A guide to women's waterproof motorcycle boots, tried and tested by the expert ladies at MCN

Is there anything worse than having wet feet and soggy socks? A pair of waterproof motorcycle boots are a must for any biker, especially in Britain, where we can get a surprise rain shower on pretty much any given day. As with most women’s motorcycle clothing, women’s motorcycle boots are no different really to any others, except the fit can be slightly different.

What to look for in a ladies waterproof motorbike boot?

First and foremost, you want to look for a good waterproof membrane that’s breathable and genuinely keeps water out; something like Gore-Tex. Many manufacturers will offer their own variant of a waterproof membrane with all sorts of different names which can make things a little confusing. Hopefully this list of tried and tested boots will help.

Protection

Protection is another key factor to take into consideration, after all that is why we spend the extra money on proper motorcycle kit, so ensure that your motorcycle boots will protect you if the worst should happen and you have an accident.

Motorcycle boots should be rated under CE regulations for Personal Protective Equipment. This can either be to a 2015 standard (three digits) or 2017 standard (4 digits) and these will either be a ‘1’ or a ‘2’. Ideally, look for as many ‘2’s as you can. There may also be other designations, such as WR (water resistant) or WAD for water displacement from inside.

Budget

Budget can be a huge factor in choosing a pair of boots as they can vary from around £100 or less right up to £400 or so for a supreme quality brand. Some of the cheaper options can be plenty good enough for most situations, so you don’t always need to pay huge money to get genuinely waterproof boots.

Our tried and tested favourites

Frequently asked questions

Can I waterproof my own motorcycle boots?

You can use a waterproofing spray or wash in treatment to create a waterproof coating to your boots however, this will only go so far in waterproofing your boots. These sprays will help rain to bead and run off however if the boots were not designed with waterproofing in mind, water may still ingress through laces, seams and the top of the boots.

Will waterproof boots make my feet hot and sweaty?

Some cheaper waterproof options may not be breathable, but many modern membranes that are used in waterproofing now are breathable to allow your feet to breathe, the most well known being Gore-Tex.

Can I buy waterproof motorcycle boots that are genuinely waterproof, even at speed?

Yes, that’s what this article is for, to enable you to see which boots were up to the test and actually withstood an onslaught of British weather. Not all boots that claim to be waterproof will be as waterproof as we would want them to be so we have explained in our reviews whether or not they kept our feet dry.

How MCN tests boots

Here at MCN, we make it our mission to help you find the right kit for you, at the right price for your budget. We don’t crash test (on purpose), nor lab test; there’s no substitute for just putting in the miles with them. We test our boots the same way you’ll use yours, by riding. And, we make sure to put at least 1000 miles in them before sharing our findings. Our word is backed by hundreds of thousands of miles in the saddle collectively, but our recommendations come from each tester individually.

While testing, we predominantly focus on comfort, looks, build quality, protection, and value. When we write up our full reviews, we’ll give each pair of boots a rating out of five stars in each of these categories, and offer a final verdict too. This page is only for the best riding boots, so every pair you’ll see has been awarded at least four stars overall – that’s the passing grade – but here’s what each score really means:

• 1 star – Poor performance in this category or overall. A boot 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 boot with a two-star rating has managed to perform to a barely acceptable level, and there is much room for improvement.
• 3 stars – An average performance in this area or overall. A boot with a three-star rating has achieved a basic level of performance and is deemed adequate.
• 4 stars – A boot has performed over and above the accepted averaged in this category or overall. A boot with a four-star rating has surpassed expectation and delivered in a particularly impressive way.
• 5 stars – A boot has performed at the highest possible level in a particular category or overall. A boot 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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