General boot topic

[cmot]

Hi, I'm setting here in my easy chair watching tv enjoying my first laptop.
SOOOO much better than walking to the computer room. But I bought my boy some boots and just started looking for some for me. Mine are getting pretty broken down cracked.
I tryed a pair of Thor T30 and choked. My feet are a size 11.5 and wide and these 12's were way to narrow,stiff,Too high, and clunky buckles. The sole is way too thick and there is way too much hard plastic in these boots. I can't see them ever loosning up and fitting.
They must have a chart that says a person at 175 lbs at 5'11 has a size 10 foot then if a person needs a pair of size 12s he must be 6'4 with long legs, narrow calf and his feet are still the same width as any small adult. With wide feet like mine I've had to live with this moronic logic my whole life.
So maybe some info here will save me a lot of leg work, I would like to buy my boots online but I will need to know exactly what I need to be able to do that.
So What you think?/Wear yourself?

[Colorado Mike]

Stay away from Thor boots. I think they suck. Maybe look into Alpinestars, or Sidi. Seems to me, MX boots are like ski boots in that different brands are made on a last for different types of feet. Some brands are just totally unsuitable for a foot that doesn't match their last. Or maybe a chinamese -made boot doesn't match a human foot at all, cus they're made by some prisoner kid that doesn't give a rat's asp if your foot hurts.

[cmot]

Thanks CM, What are some of the features you like with the others.
other than fit? My area is pretty lame at carrying a selection. My boots are TR racing series5 and Iv'e never heard of them before. They have two bottom buckles and two wide velcro for the tops, This makes them extremely easy to put on and they are all leather except for the plastic covered velcro straps and ankle caps and shift protecter. So the boot flexes well.

[quailchaser]

I agree and disagree with CM on the Thor boots. Thor boots are exactly what you pay for...cheap boots. No different than most of the other bottom of the line boots. If you want cheap boots, they are just as good as the others in this price range.

Everything else CM said is right on the money...each boot manufacturer has a different fit. When you get into the $250 and up range of just about any boot manufacturer, you get way better quality. I have both the Sidi Force and the Garne SG10's.

I hate the Sidi strap system. They are good quality, but they are a pain to get on and adjust. The wrap around inner boot section for the top of the boot is also a pain to get on and adjusted properly. Once the boots are on, they are extremely comfortable and work well. I like the low toe height and the hinged ankle system works well. They also took literally no time to break in. However, I dislike the effort to get them on and adjusted so much that I rarely wear them. If I didn't wear knee guards, this wouldn't be near as much of an issue.

The Garne SG10's are the most comfortable and easiest boot to put on I have ever owned. The straps are fantastic. The toe height is quite annoying and makes up shifting interesting at times. The boots were also designed for someone with a long lower leg. I had to trim some of the leather around the top area to get them to not put pressure on my hamstring area when sitting. The 06 model has a lower toe height, but the same "tall" person design. These boots broke in very quickly.

Many guys I ride with love thir Alpine Star Tech series boots. Some really like the 6 and others really like the 8. Alpine Star makes a very good boot. They take a tad bit longer to break in than the above two.

RC sponsored and Tucker Rocky distributed Berik OVS and OVS Pro boots have gotten good reviews from those I know using them. They will have a break in similar to the Alpine boots. They look to be well made.

Boots are a pretty healthy investment. In my opinion the next most important piece of riding gear next to your helmet. The best thing to do is to keep trying on different boots wherever you can until you find what fits and works the best for your foot shape and size. Then order those.

Later
Robb

[Colorado Mike]

well, I tried a couple types of boots on in the store, and most felt narrow. I tried on the alpinestars, and they felt much better right away to me. As far as features, I'm probably on the other side of the scale from you. I want a pretty rigid boot. I ride where there is a lot of opportunity to get your leg pinched between the bike and a mountain, so I want my boot to be strong enough to deflect the bike away from the rock, and protect my leg. My Alpinestar T6's may not have any leather in them, I don't know. They are mostly thick plastic, sometimes multiple layers of the stuff. breathability is zero, my legs are soaked when I take them off, and that's even when it is bone dry outside. The buckles on mine are decent, but I think the newer ones may have been improved. My kid had Thor T20s that had buckles that totally suck, it was real easy to get the lock tab in the wrong place, and still let you buckle it, if that happened, you pretty much needed vise grips to get them off then.

