6 Reasons Why Motorcyclists Must Wear Safety Boots

Feeling the wind in your hair while riding your motorcycle into the sunset may sound like something right out of a Hollywood movie, but it is not without its dangers. The open road is like an accident free-for-all waiting to happen if you’re not careful enough. And if you are being careful, it only takes someone else to screw up to get someone from happily riding their motorcycle to becoming bed-ridden for all of life. We hate to sound so grim, but the truth is just as ugly as the scars and bruises you will get if you don’t protect yourself enough while riding your motorcycle.

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has concluded that there were over 92,000 motorcycle-related injuries nationwide in 2014 alone. One can only shudder to think about what the number is today. Good thing you can avoid becoming an unfortunate member of this demographic. Choose to wear your helmet, protective jacket, and spine protector each time you take your motorcycle out for a spin to lessen your chances of incurring lifelong injuries to your head, back, and spinal column. But what about your lower extremities?

Adding a pair of reliable, albeit expensive, motorcycle boots to your list of protective gear will do you more good than harm. The Center for Disease Control studied the 1,222,000 people who were treated in U.S. emergency rooms for non-fatal, motorcycle-related injuries between 2001 and 2008, and they found out that 30% of these injuries happen to the legs and feet. Need a little more convincing? Here are 6 reasons why you must adhere to the war cry of every safety-conscious motorcyclist, “All The Gear, All The Time.”

1. Impact buffer and open wound protection

If you don’t wear a good pair of protective boots while riding your motorcycle, your lower extremities are exposed. This would render your feet vulnerable to injuries resulting from other vehicles running over or falling on them. You can avoid this by opting to wear steel-reinforced shoes that are specifically designed to protect all the bones in your feet from sudden impact or unbearable weight. So if you happen to crash into something, you can mitigate the damages with a pair of steel-reinforced boots as opposed to regular sneakers.

2. 360-degree ankle and foot support

If you think you have enough lower body strength to support your own weight on top of the 450-pound bulk of your bike, you have another think coming. Having sufficient ankle support is always the safest way to go. Plus, if you get into an accident, you are more likely to twist your ankle. Protective motorcycle boots prevent this from happening and – most importantly – help your feet come out completely unscathed.

Want to know a really good way of finding out if your motorcycle boots will live up to its promise? Grab the toe in one hand and the heel in the other, then twist and push as hard as you can. If it retains its shape, it can keep your foot in one piece.

3. Great traction

Getting a pair of reliable motorcycle boots will make the difference between getting good traction while trying to regain balance in the midst of a near fender-bender and whirring uncontrollably on your motorcycle out on the open road. In the case of a heavy downpour, the right boots will also help you stabilize yourself while riding on slippery surfaces.

4. Weatherproof

The best motorcycle boots in the market will help your feet adapt to the ever-fickle weather. In warm climates, they will allow your feet to breathe and relax. In cold temperatures, they will protect your feet from moisture and nasty frostbites.

5. They make you look cool

While style is never the main reason why riders are drawn to the biker life, it is (to some extent) a factor. Plus, looking good makes you feel good — no harm in a little ego boost. Imagine riding your Harley Davidson with your leather jacket on while wearing the most stylish motorcycle boots you ever saw, like one of these badass pairs from American Legend Rider. What could be better?

6. The good outweighs the bad

We understand how uncomfortable wearing chunky motorcycle boots can become. But can you really discount the fact that it protects your feet from all the possible injuries you could get if you don’t wear them?