weight of riding boots

[AliveInMyOde]

hey guys

i just tried a friend of mine's alpinestar tech 8s and i found them to be heavy and put alot of stress on my knees. He said he would sell them to me for $250. they are practically brand new and he is getting rid of them because he is selling his bike and getting a streetbike. right now i just use some heavy duty working boots and haven't had any problems. i would like to get some riding boots but i don't want to have alot of stress on my knees. is there any lighter types of boots ya'll would suggest me try out? thanks guys

[Burnrider]

Mine are heavy, so I won't recommend the Garnes. I don't feel they put any stress on my knees. If I were you, I would head to a bike shop carrying several different brands and try some on. The boots geared for MX/SX might be the lightest. Nothing like a fit for boots before you order or shop online.

[BruceWA]

The Tech 8's are among the best of class. Good boots are very important. If you thought they were heavy now, just wait until the end of the ride.

I have Tech 8's and love them Also have an older pair of Hi Points, and AXO. The Tech 8's are my favorite of the ones I own.

[live_to_ride]

I have tech 8 and sidi force boots and I'll never put the tech 8's back on unless I have too. I like the sidi boots much better because they allow easier up and down movement with my toe and they fit me better. The sidi boots are also quite a bit lighter, so you might like them better too. Try them both on and see what you think. ?

[banffboy]

yeah what he said(Sidi's) ?

[Desracer]

Did you try riding with the Tech 8's? The protection alone is worth your time. I love mine and the fit is like tennis shoes. Since your not walking how can the weight hurt your knees? Good boots offer a level of protection that beats going to the hospital. New boots always are hard to adjust to, give it several rides.

[BlueThunder]

Tech 8's for me....last pair lasted 3 seasons of hard riding. Gaerne and Sidi make some nice boots also.

[AliveInMyOde]

Hey guys thanks for all ur input. i rarely put my feet down to go around turns but if i lose my front end and i can't pull it out by giving it power then i will put my foot down to save myself and when i did that while using the tech 8s my knees popped and the weight of the boots caused my knees to twist the way the aren't suppose to be twisting. i don't have any knee problems and never have even after 14 years of football but i have broken both ankles. i think i'd rather break my ankles than have knee problems. what about the Thor T-30 boots? i am just curious because thats relaly all my dealer here stocks and the other $130 fox boots(trail somethin?)

thanks guys

[BlueThunder]

Get what you pay for IMO. Just can't chince on a good pair of riding boots. Alpinestars for the dirt and Sidi's for the street have both worked very well for me(and yes....I have smoked an ACL,MCL and meniscus damage in my right knee) and I just bought my 2nd pair of Tech 8's in 4 years time. ?

[Hick]

i think i'd rather break my ankles than have knee problems.

Anything but the most tame trail riding without good boots is just as irresponsible as riding without a helmet IMO. In addition to broken ankles add broken feet and toes.

I don't want to comment on your riding since I suck and have never even seen you ride, but I would attribute your knee twisting to technique as much or more than I would weight of your boots.

All good boots are heavy.

My brief experience with Fox boots was not pleasant, they protected okay but quickly fell apart. Neither Fox nor Thor make boots, what they are selling may be good, but you are safer sticking with the big three:

Alpinestars

Gaerne

Sidi

[AliveInMyOde]

people talk about how important riding boots are and how u MUST have them. this is just my personal experience but i have been riding for about 6 years now and have never used riding boots. i just use heavy duty working boots or something like that. occassionally i'll have a root pop up and smack me in the foot and it hurts a little but not real bad. and i also have been riding in many many different terrain and different trails. i even did a race one time wearing tennis shoes LOL i wouldn't suggest that cause that actually hurt when my foot got hit by another guys front tire but it didn't cause it to bleed or break or anything. i think i am a pretty quick rider but nothing like the motocross guys at the local track. if i was more serious about it i think i could be as fast as some of the guys but i just enjoy trail riding mainly. but ur right it could be my riding style. thanks guys

-Billy

[ogrebelle]

All of my old gear gave up the ghost years ago (a good thing...the colors were ghastly) so I have been slowly putting it all back together. For the past several years I've been a hiking boots & levi rider, and of course a helmet. Boots are my next purchase as I also currently ride in heavy-duty work boots. I'm here to tell you that I can't wait to get real riding boots again. I am nursing a good ankle injury from two weeks ago that I know I wouldn't have if I had proper riding boots on. I blame a follow-up crash (5 minutes later) on the fact that I couldn't hang on to my bike with my legs in a rock section due to the injured ankle. I'm definately a boot fan an will replace them someday-hopefully soon.

Doug

[Hick]

Even scarier than the reduced ankle support IMO is the lack of insole support that a good MX boot provides.

So even if you do everything right, on a hard, bottom-out landing you could sprain or break your foot from the stress placed on it by the footpeg(s).

I've always said that, next to a helmet, a decent set of MX boots is the most important piece of safety gear.

[BlueThunder]

Have seen a guy riding in "work boots" scale the entire section of his shin, from below the kneecap to damn near his ankle, clean off to the bone on the peg. Looked like someone attacked him with a big-ass potato peeler. Alpinestar Tech 8's are WAY cheaper than skin grafts! ?