My 3 Most Favorite Boots for Motorcycling

Ridepostblog02I have been watching stats for both my boots & leather website and this blog, and for about the past two months, the visits to this blog have been increasing, while the visits to the website have remained flat. Last month, the daily visits to this blog have exceeded the average daily visits to the website.

As a result, I have decided to …

…write more posts for this blog about boots and gear that are featured on my website since apparently that is what people are searching for. Google is not ranking as many of my website pages high in its search results, thus sending fewer visitors to my website. Seems that no matter how hard I try to make the website mobile-friendly, I am not succeeding (and have no way to check since I don’t have one of those walletsuckers). This blog is naturally more “mobile friendly” (responsive design) because it is built on WordPress, which takes care of design issues to accommodate mobile device browsers.

Now, to the main subject of this post: my top three favorite boots for motorcycling.

Rideblog01Brief recap: I have been riding motorcycles for over 30 years. For many years, I taught basic and advanced motorcycle riding safety courses. I also coach motorcycle police officers on riding skills and safety. I consider myself a skilled and experienced rider.

As such, I have always, always, worn over-the-ankle, sturdy boots while riding. Never shorts, sneakers, or silly flip-flops. While commuting via Harley to work in a professional office, I wear motorcycle boots and wear them during the work day with dress clothes. Never low-height shoes, even if some shoes have rubber soles. (Bleccchhh… but I’m a Bootman, not a shoe queen.)

While I own about 100 pairs of motorcycle boots, there are three pairs that I wear most often when I ride. They are:

Chipfire2021. Chippewa Firefighter boots. These boots are rugged yet lightweight. They are comfortable to wear all day long. With a natural brilliant shine, they look good, even if the office with dress clothes. Built with a design similar to hiking boots, these boots are especially good when a motorcycle ride is to a destination where a lot of standing and walking is involved.

rp_Chipfire12.jpgThese boots are easy on the feet. They have solid oil-resistant Vibram lug soles that provide great traction, especially when holding the bike on a steep incline, or duck-walking it into a tight parking space. These boots are also fairly easy on the wallet, yet are USA-made. When I am considering “what boots to wear?”, I often select these boots over all others for their comfort, weight, lug soles, and good looks. This is why I have raved about these boots for so many years.

 

Chipharness992. Chippewa Harness boots. These boots are classic in design as well as function. Many bikers choose these boots. They’re not tall, but not short. They have a square toe and rugged good looks. In fact, Chippewa harness boots can take a good shine, thus making them suitable for wear with dress clothes in the office. While the harness strap is decorative, it adds interest to the boot’s design and style.

 

 

Chipostrichblack07What makes Chippewa harness boots better than the rest is that these boots have a Vibram 430 oil-resistant sole, and the boots are also USA-made of quality materials. The boots are also comfortable to wear if the destination includes some walking, but not quite as comfortable as the Firefighters above if a LOT of walking is involved.

 

 

 

 

rp_Chipnonsteel08.jpg3. Tall (17″) Chippewa engineer boots. Yep, the old classic engineer boot is a reliable, solid choice for riding. Many tough-guy bikers wear engineer boots. These boots can take a lot of abuse, mud, road spray, rain, muck and whatnot and keep on going. I’ve had a pair of these boots for over 30 years and still wear ’em, despite being beat-up. While not suitable for office wear, these boots work well for casual rides with my club.

 

ChipsoleThe smooth nitrile Chippewa sole is oil-resistant, but being smooth, does not provide nearly as good traction as Vibram soles on this company’s harness boots or Firefighters. But because the soles are smooth, they are also the most flexible which improves comfort when walking or standing. Overall, when I am riding with my biker buds, these boots suit the rider’s attire.

Tune in some time in the future when I discuss what boots I have tried and do not choose to wear that often and the reasons for those decisions.

Life is short: wear boots when riding a motorcycle. Always.

One thought on “My 3 Most Favorite Boots for Motorcycling

  1. I want to thank you for strongly suggesting the Chippewa Firefighter Boot — I bought it on your recommendation and you’re right. It’s the best go-to boot for motorcycling on a day-to-day basis. The sole is great; very solid feel even on wet or uneven pavement and the boot itself looks good off the bike.
    The Chippewa Harness boot is also one of my favourites but it has a very sturdy shaft that is sometimes tough to fit pants over.

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