Gaerne Balance Oiled Boots
4.7
5
14
14
Very happy
Very happy
Excellent product, exactly what I wanted.
May 6, 2013
style comfort and protection. Awesome
These boots have been comfortable right out of the box. First day of riding we road up a canyon and then hiked for an hour and my feet were just fine! also they are the only "Adventure" boot/ "dual sport" that are not black! Air flow is not great but they are water proof and not goretex. I would like to see maybe a little more protection. I am not a big fan of black boots. looking forward to my 3600 mile trip from Utah to Vancouver to Mexico and back!
BMW R1200GS
April 15, 2013
Most Comfortable boot
I've always owned alpinestars and decided to try something different.
I Ordered a pair of SIDI's at the same time as the Gaerne's and what a difference! I'm so impressed with the Gaernes. Most comfortable boot ever! I was in them on a trip for a week right out of the box and never bothered me.
March 26, 2013
Very comfortable boot!
What an excellent DS boot! These fit like they are already broken in so you can slap them on and go riding as soon as you get them. They lack dedicated ankle support, but the oiled leather is thick enough to protect up to a point.
March 4, 2013
Great looking boot
Stylish and functional, these fine Italian leather boots are comfortable enough for walking, whether strolling through that quaint alpine village after a day on the ADV, or traipsing through the grisly remains of zombie carnage you've just dispatched with your trusty 12 gauge. The oiled leather is waterproof, so they're great for riding around on yucky days, and you can easily hose off the dirt, mud, or gore after your long day of adventure.
Sizing is a little large. I wear a size 12 skate shoe, but the Gaerne size 11 fits perfectly with room to spare for a thicker sock. Gaerne advertises these as a trials boot, thus the lack of protection on the shifter side. I'll be using these on my Tiger XC, so hope they hold up to the rigours of adventure riding. The construction seems solid, and you can also buy replacement soles, so not a lot of anxiety on that front. More than anything, these boots look FANTASTIC! And let's face it guys, looking good out there on the bike never hurts! They look like something Steve McQueen would wear.
February 20, 2013
Good Comfort, Good Looks, Great Boots
I purchased these boots for street riding because I wanted real boots with honest protection that looked more traditional than most modern road boots. I wear them with Jeans on quick trips in the city and they work great. They are comfortable to walk in off the bike and I get compliments from non motorcyclists on my "cool Boots" all the time. The Boots have also preformed extremely well on long day trips under a revit infinity suit. They are easy to get in an out of and were almost perfectly broken in out of the box. I did have a small pinch point in the right ankle but it worked itself out after a few days of wear. I haven't had an opportunity to test the waterproofing yet.
January 10, 2013
Excellent boots on the street!
My perspective: I ride a KTM 640 Duke II. I usually wear a size 12.5 running shoes, 13 in "skate shoes". I have Alpinestars SMX Plus in size 47 (US 12) that fit great as well. I bought these in a 12 and they were right on the money. I have a short commute daily and usually change out of riding boots as soon as I get to work for "business casual +"...until now. I've ridden about 250 miles in these boots and these are my impressions.
Looks: These boots have a really classic look to them, as you can tell from the pictures. The one aspect I don't believe the photos show is how "technical" they look in person. I think they look great over my white/black Dainese Delta Pro pants, even though the boots are primarily brown. The gummy sole is not really spongy like Clark's "crepe" sole on their "desert boots". The Gaerne sole stayed grime free over the weekend considering the damp roads.
Comfort: Comfort was instant once you figure out how tight you want the individual buckles. Boots are quiet (took a few miles for leather to settle) and secure on the foot. Both sole and leather felt a little stiff at first but not at all now. Wore them all day at work today and I feel that their "drytech membrane" is breathable. Not a winter boot per se, but kept me comfortable on 50 degree ride at 80 MPH. Haven't tested waterproofing yet.
Convenience: Easy on and easy off with the buckles and Velcro system. Much faster than my usual commuting boots which have laces and an MX style buckle. I had no shifter fitment problems.
Durability (Perceived): Out-sole is grippy and it looks like any good boot shop could resole them if necessary. Sole is very soft but is showing no signs of damage from my enduro style pegs. Lack of a shift pad is a little annoying because the leather gets temporarily marked up. The finish of the boot is that type of brown leather that will get marked up if you scratch it with your fingernail.
Protection (Perceived): I would say more than a street boot but less than a road race or full MX boot. There is no hinge system or ankle armor. With buckles fastened, boots provide decent ankle support due to middle buckle and thick leather. MUCH more than standard work boots.
Overall thoughts: Well worth the expense for a waterproof boot IMHO. A very comfortable, stylish and protective boot for almost any type of riding. Additionally, the boots look good under chinos and jeans and are very easy to walk in. These boots are not nearly as "chunky" as you might think. My SMX Plus boots are bulkier.
Highly recommended.
November 20, 2012
be cognisant of the sole construction
2 elements that i did not anticipate were around the sole & the flex. I love the look and comfort of this boot. It has the rugged mx look that i like even if i use it on a street bike (BMW R1200RT), my jeans snuggly fit over top when i wish to remain incognito. The challenge was arround the flat sole, which gives much more flexability of where the boot sits on the peg but raises the height of the top of the boot toe area. This was a tight fit in getting the boot under the gear lever. Thankfully i was able to make 2 adjustements, one to the gear lever and one to the gear lever spline moving it up, so the boot could fit under. The stiffness of the boot still makes me work a bit harder going from downshifts to upshifts since the top of the boot's shin guard in neutral position is in line with my fairing.
Regardless of this i love the boots, these are points i did not realize when purchasing, so i wanted to share.
PAP
October 22, 2012