The Web Gore-Tex boot has been a “staple” in the Alpinestars boot lineup for many years. It is a great all-around style for the sport and touring rider. What makes these boots “special” is the use of Gore-Tex as the waterproofing technology (which is HIGHLY regarded), and the use of leather as the main material. We only have a few other boots that use leather like this… I instantly think of the TCX X-Five Plus Gore-Tex Boots as being an “equal” to this. Many like a leather boot rather than the man-made leathers used in the majority of motorcycle boots nowadays.
Overall, the finish and quality look excellent (as always with Alpinestars). I’m impressed with the feel of the shin, heel and toe reinforcements. Those, along with the thick leather, feel like they’d hold up very well long-term. The boots have some integral padding over the inside and outside ankle bones but I can’t feel any hard plastic armor pieces there. New for this year is the CE certification. The back of the boot has a bright reflective patch for nighttime visibility. You can take the “View Larger Pictures” link above to see closeups of this boot’s features.
Overall, this is a “can’t go wrong” style for those wanting a comfortable, high quality boot for any sort of street riding or touring. And wearing the boots off the bike should be very comfortable as well. I really like this style. :: Paul, 09-02-14
About CE Ratings for Boots: CE ratings on boots are a relatively new thing, so I asked our Alpinestars rep to give me some information about the CE certification and what it means to a boot buyer. Here is his best shot at a concise answer: The biggest piece of info for a CE rated boot is based around how well that boot can disperse energy from the vehicle while riding or an impact. Standard features in footwear to meet CE certification requires a structural shank in the foot bed to break down energy transferring up from the foot pegs or an impact to the bottom of the foot in a get off. It also requires the boot to have structure in the heel and toe of the boot, at minimum you need to have a hard supportive counter in the heel that can again help break down energy being pushed up through the foot bed. Though not required most Alpinestars boots contain a hard counter in the toe as well; this is more designed for wear from shifting and impact to the front/side of the foot during an accident. The last major feature required is impact protection on the ankle and every boot/riding shoe in the Alpinestars line features some sort of hard impact protection on the medial and lateral sides of the ankle. Overall in simple terms a CE rating in a piece of footwear works as a minimum standard to decrease the chance of catastrophic damage to the heel/arch/ankle in an accident. My thanks to JP in Dealer Development at Alpinestars. :: Paul, 09-05-14
The Web Gore-Tex boot has been a “staple” in the Alpinestars boot lineup for many years. It is a great all-around style for the sport and touring rider. What makes these boots “special” is the use of Gore-Tex as the waterproofing technology (which is HIGHLY regarded), and the use of leather as the main material. We only have a few other boots that use leather like this… I instantly think of the TCX X-Five Plus Gore-Tex Boots as being an “equal” to this. Many like a leather boot rather than the man-made leathers used in the majority of motorcycle boots nowadays.
Overall, the finish and quality look excellent (as always with Alpinestars). I’m impressed with the feel of the shin, heel and toe reinforcements. Those, along with the thick leather, feel like they’d hold up very well long-term. The boots have some integral padding over the inside and outside ankle bones but I can’t feel any hard plastic armor pieces there. New for this year is the CE certification. The back of the boot has a bright reflective patch for nighttime visibility. You can take the “View Larger Pictures” link above to see closeups of this boot’s features.
Overall, this is a “can’t go wrong” style for those wanting a comfortable, high quality boot for any sort of street riding or touring. And wearing the boots off the bike should be very comfortable as well. I really like this style. :: Paul, 09-02-14
About CE Ratings for Boots: CE ratings on boots are a relatively new thing, so I asked our Alpinestars rep to give me some information about the CE certification and what it means to a boot buyer. Here is his best shot at a concise answer: The biggest piece of info for a CE rated boot is based around how well that boot can disperse energy from the vehicle while riding or an impact. Standard features in footwear to meet CE certification requires a structural shank in the foot bed to break down energy transferring up from the foot pegs or an impact to the bottom of the foot in a get off. It also requires the boot to have structure in the heel and toe of the boot, at minimum you need to have a hard supportive counter in the heel that can again help break down energy being pushed up through the foot bed. Though not required most Alpinestars boots contain a hard counter in the toe as well; this is more designed for wear from shifting and impact to the front/side of the foot during an accident. The last major feature required is impact protection on the ankle and every boot/riding shoe in the Alpinestars line features some sort of hard impact protection on the medial and lateral sides of the ankle. Overall in simple terms a CE rating in a piece of footwear works as a minimum standard to decrease the chance of catastrophic damage to the heel/arch/ankle in an accident. My thanks to JP in Dealer Development at Alpinestars. :: Paul, 09-05-14
