Introduction
First there was Oxtar. A motorcycle boot manufacturer known and revered for the longevity and protection its range of riding boots offered, then be it for the street, track or off-road use. Then in 2007, it was bought over by Novation S.P.A, an Italian footwear brand. And thus TCX was born. And though TCX got a lot of tech from Oxtar from the TCS or Torsion Control System to MCS or Metatarsal Control System, the TCX incarnation made the boots better looking and richer to touch and feel.
What we have here in the TCX S-Speed is the company’s high-end street riding boot. Or one could also call it an entry-level track boot given the protection, the stiffness and tech it offers. Now, TCX boots are officially sold in India by a Delhi-based outfit called High Note Performance. And even though there are other online stores both in India and internationally, wherein one could order these boots, we have found the pricing offered by High Note Performance the lowest. And they ship within India for free.
The Boot
The TCS S-Speed which sits in between the S-Sportour Evo and the top of the line R-S2 Evo full length riding boots, draws more from the R-S2, then be it in terms of design, protection or tech. The S-Speed uses a microfibre or synthetic leather construction. Compared to genuine leather, microfibre is lighter and has no real flaws. So, the look of this boot is of a high-end premium boot. It is outstanding.
The S-Speed gets some perforation around the shin area for breathability. And on the inside, there’s moisture-wicking material which promises to eliminate sweaty feet; claims, which we will test, of course. There’s also the patented TCS tech from the Oxtar days, but TCX says, it is much improved now. TCS limits the amounts of flex or twist in the ankle area significantly bringing down the chances of severe injury in case of a crash. Internationally, the S-Speed also comes in a waterproof version, which isn’t on sale in India just yet. Also not on sale in India is the white version for the boot. All you get is this Black Graphite.
The Competition
The TCX S-Speed retails for Rs 19,500 at www.highnoteperformance.com. For exactly the same money you can also buy the Sidi Cobra Air. The Cobra Air also uses microfibre construction like the S-Speed but is a completely perforated boot for better breathing. And though it doesn’t get anything as high-tech as TCS, there is ample heel and ankle protection. For around Rs 2,000 more, one can also get an Alpinestar. The S-MX6 to be precise. It’s not as good looking a boot as the TCX or the Sidi but it uses microfibre and comes with adequate protection. There’s however very little perforation on the S-MX6.
Photography by Kapil Angane
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