In partnership with BRUNT
Good work boots and good work pants usually force a trade. Pay up for a known name, or save money and replace cheap gear every few months. I wanted to find out whether BRUNT, a direct-to-consumer workwear brand built for the trades, could skip that trade-off without cutting corners.
BRUNT started in 2020, selling directly to workers rather than through a chain of retail middlemen. Eric Girouard built the company after years of working in blue-collar work, and the pitch is plain. Cut the markup, keep the quality, and charge less. The brand grew fast and now sells through hundreds of stores alongside its own site.
My starter kit came down to two pieces. The Ohman (Soft Toe) in brown, a 6-inch slip-on shop boot with no laces, and the Torra Pant in black, an everyday stretch work pant. Both lean on BRUNT’s own materials, from the CUSH’N insole and SWITCH-FIT width system in the boot to the two-way stretch and water-repellent finish in the pants.
Specs read well on any product page. What I cared about was the first morning I pulled on the boots, the first full day in the pants, and whether either piece earned a regular spot in the rotation.
Also, I’m not a full-time tradesman. Most of my work happens on weekends, split between a garage woodshop and whatever the house and yard throw at me, building, repairing, hauling, and the occasional muddy afternoon. My old routine was a cheap pair of big-box work boots that cracked or flattened out within a few months, so the bar I set for BRUNT was simple. Comfortable enough to wear all day, tough enough to last more than a season, easy to pull on for a quick job, and priced at a level I’d actually choose to replace them.
Highlights
- BRUNT started in 2020 as a direct-to-consumer workwear brand for the skilled trades, cutting out retail middlemen to keep quality gear affordable.
- The company is based in North Reading, Massachusetts, and was built by Eric Girouard, who came up through blue-collar work.
- BRUNT sells through its own site plus hundreds of authorized retailers, and names many of its products after real tradespeople who help test them.
- Every order comes with a 14-day risk-free, on-the-job trial, free shipping, and free exchanges, backed by tens of thousands of verified-buyer reviews.
- The Ohman (Soft Toe) is a 6-inch Chelsea-style slip-on work boot, with no laces, just elastic side gussets and a pull tab.
- The Ohman uses barnyard-resistant FARMGUARD leather and is water-resistant rather than waterproof, with a layered CUSH’N insole for all-day comfort.
- Its rubber outsole resists oil and slips, handles heat up to 572°F, carries electrical hazard (EH) protection, and meets ASTM F2892-24 standards.
- The BRUNT SWITCH-FIT system shifts the boot between a regular (D) and relaxed (EE) width by removing a grey insert under the insole.
- The Torra Pant is built from a lightweight 8.5 oz fabric (70% cotton, 28% nylon, 2% spandex) with two-way stretch, articulated knees, and a DWR water-repellent finish.
- The Torra adds a self-closing drop-in phone pocket, a reinforced tool-clip patch, deep slanted back pockets, and reinforced belt loops.
Why You Should Trust Us
Our mission is to help you make better, more informed purchase decisions.
Our team spends hours researching, consulting with medical experts, gathering insight from expert professionals, reviewing customer feedback, and analyzing products to provide you with the information you need.
Table of Contents
BRUNT Starter Kit Review
The starter kit is less a fixed bundle and more a pairing you build yourself, one boot and one pant. Mine focused on the two pieces a tradesperson tends to reach for first thing. What follows is a walk-through of how the kit arrived, how each piece held up in wear, the features BRUNT leans on, what the gear costs, and what thousands of other buyers report after living in it.
Unboxing and First Impressions
My kit arrived in the same box: the Ohman boots in their box and the Torra pants folded on top. Orders typically process within one to two business days, and shipping is free.
The brown leather looked close to what BRUNT shows online, a warm tan-brown rather than a dark chocolate, with clean stitching around the elastic gusset and the sole. The Torra came folded with its tags still on, a deep, flat black. What struck me first about the boot was how light it felt in hand for a leather work boot, and the pant fabric had a smooth, slightly stretchy feel instead of the stiff canvas I expected.
