Alpinestar Toucan Boot review...Garbage!!!

[rhino89523]

This is my review of Alpinestar Toucans. This is in my opinion an expensive boot, I ride dirtbikes in a boot of similar price but needed something for snowbiking that offered more protection than a snowmobile boot but would keep me warm. The Toucan seemed to fit the bill and did in some ways. It is warm and comfortable and I was very happy with it until it broke. The upper strap ended up shearing off and I don't really know how. I wear my boots pretty tight and in the snow I wear over the boot pants. The first time Alpinestar was pretty good about making a repair and they sent them back in a timely manner....all was good again. Well that repair lasted one ride and then broke again. The strap ripped off in the same exact place and at this point I could tell the repair was essentially just crazy glue and no stitching. I called back alpinestar and they said for each purchase you are only allowed one RMA number for replacement or repair. So my RMA number was wasted on crazy glue instead of a repair and I have a set of $450 dollar paper weights and I'm pissed. I will never wear another set of Alpinestars for the rest of my life and will try as hard as I can to influence my local shops to not carry their garbage and influence the people around me to not wear their crap. Alpinestar doesn't stand behind their product, I was told because I was not using them as designed. O.K. I get that it is an adventure touring boot not a snowbike boot, but what is the difference? standing on a set of adventure touring pegs riding a motorcycle through extreme weather conditions...all seems the same, except for a track vs wheels...yes I run adv pegs.

Maybe they think ADV touring is just the same as riding a gull wing, I ride my 950 about the same as I ride my 650R or my CR500AF and while I didn't find the Toucan to be beefy enough to be dirtbiking in I had hoped it could handle blowing through puffy powder. This broke on the inside of the boot...It didn't get caught on a rock or anything, just a cheap boot at an expensive price...don't buy these if you ride...unless it's sitting down on a gullwing...maybe I should have used them as an extreme condition Harley boot...but I'm not sure they would have held up to that either...Garbage. I had sort of been behind these boots but I no longer give my approval. Find something else.

 

[n16ht5]

I tore holes in mine already. its OK, Motorfist will have snowbike boots for us this fall and they look reallll good

 

[Ben 500RR-S]

It sure does suck when one pays good money for something and the stuff, like the buckles, just break and just can't be fixed.

I had a pair of Alpinestars Tech7s from the early to mid 1990's that had served me well for many, many years. I had stopped using them/riding from 2009-2017 and when I went to use them all the plastic cracked and broke, age just got to them.


I got a pair of RevIt Discoveries for 15% off and they have been awesome boots. Great for the dirt and were just perfect for this past winter on the snowbike, warm and waterproof. No buckles to break or laces to deal with. The BOA system is great and the protection has been top-notch. One boot that works in both the dirt and snow is the best.

 

[Keystone]

Broken strap

I have a pair of toucans that the strap broke on the bottom buckle on the first ride. They are my only boots to wear for riding so i tried to get the dealer to do a swap, but i guess all claims have to go through the factory? After hearing the crazy glue story i feel i could fix them better myself. They tore on the plastic strap that the stiching is sewn into. "Way too thin" . Other than a ****ty design they are water proof, warm and provide good protection. I would rather ride in my wore out tech 8s than any snowmobile boot.

 

[rhino89523]

Mine broke in the same place on the upper strap...crappy thin plastic. I like the boots other than that but for $400 something dollars we should get something that will hold together through some use, My Vans carry a better warranty than these POS's. I just hate cheepo stuff that premium prices were paid. If they don't want to fix a crappy problem I want to cost them a few sales even if minimal.

 

[M5-]

Mission accomplished.

M5