My husband just called from a thrift shop to ask what size shoe our son wears. Apparently he found a pair of Caterpillar boots that look brand-new and he wanted to pick them up. I explained that you cannot buy this type of footwear used because you don’t know if the boots have been in an accident. It is kind of like a child safety seat for the car. Even a minor accident can reduce the strength of the boots. Why risk our son’s feet to save a few bucks? It is just not worth the risk in this situation. We will spend the extra money to get him a new pair that we know will protect his feet.