Brand new dirt bike boots are often incredibly stiff. Not only does this make them uncomfortable to wear for the first few rides, but it also makes it hard to control and maneuver your dirt bike when you’re out on the trails. This is why you should take the extra time to break in your dirt bike boots properly before wearing them on the tracks and trails.
Break in dirt bike boots by wearing them around the house, walking around and moving in them, simulate riding heel and toe dips, performing toe hops, and generally flexing and using the dirt bike boots.
In this article, we’ll provide the a step by step guide filled with helpful tips and tricks on how to break in your new dirt bike boots. As you read, you’ll learn the dos and don’ts of this process to ensure you have a comfortable boot in no time without causing any accidental damage.
Simulate Riding Heel and Toe Dips
There are a few ways you can go about breaking in your new dirt bike boots, but the technique we recommend starting with is to put the boots on, get on your bike, and start performing some heel and toe dips.
The reason you want to start with this technique is because it simulates the movements you’ll be performing when riding your dirt bike and wearing these boots. This will ensure that the boot is broken in and loosens around your leg.
If you were to perform some of the techniques listed later in this guide without doing this one first, you might find that the boot’s material starts to bend and loosen in a way that it normally wouldn’t if you were wearing them and isn’t consistent to the movements you’d perform on a bike (ex. movements required to walk aren’t the same as those required to control a dirt bike).
Here’s a quick video with some tips, with more info below:
How to Perform Heel and Toe Dips on a Dirt Bike
Before you get on your dirt bike to perform these exercises, we suggest putting your dirt bike boots on and loosening the straps so they aren’t as tight as they normally would be.
While you usually want your dirt bike boots as tight as possible (without feeling uncomfortable) when riding, you’ll want them to feel looser the first few times you were them to promote more flex in the boot and expedite the breaking in process without compromising your comfort.
Once your boots are strapped on, sit on your parked dirt bike and place the toe of one foot on the pedal with the heel hovering further back. In this position, you’ll slowly push down and lower your heel towards the ground while keeping your toe on the pedal as much as possible.
This will start to loosen and break in the dirt bike boot around your calf and heel. Repeat this process for about 5 minutes and then shift your foot so that your heel is on the pedal and your toe is hovering further forward.
Perform a similar motion by pushing your toe down towards the floor while keeping your heel on the pedal as much as possible. Repeat this process for another five minutes and then repeat the heel and toe dips on the opposite foot.
Here’s another video with more pointers for breaking in motocross boots:
Continue Flexing the Dirt Bike Boot
The next step of this process is one that most dirt bike riders will go to first, which is to simply flex their new boots without putting them on beforehand. Again, we recommend simulating riding motions while on your bike first for a smoother break in, but if you don’t have the time or the means for that, you can break in your dirt bike boots with just this technique.
To continue flexing your new dirt bike boots, remove them and then either place your arm or stuff a standard towel inside. The reason for this to further ensure that the creases created during the breaking in process go comfortably around your leg and foot rather than digging into them.
After something sturdy has been placed inside the boot, place it on a solid surface, like a table or a chair, and start flexing replicating the heel and toe dips discussed previously.
For the toe dips, simple pull the toe of the boot upwards towards the straps and continue that for about 5 minutes. You’ll then place the heel of the boot on your chosen surface at a 90-degree angle and start pushing the toe downwards for another 5 minutes.
Perform Toe Hops
The sole is one of the hardest parts of any dirt bike boot to break in, and one of the best and safest ways to do this that we’ve found is with a few minutes of toe hops.
To do this, you’ll want to put your dirt bike boots on (remember to keep the straps loose), crouch down as low as you can while balancing in your toes, and then start to hop in place on your toes.
You’ll undoubtedly feel a bit ridiculous during this process, but it is a quick and easy way to break in those tough soles while limiting the risk of creasing the material too much.
Perform this process for about 5 minutes and then take a little break, maybe walk around, before repeating the process for another 5 minutes.
Final Thoughts
After performing on the methods listed in this guide, you should notice a significant difference in how your new dirt bike boots feel. After repeating these methods for a few days, you should feel ready to take your boots out on a test run.
Remember to take things easy the first few rides with new dirt bike boots for the sake of safety since they’ll be a bit harder to use. Purchasing them in the right size will also help ensure they fit well from the start and limit how much time and effort you spend breaking them in.