Dirt bike boots are a necessary evil.
We all know we need them
but…… gee they can be annoying at times particularly if you’re not used to them.
And don’t get me started if you get a pair that don’t fit correctly.
Fortunately, I’ve made this huge guide to help out.
It comes with a handy chart you can sort and filter. IE by price, brand, warranty etc.
And… I’ve also made some recommendations based on research.
And let me make it clear.
I’m not going to pretend I have tried and tested these products.
Even if I did what works for me is not going to feel good for someone else.
We all have different shaped feet and weird sizes etc.
What I can do is provide you with the necessary infomration so you can make your own informed choices. For example, filter my buying chart by price if that is a priorty. Got the gist?
Ok… lets get into it.
Contents
Dirt Bike Boot Recommendations
Best Value Boots Overall
Once you go under $100, finding a relaible pair of dirt bike boots becomes a problem.
Manufactuerers struggle to provide a comfortable boot that still has all the safety features.
One such manufacterer called Fusosport (Australian based) has managed to provide a product low on price with a reasonable feature set.
The Füsport Dirt Pilots are one of the lowest priced dirt bike boots that still has good saftey features such as a metal shank and injection molded plastic plates.
Best Discount / Budget Dirt Bike Boots
O’Neal is a tried and trusted company that has a solid reputation for making value for money products.
The Logo Rider is no exception providing the main saftey features such as shin and heel protection.
These boots would suit motocross or enduro riding.
What these boots offer is a product that is well made and does what it is supposed to.
Feed back on these boots is that they can be a little stiff out of the box but an hour or two of riding will loosen them up.
This is fairly common from my experience.
Comfortable/Waterproof Dirt Bike Boots
Waterproofing dirt biking boots is a tricky affair. Very few brands can do it. After all there are the vents required for air flow.
Gaerne have got around this problem with their balance Pro Tech Boots, which have a breathable liner inside.
Not only are they waterproof but comfortable also. Before you go handing over your hard earned, keep in mind that these boots are off-road boots so for casual trail riding they would be fine.
They wont have the hardness and protection that a dedicated motocross boot will have.
Best Boots For Youth
When it comes to kids dirt bike boots, it’s tempting to skimp on the price, but for the same reasons I recommend buying boots for grown-ups, kids should follow the same rules.
Make sure the boots offer good protection but are also comfortable to wear. The comfort also relates to rideability, being able to change gears easily.
In some respects, this is more important for kids boots as they are learning to ride and you don’t want them struggling to find the right gear because their boots are too chunky.
Most major brands cater for kids boots and provide a good range at a reasonable price.
O’Neal make a competitively priced priced boot for Youth with all the necessary safety features.
Pro tip: If you go one-half size larger when purchasing you can get them to wear some thick socks or even two pairs. This will allow for more grow time and hopefully, save a few dollars by not having to buy more boots.
Womens Dirt Bike Boots
Ok, I’m going to be honest here, dirt bike boots for women is not something I have spent a lot of time thinking about given my gender.
Not having a lot of knowledge meant it was time to do some research. Interestingly, there is not a lot of information out there on boots for ladies so this tells me it is worthy of a discussion. My first thoughts on this subject was that aren’t the boots going to be the same as the males anyhow?
Well, I was wrong although not by much. Fundamentally the boots obviously do the same job as any other boot is designed to do, protect your ankles and legs.
Where the difference lies, and this is only with a few brands, is allowing for the physical difference in calf size between male and females.
The Alpinestars Tech 3 Stella is a good example of a boot that has been specifically designed for women.
The boot is lower on the leg, allows for a smaller calf size, and heel padding to support the shape of a woman’s ankle.
Whilst these are not the cheapest product on the market I think they represent good value considering they are one of a few brands that haven’t just changed the colour of a male-oriented boot to sell to women.
Dirt Bike Boots Sizing Chart
Mens
Youth
Womens
Tips For Buying Dirt Bike Boots
Safety First
This is one lesson that I learned the hard way.
For years I never considered riding boots as a factor in safety. I was quite happy riding in the steel cap boots that I already owned, after all, they were steel capped and my toes were perfectly safe?
Wrong!
Whilst my toes were perfectly safe, my ankles were not.
After going down a fairly simple track that had a few rocky bumps along it. I lost my balance and momentarily put my left foot down.
This, in turn, caused the steel cap toe to catch on a rock and pull my foot backwards quickly. I was lucky to come out of this OK, with only a major sprain and a week on crutches, but it could have been much worse.
The take out lesson here is that the most important role of dirt bike boots is to protect your ankles.
Ankle protection is only one part of the safety side of boots. They also provide important protection from the heat of the engine or exhaust pipe. This is particularly important if you come off the bike and are stuck underneath.
Whilst motocross bikes are relatively light, other off-road bikes are not and can be difficult to remove.
Dirt bike boots also provide valuable protection against stones that often get picked up and flung into your legs from a bike in front or even off your own front wheel.
Safety Vs Ride ability
After deciding to invest in some new dirt bike boots, the next mistake I made was not spending a few extra dollars on a pair that were comfortable.
I went for the cheapest pair, and I literally could not believe how hard it was to ride in those things. I had barely any movement due to the heavy leather construction and struggled to change gears as I could not feel the gear lever.
So basically, as far as boots go, you get what you pay for. Better quality boots won’t take as long to break in (sometimes no time at all), they will protect you really well but still have enough movement and feel so that your riding won’t suffer.
Around $120 seems to be a good starting budget when it comes to buying boots.
The Take Out lesson Here Is Make Sure You Get Boots That Are As Comfortable As Possible Within Your Budget
Maintenance And Cleaning
Keep em dry!!!
Boots that stay wet after riding will attract mold and inevitably end up rotting stitching and breaking down the linings much quicker.
After each ride, give them a good clean and make sure they get a good dry out at room temperature.
Depending on the brand, some boots don’t like to be standing upright as there is quite a bit of weight from the ankles up. They can get distorted at the ankle from the weight, so the way to go is to lay them flat or even upside down.
Take the time to make sure your boots are correctly adjusted. It is surprising how many people spend so much money on boots and don’t take the time to properly adjust them. Correct adjustment can also improve the comfort factor.
The Final Word On Dirt Bike Boots
There are plenty of places to save money when it comes to dirt biking but don’t skimp on boots!
Poor fitting boots will drive you mad and really reduce the fun factor.
Spending a few extra dollars will get you more comfort and better safety features.
Speaking of saftey features the helmet is no place to skimp either. See my article on selecting dirt bike helmets here.
All the best!
