Table of contents

• Inexpensive touring boots in a comparison test How waterproof and high quality are cheap motorcycle boots?
• Bullson Solid
• Drive Touring Comfort-2
• GC Traveler
• IXS Pacific
• Modeka Most
• Probiker Street III
• Final scoring

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Inexpensive touring boots in the product test

Inexpensive touring boots in a comparison test
How waterproof and high quality are cheap motorcycle boots?

Not only young beginners like to keep their money together when buying boots. In the shop you can find supposedly fully fledged touring boots for only around 100 euros, which are supposed to hold tight when driving in the rain. Promised too much?

Thorsten Dentges

04/12/2012

Waterproof – that’s how it is written. For the buyer, this means: I can go on tour with this boot, and if it rains I don’t care, I just keep going with dry feet. Let’s get to the price. If the magical limit of 100 euros is not exceeded, this seems to exert strange stimuli on the brain and intellect of the customer and voices whisper: “Buy, buy, buy, now, now, immediately, immediately!” In fact: even students with normal A holiday job like this only has to slave for a day for such new botts.

For those with higher incomes, the sub-hundred offers create spontaneous take-away effects. So far so good. If you believe the statements of dealers and sellers, then cheap boots are strong bestsellers. Are also often ordered online, without trying on or specialist advice. As I said, the price doesn’t last long. A mistake? After all, boots are one of the most important pieces of equipment for motorcyclists. Reason enough for MOTORRAD to take a closer look at the relevant super offers – so let’s go to the test!

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How waterproof and high quality are cheap motorcycle boots?

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First insight when selecting the candidates: apart from windy e-bay sellers or supermarket discounters, there are only a few providers on the market who serve this segment. The big chain stores are among them, veteran outfitters like IXS or Modeka, which serve a good network of specialist dealers, as well as smaller providers who apparently have a good connection to Far Eastern production facilities and therefore have these savings offers in their range. Providers who put their cheapest offers a little above the 100 euro limit had to stay outside. In terms of quality, these boots are on a similar level, and it cannot be ruled out that one or the other supplier will grab their bag of tricks to the effect that a 129-euro item is better than a now-only-99-euro special offer lets sell. In addition, there were a few test rejections (“delivery problems”, “we will soon be taking this product out of the range”, “no, better not”). In short: In the end, only a manageable six competitors had the guts to let MOTORRAD put them to the test. Refreshingly honest the statement of a provider (name known to the editors) who would have liked to take part, but could not get the requested test sizes on time: “You know, in this price range it is actually impossible to manufacture completely waterproof boots. I hate to sell the parts because I know they don’t do the job, but from a business point of view, the number of items sold speaks a different language. ”Further research among industry experts led to a similar conclusion.

The reality is that you can’t expect much for so little money, at least not when it comes to waterproofing. The complaints are limited. How come Quite simply, here, too, you have to believe the assessments of dealers and sellers: Many motorcyclists only leave when the weather is good and hardly drive more than 200 kilometers at a time. But when you buy a low-budget boot, you want the complete package for all eventualities that you will never experience with your narrow-gauge touring. The boots work like luggage insurance: they convey a good, safe feeling, but in an emergency they only insufficiently regulate the damage. And even brief rain showers can cope with leaky membrane boots, because even normal leather boots do not soak through immediately. If there are apparently relatively few complaints, the business with flimsy slippers is probably worthwhile.

But what if the membrane shoe fails completely? For example in heavy thunderstorms on long stretches of the motorway? If the customer complains after such a disaster, he usually gets a replacement or the money back within the guarantee period without any problems, but in addition to a cold that may have caught on tour, he also has the trouble. Incidentally, it is rarely the membrane itself that is to blame, but rather its careless processing and poor sealing in problem areas such as the heel or the transition from the sole to the shaft. If (cheap) production works without great care and quality control, the failure rate is extremely high, as this test showed. The fact is, not a single model in the 100 euro class passed the not even excessively tough MOTORRAD wetness test without any problems. Finally, a few conciliatory words: In terms of safety, partly also in terms of wearing comfort, equipment or workmanship, the boots are decent, not top goods, but worth their price. If it weren’t for “waterproof” on it (for IXS: “water-resistant”), they could at least make fair-weather tourists happy. In an honest way.

Bullson Solid

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Bullson Solid.

providers
Hein Gericke, phone 0211/98989, www.heingericke.de; Price: 79.95 euros; Sizes: 36 to 47

plus
Comfortable entry, easy handling thanks to easy-to-use zippers and Velcro strips, fluffy lining, good air conditioning thanks to 3D mesh fabric; crisp, but super comfortable seat with great scraper protection; good walking

minus
All four test samples in the wetness test with extremely modest results, leaks seem to be less of an exception, but rather standard

Conclusion
After the driving tests, still by far the tester’s favorite, the super-sitting Solid then offered anything but a solid performance in the wet test: very afraid of water!

