Why are boots important?

[MacGruber]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not riding in sneakers. When I started riding again last year I got a pair of ropers style cowboy boot. What are the advantages of boots specifically made for riding?

 

Thanks.

[Ray Lindner]

Boots made specifically for riding will have additional protection over your ankles and be a firm fit with zips to ensure that they do not come off in the unfortunate event of an uplanned "get-off".

I once had a bike come down with my ankle joint being impinged between a sharp point of the rear pegs and a rock on a trail. Without the ankle protection I would have had a much more serious outcome.

You may look "cool" in your cowboy boots but correct protection is more important.

Think about the rest of your riding gear also. If you do not have body armour in your jacket then you are courting a bad outcome from any incident.

I speak from experience where I amazed myself in even standing up after a crash. Without body armour I hate to even think what the result would have beem.

[szurszewski]

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not riding in sneakers. When I started riding again last year I got a pair of ropers style cowboy boot. What are the advantages of boots specifically made for riding?

 

Thanks.

 

As above:

 

Motorcycle boots should do a few things - provide crush protection laterally, like if you pin your foot under your bike; provide abrasion protection for when you're sliding down the road under your bike or all by yourself; provide protection against twisting your foot in a different direction than your leg.

 

Other than that, of course, they should provide a good grip on the pegs, be comfortable in a riding position, be flexible enough to let you move and stiff enough to provide proper support, fit well with controls (brake/shift lever).

 

Your ropers probably do at least a good portion of that well; depending on the motorcycle-specific boots you might be thinking of, they may or may not do all of those things well. Protection varies a lot from brand to brand and style to style.

 

[eddd]

 

I'll leave it to others to respond to other benefits provided by wearing motorcycle-specific boots. I just want to provide first-person experience gained over many years of responding to motorcycle and pedestrian accidents. Footwear comes off with surprising regularity. I don't want to provide disturbing "war stories" but ropers, tennis shoes, dress shoes, and even hiking boots can be removed at the point of impact leaving your feet unprotected as you continue to slid or are thrown.

 

Some boots are better than others. I wore tactical boots for years on my bikes and still do sometimes. The difference is that those I wore were 8" lace up boots with lots of protection and support. This type of boot is staying on your foot until you unlace it and pull it off.

[Tri750]

I'm with eddd.

Also if you look at the bottom of say a BMW All Around boot, the heel is not straight across left to right. It's cut at an angle so that the heel leading edge runs parallel to the footpeg while on the seated position. Meaning we normally have out toes splayed out while riding, so the heel is cut at an angle to fit this. It's a small detail but helps keep your foot located.

Also some of the BMW and other boots have an impact disc sewn over both ankle joint bones to protect them. Normally hard plastic.

Slip resistant soles, heels that are NOT wedge shaped like so many athletic shoes and "sneakers" to avoid shifting problems because the wedge doesn't allow the heel to seat against the peg, not allowing the toe to get under the shifter.

 

Waterproof of course. Gore-Tex type lining, Wear patch on the left boot. Velcro adjustable closures to snug up the boot, reflector material, toe sliders, etc.

 

Like any sport, the gear is specialized.

 

[CoarsegoldKid]

 

Like any sport, the gear is specialized.

An overlooked component of motorcycle riding, often in the interest of saving money is proper gear. I got away with it for years. Then I outfitted my wife and I with purpose built motorcycle gear. Trust me when I say dress for the slide. Because when it happens the good specialized gear can be the difference between bruises you can walk around with and the emergency room and burn ward which you can't.

[tallman]

link

[CarrotNC]

Footwear is designed for a multitude of purposes and is typically activity dependent based on the most likely risks to be encountered. I've worn tennis shoes riding a motorcycle but hated the feeling. Putting on dirt bike boots for some MX play is the other extreme to me, and they work outstandingly well - no matter how many times they've been tested.

