Thor Blitz CE MX Boot
First up is the Thor Blitz CE MX Boot and FortNine can normally do it for around 170 bucks.
It’s a very basic price tag, but I still expect a few things from any motocross boot. A steel-shanked sole and a hard cockpit is non-negotiable if I’m going to be planting my foot in a berm. I like that the shifter panel is just an extension of that cockpit – whenever you can avoid stitching separate pieces together, the boot is stronger for it.
Moving up on the inside, we have a big heat shield in case I brush up against the exhaust pipe. I like that it’s rubberized, because it provides a grippy contact area for pinching the sides of my bike. I also love the brown accent. I just wish Thor was able to use two different dyes on one piece of rubber, because this is actually a separate panel that they stitched under the lower one.
On the front we have a shin plate, also non-negotiable for me, and inside there’s a mesh liner and this elasticated gaiter. The Blitz isn’t waterproof – motocross boots almost never are. But this gaiter does help to keep me somewhat dry and – more to the point – it prevents sand and mud from dropping in.
So that’s all the stuff I would expect from a motocross boot – even a cheap one like this. But I chose the Blitz because it blew away my expectations in a few other areas. The sole is unidirectional – it’s meant to slide forwards when I put a foot down while riding, but still grip backwards when I’m walking.
Moving up, there’s this metal abrasion plate on the toe. I’m skeptical about how much this does because unless I’m kicking people, this part of my boot doesn’t see too much action. But the metal looks cool, so I like it.
This lower buckle has a raised impact guard in front of it, to prevent the buckle from getting knocked open. I was surprised that Thor thought to offer that. And while I’m talking about the buckles – there’s only three of them, they’re plastic – pretty much what you’d expect for 160 bucks. But , Thor actually gave us two different contact points on the lowest one. So this boot is almost as precise as a four-buckle fit.
Fitment-wise, it sizes the same as my regular shoes and it feels shockingly light. At 1690g for this size 11, the Blitz is a few hundred grams lighter than my other top picks. Which is awesome, because it’s also much cheaper. I will say that it’s not the most technical boot – I feel like my range of movement isn’t controlled as well as it could be, so that sacrifices some safety. But I don’t worry about the durability and build-quality at all.
Alpinestars Tech 7 Boots
Now, my favorite middle-priced boot would be Alpinestars’ Tech 7, which is just shy of 400 dollars.
When the price jumps on me, I expect a lot more technicality. And I’ll show you what I mean.
The moving parts on the Tech 7 blow away the Thor Blitz. These four buckles are mounted on circular spinners, which frees up a little movement to improve comfort. The buckles are also replaceable, they’re made of aluminum and they have this funny arrowhead design. Maybe slimming down the buckles prevents them from caking up with mud. But mainly, I think the arrowheads just look cool.
On the underside, I have a replaceable panel where my foot peg makes contact. I like that, because my pegs are sharp and they chew away soles really fast. On the upper, we have lots of moving parts too. This shin shield is independent of the soft upper, which helps to customize the fit. And the big difference from the Blitz is biomechanical pivots. Above the ankle, we have hinges that offer progressive resistance. So the Tech 7 lets your ankle move, but it gets stiffer and stiffer towards the limit to prevent hyperextension.
Similar deal on the back. The Blitz didn’t have this amour panelling at all, and I can see again that it’s a technical piece. This lower tongue slides into the upper portion – also providing progressive ankle flex while limiting those nasty torsional forces that tend to break bones.
One big safety upgrade – which is not a moving part – is the foot cockpit. It’s one piece of hard plastic all the way around, while the Blitz only had about 70% coverage.
Fitment-wise, this boot sizes just like my regular shoes. I’d say it’s one notch more comfortable than the Blitz, probably because of the extra buckle and the hinges. The Tech 7 is heavy though: just under 2 kilos for each of these size 12s, which is less than the Tech 10s but still chunkier than I’d like. I also find the calves really wide. I can’t get a tight seal on my leg, which is a shame, because the chassis is polyurethane-coated synthetic leather and it would be water resistant if it weren’t for the huge gaps around my calf.
