New boots to buy?

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twitch13
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New boots to buy?

Post by twitch13 »

This year my wife gave me the green light to get new off road boots for my X-Mas present. I am struggling a bit with what to by and how much to spend. I currently am wearing some pretty beat up and old Alpinestars Tech 3's and because I have not had any real issues with the Tech 3's I was thinking of upgrading to Alpinestars Tech 7 (as the new ones have a good buckle system compared to the old tech 3's and a revised endure sole). A buddy of mine was suggesting getting the new Sidi Crossfire 2's but I just don't know if it is worth the $700 compared to $400 for the tech 7's. Anyone riding with the new tech 7's that can give input or any opions would be greatly appreciated as I am cheap and don't buy new boots every year, but I am willing to spend a couple of bucks to make sure my ageing body is protected properly.
Last edited by twitch13 on Thu Jan 15, 2015 12:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

boland
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Re: New boots to buy?

Post by boland »

I like tech 7s. They are cheaper and as far as I can tell the quality is just as good as $600 boots. They are quite a step up from tech 3s in quality imo. Im on my third pair and the new ones look really good too (same look as tech 10)
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Braap791
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Re: New boots to buy?

Post by Braap791 »

Gaerne SG10s!. Dang comfortable boots, great no fuss buckles and a very good ankle hinge system. Plus they do not look like moon man boots!

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malcolmzilla
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Re: New boots to buy?

Post by malcolmzilla »

I really like my older Sidi Crossfire SRS (replaceable soles). After over 3 years they are still nearly water proof, in good shape, offer good protection, and have been through 5-6 sole changes (done at home in 1/2 an hour), and are easy to walk in. My next set will be the Crossfire 2 SRS.

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Dobi
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Re: New boots to buy?

Post by Dobi »

My wife runs the tech 7 and they have held up better than the tech 3's she used to have. I have run Sidi, Gaerne, TCX and each of the boots have highs and lows. The Sidi's fell apart on me. I had warranty issues that never really got resolved. The Gaenes last well and break in fast. They just aren't as comfortable on trail days where you have to walk a few km with a saw. The TCX's had comfort issues and they ate through soles faster than any boot I have ever owned. I am in love with my new fox instincts. They are very comfortable and have held up great over the last half season. The soles on them are crazy grippy to the pegs, yet never show any sign of wear. They had a smoking deal on at BFdirect at the time I bought mine and I trust that warranty would not be an issue if needed. You can find some cheap last year models online for the price of a local tech 3...

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RJHenry
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Re: New boots to buy?

Post by RJHenry »

I had a pair of Tech 3s which I wore two seasons, wore out, had fixed, and passed on to a friend. I wore them again in a pinch last fall, and couldn't believe how clunky they felt after wearing better quality boots.

I now have two pairs of Sidi Crossfire TAs - the originals with the stitched soles, not the Crossfire 2s that came out about two years ago. I bought them because the low profile toe works so much better under the shifter, they fit my foot very well (the SRS was too narrow), and they break in very quickly and stay very comfortable. I walk when cutting trail and on kids day at race weekends I wear them from well before riders meeting to finish of deflagging - hours on end - and have no complaints. I even wore them on a non-riding day when it was really wet and my hiking boots were soaked - took them off at midnight after campfire :D
I also alternate them each day or ride so that I always have dry boots, and the pace of wear due to all factors, but as a consequence also footpegs, is therefore cut in half - so cannot say I feel they are wearing better or worse than expected, but I have about 100 riding hours on each pair... that's not so bad!

I have to concede Dobi's point - both pairs have had stitching fail on the sides of the boot. The shoemakers cannot make money fixing these things compared to high heels at $20 for a two minute heel... so since my grandmothers taught me to sew, I have become handy with a leather stitching awl and have fixed both sets up quite nicely - but each pair has at least three hours of couch/TV stitching invested. I also had to replace a toecap and couple of straps, but the parts are readily available and easy to change.

That said, my understanding is the NEW Crossfire 2 TAs were specifically introduced to overcome the durability issues with the original TAs. Not sure there is enough time on them to be sure they have eliminated the issue.

One smart fellow I know also argues the comfort comes at a bit of a sacrifice of protection - it is probably easier to roll an ankle (when walking) in Crossfires than in stiffer boots. He may well be right. Your mileage may vary!

In the end, I tried on every boot out there and chose based on fit and comfort, and have found a way to make the investment last as best I can.

Good Luck!
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twitch13
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Re: New boots to buy?

Post by twitch13 »

Hey All thanks for the feedback. After trying on a few different pairs of boots on my cheapness has taken over and I am going to go with the Tech 7's. Sidis are an awesome boot but they didn't fit my feet great and also I just couldn't bring myself to spend the money.

Greg.

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