 

Street biking boots for me are now Dainese TRQ as they're waterproof, zip up, adjustable calves to fit my 2-liter legs, cut to fit riding posture, and provide excellent ankle support. Price to me is much less important than my safety and comfort, especially after having had a lis franc fracture, midfoot dislocation, and broken ankle (got 8 screws and metal plate) all in one go. Boots at that time were not designed for the getoff, but instead for waterproof comfort. Lesson learned the hard way.

 

Cowboys don't wear motorcycle boots as the purpose is different. Same for firefighters, paratroopers, industrial workers, commercial fishermen, soldiers, and....Nancy Sinatra.

[Kathy R]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not riding in sneakers. When I started riding again last year I got a pair of ropers style cowboy boot. What are the advantages of boots specifically made for riding?

 

Thanks.

 

Motorcycle boots have oil resistant bottoms and are less likely to slip when you put your foot down at a stop light. That alone is reason to wear them, because if your foot slips you can have the dumbest of get offs.

 

Having survived a 65mph get off I can tell you that the only part of me that didn't hurt was where my boots were. I was wearing SIDI Vertigo boots with outstanding protection from my toe to the middle of my calf.

 

I know folks who had get offs wearing motorcycle boots that didn't provide serious ankle protection and they ended up with broken bones.

 

Dressing for the get off is one of the most important decisions you can make. If you can walk away it goes a long ways towards healing your entire body.

 

 

[decorbin]

I agree with all the above and will give a personal example....

 

1997 riding a rented Harley alone in the Swiss Alps. I was in Europe on business, so no riding gear. Had over the ankle boots, half helmet, leather jacket and jeans. A minor accident out in the middle of nowhere alone resulted in a badly broken right ankle and lower leg due to the bike falling over on me.

 

I had the leg stabilized there and associates got me back home the next day. The first surgery was extensive with lots of pieces to put together particularly in the lower leg. Three days after that surgery, I fell on the crutches in a tight hallway and tore both rotator cuffs. I could not use crutches, so spent about nine months in a wheelchair because the leg would no heal properly. The doctor went back in a put a plate around the bones to hold them together. It was about four years before I was fully recovered and done with surgeries on the ankle, leg and shoulders.

 

Since the accident, I have not ridden unless I look like the Michelin Man with Motoport or equal riding gear and solid motorcycle-specific boots.

 

 

[Sonor]

Four years ago on a road just off the Blue Ridge Parkway I was going through an up hill "S" curve. As I approached I saw gravel so I slowed to first gear. As I went through the gravel corners the bike slid out from under me and put its weight on top of my shin bones just above my ankle. My boots stayed on, but were made for sliding, not crush resistance. My ankle now has a metal plate and 13 screws. Thank heaven for PT and a good surgeon, there are no side effects and I full mobility. All that said, I wish I had spent the extra $200, it would have saved the many thousands I ended up spending.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

...a firm fit with zips to ensure that they do not come off in the unfortunate event of an uplanned "get-off".

 

This is an underrated feature of motorcycle boots. I've seen more than one YouTube video of a squid crash in which the rider's footwear came off within a split-second after the tumbling began. Ankle bones grinding against pavement (or slamming into the pavement, if you're tumbling) is guaranteed to leave you immobilized for quite some time.

 

Lace-up hiking boots (or similar) might seem like a good compromise - until the laces catch on your footpeg when you try to put your foot down at a stop sign; now you can't get your foot to the ground in time to keep the bike from falling over, and if you're really unlucky, you might have a tough time getting your foot out of the way as the bike falls over onto it.

 

Other than that, I'll echo what others have said about heel protection and also mention shin impact armor; your tibia (shin bone) is right there under the skin, awfully vulnerable to impact, and the leather of a cowboy boot won't absorb much of the impact energy if your shin hits anything. Far better to have some plastic and some foam there to distribute/absorb the blow.

[Guest Kakugo]

I'll use a completely different approach.

 

I presently have two "active" pair of boots (both TCX), plus an old pair of Sidi On-Road on reserve.

You won't catch me dead riding a bike without them.

Apart from safety reasons, there are two other ones.

