Scott Genius Boots

The Scott Genius boot has a lot in common with the tag-line that I saw recently in a Scion car commercial, "Love it." "Hate it." In reading the comments on ThumperTalk, few seem to be indifferent about this boot. They are either a strict fuction over forum guy or someone that just can't get over the looks of the boot, no matter how well it might function. Because of the strong feelings this boot seems to evoke, I had to give them a try. On the the first day of testing, I was breaking in my new KTM 450XCR-W and I wore my Klim F4 helmet. These, coupled with the Genius boots earned me the affectionate nic name of "Darth Pumpkin". I've been called worse, so off we went.

The Genius boot use an inner bootie with an outer shell. The boot comes with two pair of booties in half sizes to minimize fitment issues. I chose the 10 - 10.5 combo, but it does seem that they run just a hair on the small size. I normally wear a 10, but ended up using the 10.5 booties and even they were just a tad on the snug size. So, if you normally wear the half size, you might consider choosing the next size range up.

As with most shell & bootie designs, there is a bit more work putting the boot on, making sure that shell lower, upper and instep pieces are all layered properly. For example, it wasn't obvious if the upper portion of the instep piece (tongue) was designed to go inside or out of the shell upper. However, once you do it the first time it's no longer an issue.

Each Genius boot includes three wide straps that are very easy to adjust and provide a secure fit. The buckles are metal and snap completely flat inside the buckle body for snag-free performance. Because they snap into place, they aren't coming open on the trail. One required some serious persuasion to open, but with a little use, I'm sure it will loose up a bit.

Once on and adjusted to my liking, the boots were quite comfortable. No pinching, binding or pressure points. My rule of thumb for apparel is that if I don't think about it when I'm riding, it must be comfortable. I was a little worried about the bootie design, as I have a small bone spur on the outside of my right leg, just below the ankle, but the foam donuts on either side of the bootie do a great job keeping your ankle isolated from the hard shell. In terms of break in, there is none. They are ready to ride from Scott.

The footbed is very stiff, so it flexes very little when bouncing through sand whoops and on landings. After a long, hard day riding, your feet will appreciate this. Also, lower shell is very stiff, especially in the ankle area. While the boot's patented ankle pivoting system allows for a very natural fore/aft movement, side-to-side (lateral) movement is extremely limited. This is especially good news for anyone with weak ankles or past ankle injuries

In terms of protection from impacts, this boot is as good as any I've worn. The toe box and ankle appear very strong and upper shell has impact protection on all sides of your calf (including the back, which is often ignored).

There are a few things about this boot that I didn't care for. The first is that the toe profile is a bit on the chunky side. I had some trouble getting my toe under the shift lever, which was sitting about level. Later in the day, I traded bikes with my riding buddy who wears a size 12 boot. I asked him if he was having any shifting troubles and he said no. On another ride, I adjusted the shift lever upward just a hair and it helped somewhat, but I still think the toe profile needs to be slimmed down a bit to completely solve the problem.

The other issue, depending upon where you ride is that the shell when closed has gaps that allow water to reach the inner bootie. Since I ride the desert SW, this isn't much of an issue, but having grown up in the Pac NW, this would be a show stopper for anything but summer riding.

Overall, I think Scott has a great boot here that is comfortable and has a ton of safety built into it. However, I think it needs some further refinement to receive top ranks across the board. My gut tells me you'll see more of these boots on the track than the trail.

Pros
- Looks
- Comfortable & supportive
- Excellent fore/aft movement
- Solid protection
- Easy to adjust straps and locking buckles
- Zero break-in

Cons
- Looks
- Chunky toe box can make for more difficult shifting
- Suited to dry conditions
- Pricey

Bottom-line:
If you ride primarily dry conditions, protection is high on your list of requirements (especially ankle) and you prefer to be a little different, Scott Genius boots should be on your short list.

Extended Information:
http://scottusa.com/