Raida Tourer short riding boots: A marriage of style and comfort

If you are going to wear riding gear everyday, you need it to strike a balance between protection and comfort. And, it is impractical to ride in leathers everyday. For my fairly straightforward 5km commute to office, my full-length Alpinestars boots are a little bothersome. Which is what necessitated my quest for short boots — there are not too many options in the domestic market — and I finally ended with the Raida Tourer boots which have proved to be a mixed bag.

These boots have successfully tackled the issue of my Alpinestars boots being too cumbersome for everyday use. Not only are they easier to slip into, the fastening is also quicker and simpler, with two YKK zippers and a Velcro flap. The trouble is that, with the zippers pulled all the way up and the flap closed, the boots are quite stiff and uncomfortable in the higher region, digging into the shins when the ankles are flexed.

I hoped this was something that would get better with breaking-in, but this has not been so. As a result, I have been forced to wear them with the zippers pulled only about 75% of the way, to give me enough flexibility and comfort. Raida claims that the boots come with an ‘AQdry waterproof membrane’, which has seemingly allowed the company to market these as ‘all-weather-proof’ boots. Unfortunately, the zippers never going up all the way, compromises on the waterproof issue.

Nevertheless, the zippers partly up in dry weather, have delivered much sought after all-day comfort. The insides feel reasonably plush against the feet, and the gel insole ups the comfort factor. The actual sole, though, is a little thinner and more flexible than preferred. Hence, I believe, these boots are best limited to low-speed city usage. On the protection front, you get a thermoformed toe cap, and padding around the ankle, which, once again, feels sturdy enough for urban duties, but you will end up wanting something more substantial for touring.

The Raida Tourer boots are reasonably priced at ₹4250, and offer more protection than any other piece of footwear you can buy for this money. They also offer more protection than some of the more expensive sneakers that you get from riding gear brands.

The gears are available on raidagears.com