 

First is I have very big feet and tend to lean like a maniac. And mobility from the right knee downwards is not the best due to an old injury. This means sometimes I scrap the edge of my boots (especially the right one) on the tarmac. Ordinary shoes or boots would wear in no time, but a pair of boots will toe sliders save me a lot of money. And embarrassment.

 

Second is comfort. I have a pair of Gore-Tex boots I keep specifically for very long hauls (soles are worn and aren't available as a spare so I attempt to ration them to avoid replacing them... I am a well known cheapskate). I can assure you there's absolutely nothing that's so comfortable to wear over long hauls in any weather. Vibrations are completely dampened, my feet breath freely, yet are dry all the time... when I pull them off in the evening I don't even need a gas mask!

 

Riding is a bit like hiking: you can do it in trainers, but there's nothing like having the right tool for the job.

[Glenn Reed]

Other than that, I'll echo what others have said about heel protection and also mention shin impact armor; your tibia (shin bone) is right there under the skin, awfully vulnerable to impact, and the leather of a cowboy boot won't absorb much of the impact energy if your shin hits anything. Far better to have some plastic and some foam there to distribute/absorb the blow.

 

This actually happened to me many years ago, when someone pulled across three lanes of traffic to go from one parking lot to another. I grabbed all the brake I could but wasn't going to be able to stop. When we collided, my feet came off the footpegs, and my right shin (fairly unprotected, dumb college kid) struck the aftermarket engine guard/highway peg combo. Result - Hairline fracture of the tibia.

[eddd]

...Lace-up hiking boots (or similar) might seem like a good compromise - until the laces catch on your footpeg when you try to put your foot down at a stop sign; now you can't get your foot to the ground in time to keep the bike from falling over, and if you're really unlucky, you might have a tough time getting your foot out of the way as the bike falls over onto it.

 

The tactical boots I have are by Thorogood, but are no longer made. They had a leather flap with a velcro closure that covers the laces and the entire front of the boot. This feature is tough to find, but in any case I never recall having laces on any of my boots coming loose.

[mwsR1200RT]

As I read this, I realize I am living life with a double standard.

 

On the street, armored boots and Aerostich.

 

On the dirt bike, my foot and leg protection bike is much more thorough - TALL boots with an armored exoskeleton that overlaps my Asterisk knee brace by several inches. When (not if) I fall and the bike pins it, I walk away every time. I barely even feel it. And while pants have been ripped to shreds several times, skin hasn't.

 

Now why don't I wear the same on the street? The RT does NOT weigh less than the KTM....

 

Not sure I can claim ATGATT anymore....

[Selden]

Lightweight, comfortable Alpinestars motorcycle boots left me with this:

 

 

The soles were very flexible — comfortable for walking, but under the pressure of a motorcycle frame, they provided almost no protection.

 

Had I been wearing my Aerostich Combat Touring boots, I suspect none of this hardware would have been needed. They needed 2 years to break in fully, and are now quite comfortable, if not particularly light.

[David13]

Ok ok ok, that's enough. I got it.

My AlpineStar boots are not enough.

I get it. I'm looking, and thinking, and plotting and shopping and I'll see what I can do.

dc

[MarkAZ]

I know my Alpinestars offer very little protection...they're not much more than high athletic shoes. However, I have huge feet (like 14 EEE) and I just can't find motorcycle boots that fit...and that I can afford. I've tried several pairs of different brands but so far no joy. Spending $1000 for custom made boots is just not gonna happen. I realize that a foot/ankle injury would likely cost lots more in dollars and pain & suffering but that's the reality of the situation. I think some Red Wing or equivalent high work boots might be a workable compromise...they come in huge sizes and are reasonably affordable.

[eddd]

I know my Alpinestars offer very little protection...they're not much more than high athletic shoes. However, I have huge feet (like 14 EEE) and I just can't find motorcycle boots that fit...and that I can afford. I've tried several pairs of different brands but so far no joy. Spending $1000 for custom made boots is just not gonna happen. I realize that a foot/ankle injury would likely cost lots more in dollars and pain & suffering but that's the reality of the situation. I think some Red Wing or equivalent high work boots might be a workable compromise...they come in huge sizes and are reasonably affordable.