I looked at those boots that Ricky Carmichael is hyping now, can't remember the name , but they have two eyeballs on them. They looked well made, but I didn't try them on. I did try the Alpinestars with the booties in them, T10 and I think T8's , but I thought they were uncomfortable.

Best thing is to try them on, work the buckles repeatedly, and make sure you can live with them. tough to do though, if you live where there aren't many shops.

[quailchaser]

I tried on the alpinestars, and they felt much better right away to me. As far as features, I'm probably on the other side of the scale from you. I want a pretty rigid boot. I ride where there is a lot of opportunity to get your leg pinched between the bike and a mountain, so I want my boot to be strong enough to deflect the bike away from the rock, and protect my leg.

I'm not sure if your responding to my post...but, I'll comment anyway.

My issues with boots are that I have a "weak" ankle from previous injuries. All rigid boots (boots with out the reinforced hinged ankles) will become "soft" over time in the ankle area. This is because that is the area that needs to "break in" to allow up and down movement for shifting and braking. This does not make the boot any less impact resistant, but will allow for ankle "roll" in extreem instances once this area gets good and broken in. Thus the reason for my choice of the Gaerne's and the Sidi's. Both these boots would work just as well as the Alpinestars in the scenario you decribe, as they are similiar in design except for the hinged ankle.

This is the exact reason that it's important for an informed decision with thorough research in boot selection. Everyone is different in thier physical needs, and riding needs. There is a good quality boot out there for each person's needs...Alpinestar, Gaerne, Sidi, Berik (RC's hype). I'm sure there are 1 or 2 others, but these are the ones I have direct experience with.

My kid has the Thor boots as well. The buckles do really suck. But, like I said before, these are bottom of the line MX boots. I'd like to get him the Alpines to try next time, but I'm not sure the added $$$$$ is something I want to pay every time he out grows a pair. Maybe if I stop feeding him...

[Colorado Mike]

well I wasn't really replying to you Robb, I left my reply unsent for quite a while when I was distracted. Anyway, maybe I shouldn't be so hard on the Thors since cheaper boots fill a place, I'd rather see somebody wearing them verses sneakers or something. I just got pissed to see the stitching coming out of them after the third ride, but I bet the quality varies a lot by who made them, or what line they came off.

After the injury my son took to his leg, I was thinking one of the hinged boots would be the way to go. I had a busy work schedule, and sent him and his mom off to take a look, and I told her to brace herself for the cost, and that even though they cost a lot, the bill for his surgery cost us over two grand. So keep that in perspective. She agreed, but I guess only like wives do..

Somebody at the shop told them that all boots are the same and the $400 ones are just a name and no better than the $100 ones.. He got some cheapies again that probably have less support than the Thors he used to have. Then he went and rode in them so I couldn't return them. The buckles do work better, but he says they hurt his feet. perfect. Oh, and this is all after I had a little "how to buy a boot" class with him and compared mine to his. But in retrospect, that was just dumb old dad talking, I should have noticed the words going out the other ear.

[quailchaser]

That's cool Mike, I really wasn't sure if you response was to mine...now I know. Your posts are always well thought out and very informative. I just wanted people to be aware that bottom of the line MX boots are...well, bottom of the line.

I have no problem with your assessment of the Thor boots. I agree that they are sub par from what Thor normally represents. All the boots in the bottom end price range are of lesser quality than the upper end boots. That's not always true in MX products...but in boots, you typically get what you pay for.

The hinged boots are the way to go if you have ankle problems. They are basically set up like a knee brace with very sturdy components to compliment the rest of the boot. With Alpine's quailty, I wish they would make a hinged boot in the tech 8 or 10 and loose the bootie (I have a thing against the Alpinestar bootie...not all bootie! ) Just a personal comfort thing for me.

