My use case is mainly touring; however, I plan to do some amount of trail riding as well.
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Riding Gear Update: Boots, Pants, and a Base Layer
Picked up Riding Boots, Pants, and a Base Layer today! I wanted to keep the budget below 25k. Onward to the Selection Process!
Boots Selection Process
Shortlist
1. Raida Explorer – Rs 7450
2. Axor Kaza – Rs – 10700
3. Tarmac Adventure Pro Rs – 14000
4. Ryo Conquer – Rs 15000
I understand the importance of a good Motorcycle Boot and knew that floppy boots wouldn’t quite cut it in terms of protection. My use case is mainly touring; however, I plan to also do some amount of trail riding as well; hence I wanted to make sure that I get something substantial. I can’t afford something like the Falcos and the TCXs yet, hence the aforementioned shortlist.
The Raida Explorers seem like a great entry-level touring-only boot, but It is not at all suited for trail riding and can buckle under hard impact from branches and rocks, which is why I crossed it out. Plus, there’s no black option, just grey and brown
The Axor Kaza seems promising on paper, but there’s no store here, AFAIK, that stocks them, and I wasn’t about to drop 11k on a boot without checking it out in person. In addition, there weren’t very many reviews that I could find on the internet. Hence, crossed this one out as well.
Both the Tarmac Adventure Pro and the Ryo Conquer were available at Orion Motors Bangalore and there was only a 1000Rs Price Difference between them. For some reason, my regular shoe size didn’t translate to these boots. I normally wear a size 10 shoe i.e. a 44 or 45. However, my feet barely fit in both of these boots, and I needed a 46. The store had only one size 46 Tarmac in their warehouse (Apr 2023 Import) and, unfortunately, no RYOs in my size. Hence, I decided to opt for the Tarmac. In terms of fit and finish, however, the Tarmac and Ryo were really similar. The major difference was in terms of Certification (Ryo is CE 2222 IPS IPA Certified, whereas the Tarmac is CE 2122 IPS IPA Certified up to EN 13634:2017 Standards)
The 2122 is with regard to:
(a) Height of the upper
(b) Impact abrasion
(c) Impact cut
(d) Transverse rigidity
You can read more about that here:
https://demonerosso.dainese.com/how-…and-boots-work
I absolutely love the looks
The Buckles are Metal, and the adjustment strip is Rubber and Plastic
The rear has branding on it and a Reflector
The Boots say they are waterproof but also mention that they’re waterproof only for light rains
The toe also has a gear lever protector so I Don’t have to be worried about smudges and scuffs
The Boots are pretty stiff right now, and the store owner suggested that I walk a little bit in them every day to break them in. Any tips from the members here in this regard would be highly appreciated.
Pants Selection Process
Shortlist
1. Solace Coolpro V3T – Rs 9500
2. Viaterra Spencer – Rs 8500
3. Rynox Stealth Evo – Rs 8950
Viaterra is one of my favourite brands in the Indian Motorcycle Gear and Accessories industry, and Spencer is an amazing offering. However, it is a largely mesh-oriented pant, and only the Impact Zones are covered in 1000D Cordura. Further, I want the products that I buy to be complete, meaning that I must be able to wear them in any weather. A rain liner, of course, isn’t a big deal because I already have rain pants, but I didn’t want to spend extra on a thermal liner. Hence, skipped the Viaterra this time
The Rynox Stealth Pro is probably one of the most commonly bought riding pants in the country. These pants came with a thermal liner as well, but where it lacked was in the waterproof pocket department and the lack of specification on what Dernier Cordura was used. The website merely stated that it had Reinforced Cordura. Further, the armour used was Knox Microlock armour, which isn’t as pliable as the Sas Tech Viscoflex Armour that is present on the other two contenders. Hence, skipped on Rynox as well this time.
The Solace Coolpro v3T is a new offering from Solace, an upgrade over the Coolpro v3.0. The difference is the inclusion of tailbone armour. I checked out the pants at GearnRide HSR Layout, Bengaluru. The Solace has many features that stood out to me:
1. A full 700D Polydura Construction with 1000D Cordura at the Knees
2. Level 2 Sas tech Viscoflex Armours on the Knees (Adjustable for height) and Hip + Sas Tech Viscoflex Tailbone Armour
3. Two Waterproof Pockets and Two Cargo Style Pockets with Water Resistant Lining for Larger items like wallets
4. Thermal Liner and Rain Pants included
5. Large Mesh Panels instead of Vents
6. Stretch Panels on the Knees, Crotch Area and Rear Thigh
7. Rubber Lining on the Crotch Area to prevent slippage
8. Double and safety stitching done throughout
This seemed like an extremely VFM Product, and I decided to purchase this.
Lots of 3M Reflective as well on the Pants
Thermal Liner on the Left, Rain Liner on the Right
A comparison chart I made
I also picked up a Raida Base Layer for added comfort.
Overall, the cost came to just under 26k for all three. Super happy with the purchase. I’ll update the thread with long-term reviews of the gear once I’ve racked up some miles with them. Cheers!
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