Top 10 short motorcycle boots 2024

There can be no doubt that motorcyclists are turning their backs on full-height touring and commuting, motorcycle boots in favour of shorter, easier-to-wear, ankle boots. And it's not difficult to understand why.

Now back in the old days, motorcycle boots were all tall. Whatever kind of bike you rode, whatever kind of riding you did, you bought a pair of calf-length boots. But that was when we all wore leather or textile suits. The bike might have been the only form of transport many people had, and not everybody was flush enough to have different riding outfits to match the conditions, or a stable of different bikes.

Back in the day, everybody wore calf-length boots.

It was, more than anything else, the move to riding jeans that pushed people towards shorter boots. You wear a jean for comfort, and to adopt a more casual look. And it didn't, and for some still doesn't, look right to match a pair of jeans with a full-height boot.

In fact, with modern single-layer jeans being so protective, we're seeing a lot of people commute and tour in jeans, and these people will often prefer a taller boot, so not everybody prefers a shorter one, but nonetheless the ankle boot is the direction of travel, and it is undoubtedly the case, these days, that shorter boots outsell taller boots.

Ankle boots are nicer to ride in and walk around in. They also look better.

The truth is that ankle boots are more comfortable, nicer to walk around in, easier to ride in, and more stylish. These days we want to be able to get off the bike, then go for a hike, or a walk around town. Sitting down for lunch in a restaurant wearing a pair of Daytona Road Stars, by contrast, always looks a bit odd. And, let's face it, a pair of touring boots is never going to the best option if you want to ride to, say, a bike show, and then spend the afternoon walking around it.

But when you buy a pair of short boots, you need to be aware that you are making sacrifices. There are trade offs that need to be confronted.

A short boot will not be as protective. The main footbed may well be every bit as strong on a short boot as it is on a taller one, but the lower shaft of the boot will mean that your shins and your calves are more exposed. If, in an accident, the lower half of your leg comes into contact with something sharp, something very solid, or something abrasive, a short boot will be found wanting. It doesn't matter how strong or protective a short boot is, a taller boot will, in certain areas, be more protective.

When we go on tour, a tall boot will usually get our vote.

Every time I go on a motorcycle tour with Sara, choosing the right footwear is always the most difficult gear decision to make; especially if we're going somewhere hot. Last Christmas we did New Zealand, the year before we did South Africa. Both were solely on-road tours. I wanted so badly to wear my Klim Outlanders, but ended up sticking with my Daytonas. And that was purely down to a fear of the consequences of coming off the bike.

The other truth that has to be confronted when you wear a short boot is the compromise on waterproofing. Now I am obviously aware that most short boots come with waterproof membranes. Indeed, many of the boots we sell come with the best Gore-Tex membranes. But a short boot will never be as waterproof as a similarly equipped tall one.

In weather like this, you really don't want an ankle boot.

And that's because, as you're riding down the road in heavy rain, the rain will bounce off the road and can find its way over the shaft of a short, ankle boot. Sometimes, it does this by first wetting the lower part of your jeans or textile pants. The water that has soaked into the material will then run into your boots to your feet.

This just won't happen if you're wearing a taller boot. The rain won't bounce that high, and if the bottom of your pants get soaking wet it won't matter.

There's another slight issue with short boots. If you are wearing waterproof over-trousers, they often won't seal around the shaft of a short boot. At any kind of speed, the elasticated bottoms of a waterproof pant can pop off the boot, allowing the rain to reach the foot.

A waterproof over-trouser may not work with a short boot.

The way we see it, we are not really telling anybody anything they didn't know, or could not have worked out for themselves, but bikers have a tendency, having spent too many hours on the internet, to believe what they want to believe. Every day here in the shop, we end up bursting people's balloons. People who want us to assure them that a short boot will be as waterproof or, as protective, as a tall one. Sorry but, by and large, it won't be. And that's fine. If you want to ride in a short boot, go ahead. I do a lot of my riding in short boots. But you need to understand what the trade offs are.

