Daytona Ladystar GTX
- A goretex, fully insulated boot with an extra thick sole
- Euro Sizes 35-39 (40-43/MStar)
- My US Size: 7 / Size Purchased: 36
- Where to Buy: Helimot, Scuderia West
- $$$-$$$$
07/11/08 - Updated Check out a few of my blog posts about these boots and a few others as well. The first picture pretty much sums up how much height these boots give you. You can see that I'm standing on a book that's about 2.25" tall. You can see how high your foot is sitting inside that boot.
I've read many great things about these boots adding a whole inch to one's height, so I had to go see for myself. After upgrading to a Kawi Z750S, I've added about 1" in vertical height from my Ninja 250, and I've gained over 100lbs in extra weight. (300lbs vs. 429lbs!). So the combination of these factors have put me at a slight disadvantage. Most motorcycles these days don't seem to take female riders into account. Although that's changing with a lot of the major manufacturers starting with 2006, it certainly hasn't been addressed with older models.
Let me preface this by saying that I used to wear a pair of Oxtar TCX Sunray waterproof boots.
Upon inspecting the boots, you can tell that they are made very differently from other riding boots. There is an obvious difference in thickness of the soles as well as shape and density of the boot. It has zippers and velcro on both sides, as well as a reflective patch on the backside. They're a little stiff until you break in the leather, but once broken in they become a comfortable, snug boot that hugs your foot perfectly. Being a European boot, of course the sizes are European. You'll find a little room in the heel, but I was assured by the Helimot rep. that it's perfectly normal and it'll change once the boot is properly broken in. They even offer size 34 (~size 5 US) for those of you who have petite feet! They're completely waterproof, goretex boot to keep your feet dry in wet weather. I am also amazed at the additional traction they give me when parking my beloved Z. Before these boots, I always felt like my feet were going to slip out from under me. I feel much more confident when maneuvering my bike in small spaces, especially parking. You may also need to adjust your shift lever to make room for the extra thickness as well. Should your soles wear out or you need a zipper fixed, you can ship them to Helimot to be repaired at a very reasonable price.
If you're a boy, and you need a boot with more height advantage, it's called the M-Star GTX in bigger sizes. That way you don't have to tell your manly moto friends that you bought a pair of LadyStar's.
If you're looking for a boot with plenty of room for your leathers to fit into, the Ladystar will take all of it and then some. It has an elastic liner near the calf which adjusts quite nicely to any extra pant you may need to add.
Like any piece of well made, leather motorcycle garment, you will be paying a bit more than you would for a lower quality boot. This is a high quality, high performance boot and you will be extremely satisfied with the LadyStars.
