I finally got out and spent a few days in my size 48/13 G-Midlands. I wear a 47 in most Sidi boots and this is my first pair of Gaerne boots. First off, a big thanks to Atomic-Moto, great customer service! My first day in these was spent on gravel and backroads. I spent 9 hours in them on day one. By far the most forgiving boot I have ever worn for "day one" comfort. Excellent fit and no hot spots or discomfort. Great support for the type of riding I do (mostly gravel, fire roads, limited single track on WR250R and wee-Strom). Very comfortable to walk in and I expect them to get better with time. Although I have yet to submerse them totally, they are quite splash proof. The two buckle design fits me well. I have a very large calf and many boots with an upper buckle are uncomfortable for me. The velcro closure is at the last third of what is available when snugged on my calf but has stayed put with no signs of movement. So far, I have no complaints at all. I cannot imagine a better dual purpose boot. Perfect compromise between support and comfort for me. GregKY
I broke down and bought a pair of Gaerne Midland boots from Atomic-Moto. (Great service, BTW) Great boots. First, I have fairly wide feet and they fit ok. A little snug in the toe box at first, but they are already loosening up after just a few days of riding. Might be a bit of a problem in the cold, because I think they would be too tight on me with thick socks. Much more support than most adventure style boots, but still able to walk comfortably, if a little stiffly. Bonus - they look great!
Quick video product review of the G-Midland boot: <iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_rEOrqoLsX8?rel=0" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe> We rented some new barracks, stuck a fridge in the corner, filled it up with Bend's finest, dragged in some of our best vintage moto stuff....instant studio!! BP
I had the opportunity last week to to wear my Midlands on a 2500 mile week long tour of Arizona and New Mexico. Everything the video explains is true about the boot. Toebox, comfort, protection, et al. I wore these on the bike (2006 Multistrada) obviously, and they where what I'd call transparent. For new boots, I never noticed any odd-ball fitment issues, rubbing, chafing, or other. My biggest concern was how they'd function with the foot controls on the bike. Even with the lug type soles there was plenty of feel on the brake and shifter. The best part riding was these where totally warm even with thin boot socks. My toes got chilly only in the highest and coldest climate and elevations. At 7000 feet after a heavy snowfall at 7AM was the only time I'd wished I'd warm thicker socks. Otherwise, perfect. Same goes for hot weather. Coming across the desert in 90 degree heat on the way out, my feet never felt like they were roasting. A pleasant surprise right out of the box. Since we had 2 days of snow in Sante Fe, I spent alot of time tourista city walking, and pueblo hiking as well. I decided to wear the Midlands over my thin tenny-shoes that where in the saddlebags. All-day comfort is what I'd call these. More comfortable than a hiking specific shoe for me, and I have 'foot issues'. I never felt like I couldn't wait to get my boots off. I wanted a one boot does all and now I have it. I won't hesitate to wear these dualsporting. And the best part is they are extremely easy ON-OFF. The buckles work super easy. As a note I've always been a SIDI person. I had a pair of Adventures. Great boot those, but a bit heavier. The Gaerne's have a better feel allover, and feel lighter to the feet. Oddly enough they feel like they have more protection. I love the soles on these kicks. A very well thought out boot.
Great vid Brian. I concur with Rapid Dog. I recently spent 12 days in my new Midland boots, riding through Death Valley, Mohave, Joshua Tree, and Anza Borrego. I only had a couple days to break in the boots before the trip. As discussed in this thread, Brian suggests ordering one size larger than other Gaerne boots that you may own. After much deliberation on this, I decided to stick with size 10, since my SG10s have become slightly loose. I am happy with my decision. I am also very happy with the boots. I was looking for an adventure boot that is between my SG10s and Balance Oiled. I found it. They provide more protection than the Balance in the foot area, and the sole feels more supportive. I would like to see a third buckle, and a more substantial shin plate. But that is not a deal breaker for me. We had every kind of weather on our trip, from 90+ deg heat to below freezing, snow, hail, and driving rain. Not a drop inside the boots. I was never cold. The tread pattern is excellent, I was able to easily climb around on rocks at the "Racetrack", hike the "Ring Trail" at the "Hole In the Wall" State Park, and check out several abandon mines and ghost towns. Guys with metal toes had issues when hiking in rocks, and if you have a short inseam, metal toes can be down right dangerous tip toeing / pushing a big adventure bikes around. And now the Midlands are used daily commuting to work. I really like them, and I think you will too.
