Do I Really Need Motorcycle Boots?

[Mudslide Miller]

Who is this Fred character you guys speak of? How Big John became Fred, I'm not sure.

I, also, am a big fan of SIDI boots for all my pleasure/trip riding. As far as my 19 mile commute everyday, I use my steel-toed high top Reebok work boots, since we are required to wear them in my plant at Honeywell. They're lace-up and have myself, once got them caught on my footpeg; fortunately not when I was coming to a stop. I am now very conscious of where they are before I start my commute. I'm confident they would provide a fair amount of protection to toes and ankles in a get-off; not so much in the shin area though.

 

[samamoto]

I'd say you most likely WANT to wear TRUE motorcycle boots. Your feet skin will be protected just the same in most of the over the ankle boots. Wearing some sort of construction boots will add a decent toe protection and sole that may not slip with the least of sand or gravel on the road. True motorcycle boots will also protect your ankle and heel (worst bone to get broken) as well as will most likely protect you from rain.

I use Sidi Adventure Goretex - maybe a bot overkill but I just feel they are right piece of equipment in right place.

Do we really need to change the tires when they get to wear bars?

 

[Blind Squirrel]

I used to wear steel-toed work boots when I first started riding again. I wore them until I got caught in a downpour. I had more water in my boots than outside my boots. Now I wear waterproof motorcycle boots.

 

[Bill Lumberg]

If you don't have sturdy boots, then yes. If you have sturdy boots, probably not. As highlighted in a recent MCN issue, the last one I think, sturdy full coverage boots provided as much protection as dedicated motorcycle boots in whatever magical study was referenced in that particular article. I wear Danner desert acadia, regular acadia, or insulated acadias year round. The important thing is not to wear tennis shoes or fashionable boots with no protection (think cowboy boots). YMMV. I won't wear footwear that isn't comfortable to walk a good ways in, or that doesn't breathe.

 

[timk]

I double tie my Rocky work boots and my pants cover my boots.

 

[danh600]

When I saw the title to this thread it made me think of the saying.

"You don't need them, till you do."

I wore a military style boot for years cause they provided some protection and they were very

comfortable to walk around in. Now I wear the Gaerne G-Adventure boots. Looks like over kill

but they are surprisingly comfortable. I can walk around in them when off the bike.

 

[SouthernCruizer]

short answer..no.

 

[deagle]

I wear the bates style too. My main focus is keeping me comfortable and dry. Otherwise I won't wear them. These are extremely comfortable. Maybe I'm giving up protection for some comfort, and I'm ok with that.

I haven't found anything near as comfortable in m/c specific. I'll check out some of your suggestions next time around, but right now I'm happy with these Tactical style boots. Also, have never had an issue with shoe laces, outside of my feet seem farther away when I bend over every Spring.

 

[ionbeam]

I had a pair of Garne boots that took >10 years to wear out the zippers, the rest of the boots were still going strong. These boots were as comfortable as house slippers, I could walk in them all day, never had wet feet, never had cold feet, never had hot feet. So, of course they don't make them any more

I replaced them with $$BMW$$ $$Pro Touring 2 Boots$$ which have all of the previous benefits, and they also are on track to last >10 years. The boots have ankle armor, shin armor, toe protection and arch protection. There are full flaps to cover the zippers which helps save the zippers and prevents them from wearing on the paint. I confess that these boots are my go-to boots when I go out to snow blow the driveways (yes, we have two driveways). I've never had cold or wet toes!

Over the years I have had a number of road ??? clang into my feet and lower legs, without protective boots my day would have ended differently. I also have a lot of metal bits in my left ankle and the boots do a great job of protecting and preventing pain and suffering. Like the Garne boots, the 'shoe' part of the boot is cut low enough that it doesn't put pressure on the hardware in my ankle and the ankle armor doesn't hurt either. There are a number of boots such as Sidi which I can't wear because the shoe part is cut too tall.

 

[FJRPittsburgh]

I have a pair of Gaerne boots that I bought in 2002. I still wear them. I'll probably be replacing them in the next couple of years. I appreciate all the good suggestions posted hear and in other threads. I believe good motorcycle boots are important. During my get off at high speeds a couple of years ago, I had no damage done to my feet or ankles. Good enough evidence for me. Although the bike didn't fair as well.

 

[El Toro]

As most have suggested, the boots really are a pretty critical part of your gear, and boots from specialty companies that have historically been at the forefront of foot protection in racing activities are your best bet if you care about such things.

I have two pair of Sidi boots ... one was their old top of the line racing boot and the other is the related weatherproof version.

