It seems to me that they just have some protection in the shin and fancy buckles. If I wear shin guards is there any reason not to use something like this? http://mydbsupply.com/index.php/clo.../georgia-barracuda-gold-wedge-work-boots.html
You have very light feeling in the sole, like wearing a slipper............ with a bit more movement in ankle than moto X boots.....
Must be something in the air in Idaho. Kieth Adams rode for years with just tennis shoes.( Multi national champion from Idaho) Most people like to be able to walk on monday. It`s all about protection. Trouble is it only takes once. ( I could include detalis) I recommend not even starting a bike without proper boots, let alone riding it! I once started my bike within minutes of taking my boots off, I finally quit bleeding thirty days later.
Another victim of starting a bike in regular shoes. I probably should have seen a doc after about the 3rd day of hobbling around. Somehow I managed to self heal. Since I don't learn very fast I did it again and shreaded a shoe. Tear through the sole, and through the side leather. I have no idea how the foot was spared. Boots, always Boots! You want some mobility and flexibility but not so much that you lack support. I can feel the pegs through the boots, a little. I have more feel then a construction boot has. More flex then a motorcross boot too. There is a reason they make several different trials specific boots. For the price of those work boots, it isn't that much more to just get the right boot. Now if all you had were work boots, they will work. Better then killing your foot in regular shoes. Much like a full face street helmet is a better idea then no helmet. It works, but there are better options. I have found that trials gear is remarkably comfortable. I can spend a whole day wearing my trials boots and a helmet. When was the last time you had a helmet that you can say you forgot to take off? When you drive a car and get out of the car and that is when you realize that you should remove the helmet that is a good sign that it is comfortable.
Broncobowsher, I am right there with you, been in some gear I didn't care or need to take off and it was the best ever, was always willing to ware it and it saved me more than once.
I had a set of trials soles put on the bottom of my motorcross boots rode with them for the better part of a year till I could afford proper trials boots. Even for a beginner the proper boots seemed well worth the investment. (Alpinestars will run you a pretty penny in Canada) They are far more comfortable, cooler to wear, have a much better peg feel with them and offer the same protection as the motorcross boots did. I love em!!
I have ridden in my hiking boots, and they were ok. The steel shank in the sole made peg feel a little tricky. I wear RedWing Leather work boots 6 of 7 days a week, and the soles on them are flexible enough, but the heel step is distracting, and the lack of grip on the soles a drawback, especially in wet conditions. The heel step on motox boots is also problematic, you want to be able to place your foot anywhere on the peg, with consistency. +1 on the comfort of trials boots, I wear mine for touring, though I am getting away from that, as they won't do much good in a 70mph crash. The flexible and very sticky sole lets you conform your sole to the peg, think of wrapping your foot around it, especially in big ups and other situations where the bike angle does not conform to your body angle. They are also waterproof, very nice in wet sections, especially in the prewalk, probing for holes and such. You try not to dab in trials, but when you do, its nice to stick, and only dab once. The price (Hardrock sells the Garne for $325 or so? basically at cost) is painful the first time, but I promise you'll feel it was worth it. I sure did, there is something about fine Italian footware.
I caught my toes between a rock that was jutting out from a ledge and the peg last week right when I was pulling the trigger on an up. Bike is coming up and suddenly stopped by the rock knob that my foot was comin up underneath. Holy shit! Ouch!!! I thought that I broke it, but only smashed it and have a dark blue toenail and a big toe that is really swollen. I can't imagine what would have happened without proper boots.
It doesn't look like trials boots really provide any foot protection though. If anything a good pair of work boots provides more foot protection than a trials boot. So in this case you would have been better off in an MX boot or steel toed workboot.
A little of that is true. The toe box is nothing special on a trials boot, but I can't ride in MX boots because of the lack of feel and the stiff ankles. I think the trials boots had enough of a thick top and stiff front that it kept the toe from going completey under the front compared to some boots I have seen guys using. I have used Gaerne and now am really liking the Alpinestars. Unfortunately, they both cost and arm and a leg.
