Boot Shopping

[Scout63]

I really like the look of these Redwings:

https://www.redwingshoes.com/work/mens/soft-toe/SuperSole-01159.html

No lugs to pick up stones and whatnot
Easy to pull on and kick off
No laces to catch the shift lever
Make me look tough and a little taller

The downside is that unlaced boots have to fit just right so I’ll have to find a Redwing dealer large enough to have a good selection.

Right now I also have Gaernes, which have worn through the bottom of the soles and are not repairable, Stylmartin Aces, which look great but froze their zippers within a year and have wimpy metero laces, and pull-on Dingos which I love but are wearing out since I wear them for everything.

And no Huzo, I’m not going to have them custom- made in red, green and white.

[LowRyter]

Good work boots, not riding boots.

I have a pair in my garage.  They're tough boots.

[Ncdan]

Well, I just got my Red Wings out of the closet to take this picture.
I bought them 10 years ago in a little mom and pop shoe store in the mountains of hillsville Va and put them back for hard times. They were on sale for 100 bucks and the old folks needed the business. Not been in broken yet but they are here for hard times.

[jrt]

I wore redwings...maybe 20 years ago or so.  They are great boots, tough as nails and they'll last forever.  In the boots that I owned, the leather stretched a bit, but buy them on the small side.  I wore mine in work conditions- wet, wet, wet, then I dunked them in diesel oil to waterproof them.  That may have contributed to the stretching a bit ;). 
Those are good looking boots- I might have to get a pair for myself!

[Ncdan]

I wore redwings...maybe 20 years ago or so.  They are great boots, tough as nails and they'll last forever.  In the boots that I owned, the leather stretched a bit, but buy them on the small side.  I wore mine in work conditions- wet, wet, wet, then I dunked them in diesel oil to waterproof them.  That may have contributed to the stretching a bit ;). 
Those are good looking boots- I might have to get a pair for myself!

I’ve always broken in my pull on boots by soaking them in hot tap water for 30 minutes then wearing them dry. Immediately put a heavy application of MINK OIL, rubbed in well, when removing them when they dry out. This process molds the boot to your foot for a custom fit.

[Scout63]

I’ve always broken in my pull on boots by soaking them in hot tap water for 30 minutes then wearing them dry. Immediately put a heavy application of MINK OIL, rubbed in well, when removing them when they dry out. This process molds the boot to your foot for a custom fit.

Good to know Dan.

[Ncdan]

I wore redwings...maybe 20 years ago or so.  They are great boots, tough as nails and they'll last forever.  In the boots that I owned, the leather stretched a bit, but buy them on the small side.  I wore mine in work conditions- wet, wet, wet, then I dunked them in diesel oil to waterproof them.  That may have contributed to the stretching a bit ;). 
Those are good looking boots- I might have to get a pair for myself!

[cliffrod]

I'm a decades-long Red Wing boot customer, with a few pairs now covering all the mentioned soles.  Supersole boots are very nice for walking & standing on floors & relatively smooth surfaces but will wear more quickly in riding conditions than the built-up Chemgum Goodyear soles of the older Pecos or Engineer boots.  The deep lug soles on the Logger boots are almost like wearing lifts or high heels. They wear more like the Chemgum soles & they hold a lot of mud or clay in the lugs.  OK in VT, not here in SC.  I can usually get at least 1 if not 2 full resoles of their steel toed Engineer boots before the lining around the toes erodes and the steel chaffs my toes.  They quit making my favorite black steel toed Pecos boots with chemgum soles long ago.