Sidi Crossfire 2 SRS Boots
Now, let’s pretend that I have way more money to spend. Like 850 dollars’ worth.
Then I’d buy those Sidi Crossfire 2 SRSs that I’ve always wanted. I know, 850 is a whole lot of loonies. But you’re investing in something that is going to last forever .
The chassis is Sidi’s own Technomicro, which is kinda like leather except it doesn’t crack or degrade over time. Of course the exoskeleton still takes a beating, which is why Sidi designed this boot like Mr. Potato Head.
Replaceable buckles, replaceable ankle armour, replaceable calf shield, replaceable hinge system, replaceable parts of the heat shield, replaceable inner plates, replaceable shin shield, replaceable straps. On the bottom, this is Sidi’s SR sole which, you guessed it, is replaceable. Take the whole thing off, throw a new one on, or install Sidi’s supermoto or enduro sole to give a totally new purpose to the boot.
You can literally rebuild the Crossfire season by season.
And while I’m keeping it alive, I’m reaping the benefits of a top-of-the-line boot. The Teflon mesh liner is more breathable and moisture-wicking than anything we’ve seen, and the Crossfire actually has the side and rear vents to back it up. The heel also has these ridges which makes it easier to kick shift when I’m coming off the line. Personally, saving a few milliseconds by kick shifting won’t put me at the front of the pack. But the option is there.
Fitment-wise, the length sizes like a regular shoe but the width is narrow. I’d caution people with wide feet away from this boot. Of course, the nice thing about a narrow boot – if you can fit it – is that they’re slim on the outside. The Sidi is the lowest-profile option on my list, so it looks great and shifting is easy. It’s also the most adjustable. The Crossfire can be narrower or wider around the calf than any of my other top picks. Even the inner gaiter has two adjustment straps. My only complaint is that – with all the layers and buckles and Velcros – you basically need three hands to put this thing on.
But once I do, I feel more protected and more comfortable in the Sidis than anywhere else. Which is a difficult trick to pull off. Yes, they cost twice as much as the A-stars. But they last twice as long, they feel five times better, and I can get three uses out of them by swapping the soles. If I had the money, it’d be worth it.
Thor Blitz LS Boots
Phew – that was a lot of meaty info to chew through. So let’s have some dessert.
This is the Thor Blitz LS shorty boot and it’s just fun. All the goodies of a motocross boot, up to about eight inches. And personally, I love the idea.
I grew up putting around the trails, messing with pit bikes and doing some light dual-sporting. And for that, a rock-hard MX boot seemed like overkill. So I wore my hikers instead and ended up shattering my toe on a trailside stump.
But with the Blitz LS, that wouldn’t have happened! It’s got plenty of ankle, heel and toe protection while still being lightweight, easy to walk in and not totally unacceptable for wearing around town.
No paternity test required on this one – the Blitz LS is obviously the child of the Blitz CE. Same brown accents, same buckles, same hard parts and shifter panels, same interior mesh liner, and the same sole – more or less.
Someone at Thor must have had a sense of humour though, because they’ve added a kick-shifting knob to the back of the shorty version. Has anyone ever kickshifted their way to a holeshot while wearing a shorty boot? No. But apparently Thor wants you to try.
A couple things I don’t like – the chassis is split grain leather, which you might know as Fashion Leather. It’s great for slinking down the runway, but useless for sliding down the highway. So if you’re planning on using this shoe for a lot of pavement riding … don’t.
The other thing is the cost. 160 bucks on fortnine.ca might seem cheap. But Thor is selling their full-height Blitz CE for basically the same price, so I can’t help but feel like I’m getting ripped off.
And that’s it for my favorite off-road and MX boots! Thank you very much for watching.