Sadly that wasn't my experience Molly.

4 years ago I had a low speed fall in loose sand whilst wearing runners. Damage - simple avulsion fracture of right fibula.

16 months ago I had a low speed fall on loose gravel whilst wearing BMW branded TCX Adventure boots. Damage - fibula broken in two places (top and bottom), syndesmosis as a result of ligament tear between fibula and tibia, 2 smaller fractures of the talus.

In essence, the boots, by holding my ankle rigid, transmitted more shock and forces along the length of the fibula.

So, the short answer for me is that it all depends on the situation.

Last year I spent 2 months riding around outback Australia and I wore the riding boots.

I also spent two months riding around Indonesia and either wore hiking boots or open sandals.

Horses for courses, eh!

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman

Sorry to hear that farqhuar. Hope you have a good recovery. You're right though, it's all very relative. But I personally prefer fully armored bike boots. The full leather with no armor as in the picture below doesn't increase protection much more than full leather road boots that go above the ankle in my opinion. I've had an ankle injury with unarmored boots and it didn't take much effort at all. Had plenty of stacks with Crossfires and no leg injury at all (knock wood). Been trying harder too. Still, severity is very subjective. An awkward fall can cause a large injury.

Personally I don't understand why people find boot armor optional but it's commonly accepted that shoulder armor should be in every jacket. Never really felt that I "needed" that myself.

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Tacos Tyring Travels.com

True, always depends on the situation and the way you fall or if the bike falls ON YOU or your leg or ankle get trapped and twisted. Dozens of scenarios play out here, not many of them good.

I can only go on my experiences with dozens of crashes over the last 30 year of aggressive off road riding and 8 years racing AMA Enduro. I wore mostly good Moto race boots, last being Sidi CrossFires'. Many have complained of knee injuries as a result of a "too stiff" boot, so what you say can be true and it's why many racers now wear knee braces.

But in my experience the boots always did more good than harm. But of course, YMMV and "Horses For Courses" is certainly true. I've had the entire weight of the bike land on my foot via the foot peg ... no pain or injury due to good boots.

The TCX shown above have been a nice compromise for me. Good comfort combined with good (not great) protection. The leather is MUCH stiffer than a typical road boot and the ankle is boxed as is the toe area. The Tibia protection is good too. It's not a real stiff boot so walking is good. But it IS a compromise ... but I can guarantee it's better than any hiking boot or Army boot for riding.


I've worn flip flops for short runs around town too. Cool and convenient. But man, there can be a price to pay if you screw up.

I remember my first trip riding Thailand noticing locals riding in flip flops and sandals. Cool! Girls in short skirts or shorts, no protective gear in sight.

Then some Aussie tourists came off their rental bike, did a short slide down the road. We went down to hospital to help Ferry them back to their Guest House. They weren't too bad, just some road rash, bit of embedded gravel. Lots of pain.

But man ... what we saw at the Emergency Hospital was frightening. Dozens of bloody locals awaiting care. Mostly foot, ankle and knee injuries. Usual road rash too but the foot injuries stood out to me ... with BONES showing. Very bloody. A staff person said this was a typical Friday night. Very bloody affair.

I looked like a real Noob tourist, but after that I wore my boots with my shorts!
It's SO HOT and HUMID it takes dedication to wear proper gear. I get that 100%. Just use caution riding!

Like some others here I've ridden off road and can vouch for the additional foot and ankle protection that MX or similar boots give. It's something you're likely to need in case of a dab on rough ground or if the bike topples onto your foot. It's also true that sturdy boots can transfer an injury to higher up the leg or knee, but on balance I still think I'd go for protection of the foot/ankle.

Not MX boots though, as these are really too stiff to walk any distance comfortably, and usually aren't particularly waterproof. They also can be a bit of a struggle to get on (especially if like me your hips don't bend the way they used to).

So I guess we come back to the Sidis that would seem to me the best compromise - higher than the Altbergs for ankle protection but not as stiff or as many straps as MX boots. Sidi additionally appear to do "adventure" boots as well as the classic Courier design. Anyone, any more thoughts?

Links to the websites:

Motorcycle Boots - Classic Styling & High Performance Boots by Alt-Berg

SIDI Motorcycle Footwear and Accessories | Footwear