A short boot is nicer to ride in, and walk around in. And a short boot will often be more stylish; important perhaps if you're wearing jeans. But you will sacrifice a degree of protection, and a degree of waterproofness. Accept this, and you'll never be disappointed!

Anyway, what we are going to do now is talk through our top 10 short boots.

There are so many short boots out there, it can be tricky to know what to buy.

There are many hundreds of short boots out there. We alone sell almost 100 different styles. And most of them are much of a muchness. They will have protection in the toe, the heel and the ankles; and that's because, these days, they have to in order to meet the CE standard.

And so, for many people, it may come down to looks and fit. Visit a shop. Get some input from a sales assistant if you can find one, and try a few pairs on. Comfort is perhaps the major consideration, although from the amount of time many of our customers spend admiring their feet in the mirror, the look is also a factor!

We don't always agree that you get what you pay for.

In general, I do not like the aphorism that suggests that you get what you pay for. In the world of motorcycle apparel that's not always the case. We come across lots of people who have spent £2k or more on a Rukka or Klim suit, who would have been far better off in almost every regard in a suit that costs half that much.

But with short boots there is perhaps a case for digging just a little deeper. And that's because the boots that we'll be talking about here are just better made than most. Spend £250/£300 or more on a pair of short, motorcycle boots, and there's a good chance you'll be wearing them in ten years' time if you look after them. Spend much less than £200, and you'll be lucky to see three years. The leather will be lower quality, the soles will be less rugged, the boots will be glued together, rather than sewn together, and in general corners will have been cut. In this particular sector, a little more money can buy you a lot more quality. Buy the best boots you can afford. Then look after them. They, in turn, will look after your feet.

Buy the best boots you can afford, and then look after them properly.

On the subject of looking after your boots, bear one thing in mind. Your motorcycle boots will be subject to far more abuse than any other kind of boot you own. Teeming rain at 70 mph is not kind on your boots. And you might find yourself in such conditions for many hours at a time. A lot of motorcyclists don't look after their boots. Ask anybody who works in the shoe world, and they will tell you that leather footwear should be rested, and only worn on alternate days. And that leather shoes should be carefully dried out, and then fed, after a soaking. People will sometimes take the trouble to do this with their daily footwear, but often not with their riding boots. A lot of the boots that we see that have fallen apart would have lasted much, much longer if they had been shown a modicum of tlc.

The Klim Outlander GTX

The Outlander is the ultimate expression of a style that is known as 'bike and hike'. Basically, this genre comes out of the adventure world, and it's about motorcycle boots that, once you've reached the trailhead, you can then undertake a trek in. So proper motorcycle protection combined with the comfort of a walking boot. The Outlander has a Gore-Tex membrane, so is guaranteed to be waterproof. The boot is part leather, and part synthetic. You've got D30-style protectors in the ankles and the tongue, as well as counters in the toe and heel. There's also a polycarbonate shank embedded in the sole. The boot has an aggressive sole that's going to help with grip on loose and muddy surfaces. But the boot's USP is its BOA lacing system. Honestly, why would anyone use laces in a world where BOA exists? Getting in and out of these boots is such a doddle. The boot has a pretty wide fit, but here's the thing. We have sold several thousand pairs of these boots, but I am not sure that we have ever had a pair returned. I may be wrong on this, but the fact remains that these boots are horribly robust and reliable. The Outlander comes in a number of colourways. Availability out of Klim, however, is often an issue.

The AC Classic is not an adventure boot, yet still reflects that same phenomenon known as 'bike and hike'; and that's because the boot is very much based on a classic, walking boot. Being a Daytona, the AC classic is over engineered. The boot has a nubuck leather chassis. At first sight you would think the boot is Goodyear welted, but although a convincing attempt, the boot is not constructed in this way. The boot comes with a Gore-Tex membrane, so is guaranteed to be waterproof for life. You get strong protectors in the ankles; these are foam backed for comfort. The toe and heel are reinforced with strong counters.

