Richa Travis WP boots in black

The Travis reminds us of some of the TCX trainer-style boots that we used to offer; particularly the Dartwood boots. But we have to say that we think the Travis from Richa is probably the most impressive iteration of that style that we have come across.

The chassis is an oiled, nubuck leather, interspersed with suede panels in the heel and across the shaft.

The boot has a waterproof liner, although what one always has to remember about a short boot like this is that the rain, when it bounces off the road, can make its way over the shaft of the boot. So, in the heaviest rain you might think your feet are getting wet when, in reality, the boot is doing everything it’s supposed to do.

For protection you get a hard counter at the end of the toe, and in the heel. The ankles are covered by D3O pucks. The sole is incredibly rigid, although technically Richa’s website makes no mention of a shank. Richa says the sole is wear resistant, but we’ve got no idea what that means. Drag your feet on the motorway at 70 mph, and we’re sure you could wear the sole out!

We really like the detailing on the Travis. There’s a zip up the inside for easier ingress and egress, but with the waterproof gusset, the zip doesn’t make a huge difference. It will help, but only a little. You get a rubber pad inside the heel to protect the inside edge of the boot where it might rub against the bike. There are some reflective inserts for high visibility, although you  would never recognise them as such. An elastic strap allows you to stop the laces from flapping and coming undone. There’s a leather pull strap at the back of the boot. For the gearchange, there’s not an extra layer pad, but rather a grooved area that will stop the gearchange from marking and damaging the leather. 

This is one of the nicest, short, ankle boots we have come across. They are going to be more protective than many out there. And they look good too. Nothing at all like a motorcycle boot really.