I’ve written about Stylmartin motorcycle boots before in these pages – you can find the story here – but, having just worn a new pair over the course of my 3,000 km summer holiday ride, it is appropriate to write another review. In this case, it is an easy task as the Double WP boots I was wearing are some of the most comfortable boots I have ever worn.
The Double WP (strange name!) boot is a full-grain leather ankle boot, which is both waterproof and fully breathable, has hard inserts at the ankle bones and a flat rubber sole. It is a particularly attractive boot and it even comes with two sets of laces – one red and one black, depending on whether you feel like being flashy or understated. There are red accents on the sole and at the back of the boot which help to break up the expanse of black.
I find them particularly stylish which is all well and good but that doesn’t matter if they are uncomfortable. Well, having worn them for three ten-hour-plus days in the saddle on my recent trip from Johannesburg to the Western Cape coast and back, I can honestly say that the last thing I thought about was my feet. My back, arse, shoulders, hands, knees, neck: yes. But my feet: not once.
Yes, if you stop to walk around in 30° heat, then they can get very hot inside but, thanks to the breathability, not particularly sweaty. In colder conditions, walking around in them is no problem as they feel very much like a normal hightop sneaker. The important thing is that, in terms of passive safety, the Double WP boot is perfect as you simply don’t think about your feet once when you are riding.
I found the fit perfect for my feet: not too tight in terms of width and roomy around the toes. Of course, choosing the right size is essential (duh!) but I have often found that some boot styles, despite being the right size, just don’t ‘fit’ my feet. No such problems here.
Given the design, these are urban riding boots, although they coped on the off-road sections of the ride. That isn’t their natural habitat and, certainly, they lack the ankle protection that dedicated off-road boots give but for occasional off-road rides, they are fine, the waterproof capability working extremely well. Being leather, they clean off easily.
The Double WP boot retails for R3,695.
Stylmartin Double WP
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