Roland Sands Design and White’s Boots’ Foreman Boots retail for $449.99. (Jeff Allen/)

I love it when this happens. When two companies, known for being exceptional at the different things they do, collaborate to make one amazing product. The Foreman Boot from Roland Sands Design and White’s Handmade Boots is just that, merging White’s boot-making expertise with the motorcycle know-how of the team at RSD for a specialized riding boot that is designed for the ride and built, as they say, to last a lifetime. To see if they live up to the hype and the $450 price tag, I got a pair to test out, beat up, and push through a couple thousand miles on the highway.

White’s Boots started back in the early 1900s in Spokane, Washington. Now, for more than 100 years, White’s has been supplying linemen, firefighters, loggers, and many more hard-working individuals with tough, comfortable, and long-lasting boots. I have always seen them and admired them from afar, but as a motorcyclist and not a blue-collar worker, it was a little difficult to justify the $500 price tag—until now.

Wearing the Foreman Boots on a spirited ride aboard Honda’s CB1000R. (Jeff Allen/)

The RSD crew, on the other hand, is not only known for making fashionable riding gear, hard parts, and custom motorcycles, but for being a group of individuals who ride their motorcycles daily and know what it means to be out there, really doing it. Combine those two companies and you can expect something amazing. The boots don’t disappoint.

The Foreman Boot is made of full-grain water-resistant Chromexcel leather with a Vibram sole, as well as a leather midsole and shank. The sole feels stiff but comfortable to walk in. It is thick and grips the pavement well. An Ortholite insole pads the base and makes for a plush landing with each step. They come with an optional tongue saver to place between the laces and tongue, which I installed because I like both the roper-style look and the function of taking the brunt of the wear from the laces. Each toe section has an extra layer of leather stitched on as a shift pad, just in case you ride an old British bike or Ironhead with right-side shift. They come with thick or thin leather laces; I use the thicker ones that wrap around the top before tying. They came undone a few times at first, as they were a little stiff, but as they broke in they became very reliable. Like all of White’s boots, they are rebuildable and resoleable to last a very long time.

An embossed RSD version of the classic White’s Boots logo adorns the side of each boot. (Morgan Gales/)

When I first started wearing the Foreman Boots, they were a little stiff and, as most new things are, a little too polished for my liking. Over the next few weeks they molded to my foot, darkening where the rubber shift lever rubs on the upshift and lightening toward the back of the heel where the boot rubs my bike. The soles have rounded out on the bottom edges but have barely lost any visible tread otherwise—they’re more dense than the white Vibrams we’re used to seeing on Red Wings.

After a couple months of hard daily use, the Foreman Boots have broken in nicely and wear like a second, much more protective, skin. A quick coat of polish and some buffing will have them looking good as new and feeling just as nice as ever. (Morgan Gales/)

I recently picked up some dark burgundy shoe polish that I’ll use every once in a while to darken the light spots and keep the leather moist. I imagine in about a year I’ll have to send them back for their first resole and further down the line I’ll have to send them back to Spokane for a full rebuild. But if you’re like me, you like things that last and become better with age. Things that will never be thrown away. Things that gain character while they demonstrate the masterful craftsmanship with which they were made. As John Prine said, stuff that works. These boots have stayed comfortable and they’re only getting better. It’s clear from my use that all of the materials used are of the highest quality, and, more than just investing in a pair of boots, you’re putting your money into the companies behind them and the guarantees that they offer. White’s has been doing this since 1915 and succeeding because they do it well, and like they promise, they do it to last.

For more information, check out rolandsands.com.
Source link