When I buy new, I always bought them tight because they would eventually stretch to a perfect fit.   After years of trying all of the magic spells, rituals and incantations to make them fit, an old cobbler in Knoxville showed me how about 30 yrs ago.  He held a sturdy wooden broomstick (with round end of handle pointing up) between his knees or in a vise.  Using a hair dryer or heat gun on low, warm the tight areas well.  Then put the boot over the broomstick and vigorously work the tight area back and forth to specifically stretch as needed.  Really use some weight and muscle to work the leather, don't just slide it back and forth.   In literally 15-20 minutes, a pair of boots that are excruciatingly painful to put on fit like you've worn them for years.  They are only stretched in the needed places and they feel more like socks than boots.    Then do what you like for treatment, using the same heat gun or hair dryer to warm both leather and liberal quantity of treatment until no more is absorbed.   Those two lessons from that old Master cobbler made every pair of boots better than ever for me.  It takes maybe an hour from brand new and they're done & ready to wear.

[blackcat]

“He held a sturdy wooden broomstick (with round end of handle pointing up) between his knees or in a vise.  Using a hair dryer or heat gun on low, warm the tight areas well.  Then put the boot over the broomstick and vigorously work the tight area back and forth to specifically stretch as needed.  Really use some weight and muscle to work the leather, don't just slide it back and forth.   In literally 15-20 minutes, a pair of boots that are excruciatingly painful to put on fit like you've worn them for years. “

Have to give this a try.

[Gliderjohn]

Don't think I would trust any pull on boot to stay on in an accident. Years ago a friend's H-D broke down. He and the bike were well off the road when I car veered off the road and hit him standing by his bike. He was wearing lace up work boots and the force of impact still pulled his feet out of the boots.
GliderJohn

[motogoro]

I currently wear Red Wings.  Have worn pull-on Pecos for several years, I like them. 
I am slowly breaking in a pair of lace-ups.  Decided to go back to the more adjustable fit. 
And I find my gait is less of a shuffle, pull-ons vs lace-ups

I much prefer Vibram soles to what Red Wing offers.  RW, less traction, maybe better wear?
Had to adjust the way I plant my feet at stops.  Not a big issue. 

[Texas Turnip]

Water repellant. Water resistant, blah blah. Will these size 15 puppies stay dry? Red Wing is the only boot I'll wear. Reflash to Money Creek and the washout at New Cumberland etc  and my feet stayed DRY. The Iron Butt rider that holds the record for the fastest time to go to the 49 continental US states endorses Red Wing.

Ok are they any good in a wreck? I  was in a major wreck 4 years ago with 15 broken bones with one bone being the little toe. Darn, I knew I should have being jen-u-wine motorcycle boots.
 

[Guzzistajohn]

I have a pair of Red Wing lace up boots that i'd guess are 20 years old. I've had them re soled 2X. Ridden 1000's of miles in them. Very comfortable.

But I do like my FORMA riding boots too. They have gooder ankle protection for riding off road and are 100% waterproof due to the rubber liner inside.

[JohninVT]

For a little more than the Redwings you can have a pair of Gasolina boots custom made.  I’ve had mine for years and they’re extremely comfortable.  Just pull your jeans over them.  No need to tuck your pants into boots but pics of Gasolina’s always show a hipster with his jeans tucked in.

[Guzzistajohn]

For a little more than the Redwings you can have a pair of Gasolina boots custom made.  I’ve had mine for years and they’re extremely comfortable.  Just pull your jeans over them.  No need to tuck your pants into boots but pics of Gasolina’s always show a hipster with his jeans tucked in.

  I've considered those- they look like a quality boot

[Solorider73]

I wear a pair of 1159s daily into an office environment.  I love them because they aren’t slick on the bottom like a lot of boots. My commute is only a couple miles so I will normally wear them if I ride in as well.

[SSGG Geezer]

I wear my Georgia work boots because work paid for 130 bucks of the price since I am required to have Steel or composite toed footwear.  My issue with pull on boots is a bad ankle and very wide feet that dislike being jammed into the tops. Even my lace up work boots are tough some days.  Any good choices for wide or extra wide boots that offer some protection for a reasonable (sub $250) price?

[not-fishing]

I rode the soles off my old Stylemartin boots then I took them to my local Russian Cobbler great cobblerand had new non-lug soles with a half inch rise stitched on just call me short shanks.  Heck they're better now than new.  Of course I'll have to replace the laces again with some good boot laces but I do that with damn near all my boots.

