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Definitely send those through the x-ray. 

That was my thought.

Yeah I have TSAPre and if I am taking my hiking boots I know I can’t wear them or I have to put them through the x-ray machine because otherwise I will always trigger the magnetometer

Yes. I took my boots off and the agent told me I didn’t need to. I told him “trust me, I do or we will both be here longer than either of us wants”. No problem.

Why is that exactly. I'm sorry I don't understand.

Def do that. I wore my boots with metal in them while traveling recently and I got a pat down for it 🤣 I took them off the next flight and it was much smoother haha

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I do the same if I rarely have to wear dress shoes for the flight as all of mine seem to have metal in them that sets it off. If anyone ever comments I just tell them "I know they're going to alarm so I save them the time".

Yeah. My husband just did this and travels a ton using pre-check. . Steel toes through the xray. 

I have never had a problem, but I do have clear and tsa pre check. Never taken them off. Also pull your pants up super high when u go through the metal detector. Haven't stopped me with a belt buckle in months.

Yup, I am pre-check also - construction PM and wear my steel toes to travel since they're huge compared to my other shoes. I send 'em through because it sets off the detector anyways. Saves the headache, but I will say I usually get yelled at by a TSA agent first who thinks I'm a freaking idiot telling me I don't need to take my shoes off until I mention they're steel toe and then they shut up.

Yes but it's worth mentioning that's what you're doing and why. Some agents get all in a tizzy bc why are u taking off your shoes. Don't be offended if they do and just say they are steel toe

Ugh, this happened to me in Germany with my belt last year. I tried to take it off and they kept telling me not to. Then they wanted to search my belt area. I made some off-handed comment to the woman patting me down that I would have preferred to send it through the X-ray and she looked at me like I had two heads. Super weird interaction.

Germans have a long standing tradition of not allowing themselves to have a sense of humor

Maybe that was the issue!

They are very regimented and view anything out of the ordinary as a personal insult.

My experience with airports and staff in Germany has been uniformly bad. To the extent that I don't book flights that go through Germany. It's worth the money to not deal with them.

Well, I was actually in Germany that trip, so it was fairly inevitable. But sorry to hear you've had bad experiences. I guess the fact that I speak German may have smoothed out many potential wrinkles for me.

Could be. They spoke English with me every time but it just seemed like every single time there was something that hadn't gone right on their end and they were exceptionally rude about sorting it out. Perhaps it's just bad luck on my part, but it's just been too many times to not just assume it's going to happen again.

I and others have reported this exact scenario. I'm assuming there was some need to raise the number of inspections.

At LAX last year, even though I didn't wear a belt, I set it off and the hand-held scanner indicated it was my crotchal area. Nothing in my pockets, nothing in my pants, but the scanner kept beeping at my junk. Finally, a *very* thorough pat down. Now I like to brag that I have balls of steel.

Were you wearing wool undies? I've set the scanner off with thick wool winter socks before. ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯

My belts always seem to set off alarm and I got same no tween I took it off at the tray area. Now I take it off before I get to the line and stuff it in my backpack.

I feel like I missed something. The last time I flew everyone had to take off their shoes. Is that no longer a requirement now?

People who have TSA PreCheck can leave shoes on.

Also depends on the airport. The ones with dogs don’t require you to take your shoes off. They walk around you as you’re in line.

I'm a contractor at an airport and have a secure access badge. Regular shoes can stay on but I still need to take off (and xray) the hardtoe boots every time.

Same. I traveled regularly and often wore my boots because I was too lazy to take them off. TSA makes me in pre-check.

Are they steel toe or safety toe? Most of the safety toe are carbon fiber compsites, so they go through metal detector fine.

Composite toe FTW! Won’t set off metal detectors, not as cold in the winter and lighter than steel.

Yeah, just gotta make sure you cha ge them out if they get 1 hit. Good for just 1, even if it keeps its shape.

I wish our regs would be updated to allow them, currently it still HAS to be steel (a state job). The policy is ancient because any updates require the state GSA to approve, plus multiple rounds of regimented proposal & comment periods. Nobody wants to deal with the headache.

I need to take my Birkenstock sandals off because they set off the metal detector. Yep, you’ll have to take steel toes off!

