Reviewed by Mike Savidge

Looking around at what people use for riding footwear, it’s amazing there’s not a foot injury epidemic among riders. Sandals, sneakers, even those damn rubber Crocs seem to be the main choices for a lot of Florida riders. News Flash – You need something better! I offer up one solution.

Magnum has been making footwear for law enforcement, military, fire/rescue, and emergency medical personnel for over 20 years. They are a division of Hi-Tec Sports USA, Inc and their products are distributed in over70 countries around the globe. Their website touts that their footwear is “made to stand up to the most demanding situations while offering uncompromising comfort and performance”. Sounds like they’d be the perfect boots for riding.

I had a chance to try out a pair of their Elite Force 8.0 WPI models and though my testing period was shorter than I would have liked, I have to say they are an impressive pair of boots. I usually wear an old pair of leather slip on boots that are as comfortable as bunny slippers. To compare those to the Elite Force boots is like comparing the Model-A to the space shuttle. The design on these is impressive just to look at. A waterproof full-grain leather upper offered padded protection half way up my calf. That’s attached to something they call their Exclusive Vibram® outsole, which to me is the crap-kickin’ soles. The entire shoe is then infused with ion-mask™ hydro-management technology that repels liquids, dirt, and bad weather. Kiddin’ on that last one. The inside of the shoe is well padded and it laces up the front which meant putting them on and taking them off required an extra moment to loosen things up to get my foot in or out. Once they were on, I could feel the extra support they gave to my ankles.

The snug fit and high cut wasn’t something I was used to but they were comfortable for walking and I believe a few months of regular wear and riding will turn these into a very comfortable pair of boots. You can feel the sturdiness of the boot and it was reassuring when I wore them riding. They actually feel like they’re solid enough to offer some protection if needed. Putting my feet down when stopping; the boots always gave me a solid landing point. My only gripe wasn’t with the boots, but with the fact that the riding position on my bike is midpoint and it put my foot in an awkward position. If I was riding a bike with floorboards or forward controls, it would have allowed me to position my feet in a more comfortable position.

Magnum has a complete line of boots available online at www.magnumboots.com. The boots only come in medium widths and ladies styles are available. I ordered the same size as I normally wear and the fit was perfect. Other styles include side zip, non-metallic, and composite toe.