Adventure / DS style boots. Review or recommend.

[vulcanbill]

I think it's time to finally drop some dollars on a pair of boots that I'll likely have for a while.  Now that we do a little off road riding, I'm leaning towards the goretex adventure style boot as I'm liking the extra protection for the dirt and doubt it will be much of an issue having too much protection for the street.  Below are the ones I'm leaning in the direction of.  Experiences good, bad, or otherwise would be appreciated.  Don't want to go w/ a full on dirt boot and I have street boots that just don't seem to have the right stuff for a good rock fall or footpeg to the shin.  Waterproof req'd.  

Anything else I should be considering in this genre??  

http://www.revzilla.com/product/tcx-infinity-gtx-boots

http://www.revzilla.com/product/alpinestars-scout-wp-boots

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/gaerne-g-adventure-boots

or some variation of these:  

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/sidi-adventure-gore-tex-boots

 


While I'm not too excited about dropping 5 bones on boots, I also don't want a really good product to get away if dollars are the only thing in the way.  I plan on keeping these for a very long time and will consider it an investment.

Thanks.  

BillO

[KLRchickie]

I have SIDI Chargers & ZED has SIDI Crossfires.  They are uber-similar to each other & great boots.  Both of us replaced Alpinestar Tech 3's which were very frustrating boots - but a good start.  The SIDIs are so much better, both the buckle systems and the fact that your ankles flex well.  They are very good at protecting legs and feet from rocks and footpegs!

The Adventures in your link appear to have a very similar ankle hinge and buckle style to our boots.  For ease of on/off and walking I think these features are key.

[Cablebandit]

I've been wearing the Infinities since 2006.  I think next year they'll need to be replaced due to wearing through the bottom of the soul.  

[bomber]

 I think next year they'll need to be replaced due to wearing through the bottom of the soul.  

Tough to prevent that kinda thing these days, innit?

;-}

[1Arm]

Anything else I should be considering in this genre??  

May not turn out to be an issue with your gear, but when I beefed up my footwear with a pair of Gaerne GX-1s, I was disappointed to discover the pantlegs on my Roadcrafter wouldn't fit over the top of the boots.  Ay carumba the dreaded death spiral of Klim gear and vanishing $$$

Still don't have an ideal setup but I'm getting by with RC/Combat tour combo for cold and Gaerne/Klim Dakar combo for warm days.

[GRN]

I wear Gaerne SG-10's mostly, and have a pair of the Scouts which are really more of a street boot - and NOT waterproof in my experience. I've had such good luck with Oxtar/TCX (still nursing along a pair of Matrix's) that I would probably replace the Scouts with the Infinity. You get what you pay for... do you want to stay dry? If yes, GoreTex - there is no substitute.

edit - I take that back, the TCX boot I like is the X-Desert.
http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/tcx-x-desert-gore-tex-boots?utm_source=product&kwd=&adtype=pla&kw={keyword}&gclid=CNLcnNjWkLQCFQuCQgodjEsA9g

[garry]

Several of the guys I go dual-sport riding with swear by the Gaerne Balanced Oiled trials boot. Not as protective as others mentioned in the thread, but not as stiff so you can feel the shift lever and brake pedal better.

[GRN]

Not as protective as others mentioned in the thread, but not as stiff so you can feel the shift lever and brake pedal better.

I already consider the scout class of boot marginal for off road... it's OK for fire roads, but I prefer more protection for anything more challenging.

[X1Glider]

Not sure how much adventure you put into your adventures.  But something I learned when I took up the dirt was that there is no substitue for the protection of a good dirt boot.  My toes would be pulverized into a powder from all the impacts with a boulder or tree stump if it wasn't for the superior protection from a true dirt boot.

Never mind that true dirt riding is not like adventure/DS riding.  Keep in mind that adventure/DS bikes don't have the same ground clearance and have pegs lower than a true dirt bike so your toes are more vulnerable, even from rocks getting flung up fron the rear tire, even if you never tread where the real trails are.  Shins will also take a beating from kicked up stones and stuff.  So a true dirt boot is best...until you're back on the road.  They're not flexible enough for road comfort and effortless shifting and braking.

The Garne SG-10 is great at keeping out water. I know more than a dozen people who will attest to that.  And they say it's mighty comfy inside.  The Sidi adventure looks like a great boot too.

[vulcanbill]

Not sure how much adventure you put into your adventures.

Check bike list.  Nuff said.

[Cablebandit]

I will say that the Infinities hold up well if you have Vstrom land on you.  

[birdrunner]

I've had the Scouts for a couple years now.

Wear them on my CBR as well as off road.

They are VERY comfortable to walk in, which was one of the key points in buying them.  (They fit quite wide btw)
They've protected my ankle when I "dropped" my XL on it.

