I just bought some paraboots from an army surplus store and realized the toe cap and back of the heel were VERY hard. How do I tell if this is just solid think leather or steel inserts? I can't push the toe cap down at all. There isn't anything inside the boot in terms of information, just that there were made in '92.I just bought some paraboots from an army surplus store and realized the toe cap and back of the heel were VERY hard. How do I tell if this is just solid think leather or steel inserts? I can't push the toe cap down at all. There isn't anything inside the boot in terms of information, just that there were made in '92.

A magnet will let you know if they are steel toe or not.

Kick a glass fronted door at your school. If it shatters, the boots are steel capped

so since there's no info inside the boot, I'll take a hammer to it. No joke. My dad wears steel toed boots and to show me how hard they were he took a hammer to the toe. No damage. Very cool.