Boots I need new boots!

My old boots have been very comfortable, but I am sure would not have passed the ultimate boot test if needed.
And I did not like the Made in China bit.

I am looking for a boot that I can wear to work and be comfortable walking on steel decks of ships, steel ramps, steel stairs and at times, walking on cement and asphalt car yards for up to 4 hours at a time. BUT, I want more protection than what I had before. I am in N. FL, so I'm not looking for a snow boot.
This is my line up.

1) Aerostich Combat lites.
2) TCX airtech
3) Tourmaster Solutions 2 (made in China, but I like the price too)


Ideas??

I use a strange boot.

Firefighter bunker boots


They're leather and comfy


They're more than waterproof, a level or two above goretex


May be hard to come by but you never know

I've been happy with my Rocky Codys - completely waterproof, good leather, and comfortable all day long. Plus, you can have them resoled when the bottoms wear out - about the time you get the boot broken in just right! ;-)

I have the Aerostich Combat Lites and like them a lot. One question I have though is if you have a requirement for steel toed boots?

the stich boots will meet the requirements you listed but I wouldn't want to do it on day one of getting them. They will take time to break in. I had a day shortly after getting them where I was going to be doing a bunch of walking so I broke them in like I used to break in combat boots. Fill them with water and let them sit for a while. Then walk around in them until they pretty much dried. Then I treated them with Aquaseal (Aerostich sells it) to add a level of being waterproof. While not listed as a waterproof boot, my feet have yet to get wet other than when I was breaking them in.

The thing about the Combat Boots is that there isn't much for armor on the boot. I have treated boots in the Army so much so that they wouldn't stand up. For that it was fine. For these however I treat periodically but you don't want to go overboard. The stiffness of the boot is all there is to help protect you. When you get them they are very stiff. I had a hack of a time shifting when I first got them. As I broke them in though they are great. To add to extended walking I swapped out the insoles for some Dr Scholl's inserts.

For my use I am very happy with them. I don't typically do a ton of walking in them. When I get to work I take them off and put on more of a dress shoe. I work in an office environment though. There have been a couple times where I forgot my shoes and I left the boots on all day and never had an issue. If I go somewhere on the bike and have walking at the destination I have never changed the boots for something else and never wished I brought something else to wear.

I haven't found a reason to spend 2 to 3 time what the comfy, waterproof Solutions cost, on something else.

I would recommend the TCX Infinity, an Australian biker cop put me on to them. I have had mine for 2 years now and they are still very comfortable to wear and have very little wear on them. (previous boots would last maybe 5-6 months before failing apart).

I have spent many a whole day walking around country shows in them in about 25-30C heat and they have been good/comfortable.

I am starting my 3rd season with a pair of "Combat lites" and still think they are great. I just slap another coat of "snow seal/ AquaSeal" on them and my feet have never gotten wet.
I guess I was lucky as with mine, I had no real break in, they felt fine from day one. Sorry Dave, it is an individual thing I guess.

Bigmak96 said:

I am starting my 3rd season with a pair of "Combat lites" and still think they are great. I just slap another coat of "snow seal/ AquaSeal" on them and my feet have never gotten wet.
I guess I was lucky as with mine, I had no real break in, they felt fine from day one. Sorry Dave, it is an individual thing I guess.

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I must have weak ankles... :

Really the break in part was to give the boot enough flex to shift. Braking action wasn't a big deal. The first few rides I had to lift my entire foot off the peg to lift up on the shifter. Then to down shift lift my entire foot to get above the shifter. While I could shift without doing it I would usually hit N when going 1-2. Once you get a few of those creases forming in the leather, it isn't an issue and they are uber comfy.

Of course some of the break in issues may depend on the rider and the bike. Leg length and seat positioning could play a lot into this. Until I broke them in I just didn't feel comfortable riding in them too much because of the shifting issues. They went away after that day of walking around in the boots.

If it is an issue a good way to quickly break them in is soak in water like I mentioned and go cut the grass. Or if you live in Minnesota, go out and blow the snow from the driveway.

For me a big selling point is the fact that they can be resoled and are all leather. The Joe Rocket boots I had before were OK. Then the vinyl started cracking and they would fill up with water when I rode in the rain. While more expensive than some boots, they like most Stich gear can last a really long time if cared for.

TCX here, Very good quality, water proof, comfortable, got mine from revzilla.

Greg

Gowyn said:

I use a strange boot.
Firefighter bunker boots
They're leather and comfy
They're more than waterproof, a level or two above goretex
May be hard to come by but you never know

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Well, I wouldnt call them strange. I wear them at work. A FF boot would certainly provide tons of protection. Most FF boots are rather tall and generally the tops of them are about mid calf level. They wouldnt be hard to come by either. There are some online sites where you could order them. I am not familiar with all the brands on the market but the ones I wear are made by Globe. They are the best boot I have ever owned from a FF perspective. They are lightweight and super comfortable. Im sure they would be plenty good as a riding boot as well.

I really like Belleville combat boots. They have a Gortex lining and are totally waterproof but also breathable. They have a model with what's called the Vanguard sole that is as comfortable as tennis shoes and are great for hiking. They can be re-soled. They cost a lot but you can often find new ones on eBay for less than $100.

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/abu-waterproof-combat-boot.htm

I have 2 pair that I use regularly;
Everyday wear "Magnum waterproof w/zippers.
Touring wear "Chippewa waterproof Riding Boots. These are quite high and protect my lower legs from the intense engine heat.

Thanks for the replies.
I made an offer of $175 for a pair of TCX Airtech on eBay.
I'll see how that plays out.

Hotwheelbill said:

Thanks for the replies.
I made an offer of $175 for a pair of TCX Airtech on eBay.
I'll see how that plays out.

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You will like those boots!

TCX Airtech is what I use as well. $175.00 is a great price too! Good luck on bidding. Cheers Marty

From all I have read, I see me using two sets of Boots.
The next pair will be for Long Rides.

sennister said:

If it is an issue a good way to quickly break them in is soak in water like I mentioned and go cut the grass. Or if you live in Minnesota, go out and blow the snow from the driveway.

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Wet boots and your out blowing snow.. and we thought The Dan had a screw loose for posting a -16? ride. You Minnesota guys go crazy to a whole new level.

T_C said:

Wet boots and your out blowing snow.. and we thought The Dan had a screw loose for posting a -16? ride. You Minnesota guys go crazy to a whole new level.

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Just don't stand still too long.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

I have a pair of Tourmaster Solutions 2 boot that I bought from Craigslist. This is the low cut boot with the velcro enclosure over the laces.12.5 or Euro size 47. What size do you need? I am not going to wear these as they are just a bit too large. I paid $40. You can have them for the same plus shipping. They were purchased new in Sept 2012. They show no wear, scuffs or scratches. I have an older pair of Oxtars that will have to do in the meantime.

Brad 714 553 3516

Brad Hartwell said:

I have a pair of Tourmaster Solutions 2 boot that I bought from Craigslist. This is the low cut boot with the velcro enclosure over the laces

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The Tourmaster Solution 2 boot is high cut (calf high) and doesn't have laces (it zips). Do you mean Response 2? It is low cut and has laces...