The inner sole incorporates a hot-dip, galvanised, steel inlay. The outer sole is designed for walking, but it is not deeply-rutted for the muddiest conditions. The boots fasten by means of laces, but the laces run through 'speed' eyelets, so the boot is not difficult to fasten and unfasten. To make things even easier, a zip runs up the inside of the boot. But there's a waterproof gusset behind the zip, so you're still going to have to use the laces. The AC Classic is indeed a classic-looking, ankle boot. You could wear them with a technical suit, but as with most short boots, we reckon they will work best with jeans. The boots come in brown and black.

If anyone were to put us on the spot, and ask us what our favourite, short motorcycle boot was, we'd probably plump for the Rokker Urban Racer, although there's no boot that does everything. The first thing about the Urban Racer is that it just looks the part. The proportions are so right. It's difficult to find fault with its aesthetics. It looks classic, it's handsomely rugged, yet is smart enough to wear into work. And the boot is indeed rugged. The outer chassis is a heavy-duty, hydrophobic leather. Interestingly, this is the only boot in this review that doesn't come with a membrane at all. But the leather has been treated as part of the tanning process, and all we can say is that, as long as the leather is fed now and again, it is very, very waterproof. The Urban Racer is a proper, Goodyear-welted boot, which means that through a welt sewn around the boots upper, the mid-sole and outer sole are sewn to the boot itself. Between the mid sole and the outer sole, there's a layer of cork and a wooden shank. Now this is how the best, handmade boots are made in Northampton. The cork takes an impression of the foot for added comfort, whilst the sewing of the outer sole to the mid sole means that the boot is easy to re-sole. Again and again. The sole, by the way, is a Vibram sole. This is a boot that, if looked after, will still be rideable in 10 or 15 year's time. There's one point we should make. Technically, the Urban Racer is not CE approved as a motorcycle boot. But in our view, it's still one of the toughest and most protective boots we sell. We would say one thing, though; this boot will not be comfortable from day one. Over time it will come to feel like a pair of slippers. But you will need to wear them in carefully. Finally, you wont find this boot on Rokker's website. Rokker discontinued it, but we didn't rate its replacement, and so we pressured the company to produce it exclusively for the UK. That's how much we like this boot. It comes in two colours.

We have chosen most of the boots in this review on the basis of the ruggedness of their construction, and the quality of the components that are employed in putting the boot together. But we've chosen the Ranger for a different reason. It is quite simply the most comfortable, short boot we sell. The truth here is that, other than walking around the shop in a pair, I have almost no direct experience with this boot. But people who buy a pair of Rangers invariably tell us that it's the most comfortable, motorcycle boot they have ever ridden in. The feedback has been so consistent that we felt it warranted inclusion in this review of the best. Now, in other respects, the boot comes up to spec., but it is not extraordinary. The boot is made from an oil-treated leather. This is another boot that appears to have a sole that is sewn into the upper. But despite what Falco claim on their website, this is not actually a Goodyear-welted boot. The sole is very much a road sole, although it is quite rutted for a bit of added grip. The protection is what you'd expect to find in a boot like this. Perhaps the most notable thing is that the ankles are protected with genuine, D3O pucks. Waterproofing comes by way of a High-Tex membrane. To get in and out of the boot, there's a zip up the inside of the boot, but as with any waterproof boot you won't be able to use the zip alone to get in and out of the boot. This is a cool-looking boot that will work well with jeans, but that is going to look smart enough for some people to wear into the office. But let me say one thing. This is not the kind of boot that is going to stand up to a daily commute. This boot is designed for the casual, weekend rider. If you commute in the Rangers, you might only get a year or two out of them. It's horses for courses. The Rangers are lovely to wear, but they are what they are. They come in two colourways.

