I've got some A'stars Vectors. They're really comfy, although they don't feel *quite* as protective as the Tech series ones I had before. Very light though, with trainer-style rubber soles. Lots of armour, but nice 'n flexy too.

I'm an happy & proud owner of a pair of "vendramini capetown"
This is the link to see the boots: http://www.vendramini.com/dynamic/en...d=34&offset=4&

If it doesn't work try www.vedramini.com and in the off road section look for "Capetown"
I found it very strong and dry ever under the most incredible rain.
Max

I've got the Oxtar Matrix boots. For street and fire road riding, I like them very much. They are soft leather and have nice grippy soles for wet street conditions. I like the shin and ankle armor they have as well. So far after only a couple thousand miles they are quite waterproof too. Very comfortable to walk around in.

I would not want to wear these in rocky or tree-stump ridden conditions, they won't have nearly the impact and torsion resistance that MX boots have. I'm buying some proper MX or MX-crossover boots before I get into more serious dirt work. The SIDI Discovery boots are one pair that caught my eye for that as well as the Aerostich Combat Touring boots, either will provide much more ankle support and armoring than the Oxtar Matrix will.

[This message has been edited by Kingsqueak (edited 24 December 2003).]

I've been wearing ROCKY Alpha police type boots, after trying the few touring type 'real' motorcycle boots in my size. (US 14)
The Rocky Alphas are inexpensive.....VERY comfortable, feel pretty good on the pegs, and great to walk in. They're easy to find in the US, and they have 5-6 variations of the same boot. (Waterproof, not waterproof, side-zipper, height,etc)
They are somewhat breathable...probably not worth a durn in cold,wet, weather.
(HAven't tried the waterproof version)
I do want to try the CTB, or the new laceup boot from Cruiserworks
http://www.cruiserworks.com/products...mando%20anchor

eventually. I've got strange, large feet....so a lot of 'slipon' boots are hard to put on, and don't fit well. I do like lace ups...
Here's a link to an example of the Rocky....but they're easy to find on the net...
http://www.buyemp.com/dept.asp?dept_id=1111405

Oh yeah, if you're wearing short 'work' or 'hiking' type boots, that don't extend much above the ankle, you may want to look at the link below.
Warning!!! It is very graphic!! From an emergency room Doc. The rider was wearing 'hiking boots' on his bike in a mishap.
http://gogetemgear.hypermart.net/medical/ankle2.jpg

[This message has been edited by PeteSC (edited 30 December 2003).]

Riding with a pair of Sidi Discovery boots since November. They are the best in my opinion. They work great going from street to dirt. They are also water proof and breathable. There was almost no break-in, only a week max, and they are simple when it comes to putting them on or removing them. Good luck on your choices

Ive a pair of sidi mx boots which make me walk like a robot off bike but Ive crashed in them many times trail riding with the bike foot peg landing on my legs after 5ft of air and they've not touched my legs, however i find in light spills it strains your knee as your leg movement is restricted(yes i'm sat here with a sore knee!).

anyway I'm on the lookout for road riding boots for a AT or BMW and found an add for canadian combats. Anyone know how they are and what the ankle protection is like as there expensive and tailor made thus don't want to waste alot of money on a regular boot which I could buy over the counter like CAT boots etc..

I don't know what the Canadian ones are like, but I'm a real fan of the German Para boots. There are several versions available, but mine are constructed of extremely thick leather, with stiff padding on the ankles. Very protective boots that I can walk in for miles.

Have you called into USMC in Elm Grove in Portsmouth? The have a very wide range of high-leg military boots, and the Canadian ones might well be one of the ones they stock. Unfortunately the German boots they have are made of thinner leather, have a different sole, and have steel rather than fibre toe caps. I'm not a fan of steel toe caps; I've heard stories of toes being severed as the sole bends in an accident. I assume this would only happen if the sole was overly flexible.

My main bike boots are British Para boots with the upper and shin guard from a pair of Frank Thomas "Rough Riders" (Remember them? Terrible!) sown on. I've never been able to afford proper bike boots. The British boots aren't a patch on the German ones, so I'm going to sow the FT uppers onto those, even though I like using them as light bike boots/heavy walking boots. Good luck in your search!