They are far more protective than any other type of boot I could buy, except possibly for updated versions of the same.

How much is your mobility worth? There are no boots that will protect you from everything, but generally professional racers have good gear, and you can look in their direction to see what the state of the art is.

Work boots or Engineers boots are state of the art from 50 years ago.

 

[Old Michael]

Comfortable and waterproof are two nice qualities, ...but I'd think protection in a crash is why you wear 'em.

Armored ankle, shin, toe, etc., and the more rigid, the better.

Google Images - motorcycle crash, foot injuries. (VERY graphic.)

You NEED your feet. You only get two.

 

[Denver_FJR]

Comfortable and waterproof are two nice qualities, ...but I'd think protection in a crash is why you wear 'em.Armored ankle, shin, toe, etc., and the more rigid, the better.

Google Images - motorcycle crash, foot injuries. (VERY graphic.)

You NEED your feet. You only get two.

Exactly!

And the ol' "two is one" quip doesn't apply here.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

You can answer your own question without relying on us mental defectives in this online sanitarium.

Mix a nice cocktail of your choice. Go out to your garage. Take your shoes off. Take a hammer (doesn't really matter what style or size. Almost any hammer will do just fine.) Sit down on a nice, comfortable lawn chair. Lean forward, and hold the hammer parallel to the ground, with one hand on each end, just between your ankle and knee, with the bottom of the handle against the side of your calf. Keep the handle end against your calf, and let go of the business end of the hammer, letting the hammer handle rotate in your fingers next to your calf. Let gravity do it's work (it's a short distance, so it won't be moving too fast), and let the head of the hammer contact your outer ankle bone.....that bone that bulges out. Sorry, I'm not a medical professional, and I don't know what that bone is called. After you've regained your composure, please apologize to anyone within 150 feet for your astoundingly profane outburst. Take a nice, long, well-deserved sip of that cocktail you prepared. Remember, this was all done at very low speed, from the comfort of your favorite lawn chair. Not out on some desolate, twisty road, at 55 miles per hour.

The answer to your question will become apparent.

 

[mcatrophy]

Use motorcycle-specific. Mine saved me from a broken foot, story posted here.

 

[steveoreno]

I wear "logger style" boot only because I've not found any motorcycle boots that have a heel like loggers which help me be flat footed when stopped.

 

[tjcin]

Thanks for all the input. I will keep looking for a pair that provides good protection and some balance of looks.

 

[Bounce]

I spent decades using street shoes and boots of different kinds. I learned the reason to NOT use cowboy boots (or any sort of shoe with leather soles: slippery). I also learned not to use anything with laces.

After personally knowing a few people who ended up with lifelong discomfort and reduced range of motion when a bike tipped over on their ankle (breaks that needed pins and/or plates), I switched to moto-specific boots with more support and armor.

I always look for something subdued so hate fancy graphics. I like the TCX Matrix as being all black and, in some cases, can pass as work shoes if a day at work can also accept jeans.

 

[Panman]

I agree with the feelings of most and wear a set of Alpinestars most of the time, but still find my White Loggers are my favorites when it's hot. I never have a problem with laces as the boots are calf high, higher than most MC boots I have seen. Being I live up here in the Great North Wet and work some in the woods when I wore a younger mans clothes I can say they have save me from a few injury's to my feet and ankles.

That being said I have been looking for a good set of summer MC boots as I know I'm aging and more fragile than I once was. Finding something that supports well and won't cook me is tough as my size 13 isn't easy to fit. But I'm looking knowing that a good slide with the MC on a ankle wouldn't be good! I should find something better and plan on reviewing the thread for recommendations.

 

[Brodie]

Several years ago I wore a pair of custom engineer boots that went up to just below my knee. Having size 16 AAA feet there is a boot last at Wesco in Scappose Oregon with my name on them. They didn't protect me very well when I got side swiped on my Ascot, a broken navicular bone in my left ankle came of that. I kept wearing the boots up until my head on collision back in 2010 on my first FJR. Lying on the ground behind the pick up truck you take notice what moves (right arm, legs, feet/toes), what doesn't (left arm with compound fractures to both Radius and Ulna), and what's missing - my right boot. Fortunately for me my foot was not still in it. Those things were slip on boots, and were just snug enough to walk in, but had no provision for keeping them on my foot other than friction.

I now wear real motorcycling boots, Frey Daytona. They make a boot up to a size 52 narrow, which is approximately a size 17B. They still fit a bit loose width wise, but they will not come off until both zippers are undone.

A boot is only as good as it's retention system.

Brodie