Hey dirt bikers, struggling to find high-end motocross boots. Don’t worry there’s hope.
In this guide, I will show you the 5 absolute best motocross boots for under $300.
Yeah.
You read that right. I will show you 5 high-end motocross boots for under $300.
Let’s get into this!
List of Top 5 Motocross Boots Under $300:
  | O’Neal Sierra Pro | Check On Amazon |
  | Alpinestars Tech 5 | Check On Amazon |
  | Fox Racing Comp R | Check On Amazon |
  | Gaerne GX-1 | Check On Amazon |
  | Fly Racing FR5 | Check On Amazon |
O’Neal Sierra Pro
One of the oldest motocross apparel companies in the US. They manufacture and distribute every kind of apparel, special pa
rts, and accessories for motocross races for five decades.
From humble beginnings back in the 1970’s Jim O’Neal saw the demand for special parts in the motocross industry, so Jim O’Neal Distributing Inc. was born. Today 50 years later, the company has over 12,000 products and nearly 7,000 retail stores worldwide. Also, much of the company apparel is made with custom fabrics, allowing the rider to remain cool and dry.
These boots are made for the off-road-savvy touring driver. The Sierra Pro is 100% waterproof and also offers sufficient safety and a comfortable fit.
When I tried the Sierra Pro for myself, it was so lightweight, very comfortable, it was effortless to put it on and off, and my foot was warm and dry. Another good feature is that the footbed comes with an anti-sweat treatment and can be replaced.
The boot’s construction is grain leather, and there is also a mixture of microfiber, which is a very durable material and very lightweight. On the inside, you have a nylon sole with a steel shank, which adds to the boot itself’s rigidity and support. Checking the medial side of the boot on the top of it, the boot has suede material. And the front of the boot has a massive shim plate that’s TPU. Now when it comes to the sole, the Sierra Pro has a molded sole, which is a very grippy material; it has a lug pattern, which helps a lot if you spend some time off the bike and walking around.
Now when it comes to protection, the Sierra Pro is not the best choice. There is stiff leather on the toe area, which is some protection, but it’s not soft as it is in hiking boots. Also, there is no ankle protection; there is a little bit of hard plastic on the outside, but it is something to be mindful of if you’re doing some more aggressive off-road riding.
Pros:
- Waterproof
- Light
- Very comfortable
Cons:
- Doesn’t have good protection for toe and ankle support
Alpinestars Tech 5
Nobody imagined that Alpinestars would become one of the giants in the motorcycle industry. Founded in 1963 in Asolo, Italy, Alpinestars was first making footwear for skiers and mountaineers.
Today one of the specialties Alpinestars stands out in is their gloves and boots. The quality is found in every one of their products, starting from off-road boots to urban footwear.
This company also stands out in its waterproof and thermal garments, which is its experience from its technical mountain materials.
In the wake of the highly successful and iconic Tech 10 and Tech 7, we got the new Tech 5 off-road boot that comes in a handful of colors.
The Tech 5 fits right in the middle of Alpinestars lineup like the boot is made by taking the DNA from the Tech 7 package, making it more attainable, so Tech 5 was made. So the Tech 5 is more like the Tech 7 than it is like the Tech 3; it’s some new school style off-road boot.
What I like about this boot is that it has a lot of cool built-in features. The boot is very comfortable, and the toe box on the Tech 5 is nice and wide, so for people with wider feet, this boot will accommodate them well.
When it comes to the construction of the boot, Alpinestars is using a couple of different materials. On the upper part, the boot has microfiber, and on the construction overtop of the boot, there is a lot of hard TPU. But on the toe box, they use a material that Alpinestars calls action leather.
Around the back of the boot around the heel cup area, there is also hard TPU, and on the medial side, there is also lots of hard TPU wrapping itself around and then working its way up. Alpinestars buckles are one of the best, and they are very simple to operate and are replaceable.
On the inside, the boot has an EVA footbed that is removable and replaceable.
