Best summer motorcycle boots | Tested by MCN for cool and fresh feet

A good pair of summer motorcycle boots will make sure your feet don’t roast in hot weather without sacrificing protection.

We all love riding motorcycles in summer; long days, bright sunshine and (hopefully) no need for cumbersome all-weather, year-round clothing. This might keep us warm in winter but in summer, thick clothing can ruin the feel for the bike and as a result, the overall experience and of course, gently cook you as you ride. And that includes motorcycle boots.

What to look for in a summer motorcycle boot

Footwear designed to keep you warm and dry in the winter could mean your feet quickly get hot and sweaty, even with breathable membranes. What you need are lightweight or vented boots to help you stay cool while connected to the bike.

There will generally be a choice between vented sporty-style boots with high legs, lots of bracing and protection, short versions of traditional boots or the ‘urban’ trainer-style.

The more significant sports-style boots will generally offer greater protection and feel for the bike’s controls but at the expense of flexibility and off-the-bike walking ability.

A lot will depend on what riding you are planning; a blast across country or a trackday and you’ll want the protection to go with your leathers but on a gentle ride-out for a bacon buttie with your mates on a weekend morning, a pair of shorter boots may be just fine.

Like all other motorcycle clothing, boots are CE rated, against two standards; one from 2015 and one from 2017. The latter includes four areas and each is scored with a 1 or a 2 – 2 being the higher rating.

The first of the four indicates the height of the boot; 1 is short, 2 is tall but after that, it’s all about the protection, so when you are considering boots, look for as many 2s as you can find.

Our picks of summer motorcycle boots

Frequently asked questions

Can I be safe in summer motorcycle boots?

Like with any motorcycle kit, it’s important to look at the safety ratings of summer motorcycle boots. Casual hi-top trainer style boots will never be able to offer the same level of protection that a track inspired boot will with rigid armour and sliders, however for a casual ride on a hot day you can get boots that offer a good level of protection for these more relaxed rides.

Can I get summer boots that are waterproof?

With British weather being what it is, there are summer motorcycle boot options that offer waterproof or at least showerproof abilities. This way you wont have soggy feet if you get caught out in a shower.

Are laces unsafe to have on a motorcycle boot?

Laces are a common way of fastening a shoe shut, but when it comes to motorcycles it could pose a safety issue. It’s important to tuck laces out of the way so that they don’t get caught on footpegs, I know of someone who did exactly this and ended up going over with the bike.

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How MCN tests summer motorcycle boots

At MCN, our team of expert journalists have decades of experience gained over hundreds of thousands of miles in order to provide you with opinions and evaluations you can trust, alongside news of the most significant developments in motorcycling safety gear. We want you to stay safe, enjoy your riding and hopefully look great while doing so! 

We don’t test our kit to destruction; we use it exactly how you do, in the real world and in all conditions.

That means we can deliver impartial buying advice you can rely on. To make it onto this list, these summer motorcycle boots must have been worn for thousands of miles by our team of experienced testers, show no major flaws, and meet modern safety standards as well as offering decent value for money. 

Each of our expert reviewers tests their products for a variety of things, both subjective and objective, and these boots are no exception. Factors assessed include the boots’ ability to keep feet cool, what level of protection they offer, how comfortable they are to wear and walk in, how they look, how easy they are to put on and anything other features they may have, such as waterproofing.

We cover thousands of miles in these summer boots and regularly compare them with one another in the office, so collectively we’ve built the sort of knowledge base you can trust.

If you can’t see a review against a pair of boots on this page, it’s because we haven’t tested it yet. These will only be included if we think they’re important and relevant in the market, and rest assured, we will be working on bringing you a review as soon as we’ve done the miles.

When we review a product, we award it a score out of five. In the ratings tab of a given pair of motorcycle boots, you may also find more specific scores for the different aspects of a product’s performance to help you make an informed decision. We test against criteria like how comfortable it is, how protective is it, does it look good and if it is good value for it’s price tag. Here’s a guide to what each number score means:

• 1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A product with a single star rating has fallen below the expected standard and should be avoided.
• 2 stars – Basic performance in this area or overall. A product with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level and there is room for improvement.
• 3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A product with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
• 4 stars – A product has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A product with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
• 5 stars – A product has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A product with a five-star rating has delivered to the highest possible level, impressing the tester with its performance. We would happily spend our own money on it.

To find out more, head to our dedicated page explaining how we test motorcycle products.

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