I purchased another pair of Stylemartins in lower tops for summer.

I've had slip on motorcycle boots decades ago, Chippewa 17 inchers, which served me well on unintended dismounts.  I'm just to old to take off slip-ons anymore and I like to have my boots fit laced tight.

I never trust boots with zippers.  I'm way to hard on them.

[ILM Rosso]

Chippewa Motorcycle Boots are a great bang for the buck.....
Stubben Hammanol or Biwell to "feed" and condition the leather...for a long life...
Worked for me for 46 years...
Ride Safe!
Mark

[AJ Huff]

I've had my Cruiserworks boots for about 20 years. Resoled once or twice. They double as my winter boot even though not insulated. They do keep my feet dry. Mine were made in Canada. Now it looks like on their website they are made in USA.

https://www.cruiserworks.com/

-AJ

[blackcat]

Sidi Off Roads, don't think they make them but there is a replacement version if I'm not mistaken. Had these since the late 90's or early 2000. Leak now but they need to be treated.



About three years ago I purchased their Adventure boots, waterproof so far and have a substantial amount of protection. These boots cost about $500 bucks with shipping, but I ordered mine from Europe and paid about $350 with shipping. Fortunately they fit, based on my On Road sizing.


I only use the above for riding but I do use a pair of Cabela's work boots on occasion which I've owned since the late 80's if I'm not mistaken. They still make a version of this boot.


They claim the boot is 100% waterproof......
https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/cabelas-iron-ridge-gore-tex-insulated-hunting-boots-for-men

[Jack Straw]

Daytona "Classic Old Timer" for me.  They're a update on the classic Lewis Leathers zip-back road racing boots from the sixties.  Gasolina from Mexico are also very nice if you like the sixties RR style.

[Anomaly]

Great thread-- lots of boots I hadn't seen before. Back when I rode the F650 across country, I wore a pair of Dr. Martens industrial steel toe pull-on boots:
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Martens-Industrial-Strength-Steel/dp/B000H6XE50

I grew up working on ranches in the west and always wore Red Wings, but the Dr. Martens were more comfortable (especially nice sole) and had some ankle padding (see below for more on this topic). I ended up giving the Dr. Martens to my son when he took over the F650 (eventually, I got the F650 back, but not the Dr. Martens...). But this fall, I was involved in an accident that has me rethinking my riding footwear choices.  While this video is aimed at "beginner" riders, I think it provides a lot to think about particular regarding boots and gloves (see the statistics in terms of where, on the body, the most damage occurs).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmWQKoN6yX0&t=349s

My accident occurred during my, seemingly, innocent ride to my morning coffee shop-- I was wearing boat shoes (didn't seem like wearing my Formas was necessary. Now I shudder to think how close a broken ankle was! So, without meaning to be too provocative, and certainly not insulting, I find it interesting that we routinely discuss motorcycle-specific jackets costing in the high hundreds if not thousands and yet the predominant boot choice seems to be variations on work boots with questionable protection where it matters most.

Discuss. 

[Scout63]

I agree with Anomaly that the more protective the boot, or jacket or pant, the better.  The problem is that convenience and vanity intrude on our choices.  Most motorcycle specific boots, at least according to my wife, look dorky.  They are also harder to put on than slip ons and many are difficult to walk in. For a Commando ride to the burger shop, work boots and a leather jacket are a must.  Maybe boots are like oil - some are better than none, good ones are better than bad ones, etc.  I do love seeing and hearing about the different work boots.

[blackcat]

"My accident occurred during my, seemingly, innocent ride to my morning coffee shop..."

It's those short rides that are almost always the problem.

I've been lucky in my previous crashes and none involved the bike landing on top of me or my feet. Usually I'm watching the bike slide away from me, but you are right about protective footwear and especially proper gloves with sliders.