When it comes to motocross racing, safety is vital, and your racing gear has to be built for it. Of all the safety gear out there, the two most important things are the helmet that protects your head and the boots that protect your feet, ankles, and shins. Helmets are fairly easy to pick out, but finding the right shoes can be a little more difficult. Here are a few tips that can help you choose the boots that will keep your feet safe, clean, and dry while you race.
The Right Size
The first tip for getting the best pair of motocross boots is to make sure that you get the right size. You can't necessarily pick out a pair in the same size that you normally buy sneakers in and expect them to fit. You might wear up to a full size larger in motocross boots than you wear in regular shoes.
Your best bet is to measure your foot to find out exactly what size you need. It's best if you measure your foot while wearing socks, because you'll be wearing them under the boots. You'll get a more realistic measurement that way. Remember that riding socks, like motocross boots, should go all the way up over your calves. Once you have your foot measurements, you can check a sizing chart to be sure that you're picking out the right size boot. However, the ultimate test comes when you try them on. If they feel too loose or too tight, you may need to go up or down a size, regardless of what the sizing chart says.
Durability
Motocross boots have to be able to take some rough stuff. They'll get wet, muddy, dirty, scuffed and scraped, and they'll need to hold up against all of that and come back for more. Most motocross boots are made from leather with plastic plates. Some have removable padded booties inside. These are great when your boots are dirty after a race – you can throw the padded bootie into the laundry instead of having scrub out the inner part of the boot.
Another feature to look for is removable soles. Contact with the footpegs can wear down your soles, and it's much cheaper to replace the soles than to replace the whole set of boots, so this is a good feature to look for when gauging durability. Pay attention to the boot buckles as well – aluminum is a much hardier choice than plastic.
Weight
When it comes to weight, there are two ways to go. Which one you pick depends on exactly what kind of riding you'll be doing. If you plan to do serious competitive racing, heavy boots will slow you down. You still need foot and ankle support, but you'll want to avoid heavy toe guards or other metal parts. Also, look for a pair of boots with extended gaiters. This will help keep water out of your boots on a wet day. Nothing slows you down faster than a pair of waterlogged boots.
However, if you're planning on riding just for fun with an occasional friendly race here and there, or if you're new to the sport and aren't fully confident yet, you should worry more about protecting your feet than about the prospect of weighing them down. In that case, go for the models with steel heel, toe, and sole guards. If you can't decide what suits you better, you may want to invest in two pairs of boots – a lightweight pair for performance in racing, and a somewhat heavier pair for non-competitive riding.
Of course, price is an important fact to consider too, but don't let the price tag keep you from getting safe footwear that will perform the way that you want them too. These boots are an important investment into your hobby. For more information, contact a company like Bob's Cycle & Snowmobile Supply.
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