Keep the model while comparing the color
Brown 9.5 and Black 9.5 are both listed without a width suffix. Before choosing by appearance, check what the seller has actually selected for width and whether both offers correspond to the same Pit Boss construction. Color alone is not evidence of another sole or a differently shaped protective cap.
Understanding the structural feature
Timberland lists a contoured shock-diffusion plate in the Pit Boss description. That is a structural-support detail, not a claim of underfoot puncture resistance. Endurance is the related family whose documented plate specifically addresses puncture resistance. If that protection is required, use the distinction to change the shortlist rather than treating every internal plate as equivalent.
The neighboring sizes answer different questions
Wheat size 9 is shorter by its label; Brown 10.5 is longer. They can show available purchase routes, but neither should replace 9.5 just to obtain a sale or preferred color. If the concern is side restriction with enough toe length, investigate the required width at 9.5 rather than jumping to 10.5.
The brown finish may suit the uniform or how you prefer the boot to look after use. It cannot determine the grip on a contaminated floor or make the boot waterproof. Those questions belong to the exact model’s technical information and the workplace assessment, even when a previous brown Pit Boss seemed satisfactory.