Most UK safety trainers weigh somewhere between 400 g and 600 g per shoe, but finding the exact figure for the pair you want is surprisingly hard. In October 2026 we checked 29 product pages across brand websites and retailers, and only 7 gave a usable weight.
Across the 13 models we could verify, the lightest came in at about 400 g and the heaviest at 595 g, with the middle of the pack at 510 g. S1 shoes without a puncture resistant insert were the lightest group, and the toe cap material mattered far less than the upper and sole.
The 2026 Safety Trainer Weight Table: 13 UK Models
Every figure below is the weight of one shoe as published by the maker or seller, checked between September and October 2026. Where a size was quoted, we show it. Where the page says "approx.", we kept that wording, because these are catalogue figures, not lab results.
| Model | Class | Toe cap | Weight per shoe | Size quoted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| e.s. Manda low | S1 | Steel | approx. 400 g | EU 42 |
| e.s. Vasegus II low | S1 | Steel | approx. 450 g | EU 42 |
| e.s. St Louis low | S1 | Composite | approx. 450 g | EU 42 |
| e.s. Tegmen IV low | S1 SRC | Aluminium | approx. 460 g | EU 42 |
| e.s. Baham II low | S1 | Steel | approx. 470 g | EU 42 |
| Lightyear suede safety trainer | S1P SRC | Not listed | 500 g | UK 8 |
| V12 Agile | S1PS FO SR | Steel | 510 g | Not stated |
| e.s. Banco low | S1P | Composite | approx. 530 g | EU 42 |
| e.s. Cuenca | S1PS | Aluminium | approx. 540 g | EU 42 |
| e.s. Sutur | S1PS | Steel | approx. 555 g | EU 42 |
| e.s. Dothan low | S1P | Steel | approx. 585 g | EU 42 |
| Base K-Move B1004 | S1P HRO SRC | Aluminium | 594 g | EU 42 |
| Portwest Reno (high top) | S1P | Composite | 595 g | Not stated |
You will notice a lot of Engelbert Strauss models. That is not a recommendation. They are simply the brand that most consistently publishes a weight with a size attached, so they make up most of any fair, like for like list. Plenty of popular trainers from other brands are missing for one reason only: we could not find a published per shoe figure.
What The Numbers Tell You
Four things stand out once the figures sit side by side:
- The spread is wider than most people expect. The heaviest shoe is 195 g heavier than the lightest, which is close to 50 percent more weight on each foot.
- Class is the clearest divider. Every S1 shoe in the table is lighter than every S1P or S1PS shoe.
- Steel toe caps are not the heavy ones. The single lightest shoe uses a steel cap, and two of the three heaviest use aluminium or composite.
- Weight is still hidden. Of the 29 product pages we checked, 22 showed no usable figure, and 6 of the 7 that did came from one brand's own website.
Is a 100 g difference worth chasing? It is real but modest. Our breakdown of what 100g per shoe really costs you puts it at roughly 1 percent more energy when walking, and the S1 to S1P gap in this table is about that size. And if you are wondering whether spending more buys you fewer grams, we tested whether pricier safety shoes weigh less in a separate piece. The short version is no.
S1 vs S1P: What Puncture Protection Costs In Grams
Sorting the same 13 shoes by protection class gives the clearest pattern in the whole dataset.
Published weight per shoe, grouped by safety class
Bars start at zero so the gaps are shown at true scale. Sizes as quoted in the table above.
S1, no puncture resistant insert (average 446 g)
S1P and S1PS, with puncture resistant insert (average 551 g)
The S1P and S1PS group averages about 105 g more per shoe. Two same brand pairs make the point more cleanly, because the toe cap material stays the same and the size is identical:
| Same maker, same toe cap | S1 version | Puncture resistant version | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Composite toe cap | St Louis low, approx. 450 g | Banco low, approx. 530 g | +80 g |
| Aluminium toe cap | Tegmen IV low, approx. 460 g | Cuenca, approx. 540 g | +80 g |
The insert is not the only change, though. Both heavier shoes also move from a rubber based sole to a two layer PU sole, so the 80 g covers the whole build rather than the insert alone. The class also tells you the insert type: under EN ISO 20345:2022, S1P means a metal insert, while S1PS and S1PL use a non metal one. Our guide to what PL and PS mean covers the difference.
Do not drop a class to save gramsThe lightest shoes here are S1, which has no puncture protection at all. If your risk assessment calls for S1P or above because of nails, screws or swarf on the floor, an S1 shoe is the wrong shoe, however light it feels.
Steel, Composite Or Aluminium: Does The Toe Cap Decide?
On its own, the toe cap is a real weight saving. A steel cap typically weighs around 80 to 90 g, a carbon composite cap around 32 to 36 g, and aluminium sits roughly 30 to 40 percent below steel. So swapping the cap alone saves somewhere between about 25 and 55 g per shoe.
Now look at the whole shoe. Plotting every model by toe cap shows how little that saving decides the final weight:
Published weight per shoe by toe cap material
Each dot is one shoe from the table. Gold dots are S1, dark dots are S1P or S1PS. The Lightyear trainer is left out because its toe cap is not listed.
Every row runs from light to heavy, and in every row the gold S1 dots sit on the left. In this sample, the steel toe group actually averaged the lightest at 495 g, against 525 g for composite and 531 g for aluminium.
That is not because steel is light. It is because three of the six steel toe shoes are S1 trainers with no puncture resistant insert.
