Your feet and ankles are something that you need in your everyday life, if you want to walk around that is! Protection for them is, unfortunately, something that can be overlooked by some motorcycle riders. It's one of the most vulnerable joints while out riding on the road; your legs have a habit of sticking out and being squashed if you're unfortunate, so having sufficient protection for your ankles and feet is a must.
Motorcycle boots have a lot to do however, so there are compromises to be made depending on what you want to use them for. You'll find motocross and offroad boots offer superb protection, but they're a fiddle to put on and take off, and they're not great for walking about in once off the bike, and you can say goodbye to any feel through the pegs, or the shifter. You'll also find race boots strike a similar combination, although they tend to be easier to put on, and have thinner soles for better feel. As you get towards more road-biased boots, unsurprisingly you'll find the protection is reduced a bit, but the comfort for use on and off the bike skyrockets massively, as well as the range of looks and designs improving.
You need to decide what you're going to use your boots for first of all, then the rest should click into place nicely. Using boots designed for other applications than riding a bike should be avoided if possible; quite often there are things that'll potentially cause you harm. Lace-up boots should be avoided for the obvious reason that if they were to come undone, even a little, the laces could end up in the drive chain. Steel toecapped boots also run the risk of becoming more of a hazard than you may think. You would think that a hardened toecap would be good news if your foot got run over, however in reality there's a good chance that the toecap would still crush, and then you've got a steel plate wedged into your flattened foot. On a proper road motorcycle boot there'll be a reinforced toe, but not steel, to prevent that issue. You'll also find reinforcements on the sides for changing gear on some boots, as well as potential toe sliders on more racy ones.
Let's say for example, you're a road rider who rides all year round, but demands great weather and accident protection. You probably also want them to be alright to walk around in too, but looks aren't the biggest thing. Chances are, you'll find touring boots are your answer. You can find models with Goretex and insulation built in, along with heel, shin, toe and ankle protection, as well as an element of anti-torsion to stop your ankle twisting in ways it was never intended to. Daytona boots are some of the most well-known boots in this category; famed for their quality and protection from both weather and accidents. They certainly don't lay claim to being the cheapest boots, but they're well worth their money if you get the use out of them. Most manufacturers will have a boot in this segment, and it pays to try them on (with your motorcycle trousers especially) to see how you get on with walking around in them, on a bike and getting them on and off.
Other riders are much more concerned about looks, and comfort, and might be trying to go for a more casual style. Motorcycle jeans are a great invention - they offer protection, practicality and comfort...but they look a bit naff stuffed inside a sporty boot. In walks the casual-style boot (pardon the pun), which have been appearing more and more recently, and are proving to be something of a hit. Typically they have lower shin protection, but include most of the things that bigger and better boots have; that being solid construction, ankle and torsion protection and potentially even Goretex. TCX and Dainese make some of my favourite boots in this sector that ape a sturdy pair of high-top trainers, as well as more traditional cruiser-style boots. I've a pair of TCX's X-Rap (now discontinued and superceded by the X-Groove). These newer models include a side zip for ease of use, and have been upgraded to Goretex. The main advantage of them is just how comfortable they are, they're just like wearing slightly clumpy trainers, with the added bonus that when you're on a bike you don't spend half your time worrying about your ankles being mashed. They also allow you to wear bike gear off the bike without sticking out like a sore thumb - they go great with a pair of well-fitting aramid fibre jeans and a more casual looking leather jacket.
Sometimes, however, you're planning on going fast and want to know that your gear is going to give you the best protection possible with minimal compromise on that. Race boots are your choice here, however you can find boots will a little road bias to make them easier to live with. Sidi are probably my favourite in this area; from the more basic, but still very good, Vertigo boot, all the way up to their Mag and Rex boots that look like they belong in science fiction...or on a race track! Sidi boots have a unique ratchet system that makes finding a comfortably tight fit a breeze, as well removable and replaceable sliders for the toes, with the Mag model including magnesium toe sliders.
The one thing that cannot be stressed enough though, is that a decent quality pair of motorcycle boots is an absolute must for the rider who takes their own safety seriously. The massive range of looks, styles and uses available means you'll be able to find the perfect pair for your feet and your bike.
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