MO Tested: Bates Adrenaline Boots

Comfortable shoes. It’s the foremost important aspect of enjoying any large consumer or trade show. Comfortable Shoe Editor, Troy Siahaan, and I had this conversation last November when attending media day at Long Beach IMS. We both rode to the show, but whereas he brought sneakers to change into, I arrived in a new pair of Bates Adrenaline riding boots and put them to the ultimate comfort test by wearing them all day during the show. Four months, a parade’s worth of walking miles, and thousands of riding miles later, I’m here to report the Bates Adrenaline boots are, unequivocally, the most comfortable riding boots I’ve ever owned.

I’m not sure why, though, especially considering my fallen arches and flat feet that make my dogs wider than average (according to Bates, the Adrenaline boots are constructed with Medium width). The Adrenaline boots don’t utilize the Individual Comfort System (ICS) or the Endurance Performance System (EPS) advertised on other boots for sale on the Bates website, but even without these cool acronyms the Adrenaline boots are all-day comfortable either off or on a motorcycle. Maybe it’s the boot’s flexibility, light weight (1.3 pounds per boot, size 11), the company’s 161 years of manufacturing footwear, or a combination thereof lending Bates boots such luxury. Whatever it is, it’d be nice if all moto boots fit this well.

Constructed of full-grain leather, the Adrenalines have an adventurous look about them, although they’re equally appropriate for the cafe crowd. Bates rates the Adrenalines as waterproof, but due to the low, just-over-ankle-height of the boots, we wouldn’t recommend them for serious wet-weather use.

The boots feature molded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) reinforcements in the heel, shift pad, and laterally down the boot’s outer edge. Inside, PORON XRD high-impact foam protects both sides of your ankles. The outsole chassis consists of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and slip-resistant rubber with an external shank providing flexibility and stability. Sorry, no insights into crash resistance, but general durability seems pretty good with no loose stitching or other manufacturing defects apparent thus far in the boots’ lifecycle.

High-performance Leather

Bates constructs various model boots for women, but none yet in the Powersports category. Hopefully soon they’ll expand their Powersports offerings to include boots for the ladies as well as introduce new models. As for me, you’ll be seeing my pair of Adrenalines popping up in a lot of future bike reviews because I won’t be retiring these comfortable gems in the foreseeable future.

For more information go to batesfootwear.com.