Motorcycle Boot Buying Guide

Match the boot to the riding you actually do:

• Sport and race boots: tall, armoured and stiff, with sliders and torsional control for maximum protection at speed.
• Touring boots: tall, comfortable and usually waterproof; the all-day option for distance and commuting.
• Adventure boots: a touring boot toughened for off-road, with more rigidity and buckle closures.
• Urban and casual short boots: trainer or desert-boot styling with hidden protection. More protective than they look, less than a tall boot.
• Motocross boots: maximum rigidity for off-road impacts, at the cost of walking comfort and feel.

EN 13634:2017 is the CE standard for motorcycle footwear, and its label carries four digits, each scored 1 or 2, with 2 the higher level. In order they cover the height of the boot's upper, abrasion resistance, impact-cut resistance and transverse rigidity, the boot's resistance to being crushed across the sole, which is what happens when a bike lands on your foot.

A boot marked 2 2 2 2 is tall and meets the higher level in every test; a casual short boot might be 1 1 1 1, which is still certified protection and far better than anything from the high street. Look out for the optional markings too: IPA and IPS (tested ankle and shin impact protection), WR (water resistance), FO (fuel and oil resistant sole) and SRA, SRB or SRC slip-resistance grades.

Beyond the rating, look for:

• Ankle cups or discs on both sides of the ankle bone.
• A reinforced toe box and heel counter that hold their shape under pressure.
• Shin protection on taller boots.
• Torsional control that limits how far the boot twists.
• A gear-shift pad on the left toe so the lever wears the pad, not the leather.
• Soles with real grip when wet: you put your feet down at every junction.

Try boots with the socks you actually ride in. Your heel should stay locked down when you walk, toes should not touch the front, and the boot should flex at the ankle enough to work the gear lever and rear brake cleanly. Stiff protective boots break in over the first weeks, but a boot that hurts in the shop will still hurt in a month.

Think about how much walking your riding involves. Touring and urban boots walk well; race and motocross boots deliberately do not, because rigidity is their job.

For UK riding a waterproof membrane is close to essential outside high summer, because wet feet end rides early. Vented boots make hot-weather riding bearable but let water straight in, which is another argument for owning more than one pair if you ride year round. Whatever the boot, dry it at room temperature rather than on a radiator, which cracks leather and delaminates membranes.

Certified short boots start around £80 to £150, quality waterproof touring boots run roughly £150 to £300, and race and adventure boots go beyond that. Prioritise the EN 13634 rating, ankle protection and a proper fit, then let budget decide the extras: a certified boot that fits well beats an exotic one that does not.

Keep leather fed and zips and buckles clear of grit, reproof fabric panels when water stops beading, and let wet boots dry slowly with the liners pulled out where possible. Well-kept boots last many years, usually longer than the rider resists buying a second pair.