I was searching for a reason for the steel toes, and trail work logging is actually pretty smart.

While I personally wear trail runners, I know people that have weak ankles and who need the support. There are ways of getting around boots (high end ankle braces, using the double eyelets on trail runners) but it depends on the person. Personally I'm thinking of going back to hiking boots as I've started taking my children backpacking and usually get stuck with heavy packs.

If you are used to walking a lot in steel toed boots, it probably won't be too much for you, but there are other choices that could make easy hiking and light backpacking more enjoyable and allow you to cover farther distances.