Redback Boots—Road Test to Laughlin and Back
Product Review by Randy Twells
Photo by Dave Bruer
 
I stopped by the office of Redback Boots not long ago, and met company president Thomas Meyer. Thom was very happy to learn that I would be doing a road test of their boots, and fitted me with a pair of their Patrol boots. I learned that Redback boots are used by firefighters and police departments, ambulance crews, correctional officers, mechanics, just about everyone on the planet who needs to be on their feet all day, have sure-footed agility, and still be functional afterwards.
 
The story of Redback USA is this: Thom went to Australia and found out about Redback Australia boots. He liked them so much, he signed up to be the USA distributor! All the boots are made in Australia, are all double stitched and made of 2.5 to 2.7 mm. thick leather.
 
I picked them up, noting they are very lightweight—this is good---nothing wears you out faster than walking around in a pair of heavy clunky boots! These are lightweight due to the dual density polyurethane soles and TPU outer sole. Air pockets provide plenty of shock absorption. They were also very easy to put on and lace up, due to the metal loops instead of hooks and grommets. They call it speed-lacing, and it makes the laces very easy to adjust, yet they stay when tied.
 
Fit: They come with one set of removable footbeds which are anatomically shaped to support your arch and heel. Thom gave me an extra set of footbeds in case I needed to adjust the fit later. Also I got a pair of Redback socks—the softest yet thickest, cushiest socks ever, they are white with gray toes and heels, and the Redback logo.
 
So you can get an idea of sizing: I wear a ladies size 11 in Harley-Davidson licensed western style boots. In this boot I wear a size 8 (UK) which translates to a USA mens 9 like the Dan Post western boots I have in a 9D. However according to their chart this equates with a USA womens size 10 ½. (All of us who actually wear a 10 ½ know that you really can’t find that size 95 % of the time.)
 
The only thing to note here is, the toe box is somewhat deep, but I used the really thick socks with only one set of footbeds. However, one day my one pair of Redback socks were not washed so decided to use ‘regular’ athletic socks. I had to use the extra footbeds to fill up the boot. Also they run fairly wide, and one width ‘fits all’ so, you do have to kind of have a little formula going for each different pair of socks you use with them. But then, my feet run a little narrow, and these boots are unisex, no separate men’s and women’s sizes. However--! I did end up with the right fit and items to adjust the fit as needed, so now for the wear test.

Walking: Walking in these boots, I immediately noticed the absence of back pain. Also I think because the soles are so broad, and the high tops (8 inch tall) are so gently yet firmly supportive, my bad knees and hip joints did not have any instability when standing, walking or changing direction suddenly.
 
Riding: I packed one pair of the thoroughly broken-in (pretty tired actually) western boots, and wore the Redbacks for the ride to Laughlin. Since they were already comfortable and required absolutely no break-in, I felt ready to take them on the road right away.
 
My old H-D western boots are pretty low profile in the toes, so my shift lever adjustment allows my foot to slip under it and stay there at rest til I decide to pop up on the shift lever or slip it out to step down on it. With the deeper toe box, I did not really have to adjust the lever but the boot was a little tall in the toe to stay under the lever at rest. It was easier to just leave it out to the side a little and only move under the lever when actually performing anupshift. I have extended wide Kuryakin pegs and heel rests, so I have some leeway there. This is something to check and possibly adjust before going on the road if it could be an issue.
 
On the road: Felt very sturdy, very stable when putting my feet down at a stop, or when walking the bike. The broad sole and high top, again, provide a lot of stability in a sudden stop, and the more support you have on the pavement, the more control you will have over the balance of the motorcycle. It occurs to me that, the steel toe option would have come in handy last year when a lady rolled her car tire over my foot (in the H-D western boots) when I was sitting up front split at a traffic light. Don’t be curious about what that’s like, take it from me.
 
Well these boots kept me on my feet for five days straight, to Laughlin and back, organizing the Ladies at Laughlin, and running all over town. I can honestly say my feet, knees and back did not hurt at all while wearing the Redbacks, and I have a lot of back problems. Also they were still comfortable in hot weather, which is unusual for me in high-top lace-up boots.
 
I would recommend these boots very highly. At $195.00 I would say they are a good value. Just between you and me, when you find something you would buy no matter what the price is, grab it! You can find Redback’s ad in this issue of Quick Throttle or visit them online at www.redbackboots.com.
 
article from Quick Throttle Magazine