A few weeks back, I told you I’d been wearing Leatt’s new Multitour 7.5 gear this year, and was very impressed with the company’s foray into the full ADV suit market. That’s not the only new gear that Leatt shipped for me to test; they also sent a set of their new HydraDri 7.5 boots. Here are some observations on this new adventure bike riding footwear.
The HydraDri 7.5 boots are very comfortable
The new HydraDri boots are plenty big enough for my wide size 11 feet, and fit generally true to size. YMMV, as always. I particularly liked two things about the boots: They have a very comfortable mid-sole, something that a lot of boot manufacturers ignore. The reality is, many ADVers spend a lot of time walking around off the bike, and it’s nice to have a set of boots that are made with this in mind. There’s a mid-sole that offers a lot more cushioning than any other dual sport or ADV boots that I’ve owned.
The boots are comfortable on the bike as well, not just because of that mid-sole but also because I felt they had good breathability. Too often, boots using a non Gore-Tex waterproof liner get disgustingly sweaty, hot and swampy inside when riding mid-summer. I wore these boots for days on end through the muggiest weeks of July, and I did not get the too-hot feeling that’s common with ADV boots.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to keep gear looking spiffy and also wants to ride off-road, maybe opt for the brown boots, as they show less dirt. Photo: Leatt
Leatt’s HydraDri material also seems well-regarded in the world of bicycle gear, so whatever the secret sauce is, it’s working.
Also, Leatt gave these boots’ nubuck leather exterior some sort of waterproofing as well, which doesn’t seem to interfere with the breathability. In the long-term, this may perhaps be less effective, but that is true of any waterproofing treatment.
So the fit and the waterproofing was good, but note this. The ankle of the right boot picked up a sort of crease in the interior protective foam material when I stuffed myself onto an airplane for a fly-and-ride, with my leg bent at a funny angle. It was mildly uncomfortable, but it vanished after a days’ riding. Since then, it’s been all-comfy, all the time.
So far, a few months in, the waterproofing is excellent, and so is the breathability. Photo: Leatt
The protection is standard ADV-level
Officially speaking, the Leatt HydraDri 7.5 boots have CE prEN 13634: 2017 safety certification. In the real world, this makes them great street boots, which is where many ADV riders are spending most of their time, but they don’t offer the same off-road protection as a set of true off-road boots. Leatt does sell those, if you want them. The HydraDri 7.5 boots are more intended for ADV touring, not bashing through tight single-track.
Having said that, if I’m doing the kind of riding that most KLR/DR/GS/T7/Transalp/etc. riders are doing, I would feel fine with these boots, because I tested them the hard way. I had a pretty hard low-side in the mud at the Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 launch in August. I got dragged badly under the bike, mangling my ribs badly and wrenching my wrist as well. However, my foot and lower leg were completely fine. Maybe this was just dumb luck, but I believe the flex-limiting design of the boot probably saved my ankle, and let me finish the rest of the day’s ride.
The tops of the boots stay tight to your legs; they’re considerably more trim-looking than a lot of other ADV boots. Photo: Leatt
The little things
I was impressed that Leatt got the small details right with their jacket and pants lineup, and it’s the same story with the boots. The forged aluminum buckles are high-quality and lock into tough stainless steel bases; they feel like they should last a very long time. The one-way Sidelock hook-and-loop closure at the top of the boots kept the tops nice and tight, without popping loose, a problem I’ve had with more expensive kit. The toes of the boots are carefully shaped to make it easier to use the bike’s controls. Unlike expensive boots I’ve had from other manufacturers, these were very quiet for me when walking around off the bike. They also lacked the sometimes-tasteless styling that other manufacturers often indulge in.
Those buckles seem to be very high quality, and that one-way hook-and-loop closure makes for a seamless closure. Photo: Zac Kurylyk
The treads strike a good balance between movability on the pegs and tread in the dirt. Photo: Zac Kurylyk
Conclusion
There are only two ways to properly test gear: To crash in it, and to wear it over a long period of time. I managed the first, but a summer isn’t long enough for the second. If these boots hold up over another couple of riding seasons, I think I’d rate them on-par with the most expensive ADV riding boots I’ve tested from Europe—which is to say, they’re right there with the best of the best. And here’s even better news: At time of writing, you can find the Leatt boots for ~$360 in the US, about a hundred bucks less than Euro equivalents.