In this case it might be true, but when I put that whole Beta kickstart lever into my leg it would have.Three layers of stitches and a drain. :huh
If you ride "off the tarmac", then at some point your tires will slide in an unexpected way. When you slap the ground with your foot, and you will, you need ankle support, and a solid sole. I have used a pair of Sidi Discovery boots for about 60,000 miles. They are comfortable and fairly light, they have also held up very well. That peculiar model is no longer available, how ever there are other similar ATV/ Duel Sport boots that are available. I know, I know, they are soooo $$$ expensive! Well compare there expense to having a Doctor pin your ankle back together. $$$$$$$ Happy Riding I'll see you on the trail.
If you ride "off the tarmac", then at some point your tires will slide in an unexpected way. When you slap the ground with your foot, and you will, you need ankle support, and a solid sole. I have used a pair of Sidi Discovery boots for about 60,000 miles. They are comfortable and fairly light, they have also held up very well. That peculiar model is no longer available, how ever there are other similar ATV/ Duel Sport boots that are available. I know, I know, they are soooo $$$ expensive! Well, compare their expense to having a Doctor pin your ankle back together. $$$$$$$ Happy Riding I'll see you on the trail.
Interesting boot discussion... Has anyone tried the Fox Comp 5 boots for trials riding? They are not a trials specific boot, but they do advertise that they have a more flexible sole/ankle and better comfort compared to "normal" motocross boots. They also seem to have good protection and are reasonable priced compared to trials boots.
You're right that trials boots don't offer the protection of a MX boot. For me, it was about finding the right balance between feel & protection. I have Sidi Crossfire MX boots which offer tons of protection but simply do not offer enough feel to be any good for trials. The Gaerne seems to be the boot of choice for many US riders, but I felt like the Alpinestar offered a little bit more protection. I have been using them for a year or so now and have no complaints. I wasn't really sold on the need for trials boots early on, but I have learned that the feel is critical. I think good work boots are fine to get you started, but they don't offer as much shin/calf coverage or peg feel. MX boots are also OK to get you started (some of the low-end models are probably better for trials) but again limit feel way too much.
Recently bought a pair of Sidi discovery rain boots, they look allot like the Sidi trials version. A little stiff at first but after a half dozen rides they feel great. After a year on my Gaerne trials oil boots they were pretty much shot and did not offer the protection I was after. Have ran my feet into a few rocks and the Gaerne boots did little to protect my toes, could also always feel the peg thru the boot way to much. Don't get me wrong the Gaerne is a great boot but I need more protection than they offer. The Sidi boots come with a removable toe kick plate, first thing I took off. Soles are not like the gum rubber Gaerne's but they feel good and am sure they will last allot longer. They also provide better toe protection (heavier, thicker leather) and feel more shock absorption thru the peg. The Gaerne boots seem to fatigue my ankles and legs more than the Sidi's as well. Time will tell but I think I made the right choice personally.
I've had similar experiences with boots. I used to have a pair of Hebo trials boots. I kept smashing my toes on the rocks here and after losing a couple of nails, I decided to look for something else. I bought Gaerne oiled boots. They have a much stiffer toe box than the slipper like Hebos. Even Garne's own cheaper boot doesn't have as stiff of a toe box. I also second the motion on Sidi Discovery Rain's the new version of the old Discovery. They are flexible enough to make a decent trials boot, especially after they are broken in. A number of riders around here use them as a trials boot only. Plus they are protective enough to wear as a trail riding boot. Not sure if I would want to race in them, boot they work nice. This is the boot I wear when we go to CO trail riding. Good feel, good protection, comfortable to walk in and WATERPROOF. Only downside is, they are expensive.
Gordy and 2whlrcr (and I!) have found the weak spot -- not as good as moto boots when crushed. But for all day comfort, and walking on rock, and lever-and-peg feel, and kicking cactus, and getting scrubbed on stuff, and GETTING THE DAB when your life depends on it, yeah, trials boots are wonderful. Wear kneepads, different thread. Really, could you even walk a section in your motocross boots?
60,000 miles of TRIALS riding? The discussion is about trials boots for trials riding. Different boots for different needs.
That is a big deal! Sometimes the sections are very difficult to walk. In the wet, my Alpinestars are superior to Gaernes and for all of the hiking we do. Also, you cannot roll your foot over the end of the peg when cornering in a MX boot and if you insist on wearing them, you will be guaranteed to build a habit that is hard to break. I come from a dirt riding background and it is really tough to remember to do that when cornering. With MX boots, forget it. You will be riding flat footed all day and giving up tons of points.
