Ensuring safety is the foremost thing to do for a motorbike rider, and boots are a major safety gear. That’s why; it’s crucial to choose boots and accessories that will ensure your feet’ safety on the ride. But, what type of boots are the best in this case? Are steel toe boots good for motorcycle riding?
Well, steel toe boots are not the best option for riding a motorcycle as they’re basically made for workers. These boots have high reinforced soles that are too rigid for riding. Besides, they hit up and get cold earlier than usual, which is no good for long rides, especially in hot or cold days.
That being said, you can use steel toe boots as your bike boots if you want to; as they’re highly secure. In this discussion, we’ll look into the advantages and disadvantages of wearing steel toe boots while riding a motorbike. Let’s help you make informed decisions.
What Are The Differences Between Steel Toe Boots And Motorcycle Boots?
In some cases, steel toe boots and motorcycle boots are very similar in features. However, their construction is not equal.
1. Construction Design
Steel toe boots, otherwise called work boots, industrial boots, or safety boots, have a special design. They are created with tough leather and steel plates to keep the toes safe from falling objects.
On the other hand, motorcycle boots are designed with heavy leather, composite material, and rubber sole. The composite material is specially built to work perfectly with a shift lever.
2. Protection
Steel Toe Boots are designed specifically to protect the toes from falling items vertically. However, they are less safe than appropriate motorcycle boots for riding a bike. They also provide a good level of foot protection.
Talking of motorcycle boots, they can protect your ankles and feet and offer additional protection to your lower legs.
3. Comfort
Steel toe boots can be comfortable for normal usage but not comfortable for motorcycle riding. They are heavy and can be painful when not broken in. Moreover, they can cause toe pains after rubbing on them for a long time.
On the flip side, the construction of a motorcycle boot is specially designed to provide comfort and protection as you ride your motorcycle.
4. Affordability
Steel toe boots are usually more affordable than motorcycle boots. But this shouldn’t matter for a motorcycle rider whose main aim is to protect his toes, ankle, and calf while riding for long hours.
Are Steel Toe Boots Good For Motorcycle Riding?
Steel toe boots are not appropriate for motorcycle riding. This is because they do not have either reinforced sole that can protect your foot from bending or ankle protection. As a result, steel toe boots cannot offer much protection. Besides, they are much more uncomfortable when you wear them for riding than motorcycle boots. So, when someone asks, are steel toe boots good for motorcycle riding, the answer is that they are not.
Let’s check out the pros and cons of steel toe boots
In general, you can actually wear steel-toe boots when you ride your bike rather than wearing regular boots. At least, they can provide some levels of foot protection. Nevertheless, ordinary motorbike boots can’t compare to specially built motorcycle boots. Specially built ones can offer optimal comfort, protection, and smooth operation of your motorcycle pegs.
Why You Should Wear Motorcycle Boots Over Steel Toe Boots?
There are many reasons to wear motorcycle boots instead of steel-toe boots. For instance, it can protect you against abrasion in case of a crash. Also, it can protect you from crush impacts, penetration, and cuts. Additionally, the perfect footwear will be durable, weatherproof, and oil-resistant.
Another benefit comes from motorcycle boot heels. Generally, motorcycle boots have lower heels than the typical steel toe boots. Although, they are not flat. The heel of a boot is very important while riding your bike. It is the heels that maintain the stability of your foot on a footpeg as well as guide you against sliding.
When riding, there must come a time you will like to make a sudden stop. When that happens, there is a greater chance that you’ll slip if your boot has a flat smooth sole. If your foot slips off the foot peg while you are on a high speed, it can turn into a disaster.
To prevent disaster, you should buy motorbike boots that are low heeled and can hold on to the peg even though you make a drastic turn or stop. The boot heel should be at least half an inch.
As for steel toe boots, the motorcycle world is still debating about wearing them or not on a motorcycle. There is the fear that the steel toe can pull away from the boot while riding and cut off your toes. Although this fear is justified, its likelihood of happening is not much. Also, if the boot’s steel toe is broken or crushed during a collision, your foot will be damaged.
How Do Motorcycle Boots Protect You From Accidents?
Motorcycle boots are specially designed to protect you from accidents and to help you ride your bike more efficiently. They have features that can prevent heavy injury to your feet. Although they are expensive, they are worth any price you pay for them.
According to a 2019 peer-review study, an assessment indicated how effective protective gears are during motorcycle accidents.
| Motorcycle Gear | Frequently Worn in Percentage |
| Gloves | 76% |
| Jackets | 59% |
| Motorcycle Boots | 37% |
The study shows that up to 76% of bikers often wear gloves for protection. Preceded by 59% for jackets while 37% wear motorcycle boots for protection. According to the study, protective wear is linked with lesser risks of bikers suffering tissue injury on their lower and upper limbs.
For lower limbs protection, the motorcycle-riding boots protect it from lacerations and abrasions when sliding. Also, according to the study, in severe bike accidents, knee or ankle-high bike boots minimize the chances of sprain, dislocation, and ankle fracture.
Motorcycle boots add support to a biker’s ankles to help him/her control the gear more efficiently. Also, it provides protection which is likely to lower the impact in case the body is twisted during a crash.
Motorcycle boots can protect you from accidents by providing the following:
- Open Wound and impact protection
- You get a complete foot and ankle support
- They help you with excellent traction
- Mostly, they’re weatherproof
What Makes A Safe Motorcycle Boot?
A motorcycle boot is quite safe if built with materials resistant to abrasions, such as microfiber or leather. In addition, a safe motorcycle boot should be able to offer the following;
- Ankle Protection: Motorcycle boots that come with Kevlar inserts or molded ankle protectors are safe for riding. In any accident, they can safeguard your ankles and feet.
- Heel Protection: A motorcycle boot is quite safe if it has reinforcements or a built-in heel air pocket that can absorb the severity of an impact. And at the same time protect your ankles and feet.
- Slip-Resistant Soles: Safe biker’s boot should be able to be slip-resistant. With slip-resistant soles, the boot should have an excellent grip as you ride.
- Waterproofing: While riding your bike, you are likely to ride even during rainy seasons. So a safe boot for riding in all weather should have a waterproof membrane. That is the best way to maintain your feet’ dryness.
- Lining: Any motorcycle boot with a sweat-wicking lining that can ensure dry and comfortable feet is quite safe. Also, the lining should be easy for you to remove and air out between your rides.
Final Words
You should now have a clear idea of whether steel toe boots are good for motorcycle riding or not. The short answer is, you can wear them on your motorbike, but they’re not advisable. Steel toe boots are better than wearing ordinary shoes or nothing. Since their design is very tough, they can also provide some degree of protection.
However, they cannot provide maximum comfort like motorcycle boots which is utterly necessary. This is because footwear specially built for motorcycle riders offers maximum protection while being very comfortable. Besides, since about 55.5% of the reoccurring motorcycle injuries are usually on the lower limb, bikers should always wear adequate protection.
