Thank you to Tricia Szulewski for her excellent review of the Bates GX-8 boot in American Iron Magazine! The below image shows the excerpt from the magazine, and the text below is what Tricia wrote to American Iron. We are very grateful for her review and more than happy that they stood up to her test. As she referred to them as “Crash-tested tactical footwear”!

TEXT FROM ARTICLE:

Bates GX-8 Boot (Crash-tested tactical footwear)
After more than 18 years of writing about motorcycle gear, I’m finally able to write a real crash-tested product review. After an unfortunate incident involving a wet road, tar patch, and a little too much lean angle, I am here to tell you that abiding by ATGATT (All The Gear All The Time) is how I walked away from a crash and 40-foot slide with no more
than a bruise on my bum. The footwear I chose to wear that fateful day were Bates GX-8 tactical boots.

I prefer to wear motorcycle-specific gear that provides the most protection for riding, but I’d heard from many people that Bates boots are extremely comfortable for both riding
and walking. As a Motorcycle Safety Foundation RiderCoach, I spend most weekends in a hot parking lot for 8 to 10 hours from April to October (our teaching season in Connecticut), which is where I’d been riding home from the day I crashed. I’d wear comfy sandals to teach if I could, but I have to jump on the motorcycles to provide
riding demos to the students, so I have no choice but to wear boots. Finding boots that are comfortable for this kind of foot abuse is a challenge for all coaches.

Bates offers several styles for men, but a practical women’s motorcycle boot is essentially nonexistent, so I decided to try out the GX- 8, which is also offered in men’s sizing. The features I will not sacrifice in a boot I plan to use for motorcycling include ankle protection, abrasion resistance, slip resistance, and a reinforced toe area that will withstand abuse from shift pegs. The tactical GX-8 met all these needs and more, so I felt confident enough to wear them while riding.

The boots’ waterproof leather, nylon upper, and moisture-wicking GORE-TEX lining keep your feet dry in hot or rainy weather. The GX-8 measures 8″ high and has a full-length
nylon zipper, making them easy to get on and off. The boot laces can then be tightened for a perfect fit. A small Velcro tab at the top of the zipper prevents the pull from scratching your motorcycle or catching your pant leg. Weighing less than 1-1/2 pounds each, the super light boots feel more like slippers. A removable insert provides
the right amount of arch support and cushion that makes these boots extraordinarily comfortable, even after standing in them all day long.

After carefully inspecting all the gear I was wearing during my crash, I was relieved to find that the GX-8 boots were barely affected. There’s a small scuff in the left toe area and a couple of the plastic lace tabs were scraped up, but they’re still functional. It may take a while for me to wear out these boots, but I may consider one of Bates’ men’s
motorcycle styles next. The motorcycle specific boots are made with impact absorbing foam, called PORON XRD, around the ankle that hardens on impact. Should my next crash be more
serious than sliding on pavement, I’d want this type of protection. AIM

Make sure to visit the American Iron website to get more info on these boots and other great riding information. Thanks again to Tricia for the great review!

Get your own pair of the best selling Bates GX-8 tactical boot here.