Review: TCX Drifter Waterproof Boot

Date reviewed: January 2018 | Tested by: Simon Hancocks | Price: £259.99 | www.nevis.uk.com

I’ve been using the TCX drifter boots for about a year now and have clocked up around 10,000 miles in them. They have primarily been used on my Yamaha Tracer 700.

Construction and features

The upper has a vintage leather exterior with a padded front and rear micro fibre lining, suede heat guard, ankle protectors, and leather gear shift pads on both toes. The Drifter come in a weathered finish which I really like, as time has gone on they have darkened slightly which adds to the ride-hardened style. They have an internal waterproof lining and a deep cut sole and stepped heel.

Fastening

Securing the boots are three large, and fairly stiff, aluminium buckles that are fitted to an adjustable ratchet strap. They are quite fiddly to adjust but as this is an operation you should only have to do once, it’s not a massive issue. The top of the boot is also secured with a Velcro strap that helps to keep your feet dry if you wear your trousers tucked into them. The only negative I have found is the top edge of the boots will sometimes irritate my leg if I’m not wearing base layers, or socks that come up to the knee.

Comfort

For the first week they were comfortable to a point but then I would find myself reaching for my trainers. Now I can happily wear them for a full day and be happy and blister-free. I have even worn them for an afternoon walk of about 3-miles and they were perfect.

I’m not really one for manufacturer gimmicks and brochure speak so when I read about the TCX Comfort Fit System (C.F.S) I was less than sold. The theory is that each boot that uses the technique is manually constructed on a mould of the foot. TXC claim that this gives the boots a higher degree of comfort in all situations and for longer periods of time.

Okay I am sold - it works, thank you TCX. The Drifter are a boot you can use all day without any discomfort.

Sole

The sole was quite rigid at first but only took a few days of riding to break in. The boots are now comfortable and give me no issues whether on or off the bike. The sole has deeply cut treads and a large heal, which provides you a solid base if you do need to stand up on the pegs when riding off-road. The grip pattern provides you a very solid base when you are off the bike. In the recent snow storms we had this was a very welcome feature!

Waterproofing

The Drifter boots are said to be 100% waterproof which I have found to be completely true. Riding through winter storms and summer showers, my feet have always been kept completely dry and comfortable. The lining is also soft and plush enough to keep your feet warm on the coldest of winter days even when wearing normal socks.

Conclusion

As somebody who had only worn sportsbike riding boots previously the TCX Drifters had a lot of work to do to impress. They are now my default riding footwear when I’m riding anything other than a sportsbike. I can’t stress how supremely comfortable they are; the fact they also offer a very high level of protection is a clever trick which is not easy to balance.

 If you are looking for a boot that you can commute in, tour in, go green laning or even mild enduro riding, the TCX Drifter boots are all of these things in one package.

Things I like:

• Comfort
• Styling
• Waterproofing that works
• Protection

Things I didn't like:

• Buckles are quite stiff to use
• Deep tread on the sole holds a lot of muck!