Boot Design Input Needed

[FPC3]

Hi everyone, my name is Freddie and I'm working on my industrial design senior thesis project at Cal State University of Long Beach. The whole idea of adventure riding is such a cool lifestyle to me and I would really like to contribute to it by designing an adventure boot.

I've surfed this board a bit and my research found that boots from Sidi or Gaerne seem to be pretty popular. These boots seem amazing with great detail, style, and function. But what I really want to know is what the rider really wants and needs. So, if possible I'd love to get some feedback on what works best for you all!

So what is your boot of choice? What is it that you like the most about the boots? Any problem or feature stand out over other boots through your past experiences? How easy is it to pull on and take off?

Any info is greatly appreciated! I'll gladly post the process of my project as it progresses.

[HeatXfer]

I won't offer styling tips, but a technical feature I'd like to see is a boot that's flexible at the ankle for walking but becomes rigid when the toe is either suddenly forced up (toes toward shin) or pulled down. Kind of like the shoulder belt in your car that's loose enough to let you move around when your driving, but cinches-up in an accident.

[Chico Ryan]

I would like to see a boot that has some walking comfort but also the rigidity of a motocross boot all while being waterproof and breathable for very long days.

[Boredsurfer]

Gore-Tex liner integrated into the boot material....then all the usual stuff; hinged ankle, lot's of rigid plastic parts etc.etc Oh and a replaceable VIBRAM-type sole that won't disintegrate on a foot peg. This list could get long AND expensive :)

Here's an idea - p.m. Brian @ Atomic-Moto....there's nothing he doesn't know about ADV Apparel, infact, he probably has a "dream" prototype sketched on a napkin or something :)

Also, google "JETT 1" boots

[bomber60015]

in addition to the ideas already posted . . . .

Welt construction, so the boot can be easily and locally resoled . . . .

Using zippers as a primary fastening system is likely a mistake.

[mrt10x]

I want a set of Garne SG-10's or Sidi Crossfires but waterproof. I have the Sidi Adventure Goretex... love them, but would like more protection. I have the SG-10's love them, but want them to be waterproof. I also have wondered if a mechanism like the one found in backcountry ski boots could be incorporated.. you know a ride/walk lever.. more support, less flex for riding... flip the lever down.. now a walkable boot. Bottom line, a mechanical hinge, 4 buckle goretex boot.

[cliffy109]

Everything is a compromise. The more walking comfort, the less protection. Trade one thing and lose another.

My choice is the BMW Santiago. I moved up from the BMW All-Around and am VERY happy for the kind of riding I do. Most of my riding is commuting and I keep street shoes at work. I can afford good boots but can't afford to have multiple boots so I needed something that was easy to take on and off, had good protection for the light duty off-roading that I do from time to time and it needed to be waterproof. I didn't want zippers since I have had them stick when they get dusty. I wanted something I could walk around in since I often stop at my kid's sports activities on the way home from work.

I had purchased a pair of Sidi Discovery Rain and returned them the next day (thankfully, my dealer allowed it). The boots were clearly superior in ankle protection but were very uncomfortable to walk in and squeaked a lot. They were so stiff that downshifting from a seated position required lifting my foot from the peg (not an issue when standing on the pegs though). For a commuter who just wanted something that offered better protection on a rare off-road adventure, they just didn't work.

The Santiago boot also happens to be one of the most comfortable boots I have ever worn. That includes non-motorcycle boots. My feet are happy in them. The Sidis were badass but just not right for my use.

[Maggot12]

[QUOTE=cliffy109;20991584]Everything is a compromise. The more walking comfort, the less protection. Trade one thing and lose another.
[QUOTE]

This is my biggest problem as well. Often when I ride on trips I do a lot of walking as well. The only other footwear I take with me are some sort of flipflops to wear around my campsite. So I walk in the boot I use for riding.

I have yet to see a boot that offers good protection that one could reasonably go on a 2-3+ km walk. So with that I wear a military style gortex combat boot. It's a great comfortable riding boot that stays dry in all conditions, and I can walk in it all day, but won't offer much protection should I crash.

[SloMo228]

Originally Posted by mrt10x

... I also have wondered if a mechanism like the one found in backcountry ski boots could be incorporated.. you know a ride/walk lever.. more support, less flex for riding... flip the lever down.. now a walkable boot. ...

I think this would be a good idea if executed correctly. You'd have to get a bit more articulation than in a ski boot, 'cause even with those, walking is still kind of clunky and wouldn't be great for hiking around for too long.

This is just my opinion, so take it for what it's worth (probably not much), but as I see it, you need two things for decent walking comfort - good ankle articulation, and at least some degree of flex at the toes/ball of the foot. That's my experience, and I've worn a lot of different styles of boot from hiking boots to work boots to ski boots and full-shank plastic mountaineering boots. The most comfortable to walk are 3/4 shank boots with decent ankle flex.

