The Spidi X-Village Boots are daily-wearable motorcycle boots that offer protection while riding, without compromising on comfort while walking.
The Daily-Wearable Motorcycle Boot Problem
With motorcycle boots there’s always a trade-off between safety and comfort, at one extreme you have MotoGP-level boots that are almost impossible to walk in, and at the other extreme you have people who ride motorcycles in tennis shoes.
The middle ground between these two extremes can be a confusing place, oftentimes boots provide far too little protection or far too little “walkability”. This of us who own vintage motorcycles have a deep appreciation for comfortable walking boots, as we so often end up pushing our bikes along the side of the highway for countless miles till we find cell reception and can call for a truck.
The trick for manufacturers is to ensure a shoe is still comfortable after fitting toe, heel, and ankle (malleolus) protectors, it also has to have an abrasion-resistant upper typically made from a thick grade of leather, and a solid sole.
Some manufacturers get this balance right, but many don’t, and as a result you’ll see motorcyclists who commute to work either carrying two pairs of footwear, or hobbling around like Yoda on Dagobah.
Spidi X-Village Boots
The Spidi X-Village Boots featured a tough, water-repellent 1.4mm thick, oiled cow leather upper and a solid vulcanized rubber sole. For safety they integrated a polyurethane ankle protector and reinforcement at the toe and heel cup.
The ribbed rear section of the boot allows you to walk naturally as it flexes with your ankle, and you can put the boot on or remove it quickly using the YKK zipper tucked under a flap on the inside ankle of each boot.
The toe features a leather shift pad on both sides and the boot also has a comfort padded collar, oiled shoelaces with metallic aglets, EVA comfort padding in the sole, and a leather welt.
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