Wearing the Ohman (Soft Toe)
Let’s talk about the Ohman. It’s a 6-inch, Chelsea-style slip-on boot. There are no laces or speed hooks to mess with here; just a handy pull tab and elastic side panels that make sliding them on a total breeze. Weighing in at about 1 lb 9 oz in size 9, they definitely sit on the lighter end of the leather work-boot spectrum.
Honestly, the comfort is there from day one. There is no weird pinching across the top of your foot and no stiff heel to fight through. You can wear them through a full day of projects and completely forget about your feet. Underfoot, you get BRUNT’s CUSH’N insole, which features a nonstick top layer over odor-fighting memory foam. That setup is backed by a tough polyurethane midsole that easily outlasts the cheap EVA foam found in many other boots.
The convenience factor is the absolute winner here. Pull tab, foot in, done. It totally beats lacing up every time you need to run out to the garage or the yard. Plus, the soft toe keeps the overall weight down. For general shop or home projects, you honestly will not miss having a safety toe at all.
Let’s clear one thing up right now, though: the Ohman is water-resistant, not waterproof. While the FARMGUARD leather easily shakes off rain and mud, those handy elastic side panels will absolutely let water in if you step deep enough. A few buyers expected a totally sealed boot and were disappointed. If you’re working in a dry shop, a barn, or around the house, the easy slip-on design is a fantastic trade-off. However, if your job requires standing in deep puddles, this just isn’t the boot for you.
Wearing the Torra Pant
Let’s get into the Torra, which is basically BRUNT’s answer to the ultimate everyday work pant. It is crafted from a lightweight 8.5 oz blend of cotton, nylon, and just enough spandex to give you a really nice two-way stretch. Paired with the articulated knees, it means you can finally bend, crouch, and squat without your pants fighting back or dragging tight. They also treat the fabric with a DWR finish, so light rain will bead right off rather than soak through. Plus, BRUNT really nailed the practical touches: there is a self-closing drop-in pocket perfectly sized for a phone, a reinforced patch for your tool clip, deep slanted back pockets, and heavy-duty belt loops.
Now, we have to talk about the fit, because that is the one thing you need to know before buying. Across the board, the Torra runs slightly large, with many buyers finding it a bit baggy or roomy in the hips and legs. I went with my usual 38×32, and while the waist sat exactly where it should, the legs are definitely cut fully. In the photo, you can see how the fabric breaks and stacks a little over the boot. It is a relaxed look, certainly not sloppy, but if you are between sizes or simply prefer a cleaner, trimmer line, you should absolutely size the waist down.
Where these pants truly earn their keep, though, is in pure comfort. The stretch becomes super obvious the second you get to work; the fabric moves with you rather than pulling tightly across the knee. Because the material stays so light, it breathes incredibly well, meaning you will not feel like you are dragging around in heavy, suffocating canvas on a warm afternoon. They are just genuinely easy pants to wear all day.
Unique Features
1. BRUNT CUSH’N insole system
The boot’s insole is built in layers, a nonstick top sheet, a memory-foam middle for cushioning, and a softer bottom layer, finished with an anti-odor treatment. BRUNT designed it to carry the comfort load during long shifts when workers are on their feet for 10 or 12 hours.
2. SWITCH-FIT adjustable width
Every Ohman ships at a regular (D) width with a grey insert under the insole. Pull that insert out, and the boot opens up to a relaxed (EE) fit. One boot covers two widths, which takes some of the guesswork out of ordering online.
3. FARMGUARD leather
The upper uses BRUNT’s barnyard-resistant FARMGUARD leather, sourced from U.S. steer hides. It’s designed to keep out rain, mud, oil, and harsh chemicals found around livestock and job sites, which helps the boot last longer in rough conditions.