MOTORRAD verdict: satisfactory

Drive Touring Comfort-2

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Drive Touring Comfort-2.

providers
Polo, phone 02165/8440300, www.polo-motorrad.de; Price: 99.95 euros; Sizes: 36 to 48

plus
3D mesh fabric as lining ensures a great foot climate, supple leather; good hold thanks to non-slip rubber soles; comparatively wipe-proof

minus
Walking comfort modest, little grip while driving, feet slip back and forth when braking and shifting gears, little feedback, chafing in the long run; Zips very hooked; With the exception of a test sample, all boots leak after a few minutes

Conclusion
When it rains, you go swimming, and pressure and chafing points are annoying on long journeys. Good leather, adequate security, but overall the Drive offers too little.

MOTORRAD judgment: sufficient

GC Traveler

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GC Traveler.

providers
GC Bikewear, phone 05931/886163, www.grandcanyonbikes.de; Price: 99 euros; Sizes: 38 to 47

plus
Comparatively stiff construction, tight fit with high shaft, integrated ankle protectors, all in all good safety equipment; high wearing comfort when driving, neat when walking; pleasant air conditioning

minus
Zippers hooked, and the additional flap tore in the test, unruly cover Velcro strips; Heel hold only moderate; small weaknesses in the wetness test

Conclusion
Not very tight either, but comfortable, safe and very neatly cobbled – that’s a good way to go on tour. A fair value for the price.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

IXS Pacific

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IXS Pacific.

providers
IXS, phone 07631/18040, www.ixs.de; Price: 99.95 euros; Sizes: 35 to 48

plus
Best size range in comparison, offer for extremely small and large feet; very good rest hold; comfortable boarding, easy handling

minus
Relatively short shaft for touring boots, low stability, feet when braking and shifting with poor guidance, bulky and angular rolling on short marches; Complete failure in the filling test, sad result in the immersion bath

Conclusion
The Pacific may arouse buying interest through the variety of sizes and prices. But as a touring boot for all weather conditions, the almost completely leaky one is extremely unsuitable.

MOTORRAD judgment: sufficient

Modeka Most

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Modeka Most.

providers
Modeka Biker Wear, phone 02521/85030, www.modeka.de; Price: 99.90 euros; Sizes: 37 to 46

plus
Very neatly processed, good safety equipment with solid, large-area shin protection; Good grip on the notch, direct feedback

minus
Presses on the instep, strong pressure points on the ankles when shifting and braking, only slight heel hold; even short walks painful; tough cover strips, stiff zippers, not very comfortable to use

Conclusion
Winner in the wetness test, although not one hundred percent tight. But the bulky fit and annoying pressure points prove to be pleasure killers.

MOTORRAD verdict: satisfactory

Probiker Street III

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Probiker Street III.

providers
Louis, phone 040/73419360, www.louis.de; Price: 99.95 euros; Sizes: 38 to 47

plus
Great grip thanks to a non-slip rubber compound and a slight heel; Workmanship neat and tidy, solid leather; proper shin protection

minus
Entry difficult, very tight; feeling that needs getting used to when walking; low water penetration in the wet test in two of four test samples; partial pressure points, for example on the heel; spongy feeling when changing gear and braking

Conclusion
Good restraint, solid workmanship and, in comparison, acceptable moisture protection. Still not a good result because of the low wearing comfort.

MOTORRAD verdict: satisfactory

Final scoring

archive

The final scoring table.

Conclusion
With Bullson, Drive and IXS, driving breaks are advisable when it rains, discerning tourists should better save their money. It’s a shame, the boots have enough potential, especially the Bullson fits perfectly on the foot, but poor performance in the wetness test prevents a better result. Those who are less afraid of water Modeka and Probiker cannot be rated as good due to poor fit, and so the GC wins the comparison as a one-eyed person among the blind. After all: all candidates are safe enough.

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Alpinestars Hydro Sport.

A middle-class touring boot and a model of the priced upper class were included as references, out of competition, in the same point grid (see final scoring table) in order to better explore what the 100-euro parts really do. But since most of the price crackers can hardly be recommended, the products from higher price leagues automatically become competitors. Hydro Sport from the Italian boot experts Alpinestars, phone 00 39/04 23/52 86 (Italy), www.alpinestars.com, positions itself as a slim sport touring model with an in-house climate membrane and costs around twice as much as the low-budget test candidates (199 , 95 euros). For the rustic full tourer with Gore-Tex membrane from the Lower Bavarian noble shoemaker Daytona, phone 0 87 21/9 64 40, www.daytona.de, even 349.95 euros have to be turned over. Ouch, miser & Co may bite their lip now, but if you are planning serious motorcycle tours and want to have a good time, you should try these alternatives and save a little more.

Alpinestars Hydro Sport
A very decent workmanship (four points), first-class driving experience (26 points), pleasant even on tour on foot (eight points) as well as easy handling (seven points) and a snug fit (safety: 13 points) can convince. Slight weaknesses in the wetness test (25 points) prevent the grade “very good”.

MOTORRAD verdict: good

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Daytona Traveler GTX.

Daytona Traveler GTX
Holds absolutely tight (30 points), extremely comfortable in motion, still with one-a-feedback on the rest (28 points), walking well (eight points), very safe (14 points) and solid handling (six points) the robust Traveler GTX to an editorial favorite and perfect touring buddy.

MOTORRAD verdict: very good

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