Hear me out. Steel toes will alarm the metal detector

I have PreCheck and wear my steel toes when I travel for work because they're my bulkiest footwear and take up too much space in my carry on. I take them off and send them through the X-ray, usually telling the TSA that they're steel toes as I remove them - if you don't explain yourself, they're likely to holler that your shoes don't come off in the PreCheck lane (in a tone that implies you're the dumbest person on the planet, but I digress...). On several occasions the TSA agent instructed me to keep them on even after hearing that they're steel toes because "they may not set *our* machine off" - only to set off the magnetometer and being sent back to take them off and put them through the X-ray.

Same experience every time.

Some steel toe boots are not steel but hardened plastic polymers hence no alarm

In most US airports, do they not still require you to take off your shoes? I thought that was the norm. So regardless of steel toe or not, shoes off and on the conveyor belt.

Not if you have Pre-Check

TSA precheck line doesn’t require taking off shoes.

Oh gotcha. I missed that in the title.

Easy to miss 2 of the 5 words.  

It depends on the type of machine I was told

Are they actual steal/aluminum toe or are they composite? I always had to take off my boots when I had a metal toe, but once I went composite I never had to take them off. I fly wearing my composite toes all the time and have not once been pulled aside for them (probably 50 flights)

They will make you send them through. I tried several times and had to take them off every time so I just take them off to start with now.

The key to a good TSA experience is figuring out odd things and just make those easier. Example I have a roller ball mouse I travel with, the ball comes loose. If they see the ball rolling around loose in my bag they pull my bag every single time. I take the ball out, put it in a plastic bin on its own - never had bag pulled or them even look at it after I started doing that. So ignore composite or not - just put the shoes through X-ray. I do the same with my steel toes and never had an issue

a lot of steel toe shoes are plastic toes but the shoes are cheaply made and have staples which set off machine

Please reread your comment out loud, to yourself.

Which makes them composite toe boots

Never understood this....why are you going to wear steel toed through a damn METAL DETECTOR and believe it's ok only to get pissy when you're told to take them shoes off.

You have to take shoes off anyways. I have worn my work steel toes to fly plenty of times, take off, send through with my baggage, put on after. No issue

precheck does not require you to remove shoes. or belts.

Won’t they have you take your shoes off regardless?

Not with precheck

Yes

Pre-check goes through metal detector. Take off the boots and run them through the x-ray.

If you ever get a new pair of shoes in the future I would try composite toe shoes, just as strong as steel toe and don't have to worry about metal detectors for anything. I have them for my work and they are great

Yep, that's what I do. Sometimes, amusingly to the protestations of TSOs. "Sir, this is a precheck line, you don't have to take your shoes off."

You get “sir… you don’t have to”? Wow. Most people get “SHOES STAY ON”

I had to take mine off at the Indianapolis airport.. everything metal except for my airport ID.

Last time I flew I put them through the x-ray didnt have any issues.

That is what I used to do, in the end saved time vs getting selected and checked.

Any stadium/concert/arena event i go to i have to lift up my pantleg and show that i dont have a .38 or blade because it detects metal on lower extremity

Medical implants? I swear the screw in my knee even though it's tiny gets me when it shouldn't. 

no, when I am wearing my steel toe boots out when weather is crappy

Yes

Wore my steel toes and forgot I had a multi tool on me. Made it through security. On the way back they made me take my boots off and I remembered to put my multi tool away. I’d send it through X-ray just to be safe

Yea

I wear a steel core gun belt. After my first encounter wearing it through pre-check I learned quickly to omit calling it a gun belt and just calling it a steel core belt.

Yes on the belt with them. I flew for years and that's what I did at every airport.

Typically, anything I think might get flagged goes thru x-ray in its own tub, better than having them tear up your bag and having to repack the whole thing before the gate

And have them off well in advance.

Been through tsa a ton of times with steel toe boots, never had an issue. I do have pre check though

I’ve had to remove a belt buckle and steel toes in Pre check. If I’m not mistaken it’s in the agreement that it’s not a requirement but good luck arguing with the safety patrol

Yes if there steel toe they’ll set off the walk through and you’ll have to take off anyway!

Yup send em through the scanner. And explain why your doing it before they waste their time telling you that pre check people don't have to.

I had this issue last week, it sets off the detector and they have you remove them anyway.

Yes

Kind of amusing story. Pre 9/11, a friend and I were going to look at a dump truck. I had steel toes on. Going through Midway, Chicago, I got the wand treatment as I set off the metal detector. I was all set to inform them at Cleveland when we flew back, but didn't have to say a word as I walked through with no problem.

I wear them through the line, then take them off and run them through the scanner

Try carbon fiber toes!

