• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Boots

Bines

0
Joined
Feb 8, 2015
Messages
953
Reaction score
1
Location
DFW
Since I wear high tops or work boots a lot, I've not worn proper riding boots. Wrecked in work boots. Feet fared fine. Having done some reading, maybe that's not a luck I want to press twice.

Not to be a skinflint, but name me some good boots for under $200. Is good and under $100 even a thing? Waterproof is a plus. At least weather resistant.

And if they're mail order, I need a great return policy. I'm kind of peculiar (way past particular) about how my footwear fits. I've gone so far as to mix and match left and right of the same brand, style and size to get a pair that feels right to me. I'm telling ya, two different shoes of the same brand, style and size fit different. I can feel it.

Thanks.
 
I wore Bates Boots combat tan or black lace with zipper sides.for years loved them. Usually about 130 bucks. Now I buy Tactical brand from Academy. They are weather proof and more comfortable than my Gaerne riding boots, and last me longer than Bates and about the same comfort level.. I think they are less than 60 bucks, canvas type sides. The pair I have now is 1 1/2 years old. They only come in black.
Good luck on search
 
I gave 37.00 for my Bellville steel toe boots on ebay. can't remember how long I've had them. I would say they had less than 5% wear on them. Unless I'm riding strictly offroad on one of dirt bikes these are the boots I wear .

Signatures? We don't need no stinking signatures!
 
:tab Having been down a few times, on pavement and dirt, I am a big believer in good quality boots. Over the ankle is important only if the boot has the stiffness to prevent your ankle from rolling side to side and the abrasion resistance to protect the foot/ankle. Asphalt at even low speeds can wear through basic leather pretty quick. This is why many riding boots are strategically reinforced with double layers. Heel and shin protection is also a big deal. In one of my get offs, the passenger peg smashed into the back of my heel, and it HURT!! However, the boot was armored at that point and there was no serious injury other than a nasty bruise. In a 70mph get off, the heat from the asphalt caused a blister on the side of my foot, even through two layers of leather... When I was attacked by a deer, my left foot was trapped under the falling bike. Even the slight rotation allowed by the boot was enough to snap off the little bump on the inside of the ankle, requiring surgery to repair. My armored dirt boots have saved both feet on numerous occasions, from the bike, from rocks, from impacts, etc...

:tab Like a helmet, you might not really think much about how well it will protect you until you need it. Obviously, there is a sliding scale of protection, like any other piece of gear, but I would suggest the best you can afford rather than skimping to just get by... Not that expensive necessarily means the best quality. I look for reinforcement/armor at the toes (especially the side of the foot by the pinky toes), the heel, over the bumps on both sides of the ankle, and shin protection. Non slick soles are nice as well. I would not wear any kind of pull on boot, like leather cowboy/work boots. When sliding, the pavement can pull them right off your feet. I would only use something that laces or zips snug enough around the ankle that they cannot be pulled off once secured. I am the same way with gloves.
 
I did a lot of research on boots when It was time to upgraded from my $100 Alpinestar boots. I went with $199.99 Gaerne G Adventure boot . I've had them for a few years and have no complaints. They may be a little overkill for my occasional off road excursions. I can wear and walk in them all day without discomfort.I feel like they offer good protection .
 
:tab Having been down a few times, on pavement and dirt, I am a big believer in good quality boots. Over the ankle is important only if the boot has the stiffness to prevent your ankle from rolling side to side and the abrasion resistance to protect the foot/ankle. Asphalt at even low speeds can wear through basic leather pretty quick. This is why many riding boots are strategically reinforced with double layers. Heel and shin protection is also a big deal. In one of my get offs, the passenger peg smashed into the back of my heel, and it HURT!! However, the boot was armored at that point and there was no serious injury other than a nasty bruise. In a 70mph get off, the heat from the asphalt caused a blister on the side of my foot, even through two layers of leather... When I was attacked by a deer, my left foot was trapped under the falling bike. Even the slight rotation allowed by the boot was enough to snap off the little bump on the inside of the ankle, requiring surgery to repair. My armored dirt boots have saved both feet on numerous occasions, from the bike, from rocks, from impacts, etc...

:tab Like a helmet, you might not really think much about how well it will protect you until you need it. Obviously, there is a sliding scale of protection, like any other piece of gear, but I would suggest the best you can afford rather than skimping to just get by... Not that expensive necessarily means the best quality. I look for reinforcement/armor at the toes (especially the side of the foot by the pinky toes), the heel, over the bumps on both sides of the ankle, and shin protection. Non slick soles are nice as well. I would not wear any kind of pull on boot, like leather cowboy/work boots. When sliding, the pavement can pull them right off your feet. I would only use something that laces or zips snug enough around the ankle that they cannot be pulled off once secured. I am the same way with gloves.

A malleolus? I looked it up. Ouch!

Agree on lace up or some other form of secured boot, for many reasons. I've had pull on boots sucked off in mud where lace ups stayed on.
 
A malleolus? I looked it up. Ouch!

