DAINESE AXIAL 01 BOOTS

TESTED BY: Frodo MILES: 7,000+ TIME: 1 year RRP: £429.95 WEB: www.dainese.co.uk

Dainese boots, now they're a bit special, aren't they? I mean, they're the only proper boot on the market (I've found so far) that actually go inside the leathers rather than the outside. This means that they're a bit like Marmite as some people love 'em and some people loathe 'em, but if you can get your head around it, they're a good boot. From the get go I was incredibly impressed; thanks to a long zip and easy Velcro system, they're incredibly easy to get on, and due to the fact that they sit tight around the leg, it's a doddle to wear riding jeans over the top, without being too bolshie. They took a little bit of wearing in just to mould the actual closure system around the leg so it wouldn't dig in, but I've got to say that they're incredibly comfortable to wear all day; in fact, I've even done about half-a-kilometre running in 'em when I came unstuck racing, and they were completely fine. They feel incredibly protective when they're on, and even though I've absolutely battered this pair with a load of usage they're still in really good nick - which is handy, considering the price. If you're thinking about going down the Dainese route, I'd definitely recommend a set of these, although be aware that the legs on the suit have to be fairly chunky to go over the top - so they won't sit right in a regular suit, from a different brand.