Advise please on boots.

[banjoboy]

When I compare myself to many of you on this forum, I know I've ridden far fewer miles on my NT--about 9000 miles this past year. The boot that I wear is an REI gortex hiking boot, over the ankle. This boot gives me plenty of support and is waterproof (at least on the inside, the outside can get soaked). It also gives me fair 'traction' when I'm backing the bike out of the garage or into a parking spot. It's also fairly comfortable when I get off the bike and walk around. Yet, most of the pictures of folks I see are wearing boots dedicated to being on a motorcycle--sidis, Joe Rockets, etc. What are the advantages of having a dedicated motorcycle boot and do you feel you can walk around easily once you're off the bike?

Terry

 

[Bear]

Terry,
I have been very happy with the Joe Rocket Meteor boot. Another boot to consider is made by Tourmaster. Either one would be a good choice. Both claim to be waterproof--they really are not--but I can live with that.

I used to live in the Tacoma area many years ago when I was stationed at Ft. Lewis. The Tourmaster boots would be my reccomendation. Ride Safe

 

[lcseds]

I wear Worx or Bates side zip safety boots. The Bates are Gore-tex. These are multipurpose (work and bike) for me and don't look like motorcycle specific boots. As long as the ankle is covered with a decent leather material, I wouldn't give it too much thought. You are way ahead of most in saving your feet.

 

[RedLdr1]

I wear Worx or Bates side zip safety boots. The Bates are Gore-tex. These are multipurpose (work and bike) for me and don't look like motorcycle specific boots. As long as the ankle is covered with a decent leather material, I wouldn't give it too much thought. You are way ahead of most in saving your feet.

+1 on the Bates side zip boots... Decent riding footwear I can still walk in is top priority for me...having it being readily available locally and reasonably priced is another...

 

[docta]

We have had better than average success with Tourmaster Response boots here at the Retirement Home.......they've proven to be comfortable, water proof, OK for walking when off the bike and are low-cost at just over a hundred bucks......over the years, we have also liked Red Wing and Wolverine......
Always ride safely and keep your airspeed under control.

TW

 

[bankerbob]

I have been using First Gear side zip boots. Sizing is perfect, they are waterproof as well as confortable on and off the bike.
Bankerbob

 

[Chuck 500]

I have a good pair of REI hiking boot which I love, for hiking. When I started riding, I used them because of the leather and the requirement for over the ankle boots for the training. I stopped wearing them when i noticed that the gear shift was beginning to tear up the toe box. Also, I had read, by then, that boot laces can get hung up in things you don't want them in. I bought a pair of Alpinestars Ridges because ai liked the fit and the price was reasonable. I think they were in the $100 - $120 range. They not the best for walking but no worse than cowboy boots. I have had two bikes fall on them with no damage to boot, ankle or bike. Also, they have proven to be waterproof as advertised. On trick is to keep water out of the top. Boot top covered by waterproof suit liner has worked in rides of several hours in the rain.

I hope this helps to

Keep the shiny side up,

Chuck

 

[Phil Tarman]

I'm wearing TCX X-5 Gore-Tex boots. They replaced the almost identical boot, which had been branded Oxstar. Same boot (almost). I wore the Oxstar pair for 100,000 miles and never got wet feet. They were comfortable the day I bought them and comfortable the day I replaced them with the TCX version.

I wouldn't have replaced them, except for the fact that I almost always manage to collapse the heel cup so that the center of my heel is on the inside of the boot. It had gotten so far inside that I couldn't manage to hit the side-stand tang.

They're not the cheapest boot (about $230) but they sure have worked well, including the time I totaled my Concours.

 

[elizilla]

I have dropped a bike on my foot and was glad I was wearing heavily armored boots. I like boots with articulated plate armor at the ankles, because any boot that doesn't have such armor, isn't going to be protective unless it's super stiff, and I like being able to flex my ankle.

I put high quality aftermarket insoles into all my boots, to customize the fit. The results are very comfortable.

 

[Lorien]

I have no idea why but I found these advertised in Cycle World the other day and find myself interested. Guess its the matching color to my NT.

http://www.alpinestars.com/shop/categories/moto/footwear/touringroad-riding/miglia-shoes/

Never seen or found a pair but they sure sound good..

