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S1P vs S3 safety trainers

Updated: 16 October 2026

You have been told to buy S1P, and the loading dock is wet, or you have been told to buy S3 and the shift never leaves a dry aisle. S1P vs S3 safety trainers is that choice. Both classes share the same toecap test. S1P adds a penetration-resistant midsole and stops on a dry floor. S3 adds a water-resistant upper and a cleated outsole. If water is part of the job, S1P is the wrong class even when the title says water-resistant. The [women’s S1P safety shoes comparison](/hub/burglar-protection/women-s-s1p-safety-shoes) does not stock an S3 row. This page is from the Products Compared editorial team, using public UK guides to EN ISO 20345 and listings checked on 15 October 2026. We did not laboratory-test any pair. A qualifying purchase can earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

You have been told to buy S1P, and the loading dock is wet, or you have been told to buy S3 and the shift never leaves a dry aisle. S1P vs S3 safety trainers is that choice. Both classes share the same toecap test.

Our top picks

n/a Women's steel toe puncture-proof trainers

Best overall

n/a Women's steel toe puncture-proof trainers
8.5/10about £39.99
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n/a Unisex puncture-proof trainers with swivel buckle

Preis-Tipp

n/a Unisex puncture-proof trainers with swivel buckle
8.7/10about £29.99
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Black Hammer Black Hammer Betsy women's S1P SRC trainers

Rank 3

Black Hammer Black Hammer Betsy women's S1P SRC trainers
9.1/10about £36.90
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On this page
  1. 1.What stays the same
  2. 2.What S1P adds and what it leaves out
  3. 3.What S3, S3S and S7 change
  4. 4.Which one to buy

What stays the same

The toecap test does not change from S1P to S3. EN ISO 20345 uses a 200 joule impact and a 15 kN compression test. Neither code is safer at the toe by the letters alone. A shoe that only says steel toe has not shown you that test. Antistatic behaviour, inside the S1 package, is not electrical insulation. If the job needs insulation, a chemical boot, or an ankle boot, ask the site lead. UK retailers often summarise the penetration test as 1,100 newtons. That figure belongs to the midsole. A plain S2 shoe does not add it. HSE’s slip guidance treats laboratory floors as a buying clue, not as your warehouse resin.

What S1P adds and what it leaves out

S1 is the 200 joule toecap, a closed heel, antistatic behaviour, an energy-absorbing heel and a fuel-oil resistant outsole. The P adds a penetration-resistant midsole. There is no water-resistant upper. BS EN ISO 20345:2022 keeps S1P as a dry class and splits the insert: P for a metal midsole and a 4.5 mm nail, PL for a non-metal insert at 4.5 mm, and PS for a non-metal insert at 3 mm. S1PL and S1PS are not a spelling variant of S3S. Water-resistant in a title does not move a trainer to S3. The Black Hammer Betsy, model 9006, is the only listing that states women’s S1P SRC, header £36.90 with 4.2 stars from 84 reviews on 15 October 2026. That water-resistant word is not an S2, S3 or WR mark.
n/a Women's steel toe puncture-proof trainers

Testsieger

n/a Women's steel toe puncture-proof trainers
8.5/10about £39.99
View offer

What S3, S3S and S7 change

S2 adds resistance to water penetration and absorption in the upper, often called WPA. It does not add the midsole, and it is not a wellington. S3 adds that upper, the penetration-resistant midsole and a cleated outsole, for a wet floor that also has nails. A cleat can feel clumsy on a smooth aisle, which is why a dry warehouse does not automatically want S3. S3S is the 2022 package with a non-metal PS insert, the 3 mm nail, the water-resistant upper and the cleat. S6 is S2 plus full-shoe WR. S7 is S3 plus WR. HAIX’s UK FAQ also lists S7L and S7S. SRC on a 2011 shoe has not been banned. This comparison has no S3 row.

Which one to buy

Buy S1P when the floor stays dry and penetration is a real risk: pallet nails, strapping, offcuts. Buy S3, or a 2022 code with a water-resistant upper and a cleat, when water is part of the job. Buy S6 or S7 when you need full-shoe WR rather than splash resistance in the upper. The condition is the floor, not the price. In this set the only stated S1P title is the Betsy, and its water-resistant line does not make it S3. A dry shift, including driving, is on the warehouse page. If the site named a code and the floor disagrees, ask the site lead before you substitute.

Common questions

Is S1P waterproof?
No. S1P has no water-resistant upper. It is the dry class with a 200 joule toecap and a penetration-resistant midsole. A title that says water-resistant, including the Black Hammer Betsy, has not printed S2, S3 or WR. One person's review of a rainy shift is not the class. If water is part of the work, look at S3 or a WR code.
What does S3 add?
S3 adds a water-resistant upper and a cleated outsole on top of penetration resistance. The toecap test stays 200 joules and 15 kN, as with S1P. S2 already covers water penetration and absorption in the upper and does not add the midsole. S3 puts the midsole and the cleat with that upper. It is for a wet yard or dock where sharps are also a risk.
What is S3S?
S3S is a 2022 code: an S3 shoe with a non-metal PS insert, tested with a 3 mm nail, plus the water-resistant upper and the cleated sole. S1PS uses a similar insert and stays a dry class. The letters are not interchangeable. One S3S file was removed from this comparison. It is not among the ten kept rows.
When is S7 the relevant code?
S7 matters when you need S3 and full-shoe water resistance, marked WR. S6 is the parallel code for S2 plus WR, without treating the midsole as included. HAIX lists S7, S7L and S7S along those lines. A water-resistant sentence in an Amazon title is not an S7 mark, and this comparison does not include an S7 listing.
Does SRC still mean something on a 2011 shoe?
Yes. SRC is the 2011 mark for slip testing on both laboratory floors used then. The 2022 edition retires SRC and uses a basic slip test plus an optional SR mark. Stock still sold to EN ISO 20345:2011, including the Betsy's S1P SRC line, has not been withdrawn. Non-slip is neither code. A laboratory floor is not the floor you walk on.

Related pages

Buying guide

Women's S1P safety shoes 2026

Best women's S1P safety trainers: the class that counts

S1P safety trainers for warehouse women, dry floors

Women's safety trainer size chart UK: measure first

Sources

Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings in this comparison. Last checked 15 October 2026.

  1. HSE: slip-resistant footwear (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  2. HSE: PPE product safety and supply (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  3. HSE: PPE regulations from 6 April 2022 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  4. ITS: safety footwear codes under EN ISO 20345:2022 (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  5. Rock Fall: what a women's last means (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  6. uvex: Mondopoint safety footwear sizing (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  7. Black Hammer: Betsy 9006 safety trainers (retrieved 15 October 2026)
  8. legislation.gov.uk: SI 2022/8 PPE at Work amendment (retrieved 15 October 2026)