I usually take two pairs of boots when touring – substantial high-leg adventure boots for long stretches and a short pair of boots which are sturdy enough for small trips but smart enough to wear out at night. These Dainese Street Rocker D-WP boots fit the second bill quite nicely.
They are CE-certified as short boots, hence no shin protection, and boast a full-grain cowhide leather upper.
Protection is provided by rigid inserts on the ankles (like small armoured cups covering the ankle bones) together with a rigid nylon midsole.
Waterproofing is taken care of by a D-WP interior, which keeps everything waterproof from the third eyelet down on each boot. So far so good on this front.
Closure is via laces, while the sole is rubber. Typical Dainese styling touches are added by the vintage-effect leather coupled with reflective inserts on the outside of the heels, which at first glance look like biker-style diamante!
Fit wise, I found these came up rather snug, which meant I had to go up one size from my usual.
The boots are very sturdy, particularly when you first put them on, and it initially feels like they may take a while to wear in. In practice they don’t take long to bed in, but still retain a confidence-inspiring amount of rigidity and strength. This is great if, like me, you’re a little nervous of riding in short boots.
The only issue I have found is that the lack of a gearchange pad means a relatively stiff gear lever may cause discomfort after a few hundred miles.
When touring, I mostly wear these for trips of no more than 20 miles, visiting local places of interest or travelling to restaurants during the evening. They’re ideal for when you need a degree of protection, but the weather is warm. Worn together with a pair of lined denim jeans, you’ll keep a lot cooler than with heavier kit.
The other time I wear these is when I’m out on my Yamaha RD350LC, as this style of boot goes with the territory on these bikes. This is particularly the case on my bike, which has rearsets that provide a riding position straight out of the Grand National. Offering good flexibility, the boots allow you to get tucked in and up out of the way.
Would I want to fall off in them? Probably not if I was being honest (but then I don’t bounce as well as I used to), but they offer just as much protection as a conventional short motorcycle boot.
My main gripes with the boots are that the membrane is a generic brand, not Gore-Tex, so the reduced breathability means they can get a tad warm in summer when walking around a lot. Secondly, one of the laces started fraying at the end quite early on, but as it hasn’t got any worse and I’ve left it.
This aside, the boots are comfortable enough to wear all day long, either on or off the bike, and look good enough to be worn casually at work or out during the evening. The Dainese quality speaks for itself and I genuinely like wearing them – in fact I like them so much I ordered a second pair in a different colour!
Style
If you like short trainer-style boots, you’ll love these.
On-bike comfort
Comfortable, flexible – they haven’t leaked water yet and the soles grip the pegs nicely.
Off-bike comfort
All day comfortable but can get hot in warm weather.
Protection
These aren’t full-on armoured boots, but they are robust, made from full-grain leather with nylon mid-soles and armoured ankle areas.
Build quality
Apart from a dodgy lace, these have lived up to Dainese’s reputation for producing high-quality bike gear.