Brian was super, super knowledgeable on these boots and had answers to all of my sizing and fit questions- really helped me to believe buying these boots what the right choice for my style of riding. And they are. Great support, perfect fit, great quality- I have no doubt these will last me years to come. Definitely much, much better for my needs than the ADV style boots I had before. So far they've been perfect for enduro and trail riding on my Beta 300, but the hinge still means they're comfortable enough to wear on long distance ADV rides on my T7.
Boots are always a compromise between comfort and protection. I'm 66, live in a rural area and my riding routes are mostly remote dirt forest roads on a 430 pound dual-sport. I want the extra protection a tall, four buckle boot provides when I'm out in the hills and expect that a protective boot is going to provide less feel of the bike and less comfort. I've been riding in the Fastbacks for a couple weeks and around 150 miles, 90% on dirt forest roads, in the dust and in the wet, here in the PNW. For a stiffer, tall, protective boot, these were pretty comfy right out of the box. The sole allows for good feel of the foot pegs and controls but is super comfy with great grip while standing on the pegs. The boots' uppers also help grip the sides of the bike when standing, inspiring confidence and increasing control. There is just enough flex to allow movement for decent shifting and braking. I had to move my shift lever up on the splines to compensate for the toe height. The buckle system is very adjustable, several of the buckles can be detached and moved to compensate for larger or smaller calves and it's possible to get the fit very customized. I found that heating the boots up with a hair dryer and then wearing them while they're still warmed up helped get the plastic to conform to my bony left ankle and knobby feet. I have pretty wide forefeet and am normally an 8.5/43 and these boots are size 9. They are roomy and comfortable but don't feel sloppy. My Re'vit pants will fit over the boots but I have the uppers pretty compressed around my skinny calves. The quality of these boots is outstanding and they look like they'll last for years of dirty riding! I put in some better insoles right away as the stock ones don't have a lot of arch support. Overall, I like the balance these boots strike between good bike feel and protection. For mixed, dual sport riding where I'm off pavement for many miles, I really am happy with these and look forward to riding in them for a long time to come. Although my longest ride so far in these has only been a couple hours, I wouldn't hesitate to put them on for a full day's adventure, even with some pavement thrown in.
Nobody likes to buy boots. So many unknowns, and most of us have bought boots that became torture footwear that you don't fully realize until a few weeks in, when you have to accept that they are not going to break in or get more comfortable, ever. Most ADV boots are just hightop hiking boots that don't offer any true ankle protection on the trail or in the event of a crash. But now I have a new favorite boot brand - these Gaerne Enduro Fastbacks fit me so comfortably they are just a pleasure to wear all day long. And walk into a restaurant or explore a visitor center without clomping around like ski boots. My Rev'it pants do fit over top if I don't want to wear my Klim pants that tuck in - it's nice to have choices. I ordered size 10 (44.5) and I have wide feet and these fit great with plenty of room in the toe box. In a street shoe my size is 10.5/11 so as explained in the videos sizing down is preferred. As a lifelong rider who is getting up in years, at 60, I really do not want a broken ankle at the stage of the game. I change bikes often, currently on a 2016 BMW F800GSA and the boots work fine with the shifter and brake controls. If you've never worn a MX-leaning boot you'll need some time to get used to it, but the peace of mind and protection is well worth it. The depth of knowledge, the honesty and quality of the videos is much appreciated as is the excellent service and fast shipping. You have a customer for life! Thank you so much!
Being unsure what size I need, I contacted Brian who gave me the perfect size recomendation. I would have ordered a size 12/47 because I normally wear a 46.5 in other shoes. Brian walked me through it and having experience, recomended the 11/46. Perfect, arrived early and no exchanges needed.
I dig the initial walk around the house and cannot wait for the snows to melt to put them to work. Happy customer here.
I wear an 11 4E shoe, and after speaking with Brian I chose the Gaerne Fastback Enduro boots. I could not be more pleased! After a couple of hours for the memory foam inside the boots to form to my ankles, the boots became extremely comfortable. Even after a four hour ADV ride in humid, 95 F weather, my feet stayed protected and comfortable.
I removed the steel toe plates (not needed for my riding style); an easy chore that took about 5 minutes.
Brian was super, super knowledgeable on these boots and had answers to all of my sizing and fit questions- really helped me to believe buying these boots what the right choice for my style of riding. And they are. Great support, perfect fit, great quality- I have no doubt these will last me years to come. Definitely much, much better for my needs than the ADV style boots I had before. So far they've been perfect for enduro and trail riding on my Beta 300, but the hinge still means they're comfortable enough to wear on long distance ADV rides on my T7.
The boots aren't yet broken in as I'm getting some rubbing above the right ankle. I'm guessing with time and wear, this will resolve itself. Otherwise, a well constructed boot. Sizing per staff recommendation was spot on.
I have had an opportunity to ride over 300 miles in these boots. They are breaking in nicely. One of these rides was 200 miles and involved some off pavement riding. These boots are comfortable for all day use. The soles give really great grip on all surfaces and they inspire confidence. It takes a little time to adjust to shifting with them, but that is to be expected. I had to do some walking and they are fine as long as it isn't a multi-mile hike. The only issue I had was the top buckle unbuckled on the top right boot when I mounted the bike twice. That was probably my fault. They are not optimal for running around the city, but that is not what they are designed for. I will be looking for another boot for casual riding. Overall they are a great touring boot that can be worn for hours and offer really good protection. I expect they will get even better with more use. I would recommend them and buy them again. High quality at a fair price. Thanks Brian for the advice!
Brian at Atomic Moto is simply the best in the business - took the time to advise me on the boots for my type of riding and spent almost an hour on the phone. His customer service is legendary and the reason why I’m a repeat customer of his for moto boots
Super comfortable right out of the box. I wear a 2XL and I have issues finding a good fitting helmet. Fit and finish is tops in the helmet business. Highly recommended!