Boots

[Black99S]

23 hours ago, williestreet said:

I currently have forma adventures and they have been good, but support while standing is lacking and I want to get something with a much stiffer sole.

 

I am considering both of these.  I have tried a pair of the Tech7 on locally and the 44 fit me pretty well.

No way to try the gaerne Dakars on before purchase so I would be really interested in what size Gaerne you have and what A stars gives you the similar fit.  My forma are 44.  

 

I have read some people say you need one size large Gaerne and others have said the exact opposite.

My Tech-7s and Gaerne Dakar are the same size - 42. My foot is wide so the Alpinstar Tech-7s, though long enough, fit a bit tight in width. The Gaerne Dakar fit my foot better. Interesting - the Alpinstar Corozals size 42 fit looser width wise than the Tech-7s. 

[chadio]

On 8/7/2022 at 3:11 AM, Dougie said:

.......But I wore them in straight away by keeping them wet, using leather soap....

Can Dougie or anyone, tell me about leather soap?  Not familiar with it.

[Dougie]

2 hours ago, chadio said:

Can Dougie or anyone, tell me about leather soap?  Not familiar with it.

@chadio, you can get leather treatment from a shoe store (proper cobblers ) or a horse tack shop, or outdoors shop. It’s just an oil/cream/spray you rub in to leather and it softens and helps with water repellency. It can repair old leather. It’s handy for stiff new boots too. If keeping new boots spotless isn’t the aim ( posh shoes etc) then wearing the Shet out of them in mud, water etc is good. As with my alpinestars, I went through days of discomfort with 3 pairs of socks on (soaked in alcohol gel ) wearing them all day. Perfect fit later. 

[Jesse]

I got Alpinestars Toucans, I tried on 4-6 boots when looking.  These fit the best for my large foot the toe box is great for a wide foot. 

[chadio]

Dougie - thanks !!  

 

[Redneckj]

12 hours ago, Jesse said:

I got Alpinestars Toucans, I tried on 4-6 boots when looking.  These fit the best for my large foot the toe box is great for a wide foot. 

I normally wear a 10.5W shoe. Got size 11.  The Alpinestar Toucan boot is VERY comfortable.  Wide toe box too.  Expensive and worth every penny.  

Edited August 19, 2022 by Redneckj
?

[Husafreak]

I found this thread looking for shorter boots that I can wear all day and walk around in. I have motocross boots but they suck for walking around and just wearing all day. Do any of the shorter two buckle adventure style boots have good ankle support? I really want buckles as in two weeks of riding my new Tenere with lace ups I’ve caught the laces twice on my bike, dangerous I think. Anyway, I’m doing research and it seems like while the low cut adventure styles look like low cut motocross boots they are also made with less support to make them easier to walk around or camp or spend all day in. If I can’t have both that’s fine, but if I can thats what I want. So far I like the looks of the Forma Adventure Low, I want a boot that doesn’t look too weird for wandering around also, brown leather over giant embossed logo rubber any day for just road riding or long adventures. Looks like whatever I decide it’s all going to be mail order try on at home and return as necessary too.

[Husafreak]

Eh, I guess I’ll answer my own question, after posting I kept searching and found that Forma has another low boot, the Terra Evo, and it is basically a beefed up version of the Adventure. So I went with that. Now I’ll have three choices when I ride, motocross boots, Forma Terra Evo, or house slippers

I really want the low cut because it is often really hot here. But areas I ride off road even just casually are often rocky. The Terra Evo sole is better for standing and the boots come with steel toe pieces for kicking rocks. Hopefully I made a good choice. I’ll certainly take the suggestions above for breaking them in.

[Husafreak]

Here is my review of the Forma Terra Evo Low boots. They look and feel excellent. They really seem like they are worth the money. I have average 10 1/2 -11 size feet and calfs. The size 11/45 fit perfect with socks that are a little bit thick. I read a lot about stiffness and breaking them in but I was comfortable walking around in them right away. They are substantial boots, they are pretty heavy, while I think they are just about perfect for even rough terrain I would not want to commute to work in and wear them all day long, but if mostly riding and hanging out, going for food, camping,  low mileage stuff, no problem. I got mine Thursday and wore them all evening, a bit warm and clunky in the house but comfy. Friday I rode over two hundred miles of twists out to the CA coast. I had to rotate my shift lever one spline to get sufficient clearance. I may go back and adjust the connecting rod to bring the lever back down a little, but the stock placement was not enough clearance for these boots. I found them to be great for the ride, I had no trouble with micro adjustments to boot peg placement (Altrider pegs). They are really nice for standing with a thick stiff sole, hard to tell where the pegs are under the boot as you can't really feel them, just like a motocross boot. Coming home the temperatures soared, I was looking at 109 degrees outside in heavy slow commuter traffic and my feet were pretty hot. So try to avoid situations like that! Interestingly enough I pulled them off and they still smelled OK, new boot smell, socks too, so no funky material foot combo stink  These are boots to protect your feet, they even come with optional steel toe pieces to screw on before kicking rocks and roots on the trail. But since they are low you can walk normally in them and they are comfortable in casual situations.

