Motorcycle boots have come a long way since the early 1900s, when leather harness boots were the go-to for all, typically worn by soldiers and steam locomotive workers at the time. It was only really in the late 1960s and early 70s when a plethora of Italian motorcycle boot companies jumped onto the scene, making the first of the plastic, hinged, motocross boots. Yes, the likes of Gaerne, Sidi, Alpinestars and UFO Plast have been there since the inception of the focused motocross and trail riding boots.
UFO Plast’s story started back in 1977 with deep roots in the off-road world and since then the brand has grown a reputation across the waters for its unmistakable design and quality, serving everyone from weekend riders to professional athletes. What ‘UFO’ does well is bring high quality and design from their performance-level products down to their entry-level products.
We all started our dirt bike riding journeys somewhere, some on the cream of the crop almost factory-ready bikes, others on pre-owned race warriors and some on entry-level dirt bikes. Do any of those options stop you from having an awesome time in the dirt? Not at all, but the latter can make it more of a challenge. When it comes to MX and Enduro kits, thankfully this is no longer the case, with many companies, UFO Plast being one, now offering affordable riding kits and in this case boots thanks to technology handed down from their time spent on tracks and trails. You no longer need to sacrifice anything at the top of the mountain to slide on a new pair of dirt boots.
So, what does UFO have in their entry-level boot bag? Out the bag and onto the pegs we’ve got the Elektron and Obsidian, both non-hinge mx/enduro boots. For entry-level riders or riders who aren’t riding at 10/10ths, non-hinge boots are the bomb and gee do they look good and save you some fuel money. The Elektron and Obsidian are no exception when it comes down to good looks, they come in a hand full of colours to suit any m&m you pull out of the bag and are damn comfy too. The UFO has landed and you’ll see many Aliens, either ghosted out or in plain sight on both of these cool-looking kicks.
The Obsidian is your more traditional-looking mx boot with its iron toe, reinforced sole and 4 micrometric adjustment buckles giving off that rugged look, which could also be perceived as safer. Yes, there are no fancy aluminium buckles to withstand Thor’s wrath when buckling up, but that’s no real issue on either of these boots. It does have a very neat lower coupling with large protective spoilers to keep the lower buckles out of harm’s way when hitting rocks or getting into dogfights with your mates on track.
Material-wise, the Obsidian and Elektron are both constructed out of leather and TPU (elastic thermoplastic materials), which offer high resistance to abrasion and a considerable amount of flexibility. The abrasion and heat-resistant leather upper comes to the party hand in hand with an abrasion-resistant suede heat shield—adding to that extra level of safety. Talking about safety, the Obsidian also has Achilles protection running down the back of the boot.
Unlike the Obsidian, the Elektron looks and feels like your more slick Italian modern mx/enduro boot. Once slid on they feel like a “soft boot” meaning you can position your feet easier and feel a lot more feedback through the boots. The Obsidians were also pretty soft but not as soft as the Elektron. The soles on the Elekron come in cool colours like these red chaps. As for both boots, they’ve got a tight fit around the mid part of the foot, so I would imagine them fitting riders with skinnier feet. However, with more riding, they should break in nicely.
When it comes to safety like on any entry-level boot, you don’t get much, but what you do get is a cleaner design and a much lighter boot. Compared to its brother, the Elektron exposes riders more to the elements on the tip of the boot and at the rear. However, it was my preferred boot and again they felt great on the pegs. For buyers looking for a stiffer and possibly safer boot for harder rides, the Obsidian is the better choice, but for those who are looking for a lighter and more flexible boot, I’d go with the Elektron.
As for pricing, both of these boots sell for just over 4k and for what they offer in quality and fit, I’d say they are worth every cent. If not my word, take AMP’s word, a company that brings nothing but the best into South Africa and with UFO Plast and their massive range of MX and Enduro plastics, suit kits, boots, helmets and racing accessories, I can’t wait to see how they elevate this great brand in South Africa.
UFO Plast – Elektron & Obsidian MX Boots
For more information on the products featured in this article, click on the links below…