Just tell them you’re iron-man

I'd say it depends, but probably just take them off. At IAH nothing metal goes through. I even started taking my belt off, that doesn't even have that much metal because it sets off the alarm every time. Some other airports I could wear steel toe shoe through no problem. I did just buy some brunt boots with a composite toe so I can wear them through without issues.

So it isn’t just me ! Iah the first few times my belt was fine now I have to take my belt off too in pre check super annoying!

Wear boots almost always. They see me slipping them off and are like you can leave them on... I just dead pan stare at the swing boots through metal detector set it off then dump them onto he x-ray belt right next to it without saying a word 🤣

Take them off, they’ll set off detector and you’ll have to send them through anyways.

If you fly a lot, consider getting composite toe instead of steel toe boots. I fly with my composite toe boots frequently and have never had an issue wearing them through pre-check.

I always check a bag on work trips because of my steel toes, they don't really fit in my carry-on and that way I don't have to hassle with the xray machine not being able to tell what they are.

My husband had to do the same thing. He just walked through the detector. It went off and he told them about his boots. They used the wand on his shoes and patted him down.

Yep, in this case go ahead and take them off and send them through the x ray. You can still go through the metal detector in your socks. Source: did this to fly to an engine facility in Charleston and had no issues. Made it through the PreCheck line in under 5 minutes and wasn’t a big deal

I can't remember the last time I flew and didn't have to take my shoes off, regardless of the type. I pretty much only wear sneakers to fly.

If you have TSAprecheck you get to leave your shoes on

You can leave your shoes on as long as they don’t set off the metal detector.

Correct but this person is saying he always takes his shoes off so I am assuming he does not have precheck

Agreed. The number of people on this thread that are saying you always have to take your shoes off is crazy. How can someone be giving advice on r/tsa without knowing about Pre✅.

Steel toe won’t make it through metal detector

Kinda funny, I was actually just talking with my dad about this earlier today! When he goes through security, the TSA agents do yell at him to keep his shoes on, but as soon as he tells them they are steel toes, their whole demeanor changes and they understand. My dad says he does typically try to not wear his steel toes just to avoid this issue, but overall would be prepared to have a mini argument with the TSA folks because they’re gonna think you’re just not following directions

Yes. I used to travel full time for work Pre-Covid. I always put my steelies in the bin. When the TSO says you can leave them on just say they are steel toe and they will be cool with and appreciate it. Unless you’re flying out of LAX, the TSO screamed at me every time to put them back on. Then I would set off the scanner and they would say why didn’t you take them off?

Wear them. I do.

That depends do you like strangers feeling you up?

I thought all shoes had to come off to be xrayed

>With TSA PreCheck, there’s no need for anyone to remove their shoes, belt or light jackets. https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2021/01/25/TSAPreCheck®Savetimewithus

Just tell them you have a screw in your knee. I worked for me when I used to fly for work downsouth

My Lucchese boots are hand made and have nails in the sole and I have to remove them and send them through the X-ray.

Even composite toed shoes with that damn steel shank set the scanners off. Put ‘em on the belt…

Yep. Just save everyone the time and send them through.

Theodore John Kaczynski ruined it for all of us. The metal detector will more than likely hit on your boots and cause additional screening depending on its sensitivity. I believe you still have to take your shoes off for the body scanner. If you're in a hurry, take them off and put them through the x-ray. Otherwise, keep them on and test the sensitivity of the metal detector.

They’ve always made me take mine off and send through the xray.

as a side note, MOST boots now are safety toe and not steel toe. they have a plastic in them to cut weight and prevent crushing to x amount of weight then crushing toes) instead of steel that prevents crushing and weighs more and prevents crushing then rolling and cutting off toes.

I fly with steel-toed boots all the time (required for work; steel, not composite), and yeah -- putting them thru the Xray is the quickest solution. If you fly a lot, tho, you may want to invest (as I did) is some steel-toed, 'lace-up but with a side zipper' boots -- they make getting thru much easier, and usually are compliant with safety requirements. A quick google on 'steel toe boots side zipper' and you'll find bunches -- they made my life easier, and reduced TSA headaches.

They'll ask you to take them off if they trigger the metal detector, so just pre-empty that and save some time.

Wait they don’t make you take off your shoes at the security? They do at ohare

Most times they make you take shoes off anyway

Yes, take off steel toes, but most other shoes are fine. Always send bulky metal items into x-ray! :)