smooth, the slip resistance drops and it is time for a new pair. Inspect the toe cap area for any crushing or cracking after a heavy knock, because a damaged toe cap no longer offers the protection it was certified for.

These are genuine like-for-like alternatives: all four are safety shoes and boots from the Executive work boots range on Done Right Safety, so the comparison below is same type rather than adjacent.

The JBs Microfibre Shoe is the lightest, simplest option here and the one to reach for if a slip resistant, non marking shoe for indoor floors is the priority, and you like the idea of dropping in your own footbed. The Mongrel Derby Shoe stays a lace up but leans harder on built in comfort with its OrthoTec Air footbed and a 200J toe.

If you would rather a leather boot, the Oliver and Blundstone both swap the shoe profile for an elastic sided executive boot. Oliver brings water resistant leather and odour control in the footbed, while Blundstone is the dress style boot with a heat resistant sole rated to 140C. One thing to note: the Blundstone listing does not state a standard, so confirm certification on its product page if that matters for your site.

For a lightweight indoor safety shoe, the JBs Microfibre Shoe ticks the boxes that count. The sole is the strong part of the spec sheet: SRC slip resistant, oil resistant, anti static and non marking, which is a sensible combination for kitchens, warehouses and retail floors. The steel toe cap and the listed AS/NZS 2210.3:2009 certification cover the protection side for general workplace use.

What is confirmed on the listing is the microfibre upper, the steel toe with mesh lining, the PU injected sole, the removable insock and the certification by BSI under BMP No 702610. Sizing, colours and any width options are not spelled out in the facts we have, so those are worth confirming on the product page before you order, especially if you are buying for a team and need a size run.

Buyers who want a hard wearing leather boot for rough outdoor ground may prefer one of the leather Executive options. But if you want something light on the foot that handles slippery indoor floors and lets you fit your own footbed, this shoe is an easy one to recommend.