The cleanest proof sits inside one brand. The e.s. Manda low and e.s. Dothan low both use steel toe caps and come from the same maker in the same size, yet they are 185 g apart. The toe cap is not the difference.
Everything else is. If you are choosing between cap materials for other reasons, such as metal detectors or cold, our comparison of aluminium, composite and steel toe caps goes through the trade offs.
Where The Grams Really Go
If the toe cap is not the main lever, what is? The published specs for the lightest and heaviest shoes point to four parts of the build.
| Part of the shoe | Lighter build | Heavier build | Example from the table |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper | Knit or mesh textile | Smooth and velour leather | Manda low (knit) at approx. 400 g vs Dothan low (leather) at approx. 585 g |
| Outsole | EVA or phylon foam blended with rubber | Solid rubber or dual density rubber | EVA foam is around 0.15 to 0.25 g per cm³, rubber around 1.1 to 1.3 |
| Puncture insert | None (S1) or textile (S1PS, S1PL) | Steel plate (S1P under the 2022 standard) | Dothan low pairs a steel cap with a steel midsole |
| Heat rating | No HRO marking | HRO rubber outsole | Base K-Move, S1P HRO SRC, at 594 g despite an aluminium cap |
The outsole is where the biggest differences hide, because it is the largest single block of material in the shoe.
A sole that leans on foam can be several times lighter, by volume, than one built from solid rubber.
That is also why lighter soles can give up something in wear life or heat resistance. We explain those trade offs in our comparison of PU vs EVA outsoles.
Per Shoe, Per Pair Or Boxed? How To Read A Weight Claim
Even when a weight is listed, it is not always the number you think it is. Before you compare two figures, check these five things:
- One shoe or the pair? Most catalogues quote one shoe. If a trainer is listed at 900 g or more, it is probably the pair.
- Which size? Nearly every figure in our table is for EU 42 or UK 8. A UK 11 uses more material, so it will weigh more than the catalogue says.
- Shoe or parcel? One European retailer's product data gives a PUMA safety trainer a weight of 1.67 kg, which is almost certainly the boxed shipping weight, not the shoe.
- "Approx." or measured? Catalogue figures are usually rounded, so treat a 10 g gap as a draw.
- Same class? Comparing an S1 trainer with an S1PS one is comparing different levels of protection, not just different weights.
Size matters for fit as much as for weight. If you are between sizes, our safety trainers size guide explains how to measure before you order.
How To Weigh Safety Trainers At Home
If the seller will not give you a figure, you can get your own in two minutes, as long as you check before the returns window closes.
- Use a kitchen scaleA digital scale that reads to 1 g is accurate enough for this.
- Weigh one shoe, not the boxTake out the paper stuffing and any cardboard inserts, but leave the laces and insole in, because you will wear those.
- Weigh both shoes separatelyLeft and right can differ by a few grams. Use the heavier figure.
- Write down the sizeA weight without a size cannot be compared with anything in the table above.
- Compare like with likeOnly compare against shoes of the same class and a similar size. Then try them on a hard floor for a full hour before deciding.
Which Weight Band Suits Your Job?
Weight should never pick the class for you. Your employer's risk assessment does that. Within the class you need, though, the table suggests three rough bands.
Three weight bands from the 13 models
Per shoe, around UK 8 or EU 42. More filled squares means more weight.
The bands overlap with fit, grip and comfort, which matter more over a long shift than the last 20 or 30 g. Use weight as the tie breaker between two shoes that already pass on protection and fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the lightest safety trainer in the UK in 2026?
Of the models with a published weight we could verify in October 2026, the lightest was the e.s. Manda low S1 at approx. 400 g per shoe in EU 42. It has no puncture resistant insert. The lightest S1P we found was a Lightyear suede trainer at 500 g in UK 8.
How much should a safety trainer weigh?
Most low cut safety trainers weigh about 400 to 600 g per shoe around UK 8 or EU 42. The middle of our 13 model sample was 510 g. Shoes under 500 g were all S1, without puncture protection.
Do S1P safety trainers weigh more than S1?
In our sample, yes. The S1P and S1PS shoes averaged 551 g per shoe against 446 g for S1, a gap of about 105 g. Within one brand, adding puncture protection and a PU sole added about 80 g.
Does an aluminium or composite toe cap make a trainer lighter?
The cap itself is lighter, saving roughly 25 to 55 g per shoe compared with steel. But in our table, steel toe shoes averaged 495 g against 525 g for composite and 531 g for aluminium, because the upper and sole matter more.
Is safety shoe weight listed per shoe or per pair?
Usually per shoe at one stated size, often EU 42, but not always. A figure of 900 g or more for a trainer is probably the pair, and a figure over 1.5 kg is likely the boxed shipping weight.
How can I find the weight if the seller does not list it?
Ask the seller for the weight of one shoe in your size. If they cannot tell you, weigh one shoe at home on a kitchen scale with the insole and laces in, and do it before the returns window closes.
Xnexz PulseX and StrideX are S1P trainers, so they would sit in the puncture resistant group above, with an aluminium toe cap intended to save weight compared with a similar steel cap and a Kevlar puncture resistant midsole. We have kept them out of the table, because a fair comparison needs one per shoe figure at a stated size. If you would like that figure for your size before you buy, ask us and we will tell you plainly.
Ask Us The Weight In Your Size
If your workplace accepts S1P and you want a lighter feeling trainer for indoor work, try Xnexz in a real shift. Then tell us how the fit, comfort and weight feel, and what we should improve.
