TCX Mood 2 GTX boots in green

To a degree all the trainer-style motorcycle boots out there are similar. They all have similar features. And they all do pretty much the same job. The first point we would make about the TCX Mood 2 is that it feels substantial; it has some heft to it. There are short, motorcycle boots out there that don't generate great confidence. Well, the Moods do. They feel properly strong, sturdy and protective.

 

Try bending the sole, for example. You won't get far; and that's because unlike most boots at this end of the market the Moods come with a reinforcing shank in the sole. TCX call it a z-plate, and it adds transverse rigidity to the boot to help prevent the sole from collapsing if something runs over the boot.

 

The upper of the boot is constructed using a number of materials, but I think it would be fair to suggest that no cows were harmed in the making of this boot. Now everybody likes leather, but synthetic fabrics can be much more hard wearing and tend to absorb less moisture in wet weather. Some synthetics present a compromise when it comes to comfort, but I would suggest that that's not an issue here.

 

In terms of protection, and in addition to the extra strong sole, you get D3O pucks in the ankles, and super-strong counters in the toe box area and in the heel. A short boot is always going to offer a trade off in protection in comparison with a tall boot, but as far as boots of this height are concerned, the Mood seems to us to be as robust as any.

 

Now, short boots are also never going to be as waterproof as tall ones. That's a given. And that's why, at times, we question whether it's worth paying a premium for a Gore-Tex membrane in an ankle boot. Yes, a Gore-Tex membrane will be more waterproof and more breathable than just about any other waterproof membrane out there. But in extreme wet conditions water will get in over the top of the lower shaft, so what's the point? And the answer, I think, is Gore's lifetime waterproofing warranty. On most boots you will get a two-year warranty. If the membrane fails outside that period, you're on your own. But with a Gore-Tex boot the warranty is a lifetime one. If the boot's membrane fails, Gore will either send you a cheque or a new pair of boots. And, in our view, that's worth paying a little extra for.

 

What else is there to say about the TCX Mood 2?

 

Well there's a softer panel that runs around the cuff for added comfort, both on and off the bike. The outsole is TCX's own Groundtrax sole. It's reasonably grippy, although it would not really be up to the job if you went off-road. For comfort, you get an Ortholite inner sole.

 

And that's really about it. A substantial feeling ankle boot that, in our view, looks good. And we get a bit embarrassed making this last point. We hate it when people come into the shop when their only criteria for a new helmet or jacket is that it matches their bike, but truth be told it's the colour of this boot that causes it to standout. We get bored of black boots, and there are lots of brown ones too. But the subtle green of the Mood makes it look a little less 'bikey'. They will work well with jeans and chinos. It's just a cool-looking boot, in our book.

 

At just £180, the price seems about right. You can find cheaper boots, of course; but then that's always the case. ' There is hardly anything in this world that cannot be made a little worse, and sold a little cheaper....'. T'was ever thus, but for a Gore-Tex boot of this quality you're not over paying.

 

And of course if you find the Mood cheaper elsewhere we'll always beat that retailer's price by a full 10%.