Riding boots....recommendations or those to avoid

hi all,
just recently bought a great riding jacket (perforated leather w/armor) and am now on the hunt for boots.
please share your advice on styles or brands that have provided you the most comfort and safety. what about lace-up vs. pull-on?
have seen a great assortment w/pricing at www.leatherup.com. any of you used them?
thanks!

 

I use the USAF issue combat boots I have put 500+ walking miles on. High top, lace up, sturdy leather that NOW fit like a glove.

 

had not considered that! i have an army/navy surplus store nearby i could check out. trying 'em on vs. website ordering bothers me 'cause you can't judge fit by a picture.
thanks.

 

Be careful with boots that have metal buckles, zippers or lace eyelets on the side "inside" (toward the bike.) They can tear up an engine cover before you realize it.

I have a pair of Tourmaster Solutions boots, I've had them for over two years now and they're great.

Here's a review: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/399/118/M ... eview.aspx

My experiences are virtually the same as those of the reviewer, EXCEPT I haven't had an issue with them not being waterproof. I've been caught in the rain/ridden in the wet a few times, and they stayed perfectly dry. Nothing as extreme as what he went through, however.

Recommended.

 

Second vote from me for a good pair of military boots, though I was US Army myself. Or if you're in a pinch with money, Wal Mart has a few decent pairs of boots, got a pair myself right now and they work pretty well.

I would say laces are a must, but I did have a pair of Tanker boots a few years ago that were REALLY awesome.

 

seems like laces would be attractive for a good fit but solid uppers will stop rain/wind better. i like the canvas material for ventilation in summer but probably not so much in the winter.
am i on the right track here?

 

I bought a pair of these, but haven't had the chance to ride with them yet. They were relatively comfortable and they're waterproof.

Joe Rocket Meteor
http://www.btosports.com/Merchant2/grap ... ETEORB.jpg

 

I don't have any REAL riding boot yet. I started with some leftover steel toe 6" work boot.
Though I bought them after winterizing, I got some 8" Bates taactical style duty boot with laces and side zippers. They make them in various ways (thermal, steel toe, waterproof, etc). Mine came from meijer but I have seen them at the surplus stores.

 

I've been riding with those Joe Rocket Meteor boots this year. First real motorcycle boot for me. They seem to work, comfortable on the bike and they've been through a couple of rain storms and kept my feet dry.

 

+1 on the combats. I'm Canadian air reserves and I rode initially with my combats. Only down side I found was there wasn't enough reinforcement on the toe for shifting, but solid protection otherwise. I now have a pair of Milwaukee riding boots. Pricey but really nice look!

 

I bought a pair of tall shaft harness boots from LeatherUp about 3 years ago. Use 'em all the time. The only negative about them is that they are suede inside instead of lined with a smooth leather so they were hard to put on as they tugged on my sucks. Took them to a buddy of mine who is a REAL shoe repair guy who installed 10" long zippers on the inside of the shaft. Then he put a matching leather flap over the zipper with velcro to hold the flap down and keep the zipper waterproof.

I have less than $70 into this pair of boots and they work great.

Now that I have a full fledged touring bike I sometimes think I would like to have a pair of touring boots instead of the harness boots but I think it would be dumb of me to spend the money.

Loren

 

I always bought my boots from Walmart. I use the same boots for work because they come out of the box as comfortable is if I've always had'm on. They are water proof also, which is a plus for getting caught in the rain. They are Wolverine brand which seem to last a long time are fairly reasonably priced ($40)

 

i wear my doc martens as my riding boots, comfortable as all hell, stylish (i think) and once they've been rubbed down well with mink oil they're nice and waterproof.

 

ManBot has the "newer" metoer, I have an older version, not waterproof......
If you plan to do any rain riding at all, get waterproof, have wet feet on the ride sux!!!
My next pair will be waterproof, that said they are a good boot.

I think any boot from a good gear manufacturer will be great, just find what fits and feels right.

 

So as one who's also looking for boots, the jist of this forum post tells me that either some tactical boots would be awesome... www.rangerjoes.com if anyone wants to look

or to try some on and make sure they fit

or just keep using the wallyworld specials i've been using....

Anybody else?

 

I've had these: http://www.leatherup.com/p/Mens-Motorcy ... 41645.html

For about 3 years now. They were tight when I got them but soon streched to my feet. Only complaint is the bottom heel pad came loose after about a year but some Goop fixed that.

I wear them far more often then just riding.

 

I guess for me personally, I'd just stay with my Wally World boot because of the comfort and the fact that they are waterproof. I have the same identical pair that I use for work and they usually last me 2 years or more. The ones I wear for riding will probably never wear out if that's all I use them for.

 

Newb question here... but what is special about riding boots vs. like regular cowboy boots or steel-toe workboots? Do they have additional protection for your ankles or something in the case of an accident?

 

Yes depending on what type of boot Off road types tend to have a hardshell to prevent stick and stone penetration with a lot of support to stop ankle twist or movement in the lower leg.
Touring boots for long term comfort in the riding position,sport boots same but tend to a more radical riding position and of course they are more
''stylish''[toss toss] all will have reinforcing for the gearshift on top of the toe and just like Horse riding boots are designed for purpose, hardest thing is to find ones that work on the bike and that you can walk in.
When I was younger flying boots were all the rage, but remember slip on boots have a tendency to slip off just when you really need them.

 

Yes, they do; and they tend to be lighter and less "clunky" than steel-toed work boots, and offer more protection than traditional cowboy boots.

I've worn western-style boots for over 40 years; they were always fine for the Norton and my other bikes. When I started riding my XJs, they seemed too clunky and restrictive; the riding boots are lighter, more flexible and actually allow for more precise shifting.

I would never have believed it until I tried a pair. Now I'm convinced.

 

So when you guys say reinforced for shifting, is it somehow different then a steel toe? is it just a layer or padding so you don't get sore after shifting forever or is it made to help/smooth your shifting?

Just confused on why you'd want reinforced and if any different then having a big steel toe sticking out there.

 

It's not the reinforcement so much as it is the flexibility and fit of the riding boots. Mine are almost like tall, armored tennis shoes in the way that they feel.

What happened with me was that I used to wear my western-style workboots and switch into a pair of tennies at work. Then one day I forgot to change and accidentally wore my tennies on the ride home, and they made a noticeable difference when it came to "rowing" thru the 6-speed box, especially in "dogfight" traffic.

So I started shopping for riding boots, and ended up with the ones I mentioned: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/399/118/M ... eview.aspx.

 

Thanks for the info! I'll have to look into a pair of these boots then.

 

There are a bunch of different brands of those types of boots available; if you have some place remotely close to you so that you can TRY THEM ON first I highly recommend it.

What fits me like a glove may be the wrong shape altogether for your foot. Definitely shop.

 

Good advice. I think all we have around here are country/western stores or a Harley shop. I'm afraid of outrageous prices and don't know if I could handle a Harley shop lol