Susan has a pair of Altberg Roadrunners for the last 5-6 years, and loves them - after MANY pairs of boots, they're the first she's really happy with, though she complains of the stiffness of the zipper - still. But they're comfy, waterproof, and give good protection. And she got them custom fitted at the factory. Well worth it for the best fit she's ever had.
Ride Magazine gave them a Best Buy too.

Me - ah that's a different story. Couldn't get on with Altbergs, nothing "right". I'm hard to fit and fussy!
Sidi have been the only boots I've liked over the years, in varying versions, and have been wearing them for 50 years! And still have my first pair.
Currently wearing Sidi Crossfires for everything, from road touring to serious off-road - very happy with them, although I'd be happier without the squeak. But hey, I don't need a loud pipe - just flex my ankles to let the cars know I'm there.

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Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
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Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

I like to ride off-tarmac routes, but I also like to get off the bike and explore. Unfortunately I have wide calf muscles and wide feet, so I used to wear hiking boots.

But then I read a thread on here about Forma Adventure Low boots which are a mid-calf height boot which offer better protection than hiking boots and are still comfortable for walking around. And a beautifully vintage look in the brown version.




Weblink: https://www.sportsbikeshop.co.uk/mot...nt_prod/354729

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"For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)

I have had a pair of these boots and they are very comfortable , but the soles soon wear if used on metal foot pegs
They have also made a stronger boot with a better sole etc . recomended
but they need to be "run in" for a while,

They look like interesting boots Tim and as I need to replace a whole load of my riding stuff - including boots - next year I'll be putting them on the short list to have a look at.

If you ride a number of different bikes (as I do) trying to find a kind of one-pair-fits-all solution has been close to impossible. The 'M-X' look (I've got a pair of old Alpinstars) works on my 600 trail bikes (or more accurately, they work when I fall off those bikes) and they definately saved me from a broken leg some time back when the bike fell on top of me. However they look ridiculous when I wear them on either the Gold Wing or the little 125 Suzuki. I bought a cheap pair of 'road boots' for those bikes and found the sole was so flexible I got bruised feet on a long ride on a bike with metal footpegs. On the other hand they were waterproof (until recently anyway), something the Alpinstars were not.

I did look at Altbergs but a few years ago a friend with some 'dual use' ones broke his leg during an accident when the laces caught on the footrest as he came off. A bizarre one off maybe but that's what most accidents are. I need to have a closer look at the non lace ones and they're also on the short list.

I've tried hiking boots (and it's what my wife uses) but there's been a constant problem with leakage in wet weather when trousers don't seal the gap properly - a tall bike, you put your foot down at a standstill and there's a gap.

Quite how long they need to be though is something I'm not certain about. Whether they need to be calf length (as they've traditionally been) or whether 'ankle length +' is good enough is something I'm still pondering. On the plus side the longer length does give extra protection (including, twice in my case, dog attack) but, a bit like ski boots, it makes them virtually unusable for anything else.

I have a pair of Forma Adv high, they have been my everyday boots for 2 years. They are very comfortable to walk in - although I wouldn’t want to do a proper days hiking like I do in my Hoggs on holiday.
I have a friend in a similar situation as you Tim, big calves and very high arches and he loves the Forma Lows.
My Formas are no longer 100% waterproof as was proved by a 250 mile ride in heavy rain recently. I don’t think they offer as much protection as an Altberg Bahn Rider: the hard protection feels like cardboard and I can bend the soles in half.
I like the ease of clips on adventure boots and they’re much better in muddy conditions than zips - and yes the zips are stiff.

For me it’s the quality and longevity of Altberg’s - 20 years and somewhere in the region of 120K miles in all conditions and terrains and my wife’s Clubmans still polish up great with 1 resole.
So my next purchase will be a pair of Bahn Riders that’ll do me for every day for the rest of my riding life and if I ever get to ride down through Africa I might go down the motocross/waterproof socks combination.