- This topic has 12 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 15 years, 9 months ago by megaspaz.
Boots?
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July 13, 2008 at 11:02 pm #1716BuddParticipant
Currently, I wear all leather combat boots. A lot of the boots/shoes I see for sale don’t look like they would offer any additional protection over what I have now. Are combat boots a safe boot to wear?
July 14, 2008 at 1:19 am #8729AnonymousGuestProbably, although steel toe caps would help (I broke a gear shift peg off on my big toe when I had my “unscheduled get-off”).
Laces can be problematic so you need to make sure they can’t come loose (and don’t tie them in bows!).
The main reason I switched from lace-up work boots to touring boots was because I was too lazy to tie them and preferred zips and hook & loop fasteners. Also, my touring boots have a Gore-tex liner which keeps them waterproof.
Some of the better motorcycle boots have ankle protectors too.
July 14, 2008 at 1:45 pm #8749MattParticipantDO NOT WEAR STEEL TOED BOOTS!
Seriously.
Steel toe caps can amputate your toes in a violent crash.
There are other issues (less shifter feel) but really, the fact that they cut off toes is reason enough.
I wear laced boots, jsut double the not at the top, no problems there. The combat boots may be an issue depending on how far down the laces go on the top of the foot. My boots have laces that go all the way to the shifter, and so I have to have a leather band placed over that area (I was wearing through my laces).
Protection wise, an adventure, dirt, or sport boot will have armour in it, but a “cruiser” style boot is no safer than a combat boot to the best of my knoweldge.
July 14, 2008 at 1:51 pm #8750TheAbomb12ParticipantSteel toes being more damaging than regular shoes is a complete myth. Some people might have had a freak accident and had amputated toes while wearing steel toe boots; but let me assure you the damage done when wearing a shoe with no steel would make your foot look like spaghetti.
They did it all on mythbusters, no matter how you try it– steel toe protects way better than regular shoes.
shifter feel is affected though– but I guess that all depends on the design of the shoe.
July 14, 2008 at 2:38 pm #8754BuddParticipantI wonder if there is any armor I could add to the the boots. Off to the internet, wait, I am here already, off to google.
“I am the best I am at what I do, and what I do ain’t nice.”-Wolverine
July 14, 2008 at 5:37 pm #8767MattParticipant(my reply button doesn’t work properly at work, so out-of-line reply it is)
Curious… I was heavily warned against steel toed boots by both my instructors and my parents.
The instructors said what I said above, and my parents because they knew ferry workers in BC who’d had toes amputated by steel toe caps when run over by trucks.
Apparently (I have nothing factual to back ANY of this up) B.C. Ferries requires all deck hands to wear steel toed boots. But (at least back 30 years ago) a number of guys had their feet run over, and in the process had their toes amputated. Guys who don’t/didn’t have the steel cap simply had their toes crushed. The difference being the crushed toes required less surgery and had significantly less blood loss than the amputations. So, lost of deck hands simply would not wear steel toed boots. Last time I was on a ferry I didn’t ask the guy directing me… maybe I’ll remember next time I’m out west…
Regardless, if you want the best protection, get a set of adventure or sport boots. They have proper ankle bracing and armor.
July 14, 2008 at 7:16 pm #8770RabParticipantI too have read, and believe, that it’s a myth that modern steel toe-caps can be crushed and amputate toes.
These things can stand up to massive blows and pressure without deforming, much more than you would likely receive in any motorcycle accident I would think.
I’d go with the steel toe-caps over no steel toe-caps any day of the week.
July 14, 2008 at 8:01 pm #8771ShannonGParticipantI just bought a pair of BMW Motorrad boots and oh my gosh were they worth the money! They feel like slippers on my feet. My only complaint is that I was in a gravel parking lot yesterday and couldn’t crab walk my bike back because they get no traction on loose surfaces.
July 14, 2008 at 10:22 pm #8775TheAbomb12ParticipantYeah, its a very popular myth… just like how not wearing a seat belt will throw you clear of an accident. or how not wearing a (full-face) helmet helps you avoid accidents in the first place; something my dad tells me– He wears 3/4 helmets and drives a Harley. He tried full-face helmets10 years ago but thought they blocked his vision and muted sound thus making it more likely to cause an accident. Complete BS. He tried to let me use his helmets when I first started to learn how to ride– I went out and bought a full-face.
just think about it like this… If the pressure of something going ONTO your foot is enough to bend steel to the point where it amputate your toes… just imagine that pressure on your foot directly. I guarantee you the force to amputate your toes with out a steel toe is much much less than the contrary.
Leather, Bones, and flesh < Steel and Leather, Bones, and Flesh.
If someone’s toes are amputated with a steel toe– his toes would be cut off regardless.July 16, 2008 at 5:09 am #8862AaronMerlotParticipantI am a huge fan of the show and they did bust the steel toe amputation myth.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xmiqm_mythbusters-3×17But I am not sure how good steel caps would be on a bike.
July 16, 2008 at 9:59 pm #8924stupotGuestmy dad doubled the number of bones in his foot, when he was parked on by a truck, and his back wheel underneath so when i started riding the biggest baddest mx boots i could find generally they are wonderful but even though i ride a vstrom when i corner hard (all the time) the toes catch the ground because the ankles hold my toes down so i have to shift my foot back and up a little before the pegs catch before the boot like wise i cant ride sport bikes in them either
they are still worth the little niggle for me thoughJuly 17, 2008 at 2:50 am #8933AmorylParticipantI can actually understand the helmet argument. not for everyone, but some people do suffer from visibility, not because the helmet really blocks vision that much, but because some people develop “tunnel vision” while wearing them. I play paintball and there are several masks that while they provide quite decent angle of view, I hear lots of complaints about how people can’t see around them (a common complaint about the goggles I wear, though I have no problem seeing around me) I can however attest that I experience a bit of disassociation while wearing my paintball goggles, and that it’s largely due to having my face covered (that, and paintball goggles don’t always have the best ventilation) that being said, it simply forces me to concentrate on being more connected to the real world, and not allow myself to phase out. other people may not have the will…
July 17, 2008 at 6:11 am #8940megaspazParticipantThere’s different levels of protection when it comes to boots as with any type of motorcycle gear. And protection and comfort aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive either. Front hard plates along the shin, hard calf tongue in the back, hard plates over the ankle balls, material for better skid protection, anti-twisting design, etc. Now I don’t know what combat boots offer in terms of protection and even the most protective boots can only protect so much depending on the speed involved in an accident, but i choose my boots with more of the fancy stuff because in my mind it might be the difference between only getting broken bones or having my foot/leg partially or completely severed. The point of protective gear is to increase your odds of suffering less damage. At least that’s the way I see it.
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