Why you Should Always Wear MX Boots when riding a dual sport

Today on my ride I was reminded how important it is to wear full motorcross boots. If you ride off-road no matter what the terrain, I recommend you always wear full MX boots. Riding a dual sport off road can be dangerous to your feet and ankles. Protect yourself!

[@jrdepew]

Good timely advice. Additional points to consider as pluses is price.. you get more protection for less price because ADV boots are marketed to a broad population with cash to spare (ie: GS1200’s etc.) so price point reflects that. MX boot Waterproofing is a sacrifice to consider but a wet foot drys much quicker than a broken one.

[@ukmudlover7839]

Had a few crashes in vans. Not recommended. Timberland hold up well but you still feel the impact. I was more concerned about gortex sox and staying warm 😂. People tell me all the time to get proper boots 😬

[@therealtashiro]

Great video Zach! Thanks for sharing and I will heed your advice! 👍🏻🍻🇺🇸

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@michaeltroedel1003]

Great tip on type of boot to be wearing off road.I was wearing alpinestar toucans last year riding dual sport in Colorado, washed out at a very low speed maybe 5mph bike caught my heal while I was falling off. 3 months rehab and a metal plate as a prize lol. I am now in search of the best boot for full protection as can’t go through this again. Thanks for taking the time posting this from my experience your absolutely correct.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Thanks for the support. Sorry to hear about your accident. Good learning experience I suppose.

[@dualsportadventure]

Ditto. My bike fell on my left foot while attempting a slow wheelie and crushed it sideways, dispite wearing an ADV boot: SIDI Adventure 2. 3months now to recovery with metal plate and screws reward. The lesson: don't f(€k arround with foot protection, get the best MX boot you can afford.

[@Crittermoto]

Solid advice! I started with alpinestar tech 3 mx boots for my first two seasons of Dualsport. I recently switched to the alpinestar toucans. Great boot and decent protection. Not as much as a full in mx boot mind you but pretty decent. I too recommend mx boots at least for when a person is staring out. Case in point, riding buddy started Dualsport riding and only had hiking boots. His first dual sport season lasted....two rides. Second ride in he crashed and messed his ankle up good, no more riding that year. Hierarchy of protection (my opinion): Helmet. Boots Gloves Knee protection Body armour incl. neck brace. Great video too, by the way.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Thanks critter for the support!

[@randomlyTrees]

Beautiful ride! I wear Forma Adventure boots on and off road. Not as much protection as a full MX boot, but they are comfortable, waterproof, and I can walk around in them a bit if I want to. I've had two incidents I think they've saved me where something with less protection would have ended my ride for at least the day. I'm going on 6 years with the same pair and they've held up very well, but I am considering a picking up a pair of MX boots before I get back into riding more difficult terrain again.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Yes, I would say while adventure boots are comfortable that comes at a price. Get MX boots if you're going to start riding more difficult terrain. I think they should be worn in any off-road scenario.

[@Hutchie2112]

Absolutely right in my opinion. I'm wearing Forma MX boots that I've owned for around 10 years now, and just had them resoled with fresh vibram soles. Not only are MX boots better protection, but they last longer. As for wet feet, oh well. I tried waterproof socks, but the cold water is still inside the boot, so my feet were freezing just as much as if they'd been wet :) Great videos, the hillclimb was wild, I was gritting my teeth along some of it.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Thanks for the support!

[@Velthur]

Nice sceneries !

[@vtrack1963]

I wear AlpineStars Toucans. I compared them with MX boots and they seemed to be very comparable with MX boots with the exception of 2 buckles vs 4. They are very stiff and seem to offer a great deal of protection. I always wear those boots when off pavement. I think they are considered an Adventure boot. I will take a closer look at MX boots again now that I’ve been riding for awhile.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Yeah, v track i know those boots. They are very good adventure boots but don't provided full protection. You're riding more and more off-road so its something to consider.

[@Goranh]

what do you think of sidi adventure 2? they seem to me very sturdy with a good level of protection! great video btw!

[@ZacharyUlrick]

I'm not familiar with that boot but my general outlook on adventure boots is that they're built to ba a little more comfortable than an mx boot. This means more flexibility and less protection. If you're going to do serious riding and are serious about protection, I would go with an mx boot.

[@distinctivedentures3610]

I got books after I had a close call with hiking boots, it was scary. I highly recommend it.

[@fynn8252]

I love my boots! They help with everything and make such a big difference. They’re a pain to shift gears with at first but it becomes like second nature after 10+ rides.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

What kind of boots do you have?

[@fynn8252]

@@ZacharyUlrick Alpine Star Tech 6 (discontinued)

[@ZacharyUlrick]

@@fynn8252 Nice! I need to get new boots. I'm thinking about some gaerne boots.

