Help me decide, boots...

Yeah, I know it's been beaten to death here and everywhere, but I can't decide between two specific boots:

Looking for an all-day boots, waterproof, comfortable to walk off the bike, comfortable on the bike, and safe enough to survive a spill. Oh, and reasonably priced, too. Asking too much?

I narrowed it down to 2 different boots, as most others either don't have buckles = less adjustment, or don't offer the protection/comfort I want.

Choices are: Alpinestars Scout OR Sidi Cobra Rain.

Both offer ample protection, are well known, proved to be waterproof, and appear comfortable. I never owned A*, but i did own a pair of Sidis before.

These boots will be mostly for touring with the opportunistic ride down a gravel road, trail, et cetera. But, they will mostly see long distance use. I have dedicated off-road boots, Axo Prime, which are awesome, but not comfortable off the bike and they let water in through so many places that i can't even count them.

Thanks

The best motorbike boots I have are my Daytona's Travelstar GTX
Very comfortable, nice to walk in all day, very durable.
I use them every day, rain or shine, they are perfect for me.
I have them for more than 5 years now, and they are still fine.

http://www.daytona.de/english/news_e/news.html

Cheers
Erik

you can buy 150$ crap on which the velcro will wear in 3 months, no goretex nor alike, feel cold and miserable if not wet.
or you can understand that you can buy 400$ boots that will last over 100000km (assuming you wash your feet and change socks!) which relatively to tne gas price you would pay (like 5000$), is a small investment. Just rethink your logic a moment. I dont feel commercially abused by revvit by the way; I think I get good stuff (thought out, lots of tiny details dealt with) for my money.

i think you'll be much happier with Sidi over AS. Worth the extra $$ ?... YES !

Kinda in the same boat as HenryMartin..

Looking for something more of 4 seasons and would be wore for 3-6 months. Beyond that?? Unknown!

Planning to ride from Key West FL to Prudhoe Bay AK to Ushuaia S. America and estimating my trip to be 3-5 months.. Wanting something that will keep me comfortable through hot and cold weather and still keep my feet dry.

Willing to spend $200-$300 because I need to invest $ into riding gears, helmet, and some other stuff for the trip and I don't have deep pocket. At the moment, would prefer to spend $600 on riding gear and $200 on full helmet so think you can understand $200-300 boots budget. If I find myself deciding to do serious adventure riding after my mentioned trip and the boot is not in shape for more trip then I will seriously look into $500 boots because riding gear and helmet will already been taken care of.

Appreciate some suggestion!! Keep them coming!

I guess I have tried most every M/C boot over the years, but I find the (non-motorcycle specific) Danner Acadia with a set of orthotic insoles to be the best combination of comfort, protection, and durability. A few buckles can't come close to the fit obtained by laces run nearly to the end of the toe. Waterproof (Goretex) too.

ETA: And Made in the USA.

You might take a look at Gaerne G Adventer boots.
Those of us that have tried these find them well made , comfortable and really water proof.
Best of all they are affordable 200 -225 bucks to your door.

I've been working in a KTM shop for the last 18 years and have seen a lot of boots go out those doors. Sidi's will almost always outlast a pair of Alpinestars. Nothing breaks in as quick or stays as comfy as a pair of Sidi's.

this is true .If you want to pay the price
.My roadrace boots are Sidi and i call them "foot pussy" They feel that good.
Only thing is that, the race boots from Sidi are what i would consider "affordable" .Their stuff with ADV in front of it gets priced out of my range.

If I think I may get into wet weather I'll wear a pair of Asolo Fugitives. Great boot for hiking, waterproof, work very well but they don't carry a preferred name brand so they might not work for most inmates...

After over 35K, very happy w/ my Sidi OnRoads.

That being said, I hear that the BMW AllRound boots are quite good. Motorcycle Consumer News thinks so.

JM

I find my Hein Gericke GTX Rallye boots extremely comfortable. You'll find they are also the TCX Infinity and BMW Santiago boot. I've had mine for about 2 years now I think, maybe a bit more and they'll last another 2 years I'm sure.