Of course, that would compromise protection for the types of impacts where the foot catches on something and folds up toward the shin. A 3/4 shank will not protect the toes very well, and a flexible ankle will obviously not protect the ankle joint. I think to get around this limitation, you'll need some kind of mechanical solution like mentioned above to "lock" the boot in for riding and "unlock" it for walking. Possibly a shear-thickening fluid/gel could be used as well to provide armor that is soft and flexible under normal conditions but hardens in higher-impact situations. It's been a while since I was in engineering school and I haven't used any of it in years, so I'm just making slight WAGs here.

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by cliffy109

Everything is a compromise. The more walking comfort, the less protection. Trade one thing and lose another.

My choice is the BMW Santiago. I moved up from the BMW All-Around and am VERY happy for the kind of riding I do. Most of my riding is commuting and I keep street shoes at work. I can afford good boots but can't afford to have multiple boots so I needed something that was easy to take on and off, had good protection for the light duty off-roading that I do from time to time and it needed to be waterproof. I didn't want zippers since I have had them stick when they get dusty. I wanted something I could walk around in since I often stop at my kid's sports activities on the way home from work.

I had purchased a pair of Sidi Discovery Rain and returned them the next day (thankfully, my dealer allowed it). The boots were clearly superior in ankle protection but were very uncomfortable to walk in and squeaked a lot. They were so stiff that downshifting from a seated position required lifting my foot from the peg (not an issue when standing on the pegs though). For a commuter who just wanted something that offered better protection on a rare off-road adventure, they just didn't work.

The Santiago boot also happens to be one of the most comfortable boots I have ever worn. That includes non-motorcycle boots. My feet are happy in them. The Sidis were badass but just not right for my use.

Boots break in,much like any boot you would have to use them a while before they become easier to walk and shift with.
Walking in boots and having a protective boot are two very different things.

[Foot dragger]

Originally Posted by mrt10x

I want a set of Garne SG-10's or Sidi Crossfires but waterproof. I have the Sidi Adventure Goretex... love them, but would like more protection. I have the SG-10's love them, but want them to be waterproof. I also have wondered if a mechanism like the one found in backcountry ski boots could be incorporated.. you know a ride/walk lever.. more support, less flex for riding... flip the lever down.. now a walkable boot. Bottom line, a mechanical hinge, 4 buckle goretex boot.

I had some Crossfires,100% waterproof in creek crossings.
But once they broke in there was little or no resistance to my my foot bending up and touching my shin,after some extremely painful instances they are gone.

[Bogfarth]

What would be great are boots available in standard US shoe sizing, including wides and extra wides. I can go from Danner to Redwing to Wolverine to Nike and buy the same size, give or take a half. Get into cowboy or moto boots and forget it; neither industry has any sense of standard. The motorcycle boots at three stealerships and two Cycle Gear shops all looked great. Several brand/style combos were damn tempting to buy. Except my 11EE Danner Quarry boots did one thing none of those track-day, motocross, or Harley-crowd boots could do: they fit.

[mrt10x]

Originally Posted by Foot dragger

I had some Crossfires,100% waterproof in creek crossings.
But once they broke in there was little or no resistance to my my foot bending up and touching my shin,after some extremely painful instances they are gone.

Interesting.. I was not aware.. I just figured they were essentially the same as the SG-10's.

[bwringer]

Boots that actually stay friggin' waterproof for more than a few weeks would be nice... I've heard of this happening, but haven't yet experienced it.

As long as we're dreaming here, how about the ability to customize fit and shape? Different insoles, maybe "sock" liners in different configurations. Or perhaps a custom fit thermoplastic foam footbed, sort of like the custom mouth guards in football -- get it hot, step on it for five seconds, and it molds to fit. This could be a great way for people with old injuries or different-size feet to find comfort.

Maybe some sort of sci-fi nanotech material where you can flip a switch to allow breezy venting, flip the switch the other way and the boot seals up watertight.

As far as safety, how about materials that are limited in deformation rate? Perhaps an accelerometer in the heel turns the shell stiff under impact. Sidi's roadracing boots incorporate many different mechanisms for limiting hyperextension -- how could these be applied to adventure boots? How could you make the cables and such reliable when exposed to mud and rocks?

Another thing I'd love to see is a consumer-replaceable soles, available in different tread patterns, etc. I know some MX boots have these.

Or, perhaps a boot with a built-in compression ability, perhaps with an air chamber. Many of us with old ankle injuries have problems with stability and swelling.

[bobzilla]

Originally Posted by Bogfarth

What would be great are boots available in standard US shoe sizing, including wides and extra wides. I can go from Danner to Redwing to Wolverine to Nike and buy the same size, give or take a half. Get into cowboy or moto boots and forget it; neither industry has any sense of standard. The motorcycle boots at three stealerships and two Cycle Gear shops all looked great. Several brand/style combos were damn tempting to buy. Except my 11EE Danner Quarry boots did one thing none of those track-day, motocross, or Harley-crowd boots could do: they fit.

+1000
I hate them narrow boots that fit them damn foreigners. I got hobbit feet (10 G in redwings WIDE toe box) and after 4 hours of riding all i can think about is my feet. It really sucks by the end of week two of a trip.