‘Propriety’ Definition – Fitness, rightness, the correctness of behaviour…
Back in ’78, I tossed my Honda CB750 F2 away in spectacular fashion at 220km/h on the relatively newly completed Ben Schoeman highway. My front tube blew out, crumpling up inside the tyre, pulling the tyre half off the rim and resulting in an instant loss of control. The bike had a full fairing and clip-on handlebars which contributed to the speed of the bike but did away with handlebar leverage and therewith any vague hope of controlling the bike.
In 1978 motorcycle protective gear was not a patch on what it is today. I was wearing a dedicated motorcycle leather jacket, gloves, Sidi motorcycle racing boots and jeans. When you toss a bike at speed and spend some time sliding down the road you soon discover that the extremities of your body are particularly vulnerable. Your feet, being on the end of your longest and heaviest appendages flail around with abandon. Your lower legs and feet are thus exposed to significant damage. Since that incident, I have been a stickler for ‘all-the-gear-all-the-time’ especially proper, robust, dedicated motorcycle protective footwear.
Leather remains, to my mind, at the top of the pile of materials which can take huge abuse without self-destructing. As you all know by now, I am a lifer, one of those dudes who rides his bike every day, everywhere and while conducting my Financial Services practice. This throws a curved ball in that prospective clients are not always going to want to entrust their hard-earned loot to a fellow that comes across as a ‘motorcycle-heavy’. Well, Stylmartin to the rescue. Browsing their comprehensive catalogue, I identified three leather boot options that offer the protection that I demand with styling that compliments rather than detracts from the corporate image that I at times need to portray.
First up is the Stylmartin Yu’Rock WP boots in what Stylmartin refer to as “full grain writing leather”. They are dark brown ankle boots which extend about 6cm above the point of your ankle bone. This is vital to me as the ankles are particularly vulnerable. When properly laced up there is also an element of support to your ankle which gives a feeling of additional security. The Yu’Rocks are about 1,5cm longer than the other two pairs on review and are also the only pair requiring lacing up each time they are worn. The others have conventional lacing but also have a zip on the inside of the boot which can be used to put them on and to remove them once the lacing is tied to the required tension.
Let’s talk comfort. The fit and construction of these boots are beyond reproach. As is the norm they become almost slipper-like the more you wear them. The beauty of leather is also that it gets more character with frequent wear. Leather gets a patina that tells a story of the life that they have led. Maintain your boots with good leather food and they literally give years and years of reliable service. The Yu’Rocks are waterproof, yet with breathable lining to keep things comfortable. Vibram soles, secured with prominent stitching, ensure good traction and grip. Construction is superb. If looks are anything to go by, they will outlast you! These boots enjoy motorcycle protection CE certification.
The Yu’Rocks have what I would term an almost ‘traditional’ shape, with a wide toe box and round toe. There is a reinforced patch on each shoe to accommodate your gear shift. Given that motorcycles today are virtually all left foot shift it is more in the interest of symmetry and to pay homage to motorcycle boots of yore that the right boot also gets the ‘patch’ treatment. They come laced with brown laces, but you get an extra set of red laces for sheer cool. I’m sure David Kramer would approve! Looks flippin’ kickass is all I can say!
In summary, I would say that these are boots in the classic mould. They fall more on the casual side of smart and as such would probably work best for someone who spends more time in casual attire and not in the corporate environment. Jeans and cargo pants are their natural playmates. The soles are supportive when standing on the pegs on your Bonneville or Ducati Scrambler. They are tough enough to survive the occasional offroad save. Love em! Recommended retail R5550.
Next up is the stylish option for those dudes that are so smooth that they can slide uphill! Enter Stylmartin’s Ace boots. These chaps just reek of quality and style. The natural full-grain uppers are an almost russet brown and complimented by soft tan leather lining. As aforementioned, fastening is by zip with a snug fit ensured by laces. As with the Yu’Rocks, the footbed is anatomic and changeable and, in the case of the Ace, anti-bacterial as well.
Being slightly shorter (by about 1,5cm) they feel a bit lighter and cooler. The toe is slightly pointier and more stylish in an elegant corporate way. These chaps will compliment those smart office pants or suits in a butchy kind of way. As is the case with all the boots tested, the protection factor is top-class. I love the workmanlike robust appearance of the Yu’Rocks, but the Ace crosses the divide into the corporate space that meets my particular need. I get the robust protection but without too much of a biker boy image. The clincher is the classy leather lining and ease of slipping them on and off. Breathable, grippy soles, quality leather and motorcycle certification complete the picture of these consummate smoothies. They have one more trick up their sleeve.
The Ace’s do not have the gear-lever reinforcement patch which would identify them as motorcycle boots. Because these smoothies fly under the radar and worship at the altar of fashion, they have a tough boy trick up their sleeve. They come with an elasticised leather protection patch which you can slip over the toe of your boot to ensure that their stylish exterior remains pristine and unmarred by a gunky gear lever which could scar them over time. Recommended retail R4895.
Rounding off the trio of boots tested is the Stylmartin Jack. There are shades of Model T with this one. You can get any colour as long as it’s black. Full-grain leather uppers with a waterproof and breathable lining. The footbed is changeable, anatomic, and anti-bacterial. Like the Ace, they have dual openings with a zip and laces. The sole is anti-static, anti-slip and oil-resistant rubber, ensuring a firm footing in most environments. These bad boys look like they will take you the extra mile and then some. Motorcycle CE certified, waterproof, grippy, with genuine leather construction and the ease of dual fastening, the Jack is an everyday all-rounder, keeping you protected both on and off the bike. Recommended retail R4895.
I love reviewing superb quality kit like this from a world-class brand. The durability of these boots means that you can amortise the initial cost over the many years of great service and protection that they will give you. Unlike many materials, quality leather improves over time, growing in comfort the more you wear them. We had a word in the army, to sum up that indefinable property assigned to things that got better looking and wearing with use. It was aspired to by recruits dreaming of the day when they too would earn the street cred of the veterans or ‘ou manne’ as we called them in the SANDF.
The word was ‘houding’. Your beret in particular acquired a shape and elements of wear and tear that announced your ‘ou man’ status to all. Leather boots do exactly the same. In the fullness of time, they acquire an aura of toughness to which there is no shortcut. To people who know they tell a story that requires no words. The disposable world we live in requires more Stylmartin boots on discerning feet. That’s a fact!
Stylmartin boots are available in an ever-increasing number of outlets. For details, call Steve Theron on 072 912 4658 or email him at [email protected]
