Motorcycle Boot Sizing: How to Measure, When to Size Up and How Boots Meet Your Pants

Measure your foot length at the end of the day, wearing the socks you ride in, and compare it with the size chart for the exact boot you want. Do not assume your jacket size, your street-shoe size or another brand's boot size will carry over. If you land between two sizes, the usual advice is the larger one, to leave room for thick socks. Then check how the boot meets your pants. This guide is part of our motorcycle riding gear section; the home page lists every section.

Key takeaways

• Measure both feet in the evening, in riding socks, and size to the larger foot.
• Sizing differs between brands and even between models of one brand, so use the chart for the exact boot.
• Size boots on their own, not from jacket or pants size.
• Test the boot with your pants and in the riding position, not just standing.

Tools and materials

• A sheet of paper larger than your foot, a pen and a ruler or tape (inches and centimeters).
• The socks you ride in, including a thicker pair if you ride in cold weather.
• The size chart for the boot you are considering.
• A chair or the bike, for the riding-position check.

How to measure your foot

These steps follow the generic measuring method in a boot maker's sizing guide, which says to trace the foot, measure at the end of the day, in riding socks, and to size to the larger foot.

1. Pick the time. Measure in the evening, when feet have swelled through the day.
2. Put on your riding socks. Use the pair you will actually wear on the bike.
3. Trace the foot. Stand on the paper with your weight on it and trace around the foot.
4. Measure length. Measure from the back of the heel to the tip of the longest toe, in centimeters and inches.
5. Measure width. Measure across the widest part of the ball of the foot.
6. Repeat on the other foot. Most people have one foot slightly larger, so size to the larger one.
7. Compare with the chart. Use the chart for the exact boot, not a general one.

Do motorcycle boots run big or small?

There is no single answer. A gear retailer notes that brands use different sizing systems and even models within one brand fit differently with cut, materials and design. It advises checking the chart for the specific product, and says charts and size recommenders are only guides because body shape varies. A boot maker says its own boots run true to size and that leather boots typically need 2 to 4 rides to break in; that is a claim about its own boots, not a rule for every brand.

The store's boot guidance says to size boots on their own, think about your riding socks, and expect leather to give a little with wear, so a snug first fit is normal. Its boots come in standard sizes only, up to EU 46 and US 12, and Custom Size does not apply to boots, so check that your size exists in the style before you order.

When to size up

Comfort matters for safety: boots that are not comfortable are less likely to be worn. Riding or sturdy boots were linked to about 45% fewer foot and ankle injuries than regular shoes in Australian research.

How boots meet your pants

Size is only half the check. The other half is where the boot ends and the pants begin, because a gap or a hem that rides up leaves skin or shin exposed. MotoCAP advises boots that fully enclose the feet and ankles, ideally protecting the lower shin, with fastenings on the inside of the leg. Boot choice and pants choice should be tested together.

Run this overlap check with the pants you ride in:

1. Put on the boots, fasten them and put on the pants.
2. Sit on the bike, or on a chair with your knees bent as if riding. Gear is made for the riding position, and pants that feel long or short standing can sit right on the bike.
3. Look at the boot top and the pants hem. The hem should cover the boot top or fit around it without bunching, and no skin should show.
4. Reach the shifter and brake with your boot. The pants must not catch on the boot's fastenings or the shifter.
5. Stand up and walk. If the pants ride up over the boot, try a longer leg or a different boot height.

Common mistakes

• Sizing boots from jacket or pants size. Boots are sized on their own.
• Measuring in the morning. Feet swell during the day.
• Measuring in thin socks. Use the socks you ride in.
• Trusting another brand's chart. Brands and models differ.
• Judging fit while standing only. Test in the riding position.

Next steps

For the standard on the boot's label, see CE ratings by piece. To match boots with the rest of your kit, read how motorcycle gear should fit as a set. For a per-piece buying checklist, see how to choose proper motorcycle riding gear.

The store carries racing boots, touring and street boots, and ankle boots that are easier to walk in. See the leather motorcycle boots at Leather Collection and check each style's size chart.

FAQ

Are motorcycle riding boots true to size?

It depends on the brand and model. Brands use different sizing systems, and models within a brand can differ, so check the chart for the exact boot.

Should you size up or down in biker boots?

If you are between sizes, the store advises the larger size to leave room for thick socks. Leather gives a little with wear, so a snug first fit is normal, but painful is not.

How do I determine my motorcycle boot size?

Trace your foot in riding socks in the evening, measure heel to longest toe, measure the larger foot, and compare with the chart for that boot.