While I’ll be the second to admit (my wife being the first) that my dirt bike riding skills leave a little to be desired, even the most amateur rider should be equipped with at least the rudimentary pieces of proper riding gear. I, unfortunately (for my knees, elbow, wrists, etc.) pretty much ignored this wisdom and cobbled together what can only be described as a “classic redneck” set of riding apparel. Only three years ago at age 30, I hopped on my first dirt bike (a Kawasaki KDX 200) and began learning to ride.  While my classic orange-brown Carhartt jeans, a couple long sleeve synthetic t-shirts and my half-decade old hiking boots made for a very basic riding outfit, it did little to protect me from my environment (or inspire my fellow riders with confidence).  Over time however, as my riding skills improved, so did my desire grow to outfit myself with more appropriate outerwear.  The Carhartts were replaced with some Thor riding pants, the synthetic t-shirts were replaced by proper jerseys – and so it came down this year to the last vestige of my original gear: my boots.

While my hiking boots had served me well over the years, they had seen better days as several hundred miles of hiking coupled with numerous days pulling double duty on my dirt bike had left them with failing stitches, broken lace hooks and worn padding.  Plus, a hiking boot offers nowhere near the protection needed for riding a motorcycle. So off I was looking for a replacement.  What I found was a product that, while a vast upgrade over my previous footwear, does not make it look like I think I’m the next Ricky Carmichael.

The Thor 50/50 boot is meant to be a hybrid of sorts.  Providing much more protection than a standard hiking boot or sneaker the Thor 50/50 is still more comfortable than a purpose driven race boot.  Appropriate for tackling a race at Glen Helen these boots are not.  But for the average weekender who likes to dabble in a number of different riding conditions and styles, these boots are great.

To start with, the boots are light.  At roughly half the weight of a standard motocross boot (and even less than my heavy duty hiking boots) the Thor 50/50s FEEL like a pair of sneakers when you put them on.  There is sufficient padding throughout the boot to keep your feet cozy and warm on cold days and yet enough synthetic material on the topside of the boot to keep an adequate level of airflow going through the boot, minimizing any sweat buildup on the interior. 

However, do not confuse the light weight with weakness.  The 50/50 is reinforced in all the areas that count.  A stiff, rubberized toe cap, a hard insert for protection on the inside ankle area and a thick shank for footpeg support are just some of the details that make the 50/50 a superb all-around boot. 

The two buckles that cinch the boot down around your foot are built tough and close with a satisfying sound, assuring you they are latched tight.  Multiple sections of variously textured and colored leather appear thick enough to endure any passing tree branches or flying rocks.  No longer will I worry about my boots coming undone and getting caught up in the moving mechanicals of a dirt bike drivetrain or wearing through the leather topside of my hiking boots due to heavy wear from up/down shifting. 

Testing them out on my bike this past week showed me just what I had been missing by not making this upgrade sooner.  In the past, kicking over my 2-stroke (yes, people still ride them,) with my hiking boots could be a painful experience given their lack of a thick shank and minimal ankle protection.  Now however, even in having to kick the bike over numerous times it was a bruise-free experience and the bottom of my foot loved me for it.

The only gripe I have about the 50/50s compared to my old hiking boots is in the area of waterproofing.  With full grain leather construction, my old hiking boots could be dunked in a stream as high as the boot itself and not allow any water to enter.  The same cannot be said for the 50/50s as a simple dunk of my foot into a bucket of water discovered.  Both around the seam where the footbed attaches to the leather uppers of the boot and through the synthetic padding on the top part of the boot, water quickly entered the boot and turned it into a home more appropriate for fish than feet.  Now if you live or ride in the desert Southwest this really doesn’t apply.  However, if you live up here in the Northeast, where if you are going to ride more than 3 months out of the year, you are going to encounter plenty of water (much of it quite cold), this does become a concern. I don’t think that moving up the ladder to a full motocross boot will help, as I don’t believe they are any more or less waterproof than the 50/50.  A Gore-Tex or some other waterproof breathable material could be the solution here though that would likely bump the price of these boots up significantly and would also reduce their breathability as well. 

Taking everything into account—style, durability, comfort, protection—these boots are about as close to perfect as I can imagine a boot being for your typical non-racing, weekend warrior.  Throw in the price (MSRP of $110 but found on the internet for $70+/- for ’07 model leftovers) and Thor’s 50/50 boot is truly one of the best values around. For further information visit http://www.thormx.com