Dainese Acquires TCX Boots

Vicenza, October 1st 2020 – Dainese Group, historic brand of motorcycle protective gear, acquires TCX, renowned Italian brand of motorbike footwear. 

Dainese is proud to announce the acquisition of TCX, headquartered in Montebelluna (Treviso, ITA), focusing on motorbike shoes and boots. 

Dainese Torque Out Womens Boots; My favorite pair of riding boots that I wear everytime I ride.

TCX has deep technical and development expertise in motorbike footwear and shares with Dainese the focus on product and quality. Thanks to craftsmanship, innovative technology and decades of field research, TCX is able to understand and meet motorbike riders’ needs, proposing solutions for all purposes, from racing, to off-road, to footwear designed for urban and leisure use. 

“Improving safety in dynamic sports has always been the Dainese mission,” states Cristiano Silei, CEO at Dainese Group, “committing to ongoing research into innovative systems that protect athletes from head to toe. We are extremely proud of this operation. TCX shares with Dainese the passion for product and adds technical and development skills that are fundamental in motorbike footwear. I take the opportunity to welcome the TCX team. We cannot wait working together”. 

Dainese Group, with the Dainese and AGV brands, strengthens further in the footwear category with the entry of TCX, and represents an international center for innovation and quality in 
head-to-toe protective gear. Dainese’s mission continues.

• dainese.com

• tcxboots.com

Goodbye Winter, Hello Spring! New Womens Gear for 2020.

A few of these things launched last Fall but I haven’t had a chance to share them until now. Enjoy!

This season is full of sporty new styles, ultimate mesh, curvy / plus size jeans and some casual, perforated leather. Lots of new gear to explore this season. Post your thoughts, opinions, questions, at the end!

Alpinestars SMX Plus v2 Boots 

Riding boots with substantial protection (in the forms of impact and lateral support) are few and far between when it comes to women’s motorcycle gear. 

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Only black for now…

Track / sport style riding boots have always been less popular and minimally designed as far as protection goes. I think pants and riding boots are the last two things that most riders think about, especially women. And that’s unfortunate because your hands and feet are vital to having precise, solid control of your motorcycle.

In my experience, most women buy casual, relaxed riding footwear like sneakers and cruiser style boots. Unless you ride a sportbike, you’ll likely never look at boots like these, although everyone needs this type of protection regardless of what they ride.  

There has been a mens version of the SMX Plus for a while now. What makes these a step up from the popular SMX-6’s is the extra ankle protection that they offer. Also a much more secure calf adjustment with no velcro. If you have a track style pant or track suit, you’ll have a solid fit with no chance of the calf opening while riding. 

The huge stretchy/accordion style panel over the ankles should also allow for more range of motion as you increase your body positioning work from dropping your knee to dragging your knee. Woo hoo! 

Although Alpinestars has always offered Euro 36-37-38 in the men’s track boots, the women’s specific model should be a tighter fit around the heels/ankles and instep. If you do need more room in those areas but still have a foot at the length of a Euro 36-38, then I’d probably still recommend trying the men’s versions.  $399 MSRP.

Alpinestars Stella GP-R Tech Air Jacket

(just FYI, Stella just means womens, so whenever you see that it’s not a style name, it’s just acting as a pronoun)

When Tech Air was announced from Alpinestars, it was mainly focused on the men’s segment but now it’s our turn. Just like the men’s jackets, it has the ability to take in the Tech Air Race Vests which are sold separately. 

In addition to this jacket, there’s also a Missile Tech-Air 1Pc Suit for women. $599 MSRP.

Alpinestars Stella GP-R Tech Air

Dainese Torque 3 Out Boots

I have the older womens Torques which I was SO excited about when they came out. What makes Dainese boots stand out is that they offer lateral ankle protection and, a lower profile overall. 

I don’t see any substantial changes from the previous model other than this eye catching white / fluo red! If you’re wondering why, it’s because it matches perfectly with a couple of their suits.

