Product review: Gaerne SG-12 MX boots

Riding with brand new off-road boots. What a love-hate relationship that is. It feels great to shout yourself a new pair of boots for a bunch of reasons – they don’t stink like your old ones, they’re not falling apart and letting the water flood in, they usually offer more protection than your flogged-out old loafers, and new boots look cool.

Conversely, new boots can suck because they often don’t feel as comfy as your old ones, they take time to get used to and the missed gears from a lack of feel can make you seem like a deadset gumby.

Okay, so the good far outweighs the bad, but I still wasn’t looking forward to breaking in a brand-new pair of boots on the 2019 range of Beta enduro bikes.

Like it or not I was due for a new pair of dirtbike boots and, with the Beta launch looming, I had to choose which boots to buy fast. I rate boots as the second most important item of safety gear for an off-road rider; a good helmet being the most important. And like helmets it’s worth spending that bit extra to get the best protection you can afford.

I’ve made the mistake of buying cheap motocross boots and learnt my lesson the hard and slow way that being tight-fisted with safety gear can be a painful and costly experience. I had a compound fracture of my lower leg in one crash in cheap boots, and two broken bones in my foot in a separate crash in the same pair of boots. I’ve never worn a cheap pair since.

I eliminated all entry-level and mid-range boots from the buying decision and focussed only on the top shelf options from the best brands. Most boots over the $600 mark feel good, offer great support and protection and also look the business. My decision came down to sticking with the moulded sole design I’d had before or switching to the traditional stitched sole.

A mate of mine, Matt, repairs shoes and boots for a living and he explained how much better it is for him to replace stitched soles on motocross boots compared to moulded soles. He claims to get a better result every time. If I was going to fork out for top shelf motocross boots I wanted to know I could replace the soles when necessary and really get my money’s worth. That’s what led me to the Italian-made Gaerne SG-12 boots with the traditional stitched sole.

A mountain of off-road gear is purchased online these days, but it’s worth making the effort to try on boots at a bike shop before you buy them. The online research I’d done on Gaernes led me to thinking they were a wide fit. I have a narrow foot, so I wanted to check if I’d need a smaller size. While the SG-12 has marginally more room around the front of my foot than my old Alpinerstars Tech 10s, it is not a wide boot. Apparently, the cheaper SG-10 offers more room for those with a wide hoof.

When I first tried on the SG-12s they felt firm and narrow around the ankle. Research taught me this was due to the substantial section of memory cell foam inside the boot that surrounds the ankle. It’s designed to mould to each rider’s shape for a perfect, customised fit.

A freestyle motocross mate of mine, Joe, has cranky ankles that still have screws inside from previous injuries. He wears SG-12 boots that felt tight at first but quickly shaped around his troubled ankle for a comfortable fit.

While I was trying on Gaernes for size I attempted the “fold test” on the SG-12 where you hold the boot against your knee – the way you’d break a stick – and try fold the boot in half.

Entry-level boots often fold like a pocket knife, while the SG-12 passed my simple test by barely bending an inch, giving me the confidence to stick my legs in a pair on a long-term basis.

The stitched sole of the SG-12 is the first of Gaerne’s simple design features that really appealed to me. The lack of an inner bootie saves time and hassle, as does the straightforward design of the four buckles. While some boot brands seem to be very creative with their buckle designs, Gaerne has kept it simple with four aluminium buckles attached to adjustable straps.

There’s nothing fancy about them, but they work flawlessly, close securely and enable you to get the boots on and off quickly and easily. As a former motorcycle accessory retailer, I’ve seen customers use a flying fist to lock in dual stage boot buckles and I’ve seen kids boots with buckles an adult has trouble using.

The design of a buckle might not seem like a major factor when choosing a new pair of motocross boots, but don’t underestimate how good it is to have your boots on and ready to ride before your mates and how much quicker you can get your boots off and hit the road when your riding day is done.

While the SG-12 boot is simple to live with, there are technical features that play important roles. First up is the dual-pivot system which seemed to eliminate the troublesome break-in period I’ve encountered before.

Throughout the 2019 Beta launch, where I was bouncing between seven different models, I never missed a gear or felt the need to adjust gear levers or rear brake pedals. The Gaernes felt comfortable and flexible from the first gear change.

The pivot system has been designed for a natural feel while braking and shifting gears, yet it won’t allow over-extension of the ankle in a crash.

Providing further flexibility and comfort at the top of the boot is a Swiss-made stretchy gaitor material. It’s breathable to help control your sweat and makes a good seal around your leg to keep dirt and muck out.

Unfortunately, I tested the seal when I crashed the Beta X-Trainer in a river crossing and while the rest of my riding gear got drenched, the inside of my boots stayed bone dry. Inside the boots, just below the gaitor is a sturdy pull tab for jamming big clodhoppers inside, a handy feature my chicken legs don’t require.

MORE: 2019 Beta two-stroke launch review

Another techo feature that came in handy was the rubber Grip Guard that runs from just behind the gearshift panel all the way to the top of the calf where the boots make contact with the bike. It’s a tough, grippy rubber that gains impressive traction on the frame, side plates and airbox of the bike. It gripped so well it pulled back the stickers on the Beta’s airbox! The great advantage of boots that grip like the Gaernes is being able to relax your hands and forearms and let your legs and boots hang on to the bike.

While the outer sole feels rock solid to touch it’s constructed to perform with dual compound rubber and anti-shock technology. My FMX mate prefers the stiffness of the SG-12 sole compared to moulded sole boots for hard landings off jumps. If they’re supportive enough for him, I guarantee they’ll support the majority of riders just fine.

The removable inner sole also has shock absorbing material in the heel area, vent holes through the middle and front and it’s shaped to increase foot support.

After wearing moulded sole boots for the past 10 years I expected going back to a stitched sole to require some adjustment. Manufacturers claim the benefits of moulded sole boots over stitched soles to be a reduction in weight and a closer feeling to the bike. However, according to my bathroom scales my size 43 Gaerne SG-12 left boot weighs 2kg, which is 100 grams lighter than my old size 43 Tech 10. As for contact with the bike, my feet felt just as close to the bike as they ever did in my Alpinestars.

Thanks to being blessed with chicken legs, one handy feature of the SG-12 that I’ll never use is the width adjustment around the calf. The top shin plate is attached with three Phillips head screws enabling you to remove the shin plate and reposition it for a wider opening at the top of the boot. Great news for riders with chunky calves and to accommodate knee braces.

If you’re on the hunt for new dirtbike boots and you have the budget to go top-of-the-range it’s worth considering the Gaerne SG-12. Features such as the twin-pivot system and memory cell foam make the boot feel comfortable to wear and natural to ride in.

I’m a big fan of the simple buckle design and the lack of an inner bootie, but what I appreciate most is the quality and support. These boots make me feel confident and safe on the bike, the break-in period wasn’t the nightmare I’d anticipated and I know I made the right choice.

Gaerne off-road and road boots are available online and in-store at many motorcycle and accessory stores throughout Australia. For more info and to find your closest stockist visit www.cassons.com.au.