Medial Malleolus... snapped right off. I never felt it though. I was laying in the road laughing about the absurdity of the situation when some guy stood over me and asked if I was okay... It wasn't until later at the hospital that I recall it starting to hurt, and by then they were giving me the happy drugs... About $15K and two screws later, I had a cast for about 11 weeks. NO WEIGHT on it the entire time... so on crutches that whole time :huh2: The worst part was the shaved hair on the leg growing back inside the cast :eek2:

So $500 might seem like a lot of money for a really good pair of boots... but compared to the cost of surgery, the inconvenience of being in a cast for that long, not being able to ride all that time, and it taking nearly a year for my ankle to get back to full strength... Well... Pay now or pay later... :shrug:
 
Last edited:
Good timing, rehab concerns me so I'm also looking for something that protects better than my cowboy work boots but doesn't wear like ski boots if I need to walk around. I'm 75% street but want to get into more adventure riding. The low WP gaiter on the Forma looks like a bad idea, the Gaerne G doesn't look like it gives much support/protection for ankles, has anyone tried the Alpinestars Corozal boots? Look forward to some feedback.
 
Boots and gloves, don't do mail order. Go support your local stores like Cycle Gear or Motoliberty. I say this having recently made my own boot purchase. I ordered online the same brand and size I'd been wearing and it was amazing how different the fit of the old boots were to the new boots. Heel and ankle were so much looser on the new ones.

I went to the store and proceeded to start trying stuff on. It's also amazing the fit and comfort you can feel between the boots. I ended up buying a brand/model of boots that I didn't even go in looking for and am very happy with them. In the end, you can get away with buying some stuff online, but boots and gloves have such a personal fit to them, that you really need to be trying them on to find what fits you well. I wasted time and money trying to do it online. My helmet I knew what I needed and that was ordered online, but boots and gloves are always bought in the store going forward.

As for the cost, spend a little more. Figure the cost over time and it works out well. Some of those cheap boots don't last as long as a well build pair of purpose motorcycle boots.
 
Good timing, rehab concerns me so I'm also looking for something that protects better than my cowboy work boots but doesn't wear like ski boots if I need to walk around. I'm 75% street but want to get into more adventure riding. The low WP gaiter on the Forma looks like a bad idea, the Gaerne G doesn't look like it gives much support/protection for ankles, has anyone tried the Alpinestars Corozal boots? Look forward to some feedback.

:tab I would not want to do a Walk-a-thon in my boots, but they are plenty comfy for the short hikes when I get off the bike to check out local scenery and spend 15-20 minutes walking around taking pictures. I think the hinge in the ankle really helps.

:tab Here they are for $150 less than I paid for them!! (ship from Europe though, so will take a while if you can wait).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009OD8H4A/?tag=twowhetex-20

:tab SIDI also makes a version of this boot that is NON Gore-Tex, using their own version of Gore-Tex and they are cheaper. I just did a trip a few weeks ago where I wore the boots for seven straight days for about 10-11 hours a day and my feet were fine. I also tend to spend a lot of time standing while riding and my feet were still fine.

:tab I also have the original version of these boots.

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/sidi-crossfire-2-srs-boots

:tab I bought them in 2005 and they are still in fantastic shape. Mine don't have replaceable soles though. They were the first version with the hinged ankle. They are NOT even remotely water proof!! They were comfy right out of the box, requiring no break in at all. They were also only $350 way back then... For full on dirt riding I still use them. For any kind of street/dirt riding combination, I wear the Adventures because I got tired of wet feet... Both sets of boots have provided excellent protection (crash tested both personally... :doh:).

:tab SIDI used to kind of be the Gold standard, but I think other manufacturers have really raised their game in the last five years or so. I still like the SIDI's because they fit me well, but there are definitely some other great boots out there now that cost less.
 
Last edited:
SIDI used to kind of be the Gold standard, but I think other manufacturers have really raised their game in the last five years or so. I still like the SIDI's because they fit me well, but there are definitely some other great boots out there now that cost less.
Just a heads up, it was Sidi that I owned and loved and found they changed the design and didn't fit me so well anymore. :( Don't assume because your current Sidi's fit well that new ones will too.
 
Just a heads up, it was Sidi that I owned and loved and found they changed the design and didn't fit me so well anymore. :( Don't assume because your current Sidi's fit well that new ones will too.

:tab Too true. I used to have a pair of SIDI street boots that I absolutely loved! I wish I had bought 3-4 pair when I got the first ones. They later changed the design ever so slightly and they were too narrow when I tried to order the exact same model a few years later. I had to switch to an AlpineStar boot that was very close to the SIDI I had been wearing. I gots fat feets.

:tab That said, I have had VERY good luck ordering from Revzilla. Their returns are very easy, quick, and hassle free. I've ordered helmets, gloves, boots, socks, jackets, pants, liners, and more from them and have never had an issue with returning something and exchanging for a different size or just returning something because I decided it either wasn't what I wanted or wouldn't work like I thought. Also, their product videos are excellent and tend to cover stuff like whether a brand runs large, small, narrow, wide, etc,...
 
