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Boots - What do you want
Hi Guys,
As Travellers (not as enduro riders that call themselves ADV). ( Full disclosure I run a traveller accessory shop and have an idea: BUT) What do you want out of your boots? What do you use and why? What do like? What do you dislike? |
In approximate order of priority:
I want a boot with an upper that is stiff enough to prevent me from breaking my leg, even when I drop my fully loaded bike onto it. I also want a foot section that prevents breaking a foot should I happen to do something similar to it. Unfortunately, I'd also like it to be waterproof--don't seem to have worked that part out just yet. Failure to breath doesn't bother me, since I assume my feet will pickle and bake and accumulate stench regardless. And I sure would like a thermoformable liner like the kind I get for ski boots, so I can mold it to all my weird bulges, bunions and bone spurs. What I've ended up doing instead is cutting holes in my liners to allow wiggle room for this protrusion or that. It works, but kind've defeats the purpose. Oh: all that, plus lightweight and walkable. Yah, dream on. Mark |
I don't go off-roading, I generally stick to decent roads to get me from A to B. I have had a pair of AlpineStar Stage street boots for about the last 5 years. They have held up extremely well, and I would buy another pair.
They're nothing fancy, just decent sturdy black street boots with a Goretex liner. They are comfy while riding, are alright for walking off the bike, keep my feet warm and dry in cold or wet weather, yet aren't overly warm in hot weather. |
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-I have settled on a sturdy hi top hiking boot made by Meindl to fit my personal needs in a riding boot... The model I use is the Dovre.. -These boots are built on a mountaineering platform and are sturdier than a lot of the branded for dualsport riding boots out there.. They are 11" high so when I use shin guards they will tuck into the boot and give protection up past the knee.. They have a Goretex liner and are very waterproof for the first 1-2 yrs until the liner breaks down, after that they still perform a reasonable job at keeping your feet dry... On a lot of my rides I will also get off the bike and trek in the mountains so a DS or MX boot are totally unsuitable for my needs. - The only real downside is that the Miendl's are expensive, their cost is higher than a lot of riding boots... Then again, they are performing the role of 2 pair of boots... A bit of video: https://youtu.be/LXIjL-iUMGU |
On both of my trips I used different kinds of boots
I think you need a mix of support whilst you are riding to protect your feet and ankles, whilst also being comfortable, and you need the durability for them to be good for walking about in when you stop to visit place on your route. Having some kind of waterproofing is also good. On my trip to Thailand I use normal offroad (motocross) boots. Really great for on the bike especially when on the trails, with lots of protection and semi comfortable for wearing all day. They were not waterproof but i wore Seal Skinz to combat this. But they were rubbish when I was stopping off to visit places on my route and there was no give in them when walking. On my Balkans trip I wore the Forma Adventure boot. Again I found I them great on the bike, not as stiff as the motocross boots but still good ( I did test them when I came off). They are waterproof and worked well when I needed them. Walking around in them was good due to they way they developed the sole. Nothing really to dislike about these Wayne |
Thanks for you feedback everyone.
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Some day, Toby, you'll drop the sharp edge of a pannier onto your ankle--with all the weight of the bike behind it. Do this on a surface more solid than gooey mud, and you'll know why I wear motocross boots, not hikers.
There are other ways to break an ankle or tibia on a bike (which you can research as easily as I can), but that's the one I've had experience with. An alternative: continue to trust in your skills and your luck. I'm fine with that if you are. Mark |
I use Vanucci boots from louis.de
https://www.louis.eu/artikel/vanucci...3e7951bd4e07b5 I think I paid €150 when I got them over three years ago but they're still waterproof and still holding up (just exceptionally scuffed). They're good for walking moderate distances in and reasonable protection, however... DEAR LORD THEY NEVER DRY OUT. Even with waterproof boots eventually water will end up sluicing down my leg and when that happens it's at least a week of soggy feet. So yeah, if someone could invent a magic technology that could dry out motorcycle boots that would be fab. |
slowly but surely I switch exclusively to enduro mx boots from my adventure ones even for longer travels. Safety first as I like get off the pavement as much as it's possible. Unfortunately adventure boots don't protect your legs enough, the trade off is waterproof properties but I can live with that. There are ways to dry them fast. Our legs are at most risk on and off-road. Currently I use Gaerne SG12, very comfortable and bullet proof boots.
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I currently ride in Gaerne Gore-tex all terrain trials. Like them a lot (waterproof and cross continent comfort). Will soon be changing - my priorities will be:
Decent protection All day comfort Gortex Stiff enough soles to ride standing for hours at a time Sole with some grip Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk |
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Lots will depend on WHERE and HOW you ride, at what pace and whether your doing a lot of off road and how technical it is. Type of bike can be relevant too. Quote:
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Good foot box design and correct materials will protect your foot just fine without a Steel toe. I currently own 5 pairs of boots, Dainese street boots (too expensive) TCX ADV boots, Forma street boots, TCX GoreTex Infinity. ALL are pretty good doing longer walks, and that is a must for me. I raced off road enduro and have owned Sidi Crossfires. Great protection but, IMO, not practical for long range travel where you LIVE on your bike for months. I've crashed a few times on my TCX ADV boots and they protected well. Super stiff Motocross boots have a down side for twisting injuries. They prevent ankle moving much so the "Twist" goes up to your knee ... and if you don't have Knee Braces, your knee can pop out. This has happened to me more than once. Traveling, knee braces may not be practical for most. So, a bit of "give" in your boot may be preferred? I've WHACKED a few rocks in the Desert a few times, no pain with TCX ADV boots. Good knee pads are important to me too. They need to cover knee then extend down into BOOT TOP. This way, Tibia is really well protected. Tibia injury is one of the most common Some of my current favorite boots: https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...v-tourer-boots https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...dventure-boots https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...eep-rain-boots https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/tcx-baja-wp-boots https://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/...-drystar-boots |
I’ll clarify: I was posting in favor of motocross boots in preference to hikers. I was not taking a stand on hard vs. soft panniers.
My hard panniers have protected my legs in falls. I don’t know whether soft panniers would have done the same. Either way, that’s not the subject of this thread. Mark |
I like safety first since I like offroad riding. I like Alpinestar Tech 7 boots. They flex at the ankle level. For travel, buy one size bigger than normal, add gel insoles and don't overtight them. Setup that way, walking is not bad.
Patrick |
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Not much mentioned on injuries sustained by slips and falls while trying to walk somewhere in stiff MX boots or trying to muscle the bike over an obstacle and losing your footing... On one of my group rides we rode into and hiked a short trail to a waterfall, one of the guys in MX boots slipped on the rocks and fell into the river.. Fortunately 2 guys were close enough to help pull him out before he was washed down stream.. Even with a lug sole, MX boots provide feel similar to a ski boot for walking in... They work well for what they were designed for, MX racing.. I think the boots designed for Adventure riding will be more comfortable in the long run and work better for your average traveler... The same holds true in the hard VS soft bag debate, factor in your personal requirement of what you need from the luggage and what terrain you ride in.. I ran both types in the past, but after been bitten a few times on the back of the legs by the hard boxes I now have switched permanently to soft bags... For my type of riding a much safer choice.. |
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