Tips To Choose a Good Pair of Motorbike Boots

Motorbike boots, like any piece of specifically technical riding equipment, have been designed to perform several vital functions. When choosing a pair of motorcycle boots, then, it is vital that you bear two things in mind: one, the kind of riding you do; and two, the things that your boots have to be able to do in order to provide both protection and performance in your chosen style or area of motorbike use.

The first thing all motorcycle boots are designed to do is protect you. In order for your motorbike boots to offer the right kind of protection, you need to look for a combination of strength and flexibility – of heat shielding and good movement. You want your boots to be able to prevent the heat from your bike’s exhaust or exhausts from getting to the skin of your legs. You want your boots to be thick enough to take an impact if you come off the bike, or if the bike falls on your leg. But you also want your motorcycle boots to be light and nimble enough that they do not weigh you down in a riding situation.

So – the right kind of motorcycle boots for you are the motorbike boots that have heat shield padding on the inner part, where your calf would touch a hot exhaust pipe in a tight turn or an accident situation. In order to prevent your leg slipping out of position, the boots also need to have chunky sole grips – the kind of grips that will hang on in those aforementioned tight turn situations, without giving you any cause for the kind of sudden alarm movements that can result in a twitch on the handlebars and a quick dismount at 70 mph. Heavy grip on the soles of your bike boots is also useful for health and safety terms in general: if you ride, you will often be walking in places covered in oil or slicked with mud, where a slip is as likely as not. Get a pair of motorbike boots with durable rubber outsole that will keep you gripping on the surfaces you walk on, as well as on the plates of your bike.  At the same time, go for motorbike boots with Leather burn guard that increases grip while minimising heat exposure. 

Don’t forget that your ankles need to bend quite well when you ride off road. A tight boot is good for support (and of course any boots that have heat shielding should feel pretty bulky around the calf and inner ankle) – but too tight means no movement, no give. Most broken bones in any extreme sport are contained when flexible joints like ankles are encased in rigid protective gear. If your motorbike boots are too rigid and have no flex, you can snap your ankle like a twig in a fall, a dismount or even just a very tight turning situation. Find the right balance between flex and support and you will be much, much safer.

Finally – make sure you choose boots that fit well in the normal shoe size sense of the word. There is nothing more painful than riding through a set of just formed blisters. Your motorbike boots need to give you enough space to wear protective socks and inners – so get advice on the shoe sizing for your sport.