I am embarassed to be in the same industry that allows complete morons to work in assisting customers in safety gear. It's truely unbelievable that a sales person would state that the $100 boot is only different in not having the "big name" to the $400 boots. Especially since each of the "big name" boot manufacturers sell a lesser expensive (quality/feature) boot and a more expensive (quaility/feature) boot. That guy needs a good swift

Unfortunatly, kids boots are extreemly limited compared to adult boots. Alpine has a Tech 4 and I think a new Tech 6 somthing for kids. Gaerne offers a better quailty rigid boot. Then there are the cheapies--Thor, MSR, Answer, Fox...Not much of a choice in features for child sizes. Once the kid gets into adult sizes, the boot world opens up. I'm not sure if there is a quaility hinged ankle boot out for kids sizes. We haven't gotten the full '07 lineup yet. I would suspect not due to the fact that kids tend to grow so fast that the market (due to the high price tag for these) would not be large enough for this type of boot to hit the mainstream. I try and buy 1 size larger boot for my kid and have him wear 2 pairs of sox. He hasn't complaned about the fit and seems to be ok with shifting. Then again he's 8 and on a auto clutch 4T. That may change when he moves up to a clutch and shift bike.

[IdahoCharley]

QC wrote "I hate the Sidi strap system. They are good quality, but they are a pain to get on and adjust. The wrap around inner boot section for the top of the boot is also a pain to get on and adjusted properly. Once the boots are on, they are extremely comfortable and work well. I like the low toe height and the hinged ankle system works well. They also took literally no time to break in. However, I dislike the effort to get them on and adjusted so much that I rarely wear them. If I didn't wear knee guards, this wouldn't be near as much of an issue."

I second QC's remarks on the SIDI strap system. I only have the one pair of boots, so they get worn, but the straps seem to adjust themselves. Also not unusual to have to tighten a strap or two during a ride. Have lost a couple of straps on the trail due to buckle opening up (replacement parts are relatively cheap and are available which is a plus IMO). Very good boots EXCEPT for the strap issue: so much of an issue for me that I will not be buying a second pair unless they change their strap system.

My boy has a pair of AXO (RC4s or maybe RC5s) which I and he really like.

[AZRickD]

RC sponsored and Tucker Rocky distributed Berik OVS and OVS Pro boots have gotten good reviews

I went shopping for boots with dread several weeks ago after getting back into riding. I have size 11 -- fairly, but not extremely wide feet (not EE) with a bony protrusion from a tarsal dislocation twenty years ago. I knew I would have a width problem. My buddy told me to go with Berik "RC" boots. I didn't like the thought of going with a glitzy boot, but every one of the others I tried. Thor, Alp, Sidi, etc, etc, -- everyone you've mentioned above, were too narrow.

I tried the Berik OVS in size 11 and it fit nicely, perhaps just a little shorter than I was comfortable with given potential for foot swelling and toe bumping. I went with size 12, but all they had in that size was the Rick Carmichael signature model. I went with it (in black).

I'm quite content with them. Possibly a little bigger than optimal (11.5 would have been nice). And I had to cut off the plastic from the shin portion of my knee pad so the boot would close properly.

Rick

[cmot]

After reading these and other posts I'm rethinking buying online unless I can try them on locally 1st. When I started I didn't realize Thors were a cheap boot. Around here they run about 200.00. Width is my main concern with comfort so even if they are stiffer with more plastics I think that will be ok as long as thier wide enough. I agree that next to the helmet the boots are next in line of importance. Ill try to find some Beriks and Garnes to try. Also Alpinestars seem to have a majority following.
I see I'm not gonna get out of doing a lot of legwork. But this info arms me with good info to get a good boot the first time. Once I had a salesman talk me into a pair of 350.00 Ostrich boots that hurt when I bought them but he said thats normal till they stretch . Guess what? They never did.

[AZRickD]

I think you're on the right track. You have to be happy with them and guessing via the internet is not the way to go, as you've discovered.

Try them on with the type of socks you are going to wear while riding. If they are just the littlest-bit uncomfortable in the showroom, they will only get worse when you ride. Any pressure points will be magnified after an hour of riding.

I hope you find the best boots for you.

Rick