[@57Jimmy]

Hmmm...Rarely get snow...check! Worn out tires...check! Sheer cliff on right...check! No snow riding experience..check! What could possibly go wrong? 🤣 Glad you’re here to upload this video!! Just got my 2021 CRF300L a week ago and love it! Hitting the ol’ trails I last rode in late 70’s. This time around I won’t ride like my pants are on fire...now I break instead of hurt Lol!👴🏻

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Yah, right?! Haha Well I'm sure you'll have a blast. From my experience with the 250L I know you'll love the 300.

[@ronenfe]

you have to wear those boots on road too, i broke my ankle when my motorcycle fell on my leg and i wore road boots.

[@tomhoward5033]

I wear Gaerne Enduro Fastbacks as my road boots .

[@79series]

Wow look at that snow. What nice country side. Where abouts is it. Much different to Australia.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Yeah! It's the Santa Ynez Valley in California

[@donreed1133]

Thanks for the videos. I have purchased the O’Neal Rider MX boot for my dual sport riding. What do you think of those? Thanks ( I’m retired and on a budget!)

[@ZacharyUlrick]

I've never used the rider. These boots were the element. They were pretty good for the price but I used to ride a lot and they wore out quickly. Only downside of a cheaper boot is they wear quicker and they provide less protection.

[@donreed1133]

@@ZacharyUlrick I’ve rode in the O’Neal Rider only about 5 times. So far they have held up good, but we’ll see far how long. Thanks

[@TommyNitro]

I ordered some Gaerne fastback enduros.

[@dudefromcbee]

Hi Zach, do we really need MX boots for touring on highways and occasional offroading? I do love the MX boots, but can't walk around and might be too stiff for longer rides. I like Gaerne GX1..

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Hey, I know it's hard to accept but "any" off-roading must be done in a full MX boot in my opinion. the GX1 is an amazing boot for the price. I bought mine about 6 months ago and couldn't be happier.

[@dudefromcbee]

@@ZacharyUlrick Thanks Zach. Do you also happen to do touring with those pairs? Because my ride would be 90% touring and 10% off roading. Can't really have two boots together. Hence very confused, not convinced with the safety by ADV boots, not sure about the comfort or the practicality of the MX Boots.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

@@dudefromcbee Yes, it is a very difficult problem that many riders encounter. The Adv style boot offers the "best" of both worlds, yes, but at what cost? You have to ask yourself, do I value comfort more than I value safety. No, the GX1 is not going to be a comfortable boot at first but like anything you get used to it and it becomes unnoticeable.

[@dudefromcbee]

@@ZacharyUlrick That's comforting to hear. As long as I'm able to walk around and if the boot sole has decent grip, then I should get used to it. Was just wondering it won't be usable at all for touring...

[@kyjelly5524]

I have size 13 Mx boots and I have a drz400. I can’t shift all all in my bike. The lever seems too short. I’ve had stiff boots before on my 450x and It was fine once I got used to it. My drz is so small

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Did you try adjusting the shift pedal? Check out my video on it.

[@tacituskilgore7454]

I fully understand the importance of wearing protective riding boots but let me just say. I have recently purchased my very first motorcycle ever. Its a dualsport. More specifically a Dr-z400s and I've picked up how to ride a bike very quickly. But the more I ride the more I find myself taking more risks and pushing my limits further. Every time I've gone out to ride I wear my work boots and yes I know its a horrible idea. But I've been looking to get some adventure boots and let me just say they all look horrible. I understand safety comes before style but you also wanna look good while riding so you feel good too. I haven't been able to find a single pair of boots that catches my eye. Idk call me old fashioned but all of the boots nowadays look too flashy, strappy, and bulky. Basically if you have an idea of a pair of boots that you think a guy with old taste would like let me know please. 🤙🤙👇👇

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Yeah, I believe alpine star makes some nice looking adventure boots but they come at a price of lacking protection.

[@tonyfisher4113]

What do you think of the Alpinestar tech 5 for Enduro

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Never used them myself, but those seem to be a great choice.

[@mt1885]

What yall think about the Alpinestars Tech 3 enduro boots?

[@ZacharyUlrick]

They don't provide full protection but it depends on what sort of riding you are doing. The safest bet will always be a full motocross boot over an adventure style boot IMO.

[@MRALEX9870]

Its a hard pill to swallow but Mx boots are necessary when riding offroad

[@riccochet704]

Agreed. Spend thousands on a bike, what's a few hundred on a good pair of MX boots? I'd go as far as saying that helmet and boots should never be skimped on. $250-400 will get you in a respectable pair of boots with good waterproofing. About the same to get a helmet with modern impact absorption technology.

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Well said.

[@PurpleCollarLife]

Nice CRF250L ride! We love our XT250. Saw you over on the livestream tonight and wanted to check out your channel. We'd really appreciate if you'd give our channel a look if you're not already following us. Thanks!

[@ZacharyUlrick]

Thank you much! I went over and sub'd. Can't wait to check out your videos!