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Rating:8/10
Opinion:Solid construction, good waterproofing, easy to put on, a bit bulky
Approx Miles Used: 9,000
MSRP: $129.95, I paid $58.00 on ebay for a display pair(luck of the draw, I wear size 13’s)
In an attempt to clean up the review format, I’m going to make use of a ROAM acronym for the reviews like we have been for the ride reports.
After a LOT of riding with these in almost every condition, from 25F up to 95F and from full sun to monsoon rain, these boots have proved themselves well. As with all my gear thus far, no crash tests(Thank God). The “waterproof” in the name is spot on, one of the few pieces of motorcycle apparel that I’ve had which have held up through multiple days in downpours. The boots have consistently kept my feet dry through long rides in heavy rains. They are warm with regular socks down to about the 40’s, and I’ve gone down to about 25F with a couple pairs of thick socks. They can get hot in the summer, but they’re waterproof, so you can’t really expect much in the way of ventilation. If your out in the summer, plan on bringing something to change in if you’re walking around a lot or your feet will sweat a ton.
The boots go on and off pretty easily, with a huge strip of Velcro going up either ankle. There’s also a zipper between the lower part of the Velcro, but I almost never open it. The boots run a tad large, so take advantage of the half sizes. I normally wear a 13, and these 13s are loose enough where I could fit a very thick knit wool sock over a ski sock in the boot. However, the big Velcro closures do allow me to get these pretty tight. The Velcro has held up great, and I don’t imagine it will be an issue for a long time.
I’ve worn these boots for long tours of almost 400 miles, wearing them on and off the bike for the full day, and they were fine throughout. They are stiff, which is good for protection, but not to the point where I would need to bring a change for short off the bike walks. Now, if you’re headed to a state park to do some hiking after a long ride, I’d definitely consider bringing another pair of shoes along. In my case, the only real reason I’d have to bring a change though is for aesthetics, especially in warmer weather when big black boots don’t exactly go with mesh shorts…. (No, I don’t ride in shorts)
My only real gripe with these is their bulk, and possibly lack of protection. The toes are big and stiff like the rest of the boot, which took some getting used to, but in the end the bulk kind of fades away. They have held up well and the only real wear signs are scuffs, nothing more.
I would most definitely buy these again for a street/touring boot. I will probably look for a more protective boot for the track, but as an all around sport touring boot, this is a fantastic deal. Rock on Alpinestars.
