Introduction
Okay, we should have opted for the brown coloured ones because the ones here are being confused as stylised tall gumboots. But then, colour can’t possibly take away from their utility and purpose, now can they? What we have here are entry-level adventure boots from Forma. Boots, you won’t be able to use on a racetrack or for a demanding motocross event, but one that promises to marry the protection, rigidity, and sturdiness of MX boots with street boot like manageability, comfort and lightness.
Now, for those not in the know, Forma is an Italian motorcycle boot maker which manufacturers its boots in Romania. Some sort of tie-up. It has been making riding boots since 1999 and like any other motorcycle boot maker of repute; it has its hands everywhere. Sport riding, commuting, adventure riding or even racing, Forma seems to have a boot for every occasion.
Performance Racing Store, who promises the least list price for these boots compared to other sellers in India is also the only officially distributer for Forma in India. You can Google their site.
The Boot
This one here, quite unimaginatively, is called the Adventure. It can be had in two colours – cool brown and boring black. And, in two lengths as well – regular and low. Ours is the boring black in normal length. It is made with oiled high-grade leather, is designed to be light, and promises good protection in crucial areas like the ankle and toe area. It also gets an anti-slip and rugged looking sole, added reinforcement in places for longevity, and flexible bellows around the front and back of the boot for comfortable movement.
Forma also promises unbreakable but adjustable GH buckles. I am particularly looking forward to see how these hold up because I have seen too many of these buckles from other make simply shatter with time. The Adventure boots also get a bulge around the ankle area which should add to the comfort factor further, helped of course by the soft material for the boot inners. Speaking of inners, the boot promises to be waterproof at least till the second buckle. And, I am hoping the Adventure will now ensure I arrive at work with dry feet.
The Competition
The Forma Adventure boots are priced at Rs 16,000 and come with free shipping. The Low version of these boots cost Rs 2,000 less. As for the competition, one of the most promising ones on the Indian scene is the TCX Track Evo WP, where WP stands for Waterproof. These are distributed by High Note Performance (you can Google them as well). However, these are pricier options retailing at Rs 18,500. Now, we haven’t tried the TCX boots, so we can’t really comment on them, be it in terms of fit, style or durability. But, from what we have seen of these Forma Adventure boots so far, these seem to have most of the competition covered.
So, we have introduced the boots, told you what the competition is like, and what these cost. Now, over the duration of the next few months, we will come back with a detailed report on how these perform in the real world – heat or rain, on road or off it, and the list goes on…
Pictures: Kapil Angane
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