TCX X-Five 5 GTX boots in black

A number of years ago we stopped offering TCX boots; partially because we didn’t like their way of doing business after they were bought by Dainese; and partly because we thought they were going off the rails in terms of design. Well, that was then; this is now. And so we are now once again offering a small selection of their boots.

 

And one of those boots is this new version of an old favourite, called the X-Five GTX.

 

We always liked the X-Five because it gave us a Gore-Tex, touring boot at a lower price point than a Daytona or a Held. And that’s still the case. The basic Daytona is the Road Star at £470. The most basic Held boot is the Alserio; and it costs £300. The X-Five comes in at £227. Yet, like the Held and Daytona boots, they are equipped with a Gore-Tex membrane, so are guaranteed to be waterproof for life.

 

Anyway, let’s talk through the spec..

 

TCX tells us that the boot is made up from a combination of leather and a microfibre material. What they don’t tell us which bits are leather, and which bits are microfibre. Now we can see that there are two different materials that make up the boot’s chassis. And what this means is that either the boot is largely leather with just a little bit of microfibre. Or it’s largely microfibre with a little bit of leather.

 

We suspect the latter, but that’s not an issue. Microfibre may not mould to the foot in the same way as leather does, but it’s harder wearing, more resistant to the rain, and needs next to no maintenance.

 

In most other respects, the TCX X-Five has the kind of spec. you might expect. So a hardened counter, in the toe. The same in the heel. Cups in the ankles, a shin guard and a gearchange pad. The sole is what TCX calls a Groundtrax sole. That’s a name made up by TCX, which is unimportant. What is more important is that is designed to give the maximum grip on the road. This is no off-road boot. The sole is also hugely stiff, although TCX makes no mention of a shank embedded in the  mid-sole. You get concertina stretch padding in the forefoot and the heel for easier articulation.

 

The inner sole is an Ortholite one. It’s well cushioned, and the idea is that, over time, the foot will form an impression in it for added comfort.

 

What TCX tells us is that this version of the X-Five is wider than the old version, and that’s good because lots of people here in the shop ended up going for a Daytona or Held because the TCX was too narrow.

 

Entry into the boot is via a single zip down the outside of the boot. Usefully there’s a stretch panel that runs the length of the zip to make it easier to fasten.

 

The boot is somewhat shorter than a Road Star. But it's more a short, touring boot than a tall ankle boot. And it's certainly tall enough to prevent rain bouncing off the ground and getting in over the shaft.

 

Of course, what causes the X-Five to stand out, especially at this price point, is that the boot is equipped with a Gore-Tex membrane. Gore makes the best membranes, but importantly they guarantee the waterproofing of products with their membranes for life.

 

And at just over £200 that makes these boots a bit of a no-brainer.

 

Now let's not get carried away. This is no Daytona. It won't be as comfortable as a Daytona. With no steel shank it's not, in theory, as protective as a Daytona. We won't be able to have them repaired in the way we can a Daytona. And, unlike a Daytona, it's unlikely you'll be wearing them in 10 years' time.

 

But bottom line? A heck of a lot of boot for the money.