New Boot Day

[Gone in 60]

Ok, I just purchased the most expensive single item of riding gear that I think I’ve ever done.

Alpinestars V2 GTX Air boots. I wanted something better than the papier mache Tourmaster Echos that I’ve been wearing. I purchased those on EBay a while ago as emergency backups in case my Nice, leather Tourmaster Epics ever failed. 

One of the Epics is at a shoe repair shop having a broken zipper fixed. I heard the guy is good but that I’ll be lucky to get them back in a few months. (I’m told his work is worth the wait).

On week one, a stone put a divot in the front of the back-up boots, made of whatever Tourmaster uses now instead of leather. Needless to say I’m not counting on them to provide much protection in an emergency.

The Alpinestars fit nice, are vented for summer, and I had a stack of gift cards that the museum found- a few years’ worth of birthday and Christmas cards included- that had apparently fallen behind my boss’s desk.

That lessened the impact of nice, full-price boots. Test rode them on Bike #5 and they feel very comfortable. Had to size up to a 46 from my usual 45 to get the width I need, but dimensionally in length and width the are the same as my Epics, so no “clown shoe” effect.

 

[Cormanus]

Well, Gone, they look like proper boots.

 

[peterbaron]

Nice, but to be nicer these needs some green flashy accents 

 

[Gone in 60]

No, no I don't need green flashy accents, but thank you. It was hard enough finding boots that fit that were all one color.

 

[the Ferret]

They do look like proper motorcycle boots.

 

[Gone in 60]

Well... shoot.

Never mind. Played shell game with bikes today. Rode out to the boss' house to swap the bike I just finished repairing for a bike he just put new tires on. Took that one to visit one of our riders and swap his bike to bring it home for an oil change. About 100 miles round trip with about 30 minutes of standing around. About 20 minutes from home my right toes started cramping to the point that I wanted to pull off the highway, pull the boot off and stretch my foot for a bit.

I'll clean 'em up like new and return to Revzilla, and continue the search.

 

[Cormanus]

What a pest.

 

[Nachodaddy]

Gone, I know it may sound unrelated, but could you have been dehydrated? That could contribute to muscle cramps.

 

[Gone in 60]

Thanks, Nacho, but it wasn't dehydration. Dehydration hits my brain first and I get very head-spinny quickly. It was warm, but I'd downed three bottles of water, one with that powder that super-hydrates water.

I went back to the Revzilla store (very helpful folks if you ever get a chance to visit one). The same guy who sold me the boots the day before was there. He sensed my frustration at trying to find boots for wide feet, and asked if I'd tried Indie Ridge. He was wearing a pair and said he'd never go back to anything else. Rdprdp01 put up a post about the brand recently, and well, heck, I'm just going to give them a shot. Nice to support a local company as well.

My only other known option is to go back to Tourmaster, and their non-leather build quality is pretty junky these days.

 

[peterbaron]

Gone, the boots static-story is getting too long, put them on and start riding, so we can read how comfy these are..  
I like all your stories, you are our best forum’s poet

 

[Gone in 60]

Looking on the Indie Ridge website, something just a little irksome... all of their boots are $195, and they offer free shipping over $200. Really?
I called the local number, and spoke with Stephanie. She mirrored what the website says, order your typical shoe size and they should work fine.
They don't offer a walk-in showroom, but their location is in Montclair, on the way to one of my typical work pickup runs. She said that they'd make an exception for me if I called ahead to come in and try a pair on and buy direct. Next time I can work it into a run, I'll try to make it happen!

 

[Gone in 60]

Gone, the boots static-story is getting too long, put them on and start riding, so we can read how comfy these are..  
I like all your stories, you are our best forum’s poet

Guess I'm a poet and didn't even know it. Also didn't realize that abject frustration about boots would take on a shakespearian vibe, but I'll take it.

