Boots and gloves?

[Wheelie]

I am planning on buying boots and gloves for my GF for her B day.

There is a lack of choice for women specific boots and gloves, and especially so in Norway.

I am considering getting her the Sidi Adventure 2 boot in black (with the softer and less expensive Forma Adventure Hdry as a runner up... but it doesn't come in black, which she prefers). I have the Sidi myself, and they are awesome!

For gloves I am considering the Rev'it Sand 4 H2O. Her bike has heated grips and hand protectors. The mornings and evenings get quite chilly here even in summer, and it rain showers are frequent. She chills easily. A really warm summer day is 25C here. I don't expect the Sand H20 to be 100% waterproof at this price. Also the gauntlet is a bit short, so for long days in the wet, probably wouldn't cope well. But for shorter rides in the wet, I would think they would get her home without too much discomfort (rain pull over mittens for longer rides in the wet). I am thinking it could become her primary three season glove? Summer temps are usually between 15-25C, sometimes as low as 10 in the mornings, and seldom has high as 30. We were out riding yesterday on a bike without heated grips or wind protectors, at 10C - with her wearing short leather gloves, and at speeds below 50 kph - and her hands got cold fairly quick. I am also considering the sand 3 or 4 as a primary glove, and something else completely for the cold and wet (not sure if the Sand 4 H20 would be a bad all-rounder).

All this is gear designed for men. Is that a problem? Please advice.

European sizing for these items are the same for men and women in the EU, a 39 is a 39 for both genders (unlike in the US where shoe charts are completely different)

[Rapax]

Originally Posted by Wheelie

....
I am considering getting her the Sidi Adventure 2 boot in black (with the softer and less expensive Forma Adventure Hdry as a runner up... but it doesn't come in black, which she prefers). I have the Sidi myself, and they are awesome!

......

All this is gear designed for men. Is that a problem? Please advice.

European sizing for these items are the same for men and women in the EU, a 39 is a 39 for both genders (unlike in the US where shoe charts are completely different)

In length of the foot the sizing is comparable between woman/man but not always in width and wiggle room in the toe section. Brands who offer woman and men shoes differ between the sexes in that. Mens shoes are generally wider and give more space to the wiggle room. So a larger wiggle room can create less foothold and a slide through to the top for your GF!?

Shoes for activies e.g. for hiking, mountain climbing and in motorcycle riding (Street vs. Off Road!) consider the aspects of foot movements in the shoe. (If you ever wandered with non fitting shoes, you`ll understand what I mean).

Sport Brands technically fit their shoes inside/ouside to that needs of safetyness and comfort. This can/will have an influence to the shoe size in length and width you need for a correct fit!

Also you should take notice what kind of socks is your GF normally wearing when riding?
Does she like to wear thicker and warmer ones if the weather is maybe unstable?
If yes she needs to try with both kind of socks to check and evaluate correct fit and comfort to avoid problems.

Regarding the Sidi Adventure just a question of style:
Does your GF like to wear the trouser over or in the boots?
If over the trouser: Does her trouser(s) fit over the Sidi?



I am very picky and ambitious about the fitting of my shoes in general because I know an uncorrect fit will stress and bother me all the day. But maybe your blessed with a GF like mine who always giggles about me incl. a missing sympathy when I buy shoes.

hth

[backofbeyond]

No idea about gloves as my wife's ones were a lucky find in a dealer's bargain bin but when it comes to the rest of the stuff women do seem to be badly served. The trouble we had about five or six years ago when we were trying to buy boots, jacket, crash helmet etc just amazed me. Dealer after dealer either had nothing specifically for women, or a small section down in the corner or said 'yeah, yeah, it's all the same, just pick it off the men's rail'. And in fact most jackets were just men's ones with a pink stripe added.

I think we visited all the dealers within about 25 miles and got nothing. We gave up with bike specific boots in the end and she bought some hiking boots instead. We eventually found a female fit jacket in a huge store about 100 miles away. It's the complete reversal of the fashion world where it's all women's stuff with the male section tucked away next to the toilets (= my local M&S).

[Wheelie]

So what do women do if they want adventure/offroad boots? Wearing hiking boots or softer touring boots is a no go, as is MX boots. The Sidi are quite narrow fti 5hough...

As for jacket and pants, we found an inexpensive brand in Sweden that tailor fit jackets and pants (made in Pakistan). Selected a model and had each garment tailored to 40 USD extra per piece. The entire stock was at 30-50% discount and inexpensive to begin with. A ton of measurements delivered online. Now waiting for delivery. Time will show how it turns out (no returns). Only down side was that they did not offer hip protectors (only thin padding). She will probably have that retrofitted if possible (I have lots of gear that can be used as donors).

As for pants and jackets, a lot of brands have gone beyond "pink'em and shrink'em". Still, women's shapes vary so much... And, my GF, she doesn't want her gear to be tricked out with flowers, pink, etc. That means that the women's Forma Adventure is a no go.

[brclarke]

Just MHO, but I recommend getting her a gift card for whatever local place you prefer for buying moto gear. Let her pick out her own gear and offer to go along to give advice. Trying to guess sizes and preferences for someone else's clothing is never a winning proposal.

Whatever you do, I hope the two of you have many fun motorcycle journeys together!

[Wheelie]

I got her the Sidi Adventure 2 after reading an article where several women had found it to fit perfect (she likes mine, so the looks is safe). There really is nothing in this segment tailored for women. I'll let you know how it goes.

As for gloves, I am undecided.

Any recommendations for a three season glove without insulation on the palm? It does not have to be waterproof. I've just ordered the Rev'it Sand 4 H20 for myself, but can't really tell from reviews it's versatility.

[Flipflop]

IMHO sizing and fit is too personal to ask advice - everyone is different and clothes need to be tried on.
Do you have a motorcycle clothing superstore near you?
If so how about getting her a voucher, then you can go together and she can try on all the different clothing and sizes and you can offer an opinion.