open letter to orazo boots

Hi Vir,
first of all congrats for the achievement .i always felt that orazo boots are really sturdy.i use it daily and now find it comfortable.overall iam satisfied with the boot but the only problem is the toe shifter protection. i mentioned in my earlier review about the scouring and now that has become worse, there's a white patch with a slight depression.i tried to cover up the white patch with polish and shiner but still on close inspection the patch shows up. though i must confess that the boot is holding up better than my other shoes. finally i had to use a home made shift protector for the boot.

now i know you have explained it umpteen time that sturdy thick leather will hold good against shift abuse for a considerable period; and the xbhp team tested it during the passion hunt, but the problem is that this is not working for me. may be iam a hard shifter but still i feel that ,if the orazo boot had come with toe shift protector it would have been a great VFM product. so kindly take my suggestion in good faith "please incorporate a sturdy shift protector in at least one of your models , or as a limited edition model to gauge the public response. a lot of guys like me will be more than happy to buy it." so can we expect a version of your boots with shift protector? ....fingers crossed please give it a serious thought. i also urge other xbhpians to express their opinion on this so that the manufacturers can get a feedback as to what improvements the customers want.

regards
vivek

An update

A warm hello to everyone on the Xbhp community - been a while since I have interacted on this board. There were some interesting developments I wanted to share.

The product range that we have been offering on our website has received a "CE" certification from a Notified Body in Europe. So, you are now even more assured of the quality and reliability of the boots.

Several of you have been interacting with me my mails, also purchasing boots. I thank you for your continued support and feedback, which definitely helps us upgrade our skills and offer continuously improved products.

Vir

Samarth,

Be happy they are not waterproof. Else in say a ladakh ride, your feet will develop blisters because the darned shoes will never dry. You ideally want shoes which are easy to dry

Samarth,

A quick but important clarification - the boots are NOT waterproof. They are water resistant - to be interpreted as - splashes, minor water runs etc. will not make the insides of the boot wet.

Vivek,

Thanks for putting in a detailed review of the Orazo boot you have purchased!!

Two areas I would like to comment upon, more from the point of getting the perspective right:

Size: Footwear sizing is determined by the size (length) of the cavity inside, rather than the whole length outside. The cavity inside a boot determines the space available for the foot to get into - this is actually defined by the "last" on which the boot is built. The outside length will then depend upon the materials and reinforcements used - in this case steel around the toe, heavy leatherboard around the heel.

Fit/ Comfort: You are bang on regarding the observation that there is sufficient room for the toe, but the "seat" region (around the arch of the foot) grips the foot well. (This is also determined by the shape of the last on which the boot is built). The shape being used in Orazo actually has a huge benefit when the boot is worn over a long period of time - the support below the arch reduces the fatigue to the wearer during extended usage. It is somewhat like a good quality foam mattress, with high elasticity. When a person lies down on it, the mattress takes the shape of the body, increases the surface area of contact, which in turn makes the person more comfortable and rested. The idea to grip the foot around the seat region is precisely that - increase the surface area of contact between foot and boot, thereby increasing comfort during prolonged usage.

Review of orazo coot

REVIEW OF ORAZO COOT

I have been using coot from orazo since 3 weeks, i have decided to put up a review. So here it goes:

1)Looks :
Its very subjective .Iam not a big fan of its look. If you look from top it looks like charlie chaplin’s shoes.the shoe is very broad at the front and tapers down significantly at the middle of the sole giving it the club shaped appearance. The rear end looks classic, overall its not an eyesore,from some angles it does looks good.




2) Fit and finish:
If you get over the looks then you will be pleasently surprised by the fit and finish. Finish is excellent. No gaps between the leather and the sole or shoddy work there. Inner liner is decent and even after extended use in warm and sweaty conditions there is no smell. Sole looks sturdy and i found the sole has good grip in wet and slippery conditions. The upper leather looks sturdy and tough .the toe end of the boot has steel reinforcement under the leather which seems to be very strong. Seems like a nice boot made to lasts for years.
Though the manufacturers claim that it is of standard size i found that its actually 1 size bigger. I ordered for size 7 and surprisingly its the same as my woodlands and reebok size 8. Your toes will be very happy because there’s lot of space for them but the middle portion of your foot get a good squeezebecause the boot is very narrow here.its not of a concern for those with narrow foot but for people like me with broad foot it does is a matter of concern. I cant wear the boots for more than an hour.but i feel with more use the problem will get sorted out.