:tab When I bought dirt gear for the kids, I hauled them down to Cycle Shack North in Conroe so they could try on everything. I could have bought the same stuff cheaper online once we knew what we wanted, but Steve (big tall guy with white hair and beard) spent a lot of time helping us find what we needed. I was more than happy to pay the slightly higher prices to buy the gear from their store.
 
:tab Too true. I used to have a pair of SIDI street boots that I absolutely loved! I wish I had bought 3-4 pair when I got the first ones. They later changed the design ever so slightly and they were too narrow when I tried to order the exact same model a few years later. I had to switch to an AlpineStar boot that was very close to the SIDI I had been wearing. I gots fat feets.

:tab That said, I have had VERY good luck ordering from Revzilla. Their returns are very easy, quick, and hassle free. I've ordered helmets, gloves, boots, socks, jackets, pants, liners, and more from them and have never had an issue with returning something and exchanging for a different size or just returning something because I decided it either wasn't what I wanted or wouldn't work like I thought. Also, their product videos are excellent and tend to cover stuff like whether a brand runs large, small, narrow, wide, etc,...
Very similar to me. Had a pair of old Sidi boots, original Vertebra's, possibly 15 years old. Fit me like a glove...or a boot, or whatever, they fit amazingly. Like a slipper maybe? Ordered new ones from Revzilla. The heel cup and ankle were very loose despite being the exact same size. I sat for an hour working at home at my desk with one old boot on and one new boot on. The new one didn't feel right. Revzilla chatted with me on the phone and they agreed I needed to seek out a local store and even offered me some suggestions. Return process was super easy. Always has been with them. Like you, I ended up with Alpinestars. My first A-Stars product and I love them.
 
:tab My street SIDIs became my daily wear, even when I wasn't riding. Unfortunately, that also meant they I wore them out. So I got another pair of the exact same boot and they were a totally different fit. The Aplinestars I now have are my daily wear, even when I am not riding. They really are just that comfy and I don't even own anything else besides a single pair of tennis shoes, which I rarely wear. Sadly, I think the Alpinestars I am wearing now have been discontinued in favor of a new model... Again, I should have bought several pair but I just didn't think about it :doh:
 
Boots and gloves, don't do mail order. Go support your local stores like Cycle Gear or Motoliberty. I say this having recently made my own boot purchase. I ordered online the same brand and size I'd been wearing and it was amazing how different the fit of the old boots were to the new boots. Heel and ankle were so much looser on the new ones.

I went to the store and proceeded to start trying stuff on. It's also amazing the fit and comfort you can feel between the boots. I ended up buying a brand/model of boots that I didn't even go in looking for and am very happy with them. In the end, you can get away with buying some stuff online, but boots and gloves have such a personal fit to them, that you really need to be trying them on to find what fits you well. I wasted time and money trying to do it online. My helmet I knew what I needed and that was ordered online, but boots and gloves are always bought in the store going forward.

As for the cost, spend a little more. Figure the cost over time and it works out well. Some of those cheap boots don't last as long as a well build pair of purpose motorcycle boots.

+1 You may want to consider Bates http://www.bates2.net/ for your gear also
 
All good advice, I looked locally but ended up betting the $7 return shipping from RevZilla to try the Alpinestars Corozal. Much lighter and more flexible than I expected, none of the clicking reported by others. Christened them today with a slow speed tip over in the mud on 'county road' 340.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I was leaning towards the Alpinestars Corozal boots as well. I know the gold standard are the Sidi Adventures, but it's past my price point. Does anyone have any recommendations for boots that would be good for bike camping? Light hiking, a couple of miles, some mud?
 
I did a lot of research on boots when It was time to upgraded from my $100 Alpinestar boots. I went with $199.99 Gaerne G Adventure boot . I've had them for a few years and have no complaints. They may be a little overkill for my occasional off road excursions. I can wear and walk in them all day without discomfort.I feel like they offer good protection .

I too have the Gaerne adventure boots and are nothing but pleased . I recently wore them on the big Colorado ride and never felt uncomfortable with long days.
 
I recently ran into another gotcha with sidi. Lost a strap at Barnwell the other day. Have to go directly to sidi to replace it at several times the cost of other brands. They fit my feet right out of the box but I'll be looking at other brands for my next pair.
 
I have a set of Fox boots. Some years ago I broke a strap. I went into Cycle Gear and asked how much to get a new one. They handed me one no charge and said something something about Fox making them free for their customers. Again, some years ago so some details are fuzzy, but I know the brand of boots, where I got it and how much I paid for it.
 
:tab Too true. I used to have a pair of SIDI street boots that I absolutely loved! I wish I had bought 3-4 pair when I got the first ones.

I have a second set of Oxtars in the box waiting for the first pair to wear out. I bought the first pair just prior to the 2009 Marble Falls Pie Run and have put about 90K miles on them so far with no failures.
 
Back
Top