Another good thing about this boot is the sole. The boot has a one-piece foot shell that is a dual compound composition. On the bottom, the boot has a rubber compound that Alpinestars uses and gives a very good grip on the footpegs. There is also a steel shank that adds to the rigidity of the sole. And Alpinestars will replace the sole for you, which helps a lot to the longevity and the durability.
Pros:
- Very comfortable
- Light boot
- Extremely durable
Cons:
- Not much protection and support
Fox Racing Comp R
Fox Racing was founded by Geoff Fox in Campbell California in 1974. Since then Fox racing grew to become a global leader in providing products for motocross and enduro riders that perform well.
The company has researched and developed motocross apparel from helmets, boots, and gloves, they make everything, even at one time before Fox Racing developed and made engines for Yamaha. Their products are endorsed by world-class riders such as Tim Gajser, Chad Reed, Ricky Carmichael, and Jet Lawrence are among many others.
Fox Racing Comp R boots were designed and manufactured in such a way to provide maximum support and comfort. When Fox made this boot, they also wanted to make it have a similar fit and feel like the Fox Instinct, which is known for being a very comfortable boot and had little to zero break-in time, and now you get the same with the Comp R boot.
I have a wider foot, so when I tried the Comp R, I had plenty of room, plenty of width in the toe box. With this boot, there are many features similar to the Instinct as Fox took a lot of the Instinct features and built them into the Comp R.
There is a lot of hard molded plastic on the front of the boot on the toe box, and then on top, there is a massive shim plate. The boot on the medial side is very flat, allowing you to ride good contact with the bike when you ride. On the medial side, Fox uses DURATEC material, which they use too on the Instinct. DURATEC is a very durable abrasion-resistant material to rubber. The sole of the boot also uses DURATEC, which makes the sole very grippy to the footpegs.
Comp R has two lower buckles that are very similar to the Instinct, and its same buckle design, while the straps are more of a ball-and-socket design.
What is unique about the Comp R is that if you’re familiar with the entry-level Comp boots, they have two large silicone straps, which Fox calls Active Lock technology. Well, with the Comp R, you have one large silicone strap on the top. Fox did this because they wanted riders to have free movement with the shim plate to bind. I have these boots, and I can say from my experience that this silicon strap is pretty durable. Another good thing about the strap is that for riders with larger calves or if you wear knee braces the silicone strap you have adjustability so that you can pop the straps off the inside. You can move them to adjust the sizing to make sure you get the fit that you need or want to.
Inside there is plenty of padding, very little hill flow, and there is antibacterial moisture. Fox doesn’t use Velcro on the Comp R as well.
There is a lot of hard plastic on the back, and then a bit more down there is, as Fox calls it, floating cuff design, and this separate piece allows you good flexibility.
Pros:
- Zero heel lift
- Very comfortable
- Full shin, toe, calf and heel protection
Cons:
- Can’t remove the interior of the boot
Gaerne Gx-1 boot
When Ernesto Gazzola founded Gaerne in 1962, they were making only exclusively sports shoes. But in 1977, Ernesto’s son who was a big fan of motorsport initiated producing motocross boots. And for over 40 years the production of motocross boots has become one of the priority areas for Gaerne.
What’s more special about Gaerne is that all shoes are made exclusively in Italy, using genuine leather and high-quality fittings. With all this in mind, it comes as no surprise that Gaerne is considered one of the world’s most popular motorcycle footwear manufacturers.
I love the GX-1 and not just this boot, but all boots that come from Gaerne are manufactured in Italy, and their boots’ quality and durability are second to none.
When it comes to the GX-1, Gaerne uses the same high-quality leather and plastics used in their premium model SG12.
On the toe box of the GX-1, there is lots of hard plastic, then a very big shin plate, which is quite good, and I love it, and then on the front of the boot, there is a steel toe cap, which Gaerne has been using for very long time. The steel toe cap is removable, but the actual purpose is not to delaminate the sole. If you’re a rider that’s going to kick rocks or touch the ground while riding, this steel toe cap will prevent you from dealing amity on the sole.
