BACKROADS • OCTOBER 2021
PRODUCT REVIEW
Page 35
SQUEAKY DRY: ALPINESTARS TECH 7 ENDURO DRYSTAR BOOT
A few years ago I was leading an adventure bike tour through Wisconsin and a friend was helping me guide the group. During the ride I was bemoaning the fact that my boots were not waterproof and the water created some interesting odors after fermenting awhile down in the innards of my boots. I needed to find replacements. We found ourselves as roommates in the hotel that night and as he came out of the bathroom he told me that I “needed to do something about my boots” which were in the corner of the room. I naively said that I agreed that I needed to find a new pair that was a bit drier. His reply? “No, I mean you need to do something about those boots… NOW!!” I got the message and they found a home on the porch for the night. Thus started my search for the perfect boot. They needed to foremost be dry since I spend a lot of time riding in rain and doing water crossings. They also needed to have serious protection since the most common injury in adventure riding is having these big bikes fall on your leg. I never understood why Adventure boots’ claim to fame is that they are comfortable enough to walk in. If I wanted something I could walk in I would buy a pair of penny loafers. Give me serious armor. So, this all meant that I needed a motocross style boot that was waterproof. Lots of luck finding that. Most motocross guys don’t care about waterproofing since they are only in wet boots for the length of a short moto. I settled on a pair that was armored well but the reviews said that they were sort of water resistant. I compromised. Luckily I did not wear these yet when I saw an ad for the Alpinestars Tech 7 Enduro Drystar boot. Drystar is Alpinestars Gortex technology and the Tech series is well known for protection and riding comfort. When I saw the ad I was sure I heard angels singing and a beam of light dividing the clouds. I had to have these boots. I returned the first pair and waited 4 months for the Drystars to come out of back order. I am very glad I displayed uncharacteristic patience. These boots are all they are advertised to be. Extremely comfortable from the get-go. My feet slid in and out of the boots with no issues. They felt broke in from the first wearing. And while these are no Buster Browns to walk in, they aren’t bad. No painful rubbing areas around the ankles like some boots.
And are they REALLY waterproof ? Well, let’s just say I had no hesitation testing creek depth before entering a water crossing with my baby Tenere by walking through to calf depth. Rain? No issues. Especially when wearing over the boot pants. Because they are Gortex, and there is no real venting, the boots do tend to trigger my already overly responsive sweat glands. A little baby powder in the boots at the end of the day seems to do the trick. Remember, a sprinkle a day helps keep trench foot away! Now, for the noise. Yes, they are VERY squeaky. Hence the title of this article. I will not be sneaking up on anyone in these boots. On a recent ride one of the other riders was also wearing Drystars. We sounded like two outhouse doors at a Rolling Stones concert. It is annoying but by no means a deal breaker. If you are looking for comfortable, high quality, protective, waterproof boots that you might have to wear ear plugs for…you can find them in the Alpinestars Tech 7 Enduro Drystar boots. Pros: Comfortable, truly waterproof, protective Cons: Loud enough that you might lose some riding buddies Cost: $430 , Author: John Ciribassi is owner of Emmaus MotoTours (emmausmototours.com), a tour company focused on Adventure rides with a goal of introducing ADV riding to new riders. He is located in the western suburbs of Chicago and the mountains of North Central Pennsylvania. His legs also look great in motorcycle boots.