 

That is a reasonable approach. No motorcycle boot is going to protect you in every instance. I'm not going to wear my motocross boots and body armor when riding on the street. There is going to have to be a compromise among protection, comfort, cost, and maybe for some, looks. Motocross boots that provide a great deal of protection to your feet, ankles, and lower leg can cause some of the forces of a crash to be transferred to other body parts, like your knees. Sometimes something gotta give.

[Gooner]

Could y'all be a bit more specific when referring to a particular boot that you feel lacks protection? For instance, Alpinestars makes several different models of riding boots ranging from high tops for squids up to full out racing boots. Just don't want anyone to be discouraged from what might well be a good quality boot.

 

Selden - I'm curious to know which model you were wearing before you had the hardware aisle installed in your foot? (Hope you're all healed up, BTW.)

 

For the record, I ride with a pair of AStars SMX-4s, Euro size 49. Comfortable, but a bit too big for my preference and hoping to transition to something smaller.

[LBump]

What are the advantages of boots specifically made for riding?

 

Thanks.

 

They are designed for a specific purpose, protection.

The better they're made, the better protection.

[John Bentall]

My motorcycle boots boots have a steel "anti-crush" plate in the sole.

 

To the OP - if you could tell us what sort of an incident you are going to have, we might be able to tell you the advantage a proper motorcycle boot would have in your case.

[MarkAZ]

My Alpinestars are called 'Blacktop Shoes' but mine are an older version of what they're selling now, without the velcro flap to cover the laces. I don't know if they're squid shoes, I never though of them as that. I bought them when I first got my airhead a few years ago and was taking the MSF BRC and needed shoes/boots that cover the ankles. IIRC, I got them from Revzilla on closeout. They're better than anything else I had and they fit well enough that my feet don't hurt after an hour or so. I've been looking for something better but haven't found anything to fit. I tried a couple pairs of Alpinestars that would have been good but they were just too narrow. No one local carries the huge sizes and while the return policies for places like Revzilla are pretty good, you still have to pay return shipping at around $10 so it can be costly to have to try eight or ten pairs (or more) before you find something that fits (if you can). I don't have a problem with other gear or clothes, just boots (and shoes). Back in the old days when I was young & invincible (and stupid) I didn't care about decent gear but now I don't go out without it.

[Gooner]

By "squid shoes" I meant AStars (or similar) branded casual shoes that were never meant for riding but the squids do anyhow. The ones you describe are clearly a few steps above.

[Selden]

Selden - I'm curious to know which model you were wearing before you had the hardware aisle installed in your foot? (Hope you're all healed up, BTW.)

I bought them a long time ago, don't remember the model. 12" high, and they had a ventilated shin guard, which was nice, because you could you could remove some vinyl strips, exposing ventilation slots. However, that was really the only protection, and the soles were just a thin tread over a layer of dense foam, so the sole could fold over under pressure, offering no instep protection whatsoever.

 

I ended up with 4 broken bones in my foot, one shattered into multiple pieces. The surgeon was acting head of orthopedics at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, so I figured he had lots of experience with mangled foot repairs. I'm amazed at how little I notice all that hardware, but I don't dare run, do long hikes or anything that threatens to create a lot of impact, for fear of something coming loose.

 

Except motorcycling, of course...

[chrisz]

From an Australian safety study; GeorgeInstitute

 

While motorcycle boots were not associated with a significant reduction in risk of

hospitaliz

ation, the

results

did

confirm the benefits of motorcycle boots and, in fact, any type of

sturdy boots compared to shoes

such as joggers

,

It would appear that the basic elements of

protection are not unique to motorcycle boots, but

can be provided by other

boots.

Whether this

is due to the additional coverage for the ankles, or because shoes are more likely to be torn off

during a crash is

unclear and requires further investigation.

[EddyQ]

Good thread.

 

 

Looks like the doc dropped his multi tool in there!

 

After reading this thread I think I need better boots. . . .

 

[lkchris]

You just have to have Gore-Tex in motorcycle boots.

 

This isn't in cowboy boots.