Thor Radial Boot | Track Tested
Share
Thor Radial Boot | Track Tested
Price: $249.95
The new Thor Radial Boot is a great mid-level motocross boot that packs a lot of technology and safety into a reasonably priced – under $250 – package. We’re huge fans of a hinged ankle design as it helps protect against ankle roll injuries, and also adds stability to the ankle when the toe catches in a rut and it twisted outward, away from the bike. Best of all, a hinged ankle allows the boot to break in quicker, and it does not get fatter as the boot is bent, pushing your feet further away from the bike’s surface. Building a boot with a hinged ankle is costly, and the feature is commonly found only on premium-level moto boots, but Thor has found a way to incorporate the design into its new Radial boot, and we’re pumped on them!
The first thing we noticed about the Radial Boot was that it was light in comparison to the high-end moto boots we normally ride and race in. At 7 pounds, 8 ounces for a pair of size 9s, they were well over a pound less than the pair of size 9 Gaerne SG12s that we rode in on the same day. Slipping your feet into the boot is simple as there is not internal bootie to fuss with, and adjusting the buckles to acquire the perfect fit was relatively simple. Though they look cool, the buckle system on the Radial Boot takes a little getting used to, as you must have the strap fitting placed deep inside the buckle before you can pry it closed. The process did get easier and more intuitive in time, though, as they buckles seemed to break in a bit.
The initial comfort of the boot is good, although we did encounter a couple of pressure points initially. The boots did, however, break in quickly and those went away within the first moto or two. We like the low-profile toe box as it allows the boot to slip beneath the shift lever easily for precise shifting and no “getting used to” the feel of a new boot. In fact, we were surprised how quickly we adapted to the Radials as they never felt stiff or lacked feel on the pegs, brake pedal, or shifter.
The center of the sole is replaceable, which can extend the overall life of the boot greatly. The steel shank inside the sole provides support on your footpegs. While the support of the shank is plenty acceptable for normal riding and racing, we did notice that we could feel the footpegs on harder impacts, so we’d assume that at the highest levels – Supercross – the Radial Boot might not offer enough arch support.
At size 9, the boot has a slightly shorter feel than we’re used to. When we shared that feedback with the Thor crew, they did say that from size 10 and up the height of the boot takes a jump up, so riders with larger feet don’t need to worry about having a kiddie-boot feel.
All in all, we were surprised by the comfort, support, and performance of the Radial Boot. We’ll be the first to admit that as editors we are spoiled by having access to the latest and greatest products available, and don’t spend a ton of time in entry and mid-level products, but the Thor MX Radial Boot thoroughly impressed us. We’ve spent five full days at the track in our pair of test boots and have found them to be an exceptional value for less than $250. Safe, good looking, light, and affordable…the Radial deserves serious consideration when it comes time to put a new pair of boots in your gearbag.
