When it comes time for a rider to shell out some cash for their new riding ensemble, the real money gets laid down on the helmet and jacket. That said, a rider shouldn't squelch on getting proper attire for their feet. We found a solid choice in this department with the
Icon Standard Boot.
Think about it: The only part of your body that should ever touch the ground when riding your motorcycle are your feet. It makes sense to give them adequate protection. To do this a rider also needs special consideration for ankle support, as nowadays it's not uncommon for riders to be muscling bikes sometimes five times as heavy as themselves.
With its ample ankle support and sharp looks, the Icon Standard Boot is a practical and stylish option for street riders.
The
Icon Standard Boot delivers these needs for protection and ankle support. The leather Icons sport a practical hiking boot look, but deliver the amenities desired for a street rider. The padded leather uppers offer ankle support, a rubber shift interface on the left boot comes in handy, and a steel shank provides internal support.
Although we found them practical, one drawback was the fact that their premium-grade leather construction took some time to conform to our feet.
"The Standard boot took quite a while to break in - they were pretty stiff right out of the box," commented our Icon tester and Editorial Director, Ken Hutchison.
While the rigid leather took its sweet time breaking in, it did make us feel confident that cowhide would do the chore of keeping things safe if they were scraping on asphalt.
Where Icon Standards really shined, however, was in protecting our feet from the elements. When it starts raining we don't jump on our bikes to go out and play on the street, but during our Superbike Smackdown last year an impromptu downpour caught us off guard. After many cold wet miles, Ken was happy to be wearing the Icon Standards.
"About the only part of me that wasn't wet during my ride home from Borrego Springs during our Superbike Showdown were my feet," reminisces Ken, his eyes glossed over and teeth chattering as he has a flashback to that miserable ride.
The Icon Standards are solid fits for cruiser and sportbike riders alike. We found the waterproof boots indispensable when we got caught in the rain during last year's Superbike Smackdown.
Another positive attribute of the Icon Standards in inclement weather is the non-slip rubber sole. More than just the name of a great Beatles album, the Icon's rubber soles makes tippy-toe touch downs on slick surfaces a little less hairball. It's a nice feature to have on rainy days even when your not behind the controls.
Which leads us to another point, the Icons - once broken in - are comfortable enough to wear even when your motorcycle is tucked away in the garage for an indefinite length of time. On top of it all the boots, which sport an MSRP of $120, ain't too hard on the eyes either. At least in our mullet-infested, granola-eating corner of Southern Oregon.
"They look good and that's really all that's important, isn't it? Relax, I'm just kidding there," said Ken, trying to hide the fact that he gushes over the Icon's looks. "But seriously, they do look good and they fit the part for any type of riding from sportbikes to cruisers, so keep the Icon Standard Boot in mind when you are shopping for foot protection."
So take it from Hutch, the Icon Standards deliver everything a street rider wants out of a boot. Maybe that's why when it comes time to do some street riding here in the office, Ken's already got the Icons on his feet, while the rest of us are rooting through the gear pile.
Product: Icon Standard Boot
MSRP: $120
Buy It Now: Icon Standard Boot
