I’d been on the lookout for a pair of casual-looking ankle-height boots for a while and when the Furygan Basket Get Down boots were launched I decided to give them a try.
While I wouldn’t wear short, trainer-style boots like this on a weekend blast, for a trip into town for the evening they’re just the ticket.
They were comfortable from the start, fitting perfectly right out of the box, and they still are after 2500 miles of use. They feel reassuringly solid, with good support around the ankle when laced up to the top.
The fit, feel and size is more like a DC skate shoe, rather than something more casual like Converse or Vans. They’re reassuringly sturdy, and I have no doubt if they were called into action they’d perform well.
There’s a Velcro strap at the top of the boot to keep the ends of the laces from flapping around in the wind and getting caught on things, which I’ve found especially helpful since the ankle opening is quite wide. This meant I struggled to get a pair of Furygan K11 jeans over the top to hold the laces in place, however those jeans are quite narrow at the ankle.
In the box there’s also a set of white shoelaces if you prefer something a bit bolder than the black ones that come fitted, but for me they remained firmly in the box.
On the bike they’re brilliant and they do a good job of eliminating vibration through the pegs on my buzzy single-cylinder Yamaha, and the toe box feels strong, so it doesn’t hurt my foot when clicking up and down through the gears, yet I can still feel what’s going on.
On the toe there is an abrasion-resistant overlay to protect it from wear on the gear lever, and D3O armour at the malleolus (the bony part of the ankle). The rest is made from synthetic leather, microfibre and 600-denier polyester. Even after 2500 miles, other than the usual dirt (mainly on the edges of the white sole) there’s no visible wear on any part of them.
There’s a waterproof membrane inside and despite trying not to test this part, I was unfortunate enough to be caught out in reasonably heavy rain. I wasn’t expecting much from a short casual boot, however I was pleasantly surprised. Other than a bit of water getting in through the top of each boot, my feet were bone dry - so I’ve been very impressed there.
One issue that came up soon into my time with these boots was the pull loop on the back, which is there to help you get them on your feet. The stitching on one of these loops came undone, making it a flap rather than a loop.
After a conversation between our returns department and Furygan, the boots were promptly replaced with a brand new pair under the two-year warranty, so I have no issues there and have had no such problems since.
Still, I would suggest pinching the tab on the back and pulling, rather than hooking a finger through the loop, to avoid this issue, and the hassle of arranging repair or replacement. Other than this, the build quality of these boots has been spot on.
For a tenner under £150, I think the Furygan Get Down boots are worth serious consideration if you’re in the market for more casual boots, but don’t want to compromise too much on safety, comfort and feel. As we head into summer, I imagine I will find myself reaching for these boots quite often.
