What I Look for in Motorcycle Boots

Chipshinelug221 I have blogged over the years about motorcycle boots, and some of my posts have gone into a lot of detail about choices men can make for motorcycle boots. Rather than write another tome, let me answer a question from a regular reader:

You know a lot about boots and you ride a motorcycle everyday. So give me the scoop, boil it down for me — what does Booted Harleydude consider when he is looking at new motorcycle boots?

Okay, here goes (I tried to keep this short, but that’s damn hard for me! — LOL!):

Quality construction: I pay attention to the details describing how the boots are made and where they are made. The most telling statement is what they do NOT say — if they do not say “made in USA (or Canada, Mexico, or Europe)” then be careful because these days it is highly likely the boots are made in China or Pakistan with low-quality materials and by machines or robots. Other construction key words to look for include: steel shank, steel toe, double stitching, top grain leather, and leather lining. Avoid “imported” and “leather upper/balance manmade” — both indicators of crappy boots.

Decent, oil-resistant soles: all motorcycle boots have some sort of rubber sole, but the quality of the sole varies greatly. First, I look for the words “oil resistant” in product description (or on the sole itself). Vibram soles are the best — a Vibram 100 big lug sole provides ultimate traction but can be hard on the feet. A Vibram 430 “minilug” sole provides good traction, too, and are easier to stand in. I avoid boots with soles that are not oil resistant or are made of a type of rubber compound that easily degrades, such as the “alpha soles” on Chippewa Patrol Boots.
Comfort: if I am going to be wearing a pair of boots all day while operating a motorcycle, they must be comfortable. Boots that are very heavy (sorry, Wesco & Whites), become uncomfortable to me (feeling like Frankenstein feet) and I find myself choosing other boots to wear over them if I will be out all day riding.

Fit: boots may or may not be the same size as a pair of dress shoes or sneakers. There is no standard for lasts (the form of the foot of a boot against which leather is stretched to form the boot foot). Boot lasts can vary as much as one whole size in length (the number in a sizing designation) or width (the letter in a sizing designation). Some boots run large (like White’s Nomads or tall Chippewa engineers) and some boots run small (like short Chippewa engineers or Dehners). That is why it is important to do two things: 1) get your feet measured using a professional device for that, and 2) try boots on before buying, if at all possible (or … see the section on retailers.)

Easy to maintain: the last thing I want to do is spend time maintaining boots. That is why most of my motorcycle boots are made of oil-tanned leather. They get dirty, so what? I just wipe them down (and if necessary use a garden hose to clean mud from the lugs of the soles) and I’m done. Yeah, I do have some motorcycle boots that require more maintenance, such as Dehners. They look nice when they’re all spiffy and shiny. But most of the time, I prefer the rugged looks of a pair of biker boots that have had lots of time on my feet when I’m in the saddle of my Harley.

Secure on the foot but no laces: Some men like boots that lace up, like loggers or linesman boots. But most of us bikers, including myself, don’t want to take the time to lace boots. We just want to pull them on and take off. However, I look for boots that fit well and remain secure on the foot. The last thing I want to have happen is to be involved in a crash and have the boots fly off my feet. After all, they’re there for protection. So I make sure that my boots fit me well.

Retailer: choose a reputable retailer that has a generous return policy and (best) no charge for shipping. The best boot retailers allow for return of a pair of boots if they don’t fit at no charge to the customer. A good retailer will also provide free shipping for purchases over a certain amount. Good quality boots always exceed that “certain amount” (knowing smile.) If you see a pair of boots on the internet that you like, do comparison shopping explained here.

Price: nobody wants to pay much for footwear, at least not regular guys who don’t give a crap about fashion and labels. However, we don’t want crap, either. Be wary of boots whose retail price is less than US$150. It is likely those boots are made with inferior products in China or Pakistan. Also be wary of boots with name-labels like “Harley-Davidson” or “Frye.” Boots with those legendary labels are made by third-party companies who have paid for a license to use an iconic name to make products with those labels and have access to retail such as a H-D dealership. Unfortunately, while boots with these labels may be priced around US$200, the price has nothing to do with quality. It is an inflated markup for the label. Caveat emptor! As far as price goes, I have found quality motorcycle boots with all the features listed above retailing between US$200 and US$300 for ordinary, commercially-made on-the-shelf boots, and well over US$600 for custom made boots (Wesco, Dehner). It is true, “you get what you pay for.”