As Dainese is always Dainese, it’ll likely be a very narrow fit in the toes, instep and heels. So for comparable protection and a wider fit you’ll want to try a different brand.

Dainese Killalane PERFORATED Suit 

Holy colorway Batman. Colorway is retailspeak for colors. :D

If you’re looking for a completely different color option that is unique on the track, I think this is it.

I’m thinking Captain Marvel? :) And check out that Black/Teal combo. Woooo. Also, absolutely no pink. I know how controversial the pink theme can be, but Teal is still a very beautiful color, in my opinion. And something that hasn’t been beaten to death with marketing over the past 20 years the way that pink has. MSRP $999.95

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Dainese Carbon 3 Gloves

Let’s not forget matching teal gloves. I am really drawn to these colors for some reason.

Maybe it’s the asymmetric pattern? I don’t know. But I like it!

A little hard to wear unless you already wear all black or black/white. Of course there’s also black if that’s your color. MSRP $179.95

RUKKA STRETCH AIR JACKET AND PANTS

Rukka is one of those brands you’ve probably never heard of. But it’s a brand that you want to know because their mesh jackets are magical. That’s really the best word I can use to describe them.

This jacket is particularly wonderful at keeping you comfortable in ungodly hot weather. What really makes this brand unique is the application of Cordura AFT fabrics.

It’s a very unique application of mesh that you can only find with Rukka. As you can see, it can be cost-prohibitive and not very many people can spend $500 on a mesh jacket. Fitment for women’s Rukka can be challenging (fairly straight except for roomier shoulders and bust space, so slightly inverted triangle shaped) as well. The pants tend to run a bit slimmer in the hips with some extra room in the waist and then slimmer legs/calves. I’ve never ridden in one of these, but I hope to try one out this Summer to see if I like the fitment.

I’ll be honest, the only real reason I haven’t flipped a switch to Rukka for summer is simply styling and aesthetics. I much prefer how my Revit mesh looks. Vain, I know! 

If I weren’t so vain, I’d spend a little extra on this suit in a heartbeat. MSRP $499 Jacket, $449 Pants.

Cortech Lolo Jacket

The Lolo is one of the few leather jackets that I’ve found that fit really well for very curvy girls.

Not only does it (and all Cortech womens jackets) offer plus sizing, but also a roomy chest, shoulder, bust and waist with a slightly shorter sleeve length. The leather looks great in person, not too shiny and not too worn. Available in brown and black. MSRP $299.99.

Firstgear Bancroft Gloves

This is a brand new style for FirstGear and I think it offers a tremendous amount of protection for the price point. As the brand goes, you’ll find these great for shorter, wider hands and shorter fingers. 

Full wrist coverage and a palm slider. For $99, it makes for a great Spring/Fall/Mild Winter waterproof glove. 

But if you don’t like longer cuff gloves, try the shorter versions, the Electra. 

Bull-It Tactical Straight Fit Jeans

I haven’t found any pants (with the exception of Oxford Leggings) that fit as curvy as these do. I would call these a Plus Size Fit Jean because the rise is so high and because the waist fit is so generous. 

They aren’t the highest protection or performance, but they do offer a fitment that simply doesn’t exist in women’s riding pants.

And for that reason I highly recommend them.

You can amp up the protection with D3O level 2 armor from Klim or Icon if you want a little more. MSRP $129.95.

ROLAND SANDS MIA LEATHER JACKET

I like this jacket because it’s super stylish for riding, but also perfect off the bike. The hoody is a removable, stand alone softshell jacket. Per usual Roland Sands fit, it still has a slimmer profile. But with the huge stretch panel that runs vertically from the shoulder to the waist along with the small hip gussets, it works well for lean, pear shape and some curvier body types. Not quite as curvy as the Lolo but not super slim like the Italians (Dainese, Alpinestars, Spidi). It’s been hugely popular in the Showroom and looks beautiful in person. I think you could make it work on any riding style, even sporty bikes (without the hood because if you ride extremely forward, and wear your full face helmet, it will definitely be in your way when you try to move your head back or check your blind spot.)

