Dainese Long Range D-WP Boots Review

These days, motorcycle boots are as specialized as motorcycles themselves, with different styles for sport/track riding, touring, dual-sport/adventure riding, full-on motocross and all points in between. A high-quality pair of waterproof touring boots offer the most versatility, as I’ve found with the Dainese Long Range D-WP Boots that I have worn almost daily for six months.

Designed with just enough Italian style to make them attractive without being gaudy, the Dainese Long Ranges have a full cowhide leather upper and a non-slip, hard-rubber sole. The D-WP waterproof lining has done an excellent job keeping my feet dry. Even though we’ve had one heckuva drought here in Southern California, I wore the Long Range boots in one major downpour while riding and during a weekend walking around the wet streets of Portland, Oregon, and nary a drop of moisture came through.

All of the upper’s leather panels are double-stitched, and there is an abrasion-resistant treatment on the panels covering the top and inner and outer edges of the foot, where they’re most likely to rub against the bike, the shift lever or a curb. Hard nylon ankle inserts and thermoplastic polyurethane shin inserts provide crash protection, which meets the European Union’s EN 13634 standard, and a reflective panel at the back of the ankle improves nighttime visibility.

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A leather flap at the top secures with a large panel of hook-and-loop, and a zipper runs down the outside to the edge of the foot. Putting the boots on and taking them off takes just a few seconds, and they fit my average-width feet to a tee. Inside is an insulated comfort lining with a removable insole. The outer sole is firm enough to provide support and protection but soft enough to provide good feel on the pegs and flex as needed. Elasticized panels at the front and back of the boot allow good freedom of movement. Comfort is so good that I wear the Long Ranges all day, on the bike to/from work and all day at the office, or during long days of riding. As I mentioned above, I spent an entire weekend walking around Portland wearing these boots, and, although they don’t have the sole cushioning found in shoes or boots designed for walking, they fared well. The soles don’t show much wear and the leather, which was soft to begin with, has broken in to a nice suppleness without requiring any special care.

Motorcycle gear that is comfortable, well-made and easy to use gets a lot of use even when I have lots of options to choose from, and Dainese Long Range D-WP Boots fall into that category. They’ve seen six months of constant use, and I’ll continue wearing them for months (years?) to come. They come in black (nero, in Italian) only, and are available in European sizes 36-50, which correspond to U.S. men’s sizes 4.5-16. MSRP is $229.95, a reasonable price for such a high-quality, comfortable, waterproof pair of touring boots.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: See your dealer or visit dainese.com

1 COMMENT

  1. Your review says sizes 36-50. I wear a very common US 10, or Euro 43. Went to the Dainese web site, five of the sizes from 36-50 are missing, and no 43. I was ready to buy, but, dang.

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