Stig

[This message has been edited by LordStig (edited 10 February 2004).]

I've been intrigued by the Discoveries for some time. I've using Kalahari boots and have found them very effective in many types of weather conditions.

more at: http://pages.videotron.com/mcrides/p...hari-boots.htm


Bruno
Montreal, Canada
CBR 929
http://pages.infinit.net/mcrides/

A couple of things worth noting:

- I have had the SIDI combat touring boots for almost two years and I would say they aren't broken in even yet. Also, not especially waterproof, and their soles -- though very abrasion resistant -- have very little grip. Very treacherous in the ice and wet.

- Steel-toed boots are helpful for shifting, but the steel can be folded back over onto your toes in a crash and cause serious injury (as in broken or severed toes, depending on the design). A patch of plastic, rubber, or leather on the toe gives more feel in shifting anyway.

- As mentioned before, laces are very risky on a motorcycle boot. If at some point you need to get away from your bike (which you should if going down at speed), anything that can keep you associated with that soon-to-be 700+lb metal and plastic projectile is a bad thing.

There are lots of good boots out there, but it is hard to find ones that offer significant protection and yet are comfortable in many environments and can be used for walking. The ones I have used on a daily basis for years, in all kinds of weather, are some goretex-lined, Frey/Daytonas.

They are utterly waterproof and comfortable in all temperatures, have a stiff patch of plastic over the toes for shifting, and only take a second or two to get on and off (dual side zippers with leather/velcro flaps). They also have an effective rubber sole that has held up well, and are shaped so that they will not pull off in a crash.

The bad news is that, though very useful, these boots are not especially stiff and really can't be considered useful for off-road use. Maybe Frey/Daytona makes a boot that is good for that purpose, I don't know, but for street use these are excellent.

We've been using Altberg 'Hog Lites' for the last couple of years. They were very comfortable from the start and are great on or off the bike. Only problem is the soles seem to wear down fairly quickly, but you can get them re-soled. Looking at the latest on-line catalogue it seems that they now make a few boots in a similar vein, but with thicker soles. For anyone not doing alot of off-road stuff I would definately recommend them.

Came across these boots recently, but I've no experience with them.

If you want boots for hiking as well, a nice alternative.

http://www.mt-sun.com/catalog.php?ty...d=CP21464&aid=

Anyone tried those SlDl boots:
EXTREME
• top-grain leather construction
• Sympatex® breathable membrane
• all-weather waterproof boot
• zip-less fastening system & seamless lining
• Sizes 41-47
http://www.bikingdirect.com/sidi/sid...xtreme-big.jpg
?

Matt

I use a pair of waterproof (gortex) hikeing boots, with nylon sides and top. They are great and cheap. As well they are reasoably cool as they breathe a little .

Hey Matt,
The boots in the picture are Sidi "On Road" boots. OK, the name doesn't really make sense when you look at the boot but that's what they are called. Just used a pair 70K miles in the USA, then Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego and back. 3 plus years of use They are truely waterproof and comfortable from day one. No problem with fastening system, still going strong. I sealed the sole to boot connection after I got a weep there but the boots had seen plenty of abuse at that point. Now they are again completely waterproof. They are tall so I took Chala sandles as my second pair of shoes and switched out at night. In Peru I hit a piece of metal on the road with my foot. Hurt like hell but no cut to the sole or me. Lots of little crashes, one SUV in El Paso and a bad crash in Bolivia on a dirt road. No damage to my feet. Soles have good traction even in the wet. Boots are light enough to run the foot controls easily. Not sure about a resolability, mine are still OK. 5 star rating on these. Bill.

Hi,

I am searching for a pair of boots for adventure touring. I have an AT and I use it for soft off-roading (travel enduro) at my trips. I have understood that my requirements are:

- First of all I will wear them all day. So, I can't use MX boots, because I want to walk when I 'll arrive in a city or at a beatuful landscape where I want to walk a little.
- I want the maximum protection in this category.
- I prefer cool boots, than hot boots.

The first requirement is the most important for me and the last one is the less important.

Also, I will take a pair of hiking boots, because I like trekking/hiking. From the results of my search I liked very much BMW Savanna or Oxtar Infinity but the problem is that these boots are very hot for summer. Are there something like them but cooler?

Thanks,
Helias