The title pretty much sums up the blog, this week I would like to talk about my favourite range of boots, the Dainese Axial range of boots! I currently own some older Dainese Torque Out boots and 4 years down the line, they are worn but still functioning perfectly! The most comfortable and safe boots I have ever had the chance to own. Now when I heard Dainese had some new boots on sale from the Axial range, I was like a Bee drawn to nectar or Donald Trump to controversy, I had to go down to Bike Stop to take a look.
Bike Stop currently sells 4 boots from what I like to call the Dainese D-Axial range, these are the,
Now before I explain the differences between these boots I would like to start with things all these boots have in common.
Firstly as the name of the blog suggests, all these boots use varying forms of the Dainese D-Axial system. To put it simply this is a brace that goes up the sides of the boot, with a pivot point in the middle. This allows the boot to be flexible when walking, but allows the boot to have very good torsional strength (the boot will not bend sideways very easily).
The second really good feature is that all the boots zip up at the back, there is also plenty of adjustment to get the boots as tight as you need them. If you have really fat feet like mine and struggle to get into boots that zip up at the side, these are a treat! My technique for getting them on is to slip my feet in, bend the boot forward a bit so that the zip at the back straightens up, then hey presto, the zip should do up a lot easier!
Now for the differences, although these boots may all seem similar in first, they range quite a lot in price, cheapest at £199.95, most expensive at £399.99. So why the big price difference? Well lets take a look.
So lets start with the cheapest boot, the Nexus at £199.95. The Nexus is constructed from a combination of leather and Dainese's D-Stone fabric (which incidentally is more rigid than leather). For reinforcement you have protective nylon inserts on the heel, toe and outside side of the boot. There is also a rather handy Thermoplastic polyurethane (yeah basically plastic) insert on the shin. This adds another layer of shin protection, and fits on top of Dainese race suits, or most other motorcycle trousers. There is also a plastic slider to protect the boot if you like getting as much lean angle as possible on your bike.
The next boot in the range is the Dainese Torque D1 Out boots at £279.95. The construction of the boot is fairly similar to the Nexus, utilising the same D-Axial system and Thermoplastic polyurethane insert on the shin, however there are differences. The inserts on the outer side, heel and toe are now magnesium instead of nylon, FYI these make big sparks if you happen to umm... get that good lean angle going. These are mainly cosmetic upgrades in my opinion, however the Dainese Torque D1 Out boots do have a genuinely useful feature, which is that it has an adjustable inner lining. This can be adjusted to make the boot tighter or loser on the top of your foot. This really adds another level of adjust-ability to an already very comfortable sports boot.
Just another £10 will get you the Dainese Torque D1 Out GORE-TEX boots, priced at £289.95. This has mostly all the same features as the Torque D1 Out, however you lose the inner layer with the adjust-ability. Before you get too worried its not all bad news however! You do instead get a GORE-TEX membrane to keep your feet bone dry from rain or sweat as they are the magic combo of being 100% water-proof and breathable. This makes the Torque D1 out GORE-TEX a more usable boot for all season use.
The range topping Axial boot, coming in at £399.95 is the Dainese Axial Pro in and for 2017 called "R". This is a totally different boot to the rest of the range, created purely with racing in mind. The boot is designed to be worn on the inside of a race suit, while the other 3 boots are worn on the outside of a suit. The D-Axial system that you must be familiar with by now is made with a special blend of Carbon and DuPont™ Kevlar® fiber. This provides even more protection against ankle injuries. There is also increased shock absorption on the heel. The main selling point however in my opinion is the superb adjustment on the inside of the boot. There is a inner boot under the skin which has a tightening strap to prevent the boot from ever sliding off the foot.
Overall there is a boot in this range to suit most uses and budgets.
The Nexus boot is a fantastic boot for the price and has the most discrete look out of the boots on offer. Its a great sports boot if you are on a budget. The Torque D1 Out are more of a sporty boot with more adjustment, excellent for track use, if you can't quite bring yourself to spend the extra on the Axial Pro ins, or if you just want a sports boot that can be worn on the outside of your suit. The Torque D1 Out GORE-TEX is in the range to suit anyone who wants a highly protective boot, but with some added weather protection built in. Lastly the Axial Pro ins are for the focused track rider/racer or if you are just tartly like me and want an awesome looking set of boots! Maximum protection, worn by Mr Rossi himself.
If you would like to find out any more information about the Axial range, make sure you take a trip down to BikeStop where the team of experts will gladly help! Don't leave the shop without trying some of this range on!
