Bike Stop only recently started stocking Alpinestars gear this year, and it’s something that I personally have wanted for a while. They’re well-known for great quality gear that covers all budgets, and it all tends to look good on the rider. They do basically all the gear you could need apart from helmets, but today we’re going to look at their boots specifically.
At the start of motorcycling, a sturdy pair of leather boots was all that was available to the biker. Eventually bike specific boots appeared, including treatments to keep water out and reinforcements in key areas, as well as the highly useful bit of protection that stops your gear shifter poking through to your foot after a few months, the shift pad!
Fast forward to now and Alpinestars is a good example of the massive range of boots available to the motorcyclist today, but which is the one for you? Alpinestars is up there with the best for quality protection, so providing you enjoy the look, get on with the fit and have the budget for a boot that happens to be Alpinestars then you shouldn’t be concerned about what you’re buying not being what it says on the tin.
As mentioned, they’ve a huge range nowadays so we’ll take a look at the best boot from each sector that strikes a balance between protection, look, usability, price and any other features it may have.
A massive growth sector in recent years is of casual-appearance motorcycle gear. Bikers nowadays try to ape bikers of yore, or are just trying to fit in when out and about rather than wandering around like an off-duty Power Ranger. Naturally this casual gear can’t quite match the latest and greatest race gear for out and out protection, but you’ll find some examples that come close and are very suitable to road use. The range includes boots that look like high-top trainers and some that look more like traditional biker boots, something traditionally suited to a cruiser rider. For sheer usability and subtlety it’s hard to go wrong with either, however the high-tops look better in a casual setting, as well as being supremely comfortable. The J-6 Waterproof Shoe is my pick of the bunch, a suede high-top that can be worn with aramid-fibre jeans both on and off the bike without sticking out like a sore thumb. The high ankle with an integrated MX-derived heel and ankle protector and an upper made fully out of full-grain leather and suede means crash protection isn’t secondary to appearance, and a waterproof membrane adds that little bit of reassurance if you’re caught in some rain.
Moving onto the top-of-the-line kit; race and sporty gear. These boots look very specifically not like normal boots, but in doing so they can integrate the best protection possible. Often they can be a little trying for walking around in a lot, and don’t be surprised if they squeak! The SMX-6 is often regarded as one of the mainstays in this segment for its balance between cost and protection. It’s also got a few options available, the base boot comes 4 different colour schemes, but there is also a female fitted version, as well as waterproofed Drystar versions of each of those, and even a Goretex version! A mildly bewildering choice, but it means you have a good chance of finding a sporty boot that fits you and your needs without breaking the bank. As such, I’d argue the SMX-6 Drystar is the pick of the bunch, unless waterproofing is something you’ll never need.
If you’re just after a solid, dependable and standard looking boot, Alpinestars have you covered here too. Useful for touring or commuting, the Web Goretex Boot offers all you need. Waterproofing from Goretex, shift pad and ankle, heel and toe protection all sum up to a great all-round boot for the discerning regular or long-distance rider. Touches like an integrated rear reflector for increased visibility at night and an easy open/close system makes them a great buy.
Sometimes you want the best kit money can buy, and Alpinestars' Supertech R boot could scratch that itch for you. The Supertech R is their most advanced offering. You can already see the amount of armour on the outside of the boots, but you can't see the inner ankle protection that works alongside it to do its utmost to keep your ankle straight and feet safe. Being 'proper' race boots these aren't waterproofed with a membrane unfortunately, but the microfibre material the upper is made of is very water resistant so they'll take a decent shower without too much trouble. Speaking of, you'll find most of the best race boots don't use leather in their construction at all due to its increased weight over microfibre.
As you can imagine, this doesn’t even cover all of Alpinestars’ range. They’ve got a huge range of motocross focussed boots as well as short boots for sport riders. Rest assured, Alpinestars’ reputation is well earned and there’s a good chance they have something that suits you, even if it’s not a boot!
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