4. Slip-, oil-, and heat-resistant outsole with EH protection
The proprietary rubber outsole resists oil and slips, and holds up to heat up to 572°F. Electrical hazard (EH) protection guards against electric shock from accidental contact with live circuits, and the boot meets ASTM F2892-24 safety standards, as well as SATRA and Mark II non-slip testing.
5. Two-way stretch and articulated knees
The Torra’s fabric stretches in two directions, and the knees are pre-shaped to bend. Together they let the pant move with a worker through kneeling, climbing, and crouching instead of pulling tight at the worst moment.
6. Durable water repellent (DWR) finish
A DWR coating on the Torra lets water bead up and roll off the surface. It won’t survive a downpour the way a rain shell would, but for light rain, splashes, and damp mornings, it keeps the fabric from soaking through.
7. Built-in storage that stays out of the way
A self-closing drop-in pocket holds a phone without a flap or zipper, and a reinforced tool-clip patch provides a mounting point for a knife or tape measure without wearing a hole in the fabric. Deep slanted back pockets and reinforced belt loops finish the build.
How Much Does the BRUNT Starter Kit Cost?
BRUNT prices its gear below most legacy workwear names, which is the whole reason the brand exists. The starter kit isn’t a single SKU, you build it from a boot and a pant.
1. The Ohman (Soft Toe) – $144.99
- 6-inch slip-on, soft toe, brown (also black)
- Earns 144 loyalty points
- 14-day risk-free trial, free shipping and exchanges
2. The Torra Pant – $59.99
- 8.5 oz two-way stretch fabric, black (plus four other colors)
- Earns 59 loyalty points
- Same 14-day risk-free trial and free shipping
Bought separately, the two pieces run $204.98. Paired through BRUNT’s Build Your Own Bundle, they take an extra 10% off, which brings the kit to roughly $184.48.
What Do Customers Think?
BRUNT’s reviews come through verified-buyer programs on its own product pages, and the volume is real. The Ohman sits at 4.5 stars across more than 4,400 reviews, with 85% of buyers recommending it. The Torra Pant holds 4.6 stars across roughly 2,900 reviews, with 90% recommending it.
Comfort is the thread that runs through nearly every boot review, especially the slip-on convenience and the lack of a break-in period. One long-time tradesman wrote, “First pair of boots out of 37 years of construction that I could slip on and work all day with no pain.” Another kept it short, “Love the boot and I’m shocked by how comfortable it is 10/10 recommend.”
The honest reviews line up with the water-resistant caveat. A reviewer who works long shifts as a wastewater operator and firefighter put it this way, “They are not waterproof or really even resistant above the stretchy part, but beyond that I haven’t looked back.” That’s the right expectation to set.
The Torra Pant earns the same comfort praise, often from people who’ve worn the expensive brands. “I’ve owned all the nice brands, 5.11, Ariat, Carhart, Wrangler, Deluth and can honestly say these are more comfortable…overall extremely satisfied,” one verified buyer wrote. The sizing note shows up too, as in this review, “Absolutely the most comfortable feeling work pants I have ever used. However they do run on the baggy side.”
Is BRUNT Legit?
Yes, BRUNT is a legitimate workwear company. It has operated since 2020 out of North Reading, Massachusetts, sells through its own site and hundreds of authorized retailers, and backs its gear with a 14-day risk-free on-the-job trial and free exchanges. The boots carry real safety credentials, including EH protection and ASTM F2892-24 compliance, and the brand has tens of thousands of verified buyer reviews across its catalog rather than a handful of anonymous testimonials.
Is the BRUNT Starter Kit Worth It?
If you are a tradesperson who cares more about all-day comfort and keeping cash in your pocket than flexing a famous logo, pairing the Ohman boots with the Torra pants is honestly one of the easiest recommendations I can make. The Ohman’s slip-on design and ridiculously comfortable CUSH’N insole completely knock out the two worst parts of buying new work boots: the daily wrestling match with laces and that miserable break-in ache.
