Boots

Hi,
my sidi couriers expired this summer so have been wearing my "second" pair, sidi black rains but these too are quite worn now. Time to get new boots then so has anyone got good recommendations? I ride mainly B roads, some A roads, the odd farm track too. £150 should cover it.

cheers
muttley1

I swear by my AlpineStars Web GoreTex. Can't recomend them enough. 
Warm (a bit too much on Portuguese summer), absolutelly, 100% dry (unless water enter from above) and total bomb proof outer leather+rubber (shift protector etc). 
Nice ankle support and protection. 
Toe is very stiff but no problems upshifting. 
Takes about a week dailly ride (commute) to break inm but then absolutelly as comfy as slippers. 
Loads of grip on the soles, even on wet road paint. 

Only problem is what most models also suffer from: too slim of a sole and no re-sole option.

I've always stuck with Alpine Stars, good solid boots and they last for years. The only small niggle is that I have large calves and the velcro panels don't reach quite far enough.

vildor wrote:I swear by my AlpineStars Web GoreTex. Can't recomend them enough. 
Warm (a bit too much on Portuguese summer), absolutelly, 100% dry (unless water enter from above) and total bomb proof outer leather+rubber (shift protector etc). 
Nice ankle support and protection. 
Toe is very stiff but no problems upshifting. 
Takes about a week dailly ride (commute) to break inm but then absolutelly as comfy as slippers. 
Loads of grip on the soles, even on wet road paint. 

Only problem is what most models also suffer from: too slim of a sole and no re-sole option.

+1

I've been looking for some all weather boots that'll work both over my leathers & under my textiles & have stumbled upon the TCX infinity Gore-Tex Boots.
They scored top marks in Ride magazines abrasion/impact & waterproof tests back in 2008 & have tons of decent reviews including from blood runners but at £190 are a bit over budget.
Surprisingly they don't get a mention in MCN's top 5 winter boots review from 2011 though

Very happy with my TCX boots, not certain which exact ones they are. S-race or something. Gore-tex anyway with a fair bit of armour and very comfy.
They do squeak though!

ashcroc wrote:I've been looking for some all weather boots that'll work both over my leathers & under my textiles & have stumbled upon the TCX infinity Gore-Tex Boots.
They scored top marks in Ride magazines abrasion/impact & waterproof tests back in 2008 & have tons of decent reviews including from blood runners but at £190 are a bit over budget.
Surprisingly they don't get a mention in MCN's top 5 winter boots review from 2011 though

I have a pair of those although I havent really worn them enough to form an opinion on them yet.For commuting I usually wear Army issue goretex lined assault boots.

Ride magazine are very good with there product tests if it gets green triangle its good. Use to be a good magazine too i use to by it from start in 95 and it seemed to loose its way good while back, stoped buying it like magazines seem to do.

HI and thanks for the replies.
Alpinestars or TCX then. I reckon goretex will be worth having. I'll be passing Infinity Oxford next week so will see what they have. There's a surprising lack of bike shops in north Oxfordshire!

Btw I stopped getting Ride and Bike a few years ago, just got too same-y and too much bigging up the big trailie thing too. I don't reckon biking has moved on much in the last few years for day to day riders.

muttley1

Might be worth checking out both infinity & J&S to see which boots you prefer & get the right fit then buy cheaper off the net.

Late to the party, but I have "Forma Adventure" boots. They are brilliant and have lasted me just over a year so far of being used and abused, with no sign of them giving up the ghost. They are (or rather have been so far) waterproof. They are really comfy to the extent that you can quite easily wear them all day and walk about in them, up and down hills etc.

I do a fair amount of greenlaning too and have used these to great effect. They are much lighter than, say Alpinestars Tech 3s, but I would wager that the crush protection isn't quite as good as the Alpinestars.