I like Klim's Mojave line of pants and jackets for hot weather riding. I have a Klim Induction jacket that I think is a little warmer than the mojave line.

I think one of the main risks is the risk of abrasion. ie: You are going fast, wipe out, and than slide dozens of meters down the paved road.

With a mostly mesh jacket, I think they can tear off of your body pretty fast and than you just have your skin protecting you. Jeans have the same risk.

At the same time, I believe that it is better to wear some protection, than no protection.

I think motorcycle boot protection is a hard subject to talk about, because motorcycle riders have a lot of differences in regards to comfort, risk acceptance, age, ability, camping/hotels, hiking etc, etc

I recently learned more about motorcycle boot protection than I knew before.

General rule: If the motorcycle boot has 4 straps, than it is likely a motocross boot that has a lot of protection. Not going to be an easy boot to walk in.

General rule: If the motorcycle boot has 3 straps, than it is likely an adventure style boot. Alpinestar Corozal boots are a good example here. These boots look like they give a lot of protection and they are easy to walk in. All of the manufacturers of adventure boots have warning labels saying that if you intend to do any off road or motocross riding that you should not use this type of boot because it does not protect your foot and ankle enough.

I think a popular option for "touring" boots on the Hubb are Altberg Hoggs. It is a brand of hiking boots in the UK but they are pretty pricey. If you have a crash and the bike falls on your boot, your leg bones are definitely going to break in a hiking boot. I'm a fan of using soft luggage that will hit the ground first in a potential crash, instead of the leg bones breaking the fall of the motorcycle.

I think Motocross boots are truly designed to be used with knee braces. I understand how the guy above had a knee injury because with a big enough impact to the leg, you know it is going to transfer that force and I can see how it could hyper-extend your knee. Also, from doing my research on motorcycle boots, I think if you are riding only on paved roads, than those paved roads in general have minimal gradients and the paved roads are generally pretty standardized with nice right of ways and minimal obstructions. If you have a high speed motorcycle crash on this type of road there is less of a chance of the rider bouncing up and down on the surface.

If the motorcyclist has a high speed crash on an off-road trail than that rider is likely not going to slide smoothly over the trail surface. The rider will likely bounce up and down a lot on the surface. When you think about boot protection in this context, I think it becomes more obvious.

I have Alpinestar 6's and they are a full motocross boot. I usually wear knee braces when I use these boots. These boots and knee braces have saved my bacon quite a few times. Don't want to think about the medical bills I would have had. They really help prevent hyper-extension in a high speed off. When I was 25 I broke my ankle pretty good playing hockey and I have no intention of getting another load bearing injury again.

I recently bought Sidi Crossfire 2 motorcycle boots and got a lot of experience walking around in them. It is a 4 strap boot, but the ankle is designed to flex some, so you can walk in them. I have wider feet and have found the Sidi fitment to be narrow. I think the Sidi Crossfire 2's and 3's are a good balance in protection for motorcyclist's who want to go "touring" but also do some trail riding.

The boots that will protect your legs the best in a crash, are the ones that are the most uncomfortable to walk in.

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http://www.journeyrider.net Latin America blog (07-8)