German adventure motorcycle accessories brand Touratech has launched a boot it claims is a three-in-one to cover touring, sports and adventure riding.
Touratech Australia does not yet have a date for the arrival of the Touratech Destino Ultimate GTX boots and are currently only gauging interest.
But wait for it — if or when they do arrive, they will set you back almost the price of three boots at $A1492 in sizes 39-47.
For that price they better one good.
Touratech says they have the all-day “comfort of a touring boot, the safety of a sports boot and the robustness of an MX boot”.
So let’s check the claims on these boots, developed for Touratech by Dutch motorcycle clothing company REV’IT!
Comfort
The comfort is provided by a flexible joint system, a SEESOFT protector insert in the tongue and an Apex sole, developed with Vibram.
They claim the sole makes them easier to walk in so you don’t clump around like you are wearing skit boots without the skis.
Touratech also claim the sole has different zones; one for operating the brake lever; another for strength and others for walking comfort.
The insole is made of washable, open-pored PU foam.
Safety
The Destino boot features a lot of protection as you would expect from an adventure-style boot with what they call a Dynamic Support Frame (DSF).
It is made up of a calf shield, heel cup and a stability frame to prevent twisting with extra impact protection in the toe area.
Destino boots are certified for safety with the highest EC approval level: EN 13634:2017 Level 2.
Fit
Another feature is the BOA Fit closure system which uses a now-popular hand-operated ratchet dial that pulls wire laces for the optimum fit and release at the touch of the centre button.
There are no show laces to tie and no bulky and uncomfortable clasps that feature on many off-road boots.
Having the boot tight not only ensures a correct and safe fit, but also prevents mud and dust getting in.
Waterproof
These boots are made of a combination of materials such as SuperFabric, microfibre lining, Omega leather, supple nubuck leather and a Gore-Tex membrane that they claim guarantees “absolute waterproofness with simultaneous breathability”.
Excuse my cynicism here, but I have yet to find any breathable clothing that is also 100% waterproof.
However, there are varying degrees of water resistance indicated by an Ingress Protection (IP) rating.
This rating consists of two numbers. The first from 0-6 measures protection from foreign bodies such as dust, while the second from 0-9K measures resistance to water. Click here for more details.
I can’t find any reference to an IP on their website. It just says “Waterproof Yes”.