‘Affordable and functional kit’
Tested by Stuart Prestidge for two months/750 miles German motorcycle clothing manufacturer, Pharao, have a goal we can all get behind – to provide quality protective clothing at a reasonable price, and they may be well on their way.
For the past nine weeks, through the worst of the winter weather, I have been wearing Pharao’s Robson Waterproof Textile Boots.
First impressions are that the boots, at just £69.99, have the look and feel of gear that retails at double the cost. The matt black finish is complemented with a textured rubberised toe guard on both the left and right boots with an additional, protective patch on the outside edge of the boots.
Articulated padding adorns the front portion, while the boot is finished off with a Velcro ankle strap and more padding at the front and rear. Fastening is taken care of by the tried and tested ski-boot-style buckle system using adjustable plastic straps.
The fit of the boot is lovely and snug, easily allowing protective trousers to slide over them. Secondly the toe area is quite tall which allows for thermal socks without the feeling that your foot is crammed in.
The biggest positive, however, is that they are waterproof. Even when ridden through heavy rain and standing water, everything inside remained dry. Additionally the boots remained reasonably warm and were comfortable to walk around in.
The only negatives are the fastening clasps. The first four or five times I wore them I needed to use the handle of piece of cutlery to pry them open, as they were so tightly closed.
They have subsequently eased up and can now be opened by hand, but I would suggest a few opening/closing cycles to bed them in before you ride.
The plastic straps also catch in the aluminium clasps and do not release without a bit of a faff. They are minor inconveniences and, to some degree, point to quality rather than anything more problematic.
For the price, the look and the fit these have to be one of the best options for all-weather, all-season motorcycle boots on the market. Impressive so far!