Daytona are considered by many to be the “Rolls Royce” of motorcycle boots. They’re handmade in Bavaria using the finest leather and GoreTex and the company make nothing but motorcycle boots. They’ve always resisted the call to produce jackets, helmets and other related accessories, instead choosing to be the master of their chosen trade. Of course, the price of their boots also reflects the work and materials that go into them and the RRP of £350 GBP for the Arrow Sports GTX would undoubtedly cause many to pause and think before pulling the trigger. These are not really an impulse buy product..
Nope, what they are, however, is the best of the best; a boot designed to last for decades (with the right care) instead of a couple of years, so if you’re able to get that kind of service from them then ultimately they’ll be great value for money in the long run.
What I immediately liked was the zip fastening. Two zips and single velcro strap mean these take seconds to put on or take off and once on, they’re comfy straight out of the box. With plenty of flex, despite them yet to be broken in, you just know these will be supremely comfortable after a few hundred miles of use.
The soles are very grippy and the construction material looks sturdy and is beautifully moulded to the upper boot. These are details you’re paying for here. No glue is visible, stitching is always double and perfect, just what you’d expect from a handmade “Rolls Royce”.. And then there’s probably the most important part of these boots: the protection.
I think that diagram explains quite succinctly that Daytona are not producing boots with just “adequate” protection, but rather “outstanding” protection.
I chose this particular boot to use for touring and every day riding. I wear slightly longer than usual motorcycle jeans with this kind of boot, which sit nicely over the top rim and prevent air and water ingress. These are not the boots for off-roading but Daytona make several other versions for that purpose.
The inner construction almost gives you a boot within a boot and therein lies a lot of the strength and waterproof ability of these Arrow Sports.
The lower rear of the boot is stiff and protective with a large reflective patch giving good visibility from behind.
At the top you’ll see that lovely padding, exactly where you’d want it and that’s part of what makes this boot supremely comfortable. There is good protection all over this boot and I have every confidence in their ability to protect my feet during an accident.
The gear change pads have extra grip and padding and are present on both boots, handy for those with vintage motorcycles with the gear change on the right side. The height of that pad was, however, a tad higher than any of my other boots and required the gear lever to be raised slightly in order to comfortably change up.
Daytona impregnate the leather of all their boots but also suggest in the manual that you, the end user, do this, too, before using for the first time. I applied my trusty Renapur, that I’ve used on jackets and boots for donkeys years. Above you can see them absorbing it over the first 24 hours before use.
Daytona also suggest lubricating the zips so I dutifully purchased a can of their zip lube. I’m sure a bit of grease or even dry chain lube could work but I assumed their own brand lube would be less messy and that proved to be the case.
Conclusion
Quality-wise, these boots are stunning. The looks may not be to everyone’s taste but I personally like them. Straight out of the box they’re comfortable to ride with, comfortable to walk in and you just know that the comfort will improve with every use. And if these last me 15 years they’ll actually have saved me a few quid! I’ve yet to test them in wet conditions but I’m reliably informed by friends who own a pair that they are bombproof in the rain, so I fully expect them to do the job they were intended for and do it well. Time will tell and I will report back in a few months with my own experiences.
Update 1 – 24/01/23
After discussions on one of the T700 forums regarding the cost of re-soling a pair of Daytona boots, I called directly to Daytona in Germany. The lovely lady on the other end of the phone obliged me by speaking perfect English and saved me embarrassing myself with my pidgin German. She informed me that if I was to send the boots directly to them in Germany, the cost of re-soling would be 90 Euros (£80 GBP or $100 USD) plus the shipping cost back to me in the UK.