My last European trip of the year took me to France, where the weather forecast was terrible: rain every day for the whole week. It was the perfect territory to test waterproof boots like the DXR Krugers, and I still packed a pair of waterproof socks… just in case.
The Krugers are good-looking boots and considering they’re in the budget price range, they feel well made.
The upper is made of leather and the soles of rubber. DXR provide some storage and cleaning instructions, though they don’t say what products will cover over scuffs and scrapes.
After more than 3000 miles and the occasional use of a specialist brown waterproofing wax that maintains the breathability of the boots, the Krugers still look good and show little signs of wear.
The internal lining has a spongy feel and is comfortable and soft to the touch. The boots are fastened by Velcro around the top and three buckles on the side. The buckles are easily adjusted to give a comfortable fit that also allows adjustment to make room for thicker socks in cold weather.
In the box there are three spare screws for the hook of the buckle - a nice touch that allows replacement of any screws that fall out.
Photography: Joel Blevins
The rubber sole gives good grip both on and off the bike and, unlike some boots, these are reasonably comfortable to walk in. The trade-off for walking comfort is the lack of a hinged and stiff ankle support for more protection.
The top of the boot has an elasticated collar to give a close fit at the top, stopping your shin rattling around in the top of the boot. If you are riding with trousers tucked into the boot this is also useful because it stops debris going down into the boot.
No review of a waterproof boot is complete without a ride in the rain, yet for nearly the entire spring and summer we had no rain.
I devised a plan to put the boots in a bowl of water to test for leakage and during this test the boots let in some water around the toes. Afterwards it was pointed out to me that this test wasn’t realistic, as these are motorcycle boots not wellingtons.
Well, this observation proved correct; it rained every day during my trip to France, sometimes all day and sometimes very heavily, yet I never needed my pair of waterproof socks. Well done DXR - a very good result, giving me dry feet for an entire week of wet weather riding.
To sum up these are good looking boots that have an economical pricetag, remain very comfortable over a long ride and also for walking in. The boots have the look of an adventure boot, for those who want that style.
Fit & comfort
I wear a size 7 in footwear and these boots are true to the size given by the manufacturer. The adjustable buckles allow the boots to be adjusted and give a good fit if you want to use thicker socks on a cold day. The boots are comfortable for both riding and walking.
Protection
The label in the boots shows they pass CE tests to the higher Level 2 for height, cut resistance and transverse rigidity, and the basic Level 1 for abrasion resistance. My personal preference is for a boot that is stiffer in the ankle area, though such boots usually cost considerably more than these DXR boots.
Waterproofing
Good results from the DXR, a budget boot that remained watertight for an entire week’s riding in rain.
Build quality
The boots feel well made and look as good as new after the application of a brown waterproofing wax that maintains the breathability of the boots.