My jeans are kevlar lined and I've got the Forma Adventure Low boots. My jacket is the BILT Techno 2.

I couldn't get my foot in with my boot size (42), so went up one. It was pretty snug, so I let the vendor talk me into getting another size larger (44). After using them for 2 months, I'm not sure the larger boot was a good idea. I have some other shorter waterproof boots made here in Colombia that work great for heading to town and walking around.

Hey, great to hear from some who has experienced similar issues.

I think there is actually a belief that high boots are safer, but when you watch youtube, damn there are a lot of broken ankles / shins while wearing them.

I used to be a serious crash investigator but these injuries were not something we recorded or had stats on. Would love to see a study.

Best thing to do with boots is look at the ce rating . You would be surprised............ . I now wear a revitt gortex walking style boot . Extremely comfy and off the scales protection wise But even with staff discount it made me wince when i paid for it .
Boots are designed for abrasion resistance , cut / tear resistance and torsional rigidity.........u will also see Wade and WP on the labels of some . Basically 2 is a high pass , 1 being lower . On the rigidity bit 1 is 200kgs 2 is a metric ton.......hence most race boots only scoring a 1 .
Fit wise most of my customers go one size up . Big calf muscles are no issue as there are plenty of boots that will fit you ........... but you will have to put ur hand in ur pocket . Dianese do an adjustable calf on alot of their boots . Again if u r stuck drop me a line and I'll try and guide u in the right direction .

Great advice!

I like Klim's Mojave line of pants and jackets for hot weather riding. I have a Klim Induction jacket that I think is a little warmer than the mojave line.

I think one of the main risks is the risk of abrasion. ie: You are going fast, wipe out, and than slide dozens of meters down the paved road.

With a mostly mesh jacket, I think they can tear off of your body pretty fast and than you just have your skin protecting you. Jeans have the same risk.

At the same time, I believe that it is better to wear some protection, than no protection.

I think motorcycle boot protection is a hard subject to talk about, because motorcycle riders have a lot of differences in regards to comfort, risk acceptance, age, ability, camping/hotels, hiking etc, etc

I recently learned more about motorcycle boot protection than I knew before.

General rule: If the motorcycle boot has 4 straps, than it is likely a motocross boot that has a lot of protection. Not going to be an easy boot to walk in.

General rule: If the motorcycle boot has 3 straps, than it is likely an adventure style boot. Alpinestar Corozal boots are a good example here. These boots look like they give a lot of protection and they are easy to walk in. All of the manufacturers of adventure boots have warning labels saying that if you intend to do any off road or motocross riding that you should not use this type of boot because it does not protect your foot and ankle enough.

I think a popular option for "touring" boots on the Hubb are Altberg Hoggs. It is a brand of hiking boots in the UK but they are pretty pricey. If you have a crash and the bike falls on your boot, your leg bones are definitely going to break in a hiking boot. I'm a fan of using soft luggage that will hit the ground first in a potential crash, instead of the leg bones breaking the fall of the motorcycle.

I think Motocross boots are truly designed to be used with knee braces. I understand how the guy above had a knee injury because with a big enough impact to the leg, you know it is going to transfer that force and I can see how it could hyper-extend your knee. Also, from doing my research on motorcycle boots, I think if you are riding only on paved roads, than those paved roads in general have minimal gradients and the paved roads are generally pretty standardized with nice right of ways and minimal obstructions. If you have a high speed motorcycle crash on this type of road there is less of a chance of the rider bouncing up and down on the surface.

If the motorcyclist has a high speed crash on an off-road trail than that rider is likely not going to slide smoothly over the trail surface. The rider will likely bounce up and down a lot on the surface. When you think about boot protection in this context, I think it becomes more obvious.

I have Alpinestar 6's and they are a full motocross boot. I usually wear knee braces when I use these boots. These boots and knee braces have saved my bacon quite a few times. Don't want to think about the medical bills I would have had. They really help prevent hyper-extension in a high speed off. When I was 25 I broke my ankle pretty good playing hockey and I have no intention of getting another load bearing injury again.

I recently bought Sidi Crossfire 2 motorcycle boots and got a lot of experience walking around in them. It is a 4 strap boot, but the ankle is designed to flex some, so you can walk in them. I have wider feet and have found the Sidi fitment to be narrow. I think the Sidi Crossfire 2's and 3's are a good balance in protection for motorcyclist's who want to go "touring" but also do some trail riding.

The boots that will protect your legs the best in a crash, are the ones that are the most uncomfortable to walk in.

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http://www.journeyrider.net Latin America blog (07-8)