Safety Toe Boots and Metal Detectors If you need to pass through a metal detector daily, steel-toe boots will set it off, making their composite counterparts a much better choice. However, not all composite toe shoes are metal-detector-friendly because they may feature a steel shank.

Yes, steel toe boots will almost certainly trigger a standard walk-through metal detector at airports, courthouses, or high-security venues. Because the "toe box" is made of a significant amount of solid carbon steel, it creates a large enough magnetic disturbance to trip the sensor. In an airport setting, even if you have TSA PreCheck, you will likely be asked to remove steel-toed boots because the metal content is too high for the machine to ignore. If you work in a field that requires safety footwear but you travel frequently, a popular alternative is to switch to composite toe boots. These are made from non-metallic materials like carbon fiber, Kevlar, or plastic. Composite toes meet the same ANSI/ASTM safety standards as steel but are "security-friendly" and will not set off metal detectors. Another advantage of composite toes for travelers is that they do not conduct cold as easily as steel, making them more comfortable during winter travel or in drafty airplane cabins.