Mr Boarder and Mr Rapid, thanks for the comments. Coming from two people with your volumes of experience, it is much appreciated!! BP
now that some people have tried these how waterproof are we talking when we are talking about these boots?
Suffice to say, we did a dualsport thing yesterday and ended up in 6" of snow. Taking a break to write my name ... i trudged around in the stuff for 20 minutes and never felt a bit of damp or cold, with the same thin socks I always wear. I doubt you could get a boot any more waterproof.
RD, that is a pretty good test. My unplanned test was about 30 minutes riding in sideways rain, and then walking around the small town of Joshua Tree looking for a cafe to get warmed up. But during that walk, amount of water on the roads was amazing - near to the top of the curbs! And the next day they actually had Snow plows going down main street to clear the sand that had run into the street!! :huh Never seen that before. Not a drop inside the boots. (Or in the super secret prototype Giant Loop soft saddle bags. )
Yes, got a chance to do some testing for GL. I don't want to derail this thread, so will send you a PM.
Cool, probably going to order a pair of these soon. Only reason I haven't is because I'm working far from home and have not gotten to ride much.
I'm curious about the fit. I have a small, wide, "duck" foot (wide forefoot, narrow heel). Sidi's just flat out do not work for me. I have a pair of Alpinestar SM-X 3 Air boots that I love, but the left sole is almost worn through and A'Star does not make them anymore. grrrrrrrrrrr.
So, BP: in terms of support, I gather that, in the Gaerne line, from least supportive to most, the G-Adventure would be followed by the Balance Oiled and then the G-Midland. Seem right? Thanks!
There is some detail to it, but basically that is correct. It would take a little time to explain, but people should look at levels of support separately for ankle area, midsole, and height / clamping. Trying to quickly put some LOOSE quantification on it, the Balance is 1 step more rigid in the ankle, and 2 steps in the midsole. The Midland is 2 steps more rigid in the ankle area than the balance, and 1 more that same in the midsole. But that oversimplifies a bit. It really also helps to look at the rider, bike, terrain, etc. Example, some guys should really have a GX-1, which is a light MX boot: http://www.atomic-moto.com/Gaerne-GX-1-Boot_p_82.html Hope that helps. BP
Just got my Gaerne G-Midland boots in today. I'm really glad I found theses boots. I've been looking for boots that fit comfortably for quite some time now until I found this thread and ordered them for Atomic-moto. I tried the Sidi Adventure a little while ago but the toe box area was too narrow and uncomforatable for my slightly wide feet. The G-Midland's fit perfect, they are wider in the toe-box and ball of foot area than the Sidi's and are very comfortable for me. The seem really well made. I'll be taking them on a long trip here shortly so I'll be able to comment on function next month after 5000 miles or so. Also, Atomic-moto is top-notch. This was my first experience buying from them. I got great service and help with selecting gear.
Got my Midlands today, the sixe 11(46) seems to be the right size for me, I typically wear 11.5(45.5). Just enough room in the toe box. One concern of mine though, I have the buckles cinched down to the max and they are borderline acceptable in terms of tightness. I plan to try them with thicker socks, but I worry the leather will stretch over time and I won't have any way to tighten them further. $370 is a big chunk of change to spend on boots that aren't quite right (for me and my skinny legs).
KR, try this: grab an extra footbed from a pair of your athletic shoes, and add them into the Midlands. Don't pull out the stockers, double them up. That should improve it. If it does, pull them out, and go to a high end running store, and try with some aftermarket insoles. My preference is Superfeet green or orange. BP
So after riding in them for a bit, I'm starting to really like these boots. At first I was concerned because my skinny legs were swimming in the upper and my foot was borderline tight in the lower. A moto specific sock solved the skinny leg issue. The tightness at the foot was only felt when walking around, it went away when riding, because your foot backs up in the shoe as you bend it. It has also gotten more comfortable as the leather breaks in, tightness while walking is no longer an issue. Also it's very secure feeling, I'm glad I didn't get a boot with less protection. My one gripe with the shoes are the buckles, they don't seem to want to stay in the plastic tooth that I set them in. The part that is sewn to the boot strap doesn't grip the tooth all that well (it wants to skip a tooth sometimes) which is disconcerting because you can't replace that piece... It's sewn to the boot. Hasn't been an issue yet (hopefully never will be), I'll just have to keep an eye on them.
