Anyone who's ever experienced even a minor motorcycle accident will tell you that having a pair of tall, solid boots on your feet is just as important as wearing a helmet. It doesn't take a lot of damage to wreck your lower extremities for life (or worse), and having your bike fall on your leg, foot, or ankle — especially followed by any amount of sliding down the pavement — is a surefire recipe for never walking right again, much less riding.

You only get one pair of legs and feet in life, and if you're a motorcyclist who cares about your body in the slightest, you can't afford to skimp on shoddy gear.

I recommend the SMX-6 V2 Drystar boots by Alpinestars, which offer formidable protection without sacrificing comfort. These CE-certified boots are designed for everyday street/sport riding and the occasional track racing day.

They've got thick TPU padding in all the right places to provide impact and abrasion protection where you want it, while still offering enough flexibility that you can walk around in them without feeling like a LEGO minifig, at least for short distances. The compound rubber sole is also super grippy, with tread patterns going in all different directions.

While there are a number of SMX-6 V2 models to choose from — including the standard version and a vented edition for hot-weather riding — my vote goes to the “Drystar” boots, which sport a waterproof lining for all-weather performance, yet feel relatively breathable thanks to the sweat-wicking material inside.

You can see how the models in the lineup compare in this video from RevZilla:

Invest in the safety of your body by picking up the Alpinestars SMX-6 V2 Drystars for $330 on Amazon. In the event of a crash, they could mean the difference between a life-changing catastrophe and an incident you walk away from.

Note: The boots do tend to run a bit big, so I'd try going down a full size when purchasing. Women looking for the same boots will want to check out the “Stella” model.