Dainese Seeker GTX boots in black

Frankly, we are not fans of everything that comes out of the Italian brand.  All too often there is more of a  focus on form than there is on functionality. And sometimes it appears that one is paying largely for the aesthetic. But that is not always the case. And although Dainese’s gear is never cheap, some of their products not only look good, but work well too.

And their Seeker GTX boot is just such a product. Of course, it is a looker. We love the green version although we are also offering the safer black version. We love the clean, wellington boot toe, we like the aluminium ski buckles with their wire cable shanks. And we love the lightweight, over-the-top, rubber shin guard. But we think that this a boot that is also going to do its job, and be great to ride in.

Here at Motolegends we talk a lot about what constitutes adventure riding. For some it is just a look adopted by the adventure bike rider who will never tackle anything more demanding than a kerb in a Waitrose car park. At the other end, there are riders who cross deserts, traverse mountain passes, and ford fast-flowing rivers. For many adventure riding sits somewhere between the two extremes.

And so that’s where the Seeker boot sits. It is aimed at the rider who wants a boot that is comfortable enough to ride in all day on the autoroute, but that will still be up to even the toughest trails. And we think the Seeker perfectly bridges those two worlds. 

The outer chassis is an oil-treated leather. Up the inner side of the boot, there’s a large suede area that is designed to offer greater purchase on the bike if you are riding stood up on the pegs. 

The foot is protected by hugely strong skeletal structure that runs from the top, down the sides of the boot, to the heel. You also get foam-backed, protective pucks in the ankles. The overall feel is that of an immensely strong boot. Maybe not quite as rigid and robust as a full-on, plastic, off-road boot, but the Seeker is so much more comfortable than one of those would ever be.

You get a rubber gearchange protector that forms part of a band that runs all the way down the outside of the boot to the heel. Whatever the sole is made of, it’s insanely strong. There’s little if any flex in it, and it gives the impression that, if something were to run over your foot, you would still be able to walk away. The sole is rutted, but it’s not the most grooved we have ever come across.

The membrane is supplied courtesy of Gore-Tex. So this is not a boot you’ll get wet feet in, especially given the height of the boot’s shaft.

But whilst Dainese has done everything they could to make this boot protective, they have not forgotten the importance of comfort. The boot has a large toe box. The Ortholite sole is heavily cushioned. And almost the entire shaft is lined with memory foam. In addition there’s a large, soft concertina pad at the top of the shaft at the back. There’s another panel of the same just above the heel.

To get in and out of the boot, there's a large flap that adjusts by means of Velcro. There’s also a quick-lace adjuster inside the boot to tighten the boot around the foot. You also get two adjustable, ski boot-style buckles across the forefoot and halfway up the shin.

Really, this boot has the lot. It looks great. It’s as tough as they come. It’s protective. It’s going to be totally waterproof. And it will be more comfortable than you could ever expect of such a robust, adventure boot.