We've included the Saxton in this review because it represents a very compelling compromise. This is a boot of the highest quality. It is manufactured from all the finest ingredients. It is almost a match for Daytona's AC Classic, but it's priced £100 less than the Daytona, which means that it offers quite exceptional value. Now that's not usually a criterion that would see a boot included in a review of the best out there, but in this case we think the proposition is exceptional. The boot's outer shell is a full-grain cowhide. You get protective counters where you would expect them, and indeed the Saxton feels much more robust than your average, ankle boot. The membrane is by Gore-Tex, meaning that the waterproofing is guaranteed for life. The sole is by Vibram. There's a zip up the inside that will make getting in and out just that little bit easier. We've sold lots of Saxtons in recent years. It's not our best-selling boot, and that may be because a lot of our customers are drawn to the 'best in class', and the Saxtons probably aren't. But we have had very few issues with the boot. It's perhaps good to know however, that if you do have problems, Held's Gore-Tex boots come with a five-year warranty. And that's better than anybody else offers. Most brands offer just one or two years. In conclusion, in almost every regard, the Saxtons offer great value for money. They come in black or brown.

The AC Dry is quite different to most of the other boots in this review in that it is basically a short, touring boot. The AC Dry is not the kind of ankle boot that you choose because you want to look cool. It's not classically the kind of boot that you would wear with a pair of jeans, although we know lots of people who do wear them in this way. Funnily enough, Daytona term the AC Dry a sneaker, but that tells you a lot about Daytona. This is not a brand that is renowned for its fashion credentials. But what the AC Dry lacks in the 'cool' stakes, it makes up for in other respects. It's made from a combination of smooth leather, nubuck leather and perforated leather. The membrane is by Gore-Tex, so the boot's waterproofing qualities are guaranteed for life. The boot wears more like a touring boot than a traditional, ankle boot. The soft and supple leather is going to give lots of feel. Whereas most short boots are designed to be worn with jeans or chinos, the AC Drys are meant to be worn with a textile suit. The boot is as protective as you might anticipate of a Daytona, so you get counters front and back, foam-backed protectors in the ankles, a reinforced, plastic insole, and a hot-dip, galvanised, steel inlay. One of the things we really like about the AC Dry is the height of its shaft. Short boots, as we know, are less waterproof than taller ones, but the AC Drys are going to be more waterproof than most. The boots fasten by means of laces, although the speed loops make them easy to fasten and loosen. There's a pocket at the top of the tongue wher the laces can be tucked away. You also get a zip up the inside of the boot, but with a shaft this high you will still need to use the laces. The AC Dry is not like any other short boot. That is what, technically, it is, but actually we think of the AC Dry more as just a short, tall boot. It comes in array of colours; all of them, however, are black!

The Forma Hyper is a trainer-style, short, motorcycle boot, although those who know about these things might suggest that it's more accurately a high-top than a trainer. And it's the fact that it is a high-top sneaker that perhaps draws us to it. All CE-approved motorcycle boots motorcycle come with protection, but we cannot help but think that the very shortest ankle boots are somewhat lacking in this respect. And it is in this context that we come to the view that the Hyper is one of the very best, trainer-style boot. The boot is equipped with a Drytex waterproof liner, and again the boot's higher shaft should ensure that it's going to be more waterproof than your average trainer. The boot fastens by means of laces, and here perhaps is the boot's only real weakness. The extra height means that these are not going to be the easiest trainers to get in and out of, even though a zip runs up the inside of the boots. You get protectors where you might expect them, obviously. We like the Hypers. They are not your average motorcycle trainers. They also just happen to be particularly comfortable; even for a trainer.