Wrapped up work early today, after tweaking on #1, recovering her seat and tuning up my rider handbook that I prepared for our trainees. Needed to stretch my legs and went for a bike ride to the local Honda/Kawi dealer to see if they had boots, and meh, just super cheap stuff. The BMW dealer across the street had boots... BMW makes some magnificently expensive boots. I told the salesman I was just browsing and that I couldn't find anything comfortable. He suggested I buy new boots and take them to a cobbler to have them stretched. Huh. Haven't heard the word cobbler in a long time, at least without a reference to apples. Made one more swing to the Speed Addicts store also within pedalling distance, and tried a few, but too narrow. 

Then the phone pinged and I got my route assignments for tomorrow, and lo and behold, I'll have time to swing by Indie Ridge on the way. I called to see if I could stop by in the morning and the guy I spoke with said he'd have a few pairs out for me to try. He reminded me that they're not a showroom and to "not expect too much" in the way of aesthetics. I'd buy good boots out of the trunk of a car in the hood at this point. 

So, we'll see how it goes. Realized that I don't have cargo room on the blood bike for a boot box. So, bringing an assortment of bungie cords to lash a boot box to my specimen containment Pelican box if the stars do align. Not getting my hopes up yet.

 

[Cormanus]

Fingers crossed.

 

[Gone in 60]

Ok, this might be funny... I'm hearing that I might have a trainee riding joining up with me at the first pickup point. If the boots work out, I'll have to explain that I don't normally lash spare boots to my bike.

 

[Cormanus]

You should tell him/her that some of the pickup delivery points are spectacularly messy and spare boots are a requirement of the job.

 

[Gone in 60]

Oh now that would be funny. While my boss is a very friendly guy, I haven’t pushed the practical joke buttons yet. Might backfire on me. It has happened with an old boss and you know what they say, “don’t touch a hot stove twice.”

Besides - my trainee rides a Guzzi. He might be too sophisticated to fall for such a sophomoric prank.

 

[the Ferret]

in the old days we used to say you could tell if a guy was a Guzzi rider because he tucked his pant into his boots

 

[Gone in 60]

in the old days we used to say you could tell if a guy was a Guzzi rider because he tucked his pant into his boots

See, now that sounds sophisticated, right? He showed up for his demo ride on a sweet dark blue V7 Classic. Can’t remember if his pants were tucked in. 

I will say the boss fawned over my CB1100 more than this guy’s V7. But no word on a meetup, so I guess the guy isn’t available for today. 

There’s a boot discussion going on the BMW forum as well, and when the topic of the danger of a laced boot came up, someone suggested this:

https://a.co/d/08xGLaNb

 

[Gone in 60]

Indie Ridge for the win!

David, thank you very much for your post on this brand and your recommendation.

i swung by their location on my way to my first pickup this morning. Stephanie saw me pull up on the yellow Beemer and waved me in to their front office. 

In my call yesterday I told her that I was interested in the “Knight” style and gave my size. She had two pairs of them out on a table for me to try, and sure as their website says, 10.5, my normal tennis shoe size, fit like a glove. Like one Reddit reviewer commented, it was like little leprechauns had made them just for me.

She said that she figured I’d be coming on a bike, so she didn’t have a box out but offered one to me. No need, it was clear in an instant that these are keepers.

Purchase completed, I tucked them into the side case and headed to my first pickup. I was early, so I slipped them on and figured I’d start breaking them in while waiting patiently in the hospital research area. 

Only thing I just had to do was re-lace them. It’s weird what specific things you take away from life experiences. I retain no military bearing whatsoever,  but as if through Pavlovian conditioning I still need to lace all of my shoes and boots the way the Drill Instructor beat it into me… “Outboard over inboard, no bridge!” 

I can’t even remember what that means but it looks like this. Still waiting here at the hospital, and it feels like angels are circling around my feet, gently caressing them.

David, thanks for the tip on some kick- butt boots.

www.indieridgeusa.com

 

[Cormanus]

Well done, Gone. I know what a joy it is to find comfortable footwear.