More Gear, Pt 1!

Hey Friends,

Got a few new pieces of gear into the lineup.  Remember that time I got soaked on the way back from Ocean City?  Well I learned my lesson and decided to get full waterproof gear.  When my beloved 250R got scrapped, so did my helmet and boots.  I am replacing the Spidi VR6 boots with the Alpinestars SMX 5 Waterproof boots.  I'm not sure how swamptastic my feet will get during summer, but at least in current temperatures, they will stay warm.  If they are too unbearable I will report, and buy summer boots. Anyways, here's my first impression (off bike).

Overview Shot of Alpinestars SMX 5 Waterproof

 I got size 8 (42 Euro).  I wear a size 8.5 in street shoes and the boot is comfortable.  They are relatively narrow, but not too bad.   They fit very well, and are a bit more versatile than my Spidi VR6's.  They do come in a little bit pricier though, at about $270.  I did manage to get a deal and get them for about $220 from sportbiketrackgear.com  so it was a bit closer to the VR6's.

 They have a bit less flex (could be because it's still new) and a tiny bit more protection as the boot seems a bit more rigid in areas such as the toe and heel.  It also has a little more protection at the back of the leg, though not much more.

Instead of a single flap up top as on the Spidi's, Alpinestars designed a continuous flap all along the zipper path.  This actually gives a better fit and more customization based on what other gear you are wearing and how big your leg is (mine are twigs!).  You can pull the bottom part tighter and secure it so your ankle doesn't move as much, which is what I really enjoy about the boot as it feels more comfortable and safe.

Unzip the boot and you can see the full velcro strip.  Also, and I'm assuming because it's a waterproof boot, it has a continuous curtain of material instead of an opening like the VR6.  This I found handy because it adds to the fit once on the foot.

 Now we can take a look at the boot on my foot!  Ahh so comfy!  Please ignore my hairy twiggy legs.  On the left, you can see that the boot can be worn a bit more loose, as to let you tuck pants in.  If I were to wear this with my leather suit, that is how I would fasten the boot.  On the right, the boot is fully tightened.  This will give a nice "cushy" fit and works well when having pants out, such as when I ride in overpants.

Boot Out!

Boot Not Out! I mean..Boot In!

Now the only small thing that I didn't like about the boot was the toe sliders.  They seem really cheap compared to the VR6. Pulled these bad boys out of the box and I immediately noticed that they look like they are ready to pop off!  They don't really conform nicely to the boot, but after a yank or two, they didn't come off so I suppose they should be ok.  It just doesn't look as nice, that's all.  Small issue I suppose!

Toe Slider..Not Planning on Testing These Anytime Soon!!

All in all, I like these better than my other boots.  They fit better, look better, and seem like they will do the job well.  They are waterproof (ran them under the faucet) but I'll have to test them out in a downpour to verify.  We will see how they are in the summer too, I'd ideally like to use these year round, but we will see how it turns out!  So there's new gear #1.  I also got a new RS Taichi Jacket which I'll go over, but instead of making this post really long, I'll just post as an independent entry.

Oh yeah, and of course, one more bike pic!!

2011 Kawasaki ZX-6R - Big Ninja!

- Pandabear