Meanwhile, the Torra pants deliver genuine stretch and incredibly smart pocket storage at a price that easily undercuts heavy hitters like Carhartt and 5.11. When you bundle them together for around $184, you are quite literally walking away with an entire setup for less than what some legacy brands charge for a single pair of boots.
Of course, we need to keep our expectations grounded with a few practical notes. The Ohman is water-resistant, not waterproof, so if your job involves standing in mud or deep water all day, you will definitely want to pivot to BRUNT’s waterproof lace-up models instead. You also need to remember that the Torra pants run slightly large, which is a super easy fix if you just size down at checkout. Finally, the gear is imported, which is something a few buyers like to keep in mind. Honestly, none of these points put a dent in the massive overall value you are getting here.
What absolutely seals the deal for me is BRUNT’s risk-free trial. You do not have to just take my word for it; you can actually put both the boots and the pants through real, grueling shifts before you fully commit, complete with free exchanges if the fit isn’t absolutely perfect right out of the box. Given how consistently the reviews for this kit land at solid 4- and 5-star ratings, it is pretty clear that most people who try this setup keep it in their daily rotation. After wearing it all myself, I am totally on the same page.
BRUNT Discounts and Promotions
Let’s talk about keeping some of that hard-earned cash in your wallet. If you are ready to pull the trigger on some BRUNT gear, they have a few really solid ways to help you save on your order:
- Build Your Own Bundle (BYOB). Pair any boot with any pant, and you will instantly knock an extra 10% off your total.
- New-Customer Offer. If you are new to BRUNT, just subscribe to their emails and you will score $5 off your first order of $100 or more.
- 14-Day Risk-Free Trial. This is the big one. You get two full weeks to actually test the gear on the job, complete with free shipping and free exchanges if the fit isn’t absolutely dialed in.
- Loyalty & Referral Perks. Every purchase earns you points toward future rewards (for example, you get 144 points for the Ohman and 59 for the Torra). Plus, you can stack up even more savings just by referring a buddy!
- Seasonal Promos. They run great timely deals throughout the year, like their recent Father’s Day promotion that threw in expedited shipping. Keep an eye out!
Where Can I Buy BRUNT?
BRUNT sells directly at bruntworkwear.com, where the full size and color range and the risk-free trial live. Since 2024, the brand has also expanded into hundreds of authorized retailers. The safest route is the official site or an authorized seller, since that’s where you’ll find the 14-day trial, free exchanges, and loyalty points.
FAQs
Are BRUNT boots safety rated?
Yes. BRUNT boots carry a range of ASTM ratings and are electrical hazard (EH) rated, slip- and oil-resistant, and built with high-heat-resistant outsoles rated to 572°F. The Ohman specifically meets ASTM F2892-24 standards.
Is the Ohman waterproof?
No, the Ohman is water-resistant rather than waterproof. Its FARMGUARD leather sheds rain and mud, but the elastic side gussets on the slip-on design can let water in if it’s deep enough. Buyers who need a sealed boot should look at BRUNT’s waterproof lace-up styles.
Does the Torra Pant run true to size?
The Torra reads as running slightly large, and many buyers describe a roomy or baggy fit through the hip and leg. Anyone between sizes or after a trimmer fit may want to size the waist down.
Where are BRUNT products made?
BRUNT designs its gear in Massachusetts, and its boots and apparel are imported. The brand points to its materials and construction standards, such as U.S. steer-hide leather and ASTM testing, as where the quality comes from.
How do I contact BRUNT?
Their support team answers by phone at (888) 719-6687, Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM ET, and there’s a live chat button on bruntworkwear.com for quick questions. You can also email through the contact link on the site, with replies usually landing within a day, or dig through the help center at help.bruntworkwear.com.
Check out similar brands you might like:
Ask the community or leave a comment
WRITE A REVIEWCustomer Reviews
Leave a review