3) comfort:
For the first fews days i had difficulty in walking around because unlike other boots it doesnt flex that easily but that will get sorted in no time.your feet does sweat but its on par with other usual shoes.i didnt find it exceptionally breathable. But definitely its not a pain to wear in hot and humid condition.i didnt find any difference between my woodlands and orazo in terms of breathablity.

4)riding comfort:
I had no difficulty whatso ever while riding with this on .the boot does give good feedback from the levers and liver as well if u decide to kick someone.no problem with the gear shifts. And you can also shift your foot position on the footpeg with ease. No slippage even when the peg is wet.

5)water resistance:
Sorry i ordered for the normal coot so cant comment on this.

6)knee and foot protection:
The boot is very tough in the toe areas and around the heel . however the boot just reaches upto the ankle so no significant protection for the ankle. It doesn’t even restrict excessive mobility at the ankle so i think there is no serious ankle protection with this model.

7)scouring:
Iam sad to inform you that scouring is very much an issue.dont take my words look at the photo that i have posted.however scouring is not as scary as it is on my woodlands.in hindsight not employing a shift protector is an oversight i feel .i hope the next edition of orazo comes with shift protector.




To sum up.its a really nice boot. for 1600 it definitely is value for money and provides the kind of protection that your regular boots can never give.
However it is not at all an alternative for your riding boots . no second thoughts on that. It does is a good alternative in place of your regular boots.

Of course, everyone will purchase from the manufacturer for the reliability reason.

By the way, I have sent a mail for enquiries regarding Payment options, size, package contents and further purchase discount. Kindly reply at the earliest. Thanks.

EDIT: I was enquiring about Coot Size 9-11 (any one) Black Color, Waterproof. Maybe I forgot to mention in the mail...

Retail Outlets: We are in talks with a few potential partners to set up a dealer network in different cities; but as of now, there is no one.

Size: Our boots are made on wide fitting lasts, and the sizing is very accurate to the standard size charts. If, however, upon receipt of the boot, you find the size incorrect, and return the same in original packing within a reasonable period of time, we shall replace one size up, or down.

What about exchanges in case the size is wrong? I've had my shoes in size 10 for the last seven years, but different brands seem to work with either 9 or 10. If I order size 10 and it turns out to be loose (or tight), how do I go about an exchange?

Is there any retail outlet for these shoes right now?

Falco is an elastic sided boot (elastic on both sides); no zipper. You will need to hold the two pull tags, stretch the elastic outwards, and slip your foot inside.

Thanks, now I know one really good option the next time I need riding\commuting boots. I actually ended up buying a thailand-fake-dainese boot for a steal and it was pretty VFM. I would be getting a free replacement from the dealer as the one I wore died~! Just in case I dont get one... Here I come Orazo
(psst I would love to do a torture test review on your boots :P I ride insane for 150KMs a day and a week\month long review would probably do as good as most people would ride in a lifetime)


Looks like a slip on type....

well I am also mostly interested in buying Falco as it will serve the purpose for my office also, just wanted to know one thing is this one a slip on type or it has a small zipper as in conventional hi-top shoes....please throw some light

We (Verala Leather Exports P Ltd.) are the manufacturers of the Orazo range of boots; as well as the owners/ operators of the website (orazosafety.com). Please be sure that all commitments made on the website will be honoured

I see. All right, When I'll open my mailbox, I'll send a Message. Thanks for the info.

Thanks bro, Waiting for your reply...
-
@ GP_Freak: So, you had a similar pair from a different manufacturer? Well, this one seems more breathable, like someone mentioned above...
-
@ mangaloreaviators: Well, I think I'll better purchase from Orazo online, as "Orazo Boots", a member here will help me with this.

The website has option to purchase online. On The Rocks-The Adventure Store also sells them but there is a difference in price, may be the prices are not updated.