If you don’t love black, don’t worry there’s also a lovely light grey and dark brown. MSRP $599.

ROLAND SANDS TRINITY PERFORATED LEATHER JACKET

A casual styled leather that’s also perforated is really, really hard to come by. In fact, I want to say the Trinity is the first one I’ve seen. This is essentially the perforated version of the Mia. So what does that mean? It means when it’s 80F out, you’ll get to wear this pretty leather jacket if you’d rather not wear textile mesh!

The biggest difference is that there’s no removable liners. The Trinity has the same stretchy panels along the back from the shoulder down the sides of the torso. This makes a huge difference for fit, allowing for a more versatile fit that can be worn by multiple body types. It won’t have the slimmest fit like a European brand but it comes pretty close. And when a woman who does need a little more room around the bust or shoulders needs the space, it’ll allow for that as well. Kudos to Roland Sands for the smart design on this and the Mia. MSRP $450.

Favorite Black Friday Motorcycle Deals for Women

It’s Black Friday Weekend.

So here’s a few of my favorite deals to check out:

Dainese Women’s Closeouts

Suits and boots for your next track day, or extra safe street riding. My current Dainese Torque track boots that I wear everywhere are on closeout too.

Sale prices vary up to 35% Off Retail

Allllllll The Leather……

(Fit Profile: Slim/Straight)

Dainese Torque Out D1 Boots Review

Revit Tornado 2 Jacket and Pants

Regularly $349.95 (jacket) $359.95 (pants), Now $249.95 (29-31% Off)

Since the Tornado also has a removable liner, it runs a bit looser than the next one. So remember that fit should work with and without liners, but think about how often you’ll wear the liner.

Sizing for Rev’it can also be a little wonky so message me if you need help sizing as Revit doesn’t provide a hip measurement on their size charts. Rev’it pants fit the most generous across almost all Euro brands (Rukka, Alpinestars, Dainese, Revit) that I’ve seen.

(Fit Profile: Hourglass and Pear)

Revit Arc Air Mesh Jacket

Regularly $249.99 Now $229.99 (10% off)

This weekend only, Revit is up to 15% Off All Regular priced items for men and women.

I’m wearing a Euro 38 because this jacket runs tighter than it’s sister the Airwave (which is also on crazy sale)

The Arc Air is much sportier, tighter in the waist/bust/shoulders everywhere, so I had to size up from a Euro 36 which I normally wear in Rev’it.

This one doesn’t have a liner and has a lot of mesh for max airflow, so you really want to reserve it for hot, hot, hot weather riding.

I bought this one just to wear in the middle of summer, to and from work for my short commute or around town.

(Fit Profile: Hourglass, Lean)

Olympia Airglide 5 Jacket

Reg. $289.95, Now $169.99 (41% Off)

The Airglide has been in Olympia’s lineup for years, hopefully we’ll see a 6th version come out with some nice updates to design and armor so it reduces the shoulder and elbow profiles for more comfort.

This jacket runs really, really generous so let me know if you need help sizing.

Diane (left) fits well in one with her apple shape.

(Fit Profile: Curvy, Apple)

Arai DT-X Helmet

Regularly $589-$739, Now $399 (32% off)

This one isn’t for women only, but anyone looking for what I call a Unicorn Intermediate Oval.

For the intermediate oval folks out there who need a little more room from ear to ear than say Shoei, but aren’t necessarily looking for a round oval helmet. Arais are also the most comfortable when you need more room for your cheeks/face but need a tighter oval for the crown of your head.

If you’re not sure what any of this means, then check out the latest episode of my podcast which covers helmet fit tips.

