‘Expensive, but excellent’
Tested by Justin Hayzelden for four months
A decent pair of winter boots can be worth their weight in gold, but when I first saw the price of the Daytona Road Star Pro GTXs I was sceptical as to how they could ever justify such a high price. Four months on, and after enduring one of the wettest winters on record, they have seriously impressed, keeping me dry, comfortable and secure.
Daytona boots are handmade in Germany to a seriously high standard.
The upper is kind of a boot within a boot, featuring a fixed inner that surrounds the ankle and lower leg. That inner is lined with a padded Gore-Tex membrane which extends all the way to the toe and under the insole, essentially forming a climate control sock. Both the inner and outer are cut from the same water-repellent cowhide, and when zipped up and fastened they form an incredibly strong support.
Neat double stitching holds the whole boot together, and the upper is bonded onto a durable rubber sole that has proven itself to be non-slip both on and off the pegs.
The zips are the most heavy duty I’ve seen on footwear, and each boot gets two to keep them firmly on your feet. Even with the short zip fully open and the long one unzipped to within half-an-inch of the end, they’re impossible to slide off. There’s a generous amount of adjustment at the calf too, thanks to two large Velcro secured vents.
Protection is to the highest CE standard of 2-2-2 for abrasion resistance, impact cut and transverse rigidity, and the large shin pad features substantial foam armour. The Road Star boots certainly give peace of mind from a safety aspect, yet they aren’t overly rigid and remain flexible enough where it counts to be comfortable all day. And the more I wear them, the more supple they get.
Yes, they are one of the most expensive boots on the market, but virtually every part can be replaced by the manufacturer, which pretty much makes the Daytonas a boot for life. If you can afford the outlay, I reckon they’re worth every penny.
Quality Value bikerheadz.co.uk