The Helstons Legend boot is so-named because Helstons make it exclusively for us, so forgive us if we're a bit biased. In fact, the boot is based on an existing Helstons' style called the Legacy; a boot we have always liked, and continue to offer. Now the Legacy is quite a simple boot, but it's extremely stylish and comfortable. The outer chassis is calfskin, as is the interior lining. Sandwiched between the two is a waterproof membrane. Like pretty much every boot in this category, you get counters in the heel and toe and, in this case, soft, D3O-style pucks in the ankles. The sole of the boot is flat, and what this means that it won't work for those looking for a bit of extra height on the bike, but the flat sole does make it very easy to move the feet long the pads. That is to say that there is no heel to get in the way. Now we have often spoken to boot manufacturers about making a protective version of the famous Redwing 875; a boot that is famous with the hipster crowd; a boot that Steve McQueen often rode in. Now we like the Redwing, and it's a boot that will last forever if cared for, but it is not in any way a protective boot; in fact, it offers next to no protection. But realising that the Legacy boot was not totally dissimilar to the Redwing, we asked Helstons if they could make a version for us that used the same 'Oro Legacy' leather that is the hallmark of a classic Redwing boot. That wasn't quite possible, but Helstons got pretty darned close. We are really pleased with the end result. The Legend is a proper bike boot. It is super-comfortable, and super stylish. If you're looking to bring a bit of added 'King of Cool' to your biking, the Legend might just hit the spot.

Tricker's has been making gentlemen's boots since 1829; and they've been doing doing it in the same Northampton factory since 1904. King Charles wears Tricker's shoes, and indeed the company has long been considered the maker of the world's finest boots. We've been working with Tricker's since 2016. Every year we select a boot from the Tricker's archive, and turn it into a boot that could pass for a motorcycle boot. And that's the thing; even we are not going to suggest that our Tricker's are proper biking boots. Yes, we add a gear change pad across the toe, but these boots have not been CE-approved for motorcycling. This having been said, they are as strong as any short motorcycle boot out there. Made entirely by hand, our boots are properly Goodyear welted, so are comfortable, and will last forever. Each boot is a work of art that takes around three hours to make. The boot isn't technically waterproof, although the MC leather they're made from will keep your feet dry for, perhaps, an hour or so. So what is the Tricker's legend boot? Well, lovely is what it is. Everybody should own a hand-made boot from Northampton at some point in their lives. Such boots are very special and, with some looking after, can last a lifetime. Literally. Of course, these boots are too nice to commute in. You wouldn't want to tour in them either. These boots are for Sunday best. These boots are for when you want to put on the style. Of course, you don't have to ride a motorbike in them. I often wear mine in the office, or when I go out for a walk. They're just bloody fine boots. Expensive, but bloody fine!

We've already touched on the fact that we are not impressed with the protective qualities of most, sneaker-style, motorcycle boots. Which is why we favour the Forma Hyper over many. But there is another sneaker-style boot that we deem to be a notch above the rest. And it's the Held Sirmione boot. Now the Sirmione looks like your average sneaker boot, but the truth is that it's not. It's like a sneaker that has been on a course of muscle-building steroids. The leather is thicker. The sole is deeper. The sole is stiffer. And the protectors are stronger. Held really is one of the apparel world's best kept secrets. They make proper gear. It's always well spec'd.. And it's always well put together. The boot we have here, the Sirmione GTX, comes with a Gore-Tex membrane. There's another version without a membrane, and with perforated leather. The sole is by Vibram, although it's very much one designed for the road. I suppose that with everything that has gone into the Sirmione it might not be the most immediately-comfortable sneaker boot on the market, but whilst nobody wants an uncomfortable boot, comfort sometimes has to be sacrificed in favour of a little added protection. Remember, motorcycle gear is there to protect you. You are not buying a pair of slippers; and frankly some of the sneaker boots we come across don't feel as they are going to offer much more than a pair you picked up at Footlocker. These are, without doubt, boots moulded in the sneaker style, but they are simply going to protect you better than most. And, as they are Gore-Tex boots, Held backs them with a five-year warranty.

To see all short motorcycle boots, click short motorcycle boots.