Review: Puma Desmo 800 Boots

Check out these related YamYam posts:
Puma Desmo 800 Gore-Tex Review
Puma Desmo 800 Gore-Tex Update 

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Hello all.

 I mentioned in a recent post about the Puma Desmo 800 boots I had purchased. Well they arrived today and boy oh boy, are they something else!

To save you the hassle of having to wait for pics to load up whilst you try and read this, I have done things a bit differently this time. You’ll see what I mean in a mo:

So the boots were already inside waiting for me when I got home, after Emma played a nasty trick on me. I got home and nothing was in the kitchen waiting for me and Em immediately said, “nothings came today, sorry…” never mind eh.

I head through to get my bike gear off and there is a big package sitting waiting…you!!!!!!!

I didn’t bother taking my gear off and got stuck in:

Firstly these boots look amazing. I have poured over all the boots money can buy; Sidi’s, A-Stars, Gaerne, RST, Daytona etc etc and of course the Pumas. I first noticed them in Scott Murray’s, where they had the mega 1000′s, which were simply stunning. But at £300, a bit out my price bracket. They did however have the Desmos and I tried them on and loved them. They were £170 so I still couldn’t afford them and promptly forgot about them. Then the other night I remembered them and wanted a pair, so trawled the net and found some on eBay for £105. The bloke said they were a 44 (UK10) but they were really tight so he was selling them as a 43 (9). PERFECT! He also wrote that they were GoreTex lined! WOW! I can remember trying them on in Scott Murray’s but I do remember them being bigger, so took the chance and got them!

Well they aren’t GoreTex, which is a shame as I fancied wearing these in replacement of my well worn Alpinestars GoreTex old faithfulls, but perhaps I will keep them for good weather riding instead. Anyway.

I appreciate design. I appreciate the thought that went in to designing something. So to see the Desmo in the flesh, I was in my element. This boot has to have the best design touches I have ever seen on a motorcycle boot. I was going to buy some Sidi Vertigo’s and I am so glad I didn’t. Forget your over-cooked plastic fantastic Sidi’s, and check out the subtle brilliance that Puma have poured in to the Desmo.

A few touches that get a special mention have to be firstly the toes. The shift patch is rubberised, as all are, but this one has an extended reach all the way to the toe-tip. It’s also ribbed offering so much more contact area to hit with the shifter. This means that hurried shifts catch every time, instead of slipping off the shifter and giving a false neutral. Brilliant!

Another is the zipper, with it’s dotted surface giving excellent purchase and allowing easy pull of the zipper. On the same line you have discreet, hidden from view ankle protection comprising of some sort of disc shaped affair. It’s inside the lining and underneat the leather so is snug as a bug and hardly noticeable when the boot is on but you know it’s there. Amazing!

I could go on all night, but finally the heel detail deserves a special mention. At first what seems to be just a logo, is in fact a tremendous achievement. The heel is made of shiny plastic. You can imagine the effort required to get this boot off, considering it’s foot hugging shape. Imagine if the boot was wet or greasy? That shiny surface would offer no help at all when using your other foot to shoe-horn it off. Well this little logo allows you to get maximum purchase on the heel and gettting the boot off is a dream. I think I have wet myself.

I absolutely love it when companies put a lot of thought in to one of their products. And the Desmo 800 is by far the best designed piece of motorcycle gear i have ever owned.

What is also worth a mention is the box. I know what you are thinking, this guy is a saddo, and yes you would be right. But again, it separates the wheat from the chaff. The box has a brilliantly light hearted feel to it, which is completely devoid on every other box I have. The barcode is burst open like the Puma has escaped from the jail behind it. The box has “Average Contents 2″ written on it. On the inside of a hinge it has this:

Brilliant!

It has made my day receiving these boots and it has shown me exactly what every motorcycle gear company should be doing with their products.

Ok ok, I hear you cry, all of these design flares and funny bits on boxes means nothing if they are shit to wear.

Sleep easy my friends, these boots fit like a glove….eh…alright…imaging your favourite pair of slippers but x10.

These bad boys are amazingly comfy, yet reassuringly snug and robust feeling. They are Pepperami Wide Boys at the front, but that just adds to the feeling of robustness. I would far rather have a beefcake than a winklepicker….

To see some geek boy photos of the Desmo 800, click HERE

To see some even worse geek boy photos of the BOX!, Click HERE

Conclusion:

If these boots were made by Carlsberg, they would be shitter than if Puma made them. That’s how good they are. These are the be all and end all of coolness, comfort, effortless design excellence and a triumph of material mixing. There is soft leather, stretchy panel stuff, hard plastics in shiny and matte finishes, with logos in negatives of matte and shiny and silver logos and metal bits and rubberised over moulding and rubber bits and soft fabrics and hard rubber soles and….

I am in love. With a fecking boot.

Honestly, if you want a motorcycle boot that is a dream to wear, looks effortlessly cool no matter what you are wearing (or not as the case may be) and is cheap compared to the next best boot then the Desmo’s are first choice, all the time, every time.

I think I will have to buy another pair just incase they stop making them.

Thanks y’all for reading!

Gordon

P.s. I received a reply from RST, I’ll update you tomorrow! Exciting stuff people.