Product review: Royal Enfield long riding boots, 3 month update

RE long riding boots product review

The Royal Enfield long riding boots have been with me for three months. You can read our initial impressions here and I must admit that the first few times weren’t the most pleasant. They were hot, and they didn’t allow much comfort if I tried to wear them all day long. 

However, what I did like about them is the fact that putting them on and taking them off was a lot easier than a regular pair of riding boots – a valuable thing for someone whose feet have an unreasonably high top. After the break-in period, though, it was a whole different story. They’re comfortable enough to wear all day long (although I’m not quite there yet), have some shock absorption and grip in the soles so walking around in them is comfortable, and their design means that they look like normal trekking boots if worn under jeans. 

In the last report, I stated that they’re water resistant, and imagine my surprise when I went back to the Royal Enfield web store and literature and found that nothing regarding this has been mentioned. Still, when an opportunity presented itself, I went into a puddle called Middle Vaitarna to find out exactly how water resistant they are. Strictly for science, I can assure you. The result? The perforations around the Achilles tendon are what let water in after a few minutes – and that is an extremely good result for a boot that doesn’t claim to be even water resistant. It should keep your feet dry during regular water crossings, provided you don’t put your feet down for too long. 

The issue of heat and ventilation isn’t that much when winter comes around; even a Mumbai winter is good enough to keep your feet cool in the RE Long Riding boots. The true test is around the corner – summer, and the monsoon, are coming. 

Price: Rs 11,000

Store.royalenfield.com

Photography by Kapil Angane