They managed to keep my feet dry right to the point I sunk in the mud over my knees.  

One of the buckels is already broken .

[GRN]

Not sure how much adventure you put into your adventures....

Never mind that true dirt riding is not like adventure/DS riding.  Keep in mind that adventure/DS bikes don't have the same ground clearance and have pegs lower than a true dirt bike so your toes are more vulnerable, even from rocks getting flung up fron the rear tire, even if you never tread where the real trails are.  Shins will also take a beating from kicked up stones and stuff.  So a true dirt boot is best...until you're back on the road.  They're not flexible enough for road comfort and effortless shifting and braking.

The Garne SG-10 is great at keeping out water. I know more than a dozen people who will attest to that.  And they say it's mighty comfy inside.  The Sidi adventure looks like a great boot too.

And that titanic ADV bike your going to drop on your leg weights 2-4X as a dirt bike, nah - you don't need heavy duty boots  . The Gaerne SG-10 are also spaciously comfortable for folks with wide feet. Hard plastic boots don't stretch or conform much at all so make sure they are pretty comfy to start. I have a hard time finding comfy shoes in all walks of life, I was surprised how well these boots fit me.

[GRN]

I've had the Scouts for a couple years now.

They are VERY comfortable to walk in, which was one of the key points in buying them.  (They fit quite wide btw)
They've protected my ankle when I "dropped" my XL on it.

They managed to keep my feet dry right to the point I sunk in the mud over my knees.  

One of the buckels is already broken .

I haven't broken a buckle, yet, but I do have a bitch of a time getting the lower buckles to allign properly and lock closed.

I bought mine for light off road and road touring, also appreciate the comfortable walkability. The only time they got wet was last spring while I was doing the On-Street course Instructor Prep, in contiguous days of frog choking rain. One of the other instructors was also wearing a pair and had similar failures to what I experienced. Just gave mine a good, overdue, scrubbing with saddle soap followed by a generous basting of nikwax. I'll know if that works soon enough.

[vulcanbill]

TCX just showed up.  So far, really happy.  More later.

[bungie4]

My A* Scouts showed up today. $269 + free shipping (from Canada no less!).  I'm happy with the purchase. However the 'big toe side' of the boot looks really REALLY shitkickerish. Just a huge slab of leather. If you didn't know, you'd say it was a rubber boot.

Meh, I don't care, can't see that side of the on the bike.

Time'll tell how they do on the bike.

[coho]

I also have a pair of Scouts, they're really more of a street boot with dirty styling cues than a proper dirt boot.
Thor or Axo might be a good place to look for a not-break-the-bank actual off-road boot. My low top Axo Slammers are both walkable and confidence inspiring.

[GRN]

TCX just showed up.  So far, really happy.  More later.

Looking forward to it.

[vulcanbill]

Preliminary signs indicate success.  I wore them around the house last night and pretty much forgot I had them on a couple times.  This is my first buckle style boot so it'll take a few more times of on and off to get the smoothness of that buckle process just because they're on the outside of the boot.  I suspect that's not a product of the boot and that's all me.  

I was worried about the fit because boots seem to be all over the place.  I am a solid 9 in every kind of shoe I have.  I have a pair of Oxtar Matrixes'es' and those are a 42 and quite loose on me.  Not sure if that's just because it's such a soft and comfortable boot or what but I can do 2 pair of sox or one very heavy pair and still be not snug.  The Joe Rockets I bought from Bella's boyfriend are a US 8 and they fit perfectly.  I got the TXC in a 42 and the fit seems to be spot on.  I have to wear thick socks because they're the only ones that come up high enough to cover my calf all the way up to where the boot comes but I almost always wear thick socks anyway so it's not like I'm compromising there.  The stiffness was another area I was concerned about as my other boots are just not and therefore, are quite comfortable to walk in.  These are clearly a meatier piece of kit but not to the point of being obnoxious.  I'm actually going to wear them out today to run errands.  They look fine under jeans and are not too tall or bulky to be noticed under the pants.  Keep in mind that I'm not a skinny jeans kind of guy.  

Kim just came in with her O'Neil Elements that she just bought (that are so totally for sale) and the difference is epic.  No comparison and no interest whatsoever in a full on dirt boot.  For those that know, it's the same as the difference between a backpacking boot and a mountaineering boot.  You can do a lot of stuff in a backpacking boot but mountaineering boots are for a very specific set of tasks.  

I prefer the flexibility of flexibility thanks.  I'll touch back after I've spent the day in them but I suspect good things.

Stand by...

[Cablebandit]

Now go replace the insoles with your favorite gel inserts and you'll think you're wearing slippers.