Regaboots

REGABOOTS

EVALUATION

A BRAND-NEW ITEM YOUR GRANDFATHER MIGHT HAVE WORN

DONT LOOK NOW. BUT THERE’S A CENtury-old bit of motorcycling antiquity trying to stage a comeback. It’s not the rigid frame, the hand-operated oil pump or anything else too hopelessly outdated for even nostalgia to revive. The item in question hails from the same era, however, and it seems downright practical by comparison. It’s the gaiter, an old-time concept that’s back again in the Eighties with a new name: Regaboots.

Despite the name, however, Regaboots aren’t really boots at all. Instead, they’re simply leather gaiters, or leggings, that surround the instep, ankle and lower leg. Motorcyclists wore similar items in the early 20th century, but these updated versions have some modern touches that those riders would have appreciated. For instance, the Regaboots fasten around the leg with stout, YKK metal zippers instead of with laces or snaps, and a buckled strap allows adjustment over the instep. There’s even a small interior pouch with an ID holder. Plus, Regaboots come in two heights—full-length (for $38, plus $3.50 for shipping) and mid-length (for $32, plus $3.50)—in men’s and women’s shoe sizes 5-12. And they’re available in colors and trim that would have been almost unheard of at the turn of the century. Along with traditional black and brown, they also come in white, or with red, blue, white or black stripes running down the leg.

Modern features notwithstanding, Regaboots serve the same purpose as their 90-year-old ancestors: to provide a rider wearing street shoes a measure of lower-leg protection similar to that of a high-top boot. Admittedly, that’s not a particularly tall order, nor is it a major concern amongst modern-day riders. But for those who do worry about such things, Regaboots fill the bill nicely. They cut wind blast, and their snug fit prevents breezes from whistling up pantlegs; they also keep the lower leg dry during short trips in the rain. They’re made from 4l/2-51/2-ounce cowhide (the same weight of leather used in some roadrace suits) for protection from more than just the weather. What's more, they’re as easy to slip into and out of as a favorite old pair ofjeans, and their soft, pliable leather makes them equally comfortable no matter if they’re worn inside or outside the pantleg.

Thus, Regaboots (9016 Wilshire Blvd.. Beverly Hills, CA 9021 1) embody the virtues of the venerable gaiter in an updated form. A motorcyclist from the early 1900s probably would gladly give them a place in his riding kit. Whether they’ll have the same appeal here in 1986 is another matter, though. That’s because most of today’s riders aren’t even aware that the problem Regaboots are supposed to solve is truly a problem. But some riders are. To them, Regaboots will seem like a welcome answer to a question that’s almost a century old. El