Gear Driven: Six boots for the road

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Aerostich's Combat Lites

1. Aerostich’s Combat Lites are a shorter, lighter version of their standard Combat Touring boots, and unless you do a lot of offroad or adventure-tour riding, they’re the better choice for everyday urban riding and all-day street and general purpose wear. Incorporating the same heavy-duty materials, design features and construction quality of the original Combat Touring boot, they feature top grain leather and are fully leather-lined.  Compared to most general purpose and riding boots, the Lites have fewer individual leather pieces and fewer seams for a stronger boot. The inner speed laces combined with an instep buckle provide a better and more secure fit than a normal “engineer”-type boot, and they’re available with a replaceable wedge or cleated sole. Like any Aerostich product, these look like they’re going to wear like iron, but they will require a bit of break-in time before they’ll be comfortable for long stints. Friends with more miles on theirs love them, and when we ask if we can borrow them, the response has normally been a grumbling noise that includes the words “cold dead hands.” Yeah, they’re that good. Price: $247.00.
More info: www.aerostich.com

2. Though we don’t recommend it, we know people who substitute high-top basketball sneakers in place of a pair of riding boots. Set Up’s Urban boots look more like a light hiking boot or a sneaker than a motorcycle boot, but they’re a great cross between a motorcycle boot and something you can also wear as everyday footwear. Perfect for when the weather is warm, these fully vented boots feature a cotton/poly lining and a nylon shield in the inner ankle for protection — and they’re the most affordable pair of riding boots we sampled. Price: $59.99.
More info: www.motonation.com

3. Cruiserworks’ Defender boot is a shorter (8in), more aggressive version of the company’s popular 10in Commando model. Featuring a high-quality turned and sewn top, they also have a military toe cap for armor up front and Kevlar ankle armor. These boots have 90-degree heels to hang comfortably on your pegs, along with V-Grip outsoles, air-injected cushion insoles, ankle armor, a removable lace-retention strap and just enough lift in the toe of the boots to make walking easier and keep the instep uncreased, yet not enough to interfere with your shifter. They’re also waterproof. We attacked the last pair we had here with a pressure washer and our tester’s feet were still dry. Price: $259.00.
More info: www.cruiserworks.com