Hi all, I have a tale of woe and need some recommendations for boots. I have been looking for a 'classic' style pair of heavy duty MC boots like the old Fieldsheer etc. types (scrambler style, tongues and buckles down the outside, steel tipped commando style soles, I'm sure y'all know the sort of thing. I settled on Merlin 'Clan' boots as one of the rare options in the style. They had a zip down the inside which set the warning bells ringing. Sure enough in no time flat the zip bust and, returning them I was left with no boots and out thirty quid for two lots of shipping. As a stopgap I bought a pair of modern black MX type boots for a hundred quid form J&S. Sort of leather jobs with plastic reinforcement on the legs and over the foot with plastic 'cable tie' type snap locks branded as 'GP Pro MX' boots. Three short outings later and the feckin' plastic has all split and cracked on the insides of the legs and feet with big chunks missing! When did motorcycle boots become so crap? I often wear 'firefighter' (Jolly, Tuffking etc.) and 'rigger' boots for walking the dogs and all manner of shit kicking hard work and the things last until the soles are worn through, hard as nails and usually only need disposed of because they stink but my recent experience of MC boots seems to indicate that they barely survive walking around in them let alone actually falling off yer bike! When I was a young-un I had a pair of Frank Thomas Scrambler type boots as my first 'proper' motorcycle boots and they lasted until there was no tread left on the soles! They didn't even cost much either.
Hey, Marty. The style you're going for seems like it has lots of what I call "jicky" parts--supperflous bells & whistles, buckles & gizmos. While I'm not the best person to recommend forgoing style (I like to match my gear style to my bike style with the best of 'em), maybe just aiming for a super simple but bulletproof boot is the way to go. My favorite boots these days are boots that simply lace. No clips, no zippers, no muss-no fuss. I suspect that there are some motorcycle boot manufacturers who design their boots such that they have a limited "shelf life" so that their customers eventually come back and buy another pair. I have had success with Rev It! boots in terms of simplicity and durability. And knowing I may get reamed of this forum for saying this, I've had and currently have boots made by Harley-Davidson that have lasted for thousands and thousands of miles which are no worse for the wear and are also pretty darned comfortable when circumstances require walking about in them. I have some Sidi boots that are ok but, like my Sidi cycling shoes, they have those jicky clips and snaps which I've come to detest because they break or don't work smoothly, etc.. Turns out H-D boots are made by Wolverine. Mr. Sandi has had boots made by Chippewa that have served him well. Red Wing is another brand that seems simple, safe, and durable. Anyway, good luck with your search. Let us know what you land on that works!
Well @Sandi T. The old style boots I was ideally looking for were super simple. Easy to get on but seriously tough and offering the maximum protection. They just had a number of 'tongues on the outside that you pulled onto metal pins. Ten seconds to put on, snug on your legs so they are never coming off in a crash and tough enough that they greatly reduced any risk of twisted or broken ankles and reduce risk of damage to the lower legs and feet. When I bought the Merlin 'Clan' boots I chose them because they looked to be of a similar design to classic scrambler boots but they made the fatal mistake of adding a second gusset and zip on the inside of each boot to make them even quicker to get on which actually just introduced a failure point given that the leather was so rigid that flexing your legs put tremendous strain on the zips around the area of maximum movement (the ankle). Simply very bad design due to someone thinking they could make them even easier to use and not factoring in the stress induced by a leg moving inside the boot. This is the sort of style I mean https://img0.etsystatic.com/029/1/7050345/il_fullxfull.522233456_f1f9.jpg You see I have quite muscular legs and typically pull-on high leg boots rarely fit my calves neatly so a gusseted boot with buckles is the ideal combination of full heavy support for ankles, legs and feet coupled with ease of putting on/taking off and the ability to adjust to snugly fit the leg. I do have to add as well that I have long considered them to be the coolest damn design in motorcycle boots ever.
Those really are cool boots, Marty. I've not had any quite like that. But as I was reading your post and looking at the photo in the link you included, it made me think of a motorcycle boot company called Gasolina that you may want to check out. I can't vouch for them as I've never had a pair. But I originally saw an ad for them in Cafe Racer Magazine. I've read good reviews and always thought I might splurge for a pair. They do make different styles, none of which are just like the photo in the link you posted but a couple of models seem at least somewhat similar to what you're after. https://gasolinaboots.com
Marty, am I right in thinking that your problem could be that your a chunky lad with calf’s like tree trunks. I’ve never owned a pair of altberg boots but I been told that their boots are good quality,maybe an enquiry to them may be beneficial. Could their Hogg boots be what your looking for https://www.altberg.co.uk/boots/motorcycle-boots16
Or back to Frank Thomas for some clip up types. http://www.frank-thomas.co.uk/index.php/collection/boots/rallye-boots-black.html
Ah Derry boots, I had a pair of those about thirty years ago. I caught the inside of one of them on a rough bit of metal and it sliced them cleanly all the way to the top of the boot. Not much protection in the event of an off. The Sidi boot is the closest to what I want but it doesn't quite get the cigar as, at least in pictures, they just don't look rugged enough.
By the sounds of it you need to be looking at proper motocross/enduro boots that don’t come cheap. Unless you want a pair of cheapo ones to make a fashion statement
I definitely don't want 'fashion statement' boots. I'm not the trendy type and I want a pair of boots that you could kick down a brick wall with and that would also withstand a nuclear bomb going off. The fact that they look like they can do such a job and be mean and cool too is just a bonus.
It’s always great fun spending other people’s money but you have given no clue as to your budget. Cheap is army surplus and shin pads (my style!) Expensive is trials with grippy soles (rather than motocross) or Altbergs (British quality!) Middling is Italian branded Romanian manufactured https://www.dirtbikexpress.co.uk/bo...MIxIa1hoys6wIVROvtCh2oWAUMEAQYAyABEgIhQ_D_BwE My Derri boots suffered a similar fate as have neoprene topped wellies.
A pair of Hobnailed jackboots will suit you Marty good for riding and for giving aggressors grief if they start
I love Jack boots @Don the Don but it is so hard to find them now, especially in a size 12 to fit me. Even the Finns and Russians have moved to wearing lace-up boots now and I doubt the 're-enactor' ones will be up to Bundeswehr quality. As for my budget I am willing to pay up to £300 or so if the boots come with an absolute promise that they won't disintegrate when given a hard stare, are designed the way I want them and will outlast me.
Find a picture of what you would like upload it and if anyone sees or knows about them they will let you know
https://www.silvermans.co.uk/collections/footwear/Boots+Motorcycle always been a reasonable place, have a gander they may have something if not nothing lost.
I've got the clan G24 boots, same thing, ride last week and the right boot zip has fcuked off somewhere en route back home. Need something minus zip fot the next one.
That's interesting @JayScram M&P told me they had never heard of such a thing happening before. My guess is that they were telling porkies.
