Fox Instinct Boots

Company: Fox

Price: $549.95

What it is

Fox's entry into the top-of-the-line boot arena.

Fox has long been known for having some of the highest quality and innovative gear on the market, except for maybe in the boot department, an area dominated by boot specialists. With the Instinct Boot, Fox has taken the leap into the top-of-the-line boot arena.

The Instinct is a hinged boot, made largely of synthetic materials pushing function and fashion to the highest levels. The sole is made from a material called Duratact that is said to match grip with excellent durability. The boot is built specifically to allow your foot to be low in the boot and as close to the bike as possible. Duratac is also placed high up along the inside surface of the boot to stop burning from exhaust systems. The ball-socket buckles and closures are replaceable as is the glue-on sole. It is available in white, black and often in limited edition (LE) colorways.

How it works

Not much leather but a lot of space-age materials make for a durable boot.
The most comfortable boot interior we've ever experienced.
A little wide at the ankle due to the hinge.
No break-in required.

The first thing you will notice about the Fox boot is the initial fit and feel. It has by far the most comfortable insides of any boot we’ve worn. A lot of that has to do with the ample padding from the top of the boot all the way down to the toe box. It is so comfortable and so well finished inside with a tough yet technical fabric that you could wear this boot without socks. Do not stick your foot into one if you don’t plan on buying, your foot will have fallen in love.

The buckles adjust easily and for the most part stay put in the desired position as long as they do not get tugged backwards, then unlatched. The upper buckles pivot on circular holders and the ball-socket clamp indexes easier than any other system we’ve used essentially self-centering into position and closing with a positive snap. The buckles are about as good as could be expected for staying closed under normal usage and when hit from behind or kicked when your foot is going backwards--they are decently protected and do not stick out too far. The adjustment easily allows for the bulk of knee braces and the closure at the top does a good job of keeping the dirt out of the boot.

The sizing is true and will mirror most street shoe sizing. The width feels a little larger than most boots so those with wide feet will not be bothered, the interior padding really helps in fitting a large array of feet. The arch support is normal and the stiffness of the sole is great. The toe of the boot has a fair amount of pivot but it is not loose enough to be dangerous. And then the hinge design allows the boot to flex at the ankle just enough in both forward and back directions with a lockout in the rearward direction to prevent hyperextension of the ankle. The upper is stiff enough to brace the leg but not so stiff that it is ever uncomfortable. There is minimal side-to-side flex in the upper but enough to allow you to move on the bike then the boot locks out pivoting in this direction just when it needs to.

When riding in the boot you can feel about as much through your feet as with any other high-end boot, which means not much at all, even though Fox claims the Duratac sole yields more feel for the brake. Same is true for shifting, but we are not complaining about this, just pointing it out. Standing on the bike the boot feels wide on the inside when in reality your foot inside the boot is actually very close to the frame rails. Yet the hinge, which is placed lower than other hinge systems, anatomically more similar to where most people’s ankle pivots, seems to hold the foot out a close to ½-inch farther out on the footpeg than with most other boots we compared it to. At first this was noticeable and a little bit bothersome. But after time in the boots we did not notice it much and in fact when switching back to other boots they felt awkward in the opposite way.

The materials covering the outer of the ankle hinge held up to the constant rubbing though they quickly become polished having riders who look for grip on the ankles noticing the interface can be slippery. The stiffness of the steel shank in the sole was plenty on hard jump landings. Protection from smashing rocks on the outside of the toes was excellent and same for protection from flying rocks at the shin or logs or sticks catching the boot. It protects and deflects.

The overall size of the boot is just a little bit wider than other top-end boots but we did not experience any additional snagging or hits to the foot because of it. The grip from the sole is outstanding no matter the conditions and it never slipped. One nice thing is the straight inner sole’s edge as it makes missing the footpeg in the arch area less likely, as well as the dreaded slip off of the kickstarter with the lever digging into the side of your foot’s arch.

After a solid year of use the boot stood up as good as any, with a few standout features. Since the materials are largely synthetic and rubber-based, the boot was easy to wash and keep clean. None of the stitching wore or failed and none of the seams delaminated off the boot. The sole wore only a little and looks like it has at least another full year of use left in it, this on a couple of bikes with sharpened footpegs, too. We broke the metal portion of one of the buckle straps somehow (falling in rocks maybe?) and the only material issues were on the seam on the closure where the covering fragmented where it covers the leather seam. We experienced zero issues with the hinges which never came loose and did not squeak. With so many synthetic materials the boot does not give off the perception of an extremely expensive leather boot, yet a close look at some of the high-end detail in design will have you questioning that thought.
Fox has built a boot that competes with the best of them. It excels in comfort, has excellent protection and the durability is solid. When competing with the best in the market on all levels and taking on some names that are well respected and very established, the judging is difficult. This boot earns its merit even at a $549.95 price tag.