And you'll be happy to call them your own.
The S-MX 5 boots are a men's boot. But Alpinestars recognizes that there are women riders who wouldn't mind a quality, protective motorcycle boot that works for the road and the track and are not necessarily pink with butterflies. And don't carve out a monthly mortgage payment-size hole in the bank account.
Enter the Stella S-MX 5. Same boot. Women's sizes. Still CE certified. I wear the Stella version, but this review covers the S-MX 5 too.
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| They also come in all black. No pink butterflies! |
The S-MX 5 uses double injected PU which shields the shin, heel, calf, toe, and ankle from impact. And it works.
I took a short flight with a bird's eye view of my Ducati Monster's handlebars with these boots, banging a knee and a shin on the bars, and face-planting on the pavement. My knee was the color and shape of a large storm cloud, but my shin was just fine. The ankle and toe protection must have worked well, because they were scuffed on the boots, but no bruises or abrasions on me.
I also dropped a Yamaha FZ6 on my leg. Boots worked like a charm. Wish the rearset and all its protruding pieces had been as sturdy.
An Interchangeable, bi-injected PU toe slider has a snap-in assembly so you can replace worn sliders or remove them if you would rather not accessorize your shoes with an odd plastic piece when you are not looking to hang off the side of your bike.
The boots have the added bonus of being comfortable. For motorcycle footwear anyway. MTP mesh liner and removable PU foam foot bed meant a relatively comfortable hike to the gas station the time my former 1975 Honda CB550 so inconsiderately ran out of fuel before I was prepared to stop.
For mid-shin high boots, the S-MX 5's are flexible and the side entry opening/closure system make them easy to get on and off. For those of us with skinnier or thicker than average calves, the wide velco flap above the zipper means the boots can be adjusted to fit just about everyone.
And 20,000-miles later, nothing has broken, snapped off, or otherwise rendered the boots worthless. I am a fan.
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| Not bad for an up-close meeting with the pavement and a clutch cover |
These are the pros. And they are good enough that I happily recommend them. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I feel I should offer a con or two:
Alpinestars claims that the S-MX 5 breaths. The company says the boots keep the wearer's feet cool and comfortable through strategically placed vents and the PU foam foot bed.
The foot bed is removable, so it can be washed. And the material is very responsive to large quantities of Febreeze.
This is important. Because pretty much the only time I was confident of any breathability was when it was raining and the water was seeping through my socks.
Interestingly, Alpinestars engineered the boots so that water could come in, and it stayed in. Water exited the boots only after the ride when the boots were removed and dumped upside down.
But, in the end, stinky and occasionally soggy, boots that protect the shins, ankles, feet and toes, and don't break the bank at $220.00, are well worth the aggravation of having to leave them on the front porch overnight to air out.
If you are interested in ordering a pair, give David a shout at Pure-Triumph.com: David@pure-triumph.com
Great boots; happy riding. Cheers!