[motonap]

On 6/27/2022 at 3:29 PM, Liquidape said:

I like the Aplinestars Toucans. Waterproof, comfy and fit under the legs of my Roadcrafter and my Motoport Kevlar mesh. Decent armor but not a true MX boot in terms of protection. 

 

On 7/24/2022 at 11:14 AM, Redneckj said:

Just scored a near new set of Alpinestars Toucans  for $150.  GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

On 8/19/2022 at 5:08 AM, Jesse said:

I got Alpinestars Toucans, I tried on 4-6 boots when looking.  These fit the best for my large foot the toe box is great for a wide foot. 

 

They are such an awesome pair of boots! I bought them back in 2015 and they continue to be the perfect everything boot! Only issue now is that the gear side boot has cracked open where the shifter touches. Rubber tube glued down onto it and still going!! 

Would be gutted the day I have to get rid of them!

Edited February 5, 2023 by motonap

[Wintersdark]

Forma Adventures for me, absolutely.  So comfy.  Love them.

[Ray Ride4life]

After fitting the LEAT 4,5, 5,5, Sidi Atejo, Crossfire 3 and Alpinestars Tech 7 i ordered a pair Tech 7 Drystar.
Hope the have the same fit because the Tech 7 where the only ones that fit my feet but i like the sole better on the Drystar and i like to keep my feet dry as i ride a lot in wet and cold conditions.
Not that it's that bad but i ride all year round and fall and winter are cold (i like freezing day and night better) and wet here in the Netherlands.

[DT675]

Boot are like tires, so many compromises...  I want a pair of boots that have great protection, waterproof, comfortable and also need to have tread on the soles for some hiking at destination.  Currently I have a set of Forma low for ADV riding that includes "everything", Alpinestars Tech 3 for 100% off road and Alpinestars (cant remember, a street only boot) for street rides.  The street boots have no tread, so I have to bring another set of boots to hike in.  The Formas are great for casual ADV rides with some walking but not protective enough for my harder off-road day trips.  I guess I just need a couple more sets of boots.

 

Here's an example of a "ride n hike" I did a few years ago

 

                                           

 

[Ray Ride4life]

Boots are inn, wore them for an hour and 45 minutes around the house to check the size. Left felt good right away but right seemed a little tight, not uncomfortable and after i ordered them i thought i might better also had ordered a size bigger just to test but i think they would be too roomy anyway and the time i had them on they never felt bad and the right already got better.
Here they are on my feet.

 

Tomorrow i will adjust the shift and brake lever, they definitely have to be raised. The Sidi Adventure 2 stay to use with the Crosstourer.

[Windblown]

On 2/5/2023 at 11:19 AM, DT675 said:

Boot are like tires, so many compromises...  I want a pair of boots that have great protection, waterproof, comfortable and also need to have tread on the soles for some hiking at destination.  Currently I have a set of Forma low for ADV riding that includes "everything", Alpinestars Tech 3 for 100% off road and Alpinestars (cant remember, a street only boot) for street rides.  The street boots have no tread, so I have to bring another set of boots to hike in.  The Formas are great for casual ADV rides with some walking but not protective enough for my harder off-road day trips.  I guess I just need a couple more sets of boots.

 

Here's an example of a "ride n hike" I did a few years ago

 

                                           

 

 

SIDI Adventure II's became my goto boot for general (wildly varied) riding conditions a few years ago now. I'm on my second pair. Good ankle support, waterproof, decent sole for walking & comfortable.  I've ridden, fallen, hiked, spent many a day at work wearing them, and even slept in them a time or two...

 

They aren't perfect but nothing ever is. I've got more hardcore boots but unless I'm slipping my under the boot enduro pants on it's the Adventure II's I reach for. 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Windblown

[roygilbo]

On 2/18/2023 at 8:30 AM, Ray Ride4life said:

Boots are inn, wore them for an hour and 45 minutes around the house to check the size. Left felt good right away but right seemed a little tight, not uncomfortable and after i ordered them i thought i might better also had ordered a size bigger just to test but i think they would be too roomy anyway and the time i had them on they never felt bad and the right already got better.
Here they are on my feet.

 

Tomorrow i will adjust the shift and brake lever, they definitely have to be raised. The Sidi Adventure 2 stay to use with the Crosstourer.

I ride with the Drystar Tech 7's as well.  Great boot and good waterproofing although I had one ride last year where it bucketed down all day and one let in moisture.  Had to dry it out over the heater... 

[r1superstar]

On 3/2/2023 at 1:13 PM, roygilbo said:

I ride with the Drystar Tech 7's as well.  Great boot and good waterproofing although I had one ride last year where it bucketed down all day and one let in moisture.  Had to dry it out over the heater... 

