I've been wearing Forma Adventure highs for a couple of years, but after a broken collarbone. took a serious look at my gear from a protection point of view, and it was time for a change.
Having watched many videos and reviews on Youtube, I decided on either Gaerne Fast Backs, or the Forma ADV PRO. Based on many comments I'd read, I decided to call Brian before buying anything. I'm glad I did. After a short discussion of my needs and riding style, he recommended the Crossfire as the best protection around. I drove to a local shop who had them to try them on, and....absolutely HATED THEM. I have wide feet, so I'm used to pain in the width , but this was in the ankle. The padding felt like my ankles were clamped in a vice. I then did a lot of reading online, where I found similar complaints, then called Brian again. He sent me a pair to wear around the house to see if the fit improved, and it DID. It takes about 20 minutes of mild discomfort for the padding to literally mold to my ankle. It still feels somewhat like a vice, but a padded vice, if that makes any sense. It feels SAFE. I can wear them for hours and not feel any pain or discomfort, which I find amazing. Walking is not an issue, either. Comfortable is not a word I would use to describe them, but they aren't meant to be. I feel absolutely safe, protected and confident when I wear them. I'll keep my Forma for street riding, but when conditions are sketchy, I'm going with confidence that I have the best protection.
Brian really helped me out with boot selection. Unfortunately the boots didn’t fit and I had to return them. Only downside is return shipping isn’t covered… overall great customer service!
I bought the Crossfire 3 TA on Brian’s recommendation when I was looking for boots with more protection than the Toucan’s I was wearing. During the Rawhyde Offroad training I dropped my 1250GSA and the engine guard mashed my toe wearing the Toucan’s. I called Brian and recommended the Crossfires for something with more protection. I sold the Toucan’s on eBay as they turned out a little small for me. I used seam sealer on the Crossfires to give them a little more water resistance before heading to Alaska and up the Dalton Hwy to Prudhoe Bay. They were perfect for that trip. It rained nearly every day and my feet were never wet. I had to raise the shifter but after the first day I never thought about shifting or braking. These big stout boots really helped increased my confidence on that trip. I also used them in Death Valley and was able to go places I would not have attempted in my touring boots. They are comfortable, as long as you don’t mind walking like Frankenstein.
I normally wear a US11 D width or EU45. I tried 45 and 46. I could wear the 45 but the 46 was more comfortable for me.
I highly recommend these for Offroad, especially on a big heavy bike. I’m now looking into something with more protection than my touring boots but more comfortable than the crossfires for long on road trips.
Thanks to Brian for his video reviews, knowledgeable recommendations, great selection of high quality boots and easy return policies that helped me get the boots that I needed.
Brian knows his boots! I've owned plenty of street and ADV boots but, was interested in purchasing my first pair of offroad/motocross boots. I've been doing a lot more aggressive offroad and trail riding on both my BMWR1250GS and Honda CRF450L and was looking for more protection. After taking the time to speak with me and get to know me a bit, Brian recommended the Sidi Crossfire 3 TA boots. I was originally considering a different pair of Sidis and even a pair of Gaernes. Brian convinced me that the Crossfires were the way to go for me...and also made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I'm glad he did. I couldn't be happier with these boots. I spent about 4-5 hours breaking them in on some local trails before before heading out to the Touratech Rally this past week where I spent at least 8 hours a day, over the course of four days, riding and walking around in these boots. Super comfortable. Zero issues. For size reference, I purchased the 8.5/42. I usually wear a size 9 shoe across the board but, depending on brand, can sometimes go .5 up or down. Foot is average width with a mid to high arch. My calf size is 14.5"
Thanks again Brian!!
If you watch the video review on these boots, you'll note that the TA model is intended to be a wide fit. As someone who normally has to order at least a half size (sometimes a full size) up from my regular shoe size due to my wide feet, this is definitely the case. I'm a US 9.5 and the 43 fits perfectly, per Brian's suggestion. I got the black/ash model and the pictures do not do the color combo justice. They are SHARP.
As performance goes, they offer top-of-the-line support, comfort, and adjustment out of the box (as a top-of-the-line model should). They are a huge step up if you are used to low-mid tier offroad boots. I bought these with the intended use of Enduro/MX duty on my dirt bike (lots of jumping and catching your foot in ruts/rocks), and wanted to invest in lots of protection for my lower legs. You can adjust as slim or wide as you need to accommodate for pants and knee guards/braces, and they grip my bike frame (YZ125) nicely with the rubber grip panels on the inside. They also have a low-profile toebox for easy shifting.
Atomic Moto was fantastic to work with, they really take the time to ask the right questions and make sure that you get the size and model that works best for you, and they sell this particular model for about $30 less than other US retailers at the time of this writing. Don't hesitate to call, they work with you upfront and update you on the status of your order (backorder in my case). Buy from them with confidence.
Highly recommend Brian and Atomic Moto! Brian spent a ton of time on the phone with me gathering the info he needed to guide me in getting the best boots for me. Ended up with these Forma Terra Evo boots for road and light dirt riding and I couldn’t be happier. I have been recommending Atomic Moto to all my riding buddies and I am (almost) looking forward to the next time I need to buy some boots, it will definitely be from Atomic!
Highly recommend Brian and Atomic Moto! Brian spent a ton of time on the phone with me gathering the info he needed to guide me in getting the best boots for me. Ended up with these Gaerne SG12’s and I couldn’t be happier. I have been recommending Atomic Moto to all my riding buddies and I am (almost) looking forward to the next time I need to buy some boots, it will definitely be from Atomic!
After hurting my foot and ankle a couple times riding I got these, they are comfortable and seem to be good protection. They are also pretty easy to walk in
Love these Fastbacks! Huge thanks to Brian for sharing his time and knowledge to find the perfect fitting boot (size and use) for my feet.
I felt I won the lottery by scoring these boots as I kept checking for weeks Atomic Moto WS for size 46 availability (non-Gore-Tex) and usually got Out-of-Stock for my size. Well I lucked out and order landed. As usual, fast shipping and good communication from AM. SG-22 fit me great right out of box. Felt way more flexible / walkable vs. new SG-12 that I ended up selling as being too stiff less communicative wrt foot controls. I like the Enduro's more aggressive sole, more traction when dragging a stuck bike out of the weeds /mud. I currently wear Gaerne Fastback Enduro, 46. Not waterproof, thus I went with the SG-22 Enduro Gore-Tex. Seems a bit stiffer but they're new and I expect they'll loosen up. Sg-22 toe box is bigger, wider and taller, IMO. I like the room for heavy socks and being able to move toes around. I have not trail ridden them yet..this weekend I expect a couple hundred miles on them. Hopefully I can come back and edit review. Boots from AM always a good purchase experience.