 

[karl]

One of the things you notice at an accident scene are shoes laying about. having dedicated gear that stays with you in a crash will give you some protection. Other considerations should follow. I often wear lace up work boots when I ride to work. They provide less ankle protection but should stay on in an incident. Unlike driving shoes all the bike boots have worked fine for walking around after break in like most other boots.

 

[banjoboy]

Thanks guys and gals. I think I'll go and find a pair of boots. I understand that I probably need to try them on at a dealer as apparently the sizes differ from brand to brand.

Terry

 

[Warren]

One of the things you notice at an accident scene are shoes laying about. having dedicated gear that stays with you in a crash will give you some protection. Other considerations should follow. I often wear lace up work boots when I ride to work. They provide less ankle protection but should stay on in an incident. Unlike driving shoes all the bike boots have worked fine for walking around after break in like most other boots.

The same happens with gloves. They can get flung off pretty easily. Most motorcycle specific gloves have a means to prevent this with some sort of tightener at the wrist.

 

[charlie b]

I've had a lot of people disagree about boots and the protection they offer. Another rider who was also an EMT said that it didn't matter if zippers or laces, as long as they were covered by a flap of leather. Both will come undone once scraped on pavement.

But, I wear side zippers on work boots so you can do what you want.

I may try a pair of motorcycle boots when these wear out.

 

[ferrous2]

I have Sidi Canyon boots. They are expensive but worth it to me. Most important is that you get a boot that fits and is comfortable. I don't know about anyone else but no matter the cost, if I'm not comfortable wearing it, chances are I wont even bother putting it on after a little while.

Pete

 

[Rob]

i recently purchased these, to replace my hiking boots. they aren't as tall as others, but still cover the ankle and are very heavily armored. they've been fine to walk around in, but i might add something to line the bottom of the inside for a little extra cushioning. note that these are a very stiff boot. i'm pretty confident a car could dirve over my foot and i'd be ok with these. a bit thick to fit under the shifter, i tend to shift more on the side of the boot, getting the toes only halfwway under the shifter rather than fully. think i paid $130 for them at motorcycle superstore.

edit to say these are not waterproof...they let air in, which i wanted for summer riding. there is some mesh that lets them breathe a bit. my feet tend to get very warm very easily, so the airflow was important to me for comfort. i'll probably get another riding boot for colder weather, but we'll see!

 

[Ed in Miami]

I just got a pair of BMW Allrounds, and I very impressed with them right out of the box. They are a little pricey at $235, but are re-soleable.

 

[taldric]

Resurrecting another older discussion...

I'm in need of new boots. I have been using a pair of Forma boots that I bought at the Seattle Motorcycle show in Dec 2010. So only a bit over a year of riding, and about 10,000 miles. The leather on top of the foot is cracking and splitting terribly! I rode out to Rich's last week and ended up with wet feet. I am very disappointed in these boots.

Before I buy new boots though, I want to ask about care for the leather. I am seriously considering the TCX X-5 boot, but what do you all do to care for the leather parts of your biking boots, especially the boots that end up being used in wet and cold conditions?

 

[karl]

These will be my next buy: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/tour-master-solution-20-wp-boots

I have the old SC style now and am very happy with them. Don't like the new style and will get the taller boot next time. They worked very well for me in the wet. For the cold you need to look at the right socks.

 

[larrylarry75]

When it comes to boot selection you'll go blind! For some interesting reviews and evaluations I'd recommend taking a look at what's on the webbikeworld site, they're usually accurate and get lots of feedback from riders. http://www.webbikeworld.com/

Also don't overlook ADVrider as a source of information and possible good buys. You'll have to join - very simple, free, and no follow-up hassles before you can access the "garage sale" thread. It's well worth it. http://www.advrider.com/forums/

I've tried lots of dedicated bike boots and the longest lasting were BMW's regular no-frills touring boots. Sadly I had to abandon them along the way home last year as the soles had finally worn out. I stopped at a shoe repair shop in Denver to see about having them resoled but they had a week long waiting list so that was their death knell. Later that day I picked up a pair of Danner's hiking boots with really sticky soles and they've been pretty good. Once home I stopped at the BMW dealer in Eugene and bought another pair like my original ones but to be honest I don't think they're as well made as the first pair.

One piece of advice, if you decide to deal with on-line stores be sure you get a very clear understanding of their return policy, some of them are great while others can be pretty stubborn. Bottom line, buy the best quality boots you can afford, you'll be happy knowing your feet and ankles are protected.

Best,

LL75