 

Same here.  I don't know if I will ever use a different dirt bike boot off road when I ride my Husky.  I bought the A-Stars Web Gore Tex for the street but I will use the Tech & Drystars fir the long ADV rides.

[roygilbo]

On 8/7/2022 at 3:11 AM, Dougie said:

I have the slightly lower version, Belize. And couldn’t believe people said they were comfortable when I got them.  Stiff as $%&^. But I wore them in straight away by keeping them wet, using leather soap, and wearing 3 pairs of socks and larger insoles. Agony for two or three days walking around in work. Put normal insoles back in after and they were great. Seriously comfortable boots. Oh and I lubricated the “hinge” on the ankle to stop them squeaking.  Proper waterproof too. 

What did you use to lubricate the "hinge"? 

[DanDoesStunts]

Best to use silicone spray. I use tyre shine and reapply after each wash.

[rundll]

Sidi Atojo. 

Nothing bad to say. Saved my feets several times. Not waterproof, but keeps my feet dry quite long in rainy days.

[motonap]

Just got a pair of the TCX Baja WP boots, so far no complaints. Only gripe, not as supportive as the Alpinestars Toucans that I had for 10years, but then shouldn't argue on that bit from what the Toucans were built for vs what these are built for. Also the price point for both are in different worlds.

[Tenerider]

I've got me a pair of Crossfire SRS half a year ago - after testing several Alpinestars (sadly, their size spacing is too big for me, they are either too small or too wide), Atojos (different fit than the Crossfires), and Gaerne Fastback Endurance (great boot as well, but a little less protection than the Sidis).

Although Sidis are said to have a narrow toe box, the Crossfires fit my wide front foot very well, and give excellent support for my rather narrow heel.

Shifter and brake feel isn't great compared to my everyday Forma ADV Tourer (comfy, but otherwise crap - waterproofing doesn't work at all, bad ankle support, zero offroad protection), but I got used to it.

Comfort of the Sidis always surprises me, I can wear them all day, every day. Walking is ok, the Enduro SRS sole provides excellent grip in every terrain (especially compared to MX soles) - important when lifting up the bike on the trail. Protection is top notch, and the grip on the bike (especially the calves area) is simply fantastic (and to me much better than with Atojos, which I also liked).

 

Regarding noise level, I was told it doesn't get better unless you stop cleaning them Still trying to prove this.

[nolman]

I've got my mind set on alpinestars tech 7 enduro drystars.

Coming from sidi adventure 2's with goretex that have served me well for combined touring/adventuring +TET a couple of years i really hope the drystars are really waterproof.

Comparing the safety and having tried them on in the shop the tech 7's seem an upgrade must even when only occasionally doing offroad.

Looking forward to hearing people's experiences with them.

 

[random1781]

3 hours ago, nolman said:

I've got my mind set on alpinestars tech 7 enduro drystars.

Coming from sidi adventure 2's with goretex that have served me well for combined touring/adventuring +TET a couple of years i really hope the drystars are really waterproof.

Comparing the safety and having tried them on in the shop the tech 7's seem an upgrade must even when only occasionally doing offroad.

Looking forward to hearing people's experiences with them.

 

I had the Sidi Adventure 2 with Goretex and I had those for about 4 years, with the last year or so being almost everyday use. Only issue with them was that they were old and water would seep in if they were wet for a long time or if water got sprayed into them, like plowing through puddles.

 

After a few falls where the Adventure 2's were not enough protection, I replaced them with a pair of regular Tech 7's, NOT waterproof because I wanted something that would dry faster.

 

The Tech 7's definitely had better protection and were comfortable, but they disappointingly lasted me about 1.5 years of heavy use. The main issue was that the toe cup seemed to cut into the leather just behind it whenever you would flex the toe box, to the point where holes started to form. I eventually gave up trying to maintain them and let them go.

 

 

 

I've since moved back to Sidi with the Crossfire SRS and absolutely love them. I even got them in white because I got tired of the sun roasting my feet in black boots. Not waterproof, but Sidi quality and it does not seem to have the stress points that the Tech 7 did.

 

The Tech 10's also seem like they lack the stress points that the 7's have, but they use that inner boot system and I don't know offhand if they're waterproof or not.

 

The impression I get of the Tech 7's is that they're an adventure/motocross hybrid in terms of construction and features. They have protection and are comfortable, but they're not really built to put a lot of walking miles on them.

[Dougie]

On 11/27/2023 at 11:07 PM, roygilbo said:

What did you use to lubricate the "hinge"? 

Sorry just seen. Yes, like @DanDoesStunts, i also used silicone spray. Mainly because I had some there and thought it would be less damaging to the materials. Probably some more suitable stuff out there. Liquid boot polish may also be fine. At least snot damaging.