There is a burn guard made from high-quality leather on the boot’s medial side on the top. As we go down, there is a tongue and groove system, which offers a little bit more lateral rigidity to the boot, and that offers more protection and support for the rider’s ankle. The back of the GX-1 has a reinforced heel that will give good shock absorption and good impact protection for the heel.
Gaerne GX-1 has 4 replaceable alloy buckles, and what I love is that Gaerne uses the same buckle designs as they do in their premium model SG12. The top 2 buckles are also adjustable to adjust them depending on your calf size to fit properly.
On the sole, Gaerne, as they usually do on all of their models, has traditional stitching. The sole rubber material is very grip and also is replaceable.
Inside the GX-1 you’ve got a nice moisture-wicking liner, and on the ankle side, the boot has padding.
Pros:
- High-quality materials
- Good protection
- Very comfortable and light
Cons:
- They are not waterproof
Fly Racing Fr5 boots
Established in 1998 Fly Racing made its name first by manufacturing handlebars and helmets for the motocross industry. After the early success, Fly Racing began expanding its product line which included accessories, parts, and apparel.
Today Fly Racing grew so big that among riders is known as the company that provides good quality at affordable prices.
When it came to the FR5 when I tried it, the boot felt so light and comfortable, and it fits true to size. Since I have wider feet, I loved the Fr5 because it had a wide toe box to accommodate this boot. I have to say that when I had the Fr5 on, there was a lot of foam around the ankle area, which adds to the boot’s comfort, but I felt a bit of heel float, which means I feel like my heels are lifting off the insole.
The boot’s construction consists of a lot of hard TPU, which helps with the impact protection, then there is a large molded shim plate. On the back of the boot, there is again a lot of hard TPU going on to impact the calf area’s protection.
FR5 offers really good protection on the medial and lateral sides of the boot. It has a biomechanical hinge system, which does two things. First, it offers really good lateral support for good rigidity; secondly, it helps with flexibility.
Fly Racing has put four buckles for the buckle design, which work very simply and are replaceable.
Very unique about the FR5 is its fishtail system. Underneath the insole and midsole, you have a fishtail made from plastic, and its job is to absorb some of the vibrations coming from the dirt bike through the footpegs into the boot. There the boot has steel shanks, which offer more support and rigidity to the sole. There is plenty of grip on the sole and a pretty good peg feel.
Pros:
- Very comfortable and flexible
- The boots have a low toe box which helps with shifting
- Feels like adventure boots but with the protection of MX boots
Cons:
- The very narrow footbed
What To Look For When Buying Motocross Boots
Every rider has a different riding style, and preferences on what is important when choosing motocross boots but we want to offer our opinion on what’s best to look for when choosing your new motocross boots.
Protection
On the protection level, you should know that motocross boots are on a higher spectrum. But then again, it’s up to you how much protection you want. Said, don’t go for the cheapest option available, since the shorter the boot, the less protection you get.
That’s why it’s important not to miss the look at the boot’s protection since it’s going to protect your foot, ankle, and shin and withstand any blow that can happen.
Construction
When buying new boots, it’s good to educate yourself on the boot’s materials because not all boots are done equal, so which materials were used to how the boot hold can significantly impact your safety.
It would be good to see whether the parts like buckles, toe slider, soles, and insoles are replaceable. Is the sole glued or snitched? This is what you should look for when choosing new motocross boots.
Comfort
How often you will use the boots is determined by their comfort of them. So you want motocross boots in which you feel good. The more protection your boot has, the less comfortable it will be to walk around and not ride.
Frequently Asked Questions
Conclusion
There are so many types of motocross boots and so many brands to go along with it that it can be an overwhelming decision to choose just one. Hopefully, this article has helped ease that decision a bit for you.
For me, the best motocross boots under $300 are the Gaerne GX-1 boot. It is made in Italy, the quality is unquestionably one of the best, and to be honest, it looks quite cool with the steel toe cap on the front of it.