I'll happily walk around in them all day long and in fact I pretty much did yesterday going round endless bike shops with a friend in London. They're Goretex so solve your waterproof issue and have two buckles (and a large bit of velcro).

Gaerne Balance Oiled. They are Gortex lined. I have the non water proof version and I like them alot.

I have ridden the sidi adv boot for the past year. Great boot. The soles aren't lasting as long as I'd hope but they fit the bill.

Eh? Who is talking about $150 boots? Yes, i have a pair of those, Tourmaster and they have kept me dry for a few thousand miles.

Last I checked, both the Scout and the Cobra Rain are somewhere around $270-290. That is a mid range priced boot, IMHO. I like the Sidis better, but a lot of people seem to like the Scout. No, I have not tried either of them on my foot, as there is no one near me that carries either. I have had Sidis before though, and they lasted over 4 years and then i sold them with the bike.

I like the Cobra Rain (even if they are mid-price) because they have good ankle and shin protection.

I looked at Gaerne G-adventure, and I also looked at the TCX Infinity. I think the Sidis offer much more protection.

Ooohhh, Vertigo Rain looks good too, even better actually.

Hi, I know everyone is different and that includes personal expectations, fussiness, and for most of us an important criteria: budget. I wish I could buy whatever I liked best and not have to even look at the price. That said, if I have to compromise on a piece of gear, it will more likely be a jacket (compromise does not imply unsafe, just fewer bells and whistles, maybe a fit that is a little less than perfect, and so on), pants or gloves than either boots or helmet. In those two areas I don't compromise because nothing distracts me more than an uncomfortable helmet or makes a tour less pleasant than blisters on your feet before you have walked the twenty steps to Starbucks ( ).

For boots I own a pair of Daytona Trans Opens and a recently purchased pair of Sidi Crossfires (got the crossfires 50% - couldn't say 'no'...).

The Daytonas are on their 5th year and nearly 100,000 km. Great boots, super comfortable, not cheap but I don't regret the purchase for a second and expect to get several more years of service out of them. On a cost per year basis, I don't think they work out more expensive than cheaper alternatives and in return I get a much higher level of function.

That said, if I were looking for boots today, I would probably buy the Sidi Adventure Gore-tex. These weren't available when I bought the Daytonas, but if they had been I think they are the new boots to beat. A cheaper alternative might be the new adventure boots from Gaerne which are also hand made in Italy and have a great reputation for fit and craftsmanship.

Sidi Adventure Gore-Tex = USD$650

But you can fix/replace all of the parts, and a lifetime warranty on the gore-tex.

$65 dollars a year for ten years.

I will put in a plug for Sidi here. Have five pair; different models, but all my favorite boots. I've had Gaerne, Alpinestars, etc., and as far as I'm concerned, Sidi are the best.

As far as a good all-day boot goes, I'd recommend the Sidi Canyons. The sole is good for walking and thick enough to last a good long while, but not so heavy as to be tiring or clunky. The styling is subdued compared to the Vortice-type series; goes well with all gear. Price is a bit more than the Cobras.

+1 for Sidi. Last longer and fit my feet better than any other brand. FWIW I have found throughout the years (both for camping/backpacking and motorcycle) that actual gore-tex works better than any of the other waterproofing materials. They are all waterproof, but my experience with gore-tex is that it breathes better and makes it more comfy. I know the sidi gore-tex boots start at $300 or so, but the extra price is well worth it IMO.

I have the Adventure Rain and the Combat lights which are made by Sidi . .I also have several pairs of Redwings,and a few pair of Cole-Han's to name a few pair of the footware that I own . I am a boot and shoe freak.
Sidi boots are comfortable and last longer than the other boots .
You can go for some cheaper boots . If you are comfortable ,why not.
I have bought some boots because they were cheaper.They didn't last long,before they went into the trash .
It all depends on what you can put up with .
I don't won't to be uncomfortable ,just to save a buck .