Stylmartin Land boots in black

The Stylmartin Land is a difficult boot to categorise. It's all kinds of boots in one; a jack of all trades perhaps; a master of none conceivably.

 

It's neither a full-height touring and commuting boot, nor a short ankle boot. It's a boot that you could easily wear on a cruiser, but with its adjustable, ski buckle fastener it's also got a touch of adventure about it. This is a boot that could pass muster on just about any type of bike.

 

The chassis is built up from a combination of full-grain leather and some kind reinforced, textile material that is incorporated for added comfort.

 

The Land is both a comfortable boot and a protective one.

 

There's a hugely strong counter in the toe, and another one in the heel. There are hard, foam-backed protectors in the ankles. The toe box, by the way, is large and quite wide. At the top of the shaft you get a hard, plastic, shin protector. Below this you get a baffled, padded panel, and this will contribute to both walking and riding comfort. There's another padded panel at the top of the shaft at the back. There's an extra layer of leather sewn onto the toe for a gearchange pad.

 

In the heel there are three, reflective inserts for better nighttime visibility.

 

The Land's leather is treated for waterproofing, but the real waterproofing comes by means of a breathable and waterproof membrane.

 

The boot fastens with a single, ski-buckle strap. There's also an adjustable, Velcro flap at the top of the shaft.

 

The sole features Stylmartin's most rugged and aggressive tread pattern designed for the mud, the rain and the rocks. That having been said, this is a sole that's going to work just as well for those who commute or tour. It's a sole that's going to deliver impressive grip in nearly all conditions.

 

As with pretty much all of Stylmartin's boots it comes with a removable, anatomic, insole.

 

Still haven't quite got my head around exactly what this boot is. I figure that it's a boot that will be whatever you want it to be.