Rukka Toughtrail GTX Jacket

Regularly $799.99 Now $599.99 (25% off)

Rukka is one of those funky brands that offer a niche product for women. The Toughtrail is an adventure style, multiseason jacket that offers a removable GoreTex rain jacket. So you will have to supply your own warmth. But if you’re looking for a lightweight coat that isn’t necessarily mesh and an optional waterproof/windproof liner for Spring/Summer/Fall riding, this jacket is perfect. As far as fitment, you’ll find a roomy shoulder/chest compared to the Italians (Dainese, Alpinestars, Spidi) and even Rev’it.

There’s also a matching pant to get you fully suited up, which is also 25% off!

(Fit Profile: Hourglass)

As always, I’m here for you if you need more personalized suggestions. Just drop me an email or chat me on social media (@gearchic everywhere) !

Taller Motorcycle Boots for Women

An internal life is far more effective than an external one

It’s been too long since I updated my last post on tall boots, so here’s an updated list of taller women’s motorcycle boots that will give you an additional 2-2.5” of heel height that I hope increases your confidence, stability and traction. 

Before you look at this list, keep in mind that none of these will options will make up for a mistake in judgment by riding a motorcycle completely out of your experience like a 1,000cc sportbike when you’ve just barely gotten your permit or only have a few hundred miles of experience on a beginner bike. 

Learning to ride well is crucial in the short riders’ experience, because we all know that the best riders in the world are often the shortest. 

But if you aren’t in that bucket, and you’re simply looking for a boost in confidence and traction like I was years ago when I bought my first pair of Daytonas, then you’ve come to the right place!

But if you aren’t in that bucket, and you’re simply looking for a boost in confidence and traction like I was years ago when I bought my first pair of Daytonas, then you’ve come to the right place!

1/ Daytona Lady Star GTX $449

The boot that started it all. These were my second pair of riding boots after I upgraded my bike from a 250cc to a 750cc.

At the time, they were incredible and I like to compare them to training wheels.

After I really learned to ride, I simply didn’t need them anymore. Read my review here. 

They’re now just my cold winter riding boots, and I only use them sparingly when it’s freezing.

Daytona Lady Pilot GTX

2/ Daytona Lady Pilot GTX $349

Due to the popularity of the Lady Star, the Lady Pilot was released about a year ago.

Basically the same boot with a simpler style, slightly tighter calf and streamlined look. Same internal lift and fitment. 

3/ Daytona Lady SL Pilot GTX $329

For those of you looking for a shorter shafted boot, this will cover your ankles but not as high as the Pilot or Stars.

Also expect a similar, wide fit just like the other two Daytonas. 

These are the shorter versions of the Lady Pilot. Same fitment and everything.

Daytona Lady SL Pilot GTX (why can’t they come up with more creative names?)

4/ TCX Tourer GTX $279

Other brands have finally caught on including TCX. The Tourer GTX is a similar, internally shafted boot. The major difference is the outer material.

It isn’t mesh fabric for ventilation, it’s mesh for breathability so that the GoreTex membrane can pull as much as moisture away from your feet as possible.

They will absolutely keep you dry, promise.

The overall shaft height is not as tall as the Lady Pilots. The red circles are from something else I wrote to demonstrate all the impact areas that boots like these will offer. I like the way TCX boots fit, great width and comfort and quality for the price.

I also like how lightweight these boots are. Since they’re mostly synthetic, I don’t think they’re going to stretch very much unfortunately.

TCX Tourer GTX

Revit Quest H2O

5/ REVIT Quest H2O $299

The Quest isn’t shafted as high as Daytonas, but they’re still pretty thick in the heel.

What is pretty interesting about them is how wide they are, especially in the ankles. For this reason, I have found them challenging to fit because they’re usually quite loose on most women that try them on.

These are also waterproof, just not GoreTex.

I do like the Vibram soles though.

Dainese Aurora D-Dry

6/ Dainese Aurora D-Dry $239

These will be the narrowest of all of them.

It has a substantial lift and low profile. I like how these look the best (vanity is okay!).

Dainese always wins for design, don’t they?

These are also fully waterproof, just not GoreTex.

I hope these options help you, don’t hesitate to contact me directly if you ever need anything!