I have come to a point in my riding life where I will only invest in waterproof boots. I think this may mean I’m getting old, but I just can’t do it any more. I ride all year round and can’t stand walking around with a wet, squelching, left boot… why is it always the left one?!
Anyway, mid-life crisis aside, I haven’t ever chosen touring boots – only ever sports-style ones – so I was excited to test these.
The TCX Lady Aura Plus waterproof boots come in sizes 35-42 (3.5-8 in UK sizes) and have elastic panels on the front and rear, reinforcements in the heel and toe, a full-grain leather upper, a waterproof internal liner, a higher internal elevation and a comfort touring sole.
And boy is that sole comfortable. As soon as I put the boots on I feel like I’m walking on clouds! Nothing like a sportsbike boot, more like your favourite pair of trainers.
The sole is stiff, to protect the foot in the event of a crash, so it doesn’t bend much, but the inner is soft and bouncy. I walked a lot in these boots, whereas normally I would bring a change of shoes or wear my Dainese trainers.
But the best bit about the sole is the ‘higher internal elevation’. Essentially, you have a 2.7cm heel inside the boot. This didn’t make me feel like I was wearing heels on the bike, or walking around like Bambi on ice, but did make me feel slightly taller. I wouldn’t usually choose a heel, but being vertically challenged, I did appreciate the little (hidden) lift.
I have small feet but wide legs, so often struggle to find boots to fit me. The elastic panels on the front, side and rear make the boots fit well, especially the one on the side near the Velcro fastener. The elastic panels ensure that the boot is nice and tight fitting to my leg, yet I can still fit my aramid riding leggings inside with ease.
There is a contoured shin plate, which means they fit snugly at the front, but I did find that the section at the top of the calf rubbed slightly after a lot of walking. I felt this might be because of the elastic stretch panel I love so much, as it maintains a very tight fit.
Throughout the 3000 or so miles I have clocked up with these boots, I’ve found them to be completely waterproof. I’ve used them on and off the bike in torrential rain and have never found my feet to be wet when I take them off. Hallelujah – waterproof boots that live up to the claims!
They have even kept my aramid leggings dry where they are covered by the boot, which I found quite funny when I took them off.
I’m impressed with the build quality of the boots; there are no signs of wear after 3000 miles. I also like the material on top of the foot for the gear selector as this is where I expect to see some marks, but it seems hard wearing and I can’t see any blemishes.
I like the look of the boots. They are all black, with small reflective features on the back and side. They are easy enough to clean after a muddy walk or ride and the material hasn’t stained while I’ve been using them.
They’ve kept my feet warm and dry throughout winter months without the need for fluffy socks, but I’m not sure how they would be in the height of summer after a long ride. It’s possible they would make your feet a bit warm, however I would definitely still wear them and just don a haz-mat suit for when I take them off!
I think you are getting a lot of boot for the money – around £180. They are not Gore-Tex, yet they kept my feet dry. They are an incredibly comfortable, female-specific, touring boot, which I would happily wear on one of my long road trips.
It’s now got me thinking about whether I want to go back to wearing sportsbike-style boots, as these are super-comfy and look the part as well.
Fit & Comfort
The boots are incredibly comfortable, but started to rub slightly after a long time wearing them. Having said that, I walked more in these boots than my usual sportsbike boots.
Waterproofing
I was impressed with the waterproofing qualities considering the membrane isn’t Gore-Tex
Protection
The boots have discreet reinforcements in the heel and toe, a shin plate and a stiff sole. The tight fit means that your foot and ankle are snug and protected.
Build quality
The boots show very little signs of wear after 3000 miles of use in all weathers and have developed no faults.
Features
They have fewer features than an all-singing, all-dancing pair of sports boots – but they have everything we would expect of touring boots.