My Experiences With The Forma Adventure Low Boot

My first few months of adventure motorcycling I quickly learned that my choice in footwear definitely wasn’t the best. At the time I would ride my bike to remote locations in Colorado and then go on short hikes to explore ghost towns, mining ruins, or rock formations.  One of the issues that I had when I did this was that I was wearing hiking boots that provided zero protection and support while riding. After a trip to the emergency room, I eventually picked up a pair of Thor dirt bike riding boots however, they weren’t exactly made for adventure riding. The boots that I had were geared for a day riding on a motocross track and were very uncomfortable walking around let alone wearing them for several hours and they also weren’t waterproof. After a few months I decided to transition my footwear to something that would be comfortable on and off the bike for extended periods of time with some protection and support.

At the time boots designed around adventure riding were few and far between and options were very limited. After reading many lengthy reviews and watching YouTube videos I ended up discovering the Forma Adventure Low’s. The Forma Adventure Boots come in two styles, the Adventure which is a full-length calf boot and the Adventure Low which is an ankle boot.  These boots were designed by Forma from the ground up with adventure riding in mind and have a solid combination of comfort and protection. The Forma’s have an oiled leather exterior that comes in black or a two-tone brown with an aggressive molded rubber sole. The strapping is an “unbreakable” plastic that’s adjustable with a leather and Velcro strap at the top of the boot.  On the inside of the boot is Forma’s patented Drytex breathable water proof liner and memory foam insoles. Both the Adventure’s and Adventure Lows are fairly lightweight and after wearing them a few times you actually forget that your wearing riding boots. As for a price point the Forma Adventure Lows have an MSRP of $250 dollars while the Adventures have an MSRP of $280 which is around the middle of the pack price wise.

One of the main reasons why I decided to go with the Forma Adventure Low’s was the ankle boot option. At the time my riding style had changed from riding single track trails and technical routes to more mild routes and dirt/gravel roads and I felt that I didn’t need a calf boot. Another reason that I chose the Forma’s was their durability, a friend of mine in Colorado had the Adventure’s and threw everything from the Trans America Trail to several Back Country Discovery Routes at them and they never failed him in any aspect. Out of the box the Forma Adventure Low’s performed as advertised. They were a light weight adventure riding boot that was the perfect blend of comfort and protection.

I’ve worn my Forma Adventure Low’s for three years and so far, I’ve had very few if any issues. The Drytex breathable waterproof liner has kept my feet nice and dry through numerous rain storms and water crossings and in terms of durability they have certainly held up to some pretty difficult situations. For comfort I’ve had no complaints while wearing them for hours on end and recently I wore them for 11 straight hours on a ride in the Southern Appalachian’s. The aggressive rubber sole has provided plenty of grip on short hikes as well as on the pegs of my bike in wet and muddy conditions. At this point your thinking that the Forma Adventure Lows are a great boot which they are however, they do have some drawbacks. In terms of protection the Forma Adventure Lows are fair at best, the ankle inserts and shin guard areas are made of a soft plastic that flex’s very easily and sometimes feels flimsy. The toe and heel boxes are made of a light weight composite material that are rigid but don’t seem as solid as those on enduro or dirt bike boots. Lastly, the Forma Adventure’s don’t have too much rigidity or stability and can easily flex and twist with very little pressure. 

So after all of this how do I feel about the Forma Adventure Low’s? For three years I have subjected them to all kinds of abuse and so far they haven’t failed me yet and they still have tons of life left in them. For a boot designed around adventure riding they do the job very well and I would recommend them if your looking for a boot that’s comfortable for hours on end however, keep in mind that they do sacrifice some protection for that comfort. If your more of a dual sport rider or ride in more technical terrain then you might want an enduro oriented boot that provides more protection. Wrapping up the Forma Adventure Low’s aren’t a bad option for riding boots and for the price and what they offer they are well worth it as long as you realize what their limitations are, mine have taken three long years of abuse and hopefully will have many more.