Kushitani Gpw-1 Boots

Kushitani GPW-1 Boots

Fine footwear from Japan

KUSHITANI GOT INTO THE RACING-leathers business more than six decades ago, and business decisions made today by the Japanese family-owned-and-operated company are based on that rich experience. Rather than follow trends, it instead sticks to what it knows.

Nowhere is this philosophy more evident than with the GPW-1 boots. Though a far cry from “basic boots,” they nevertheless eschew the fancy bracing, molded venting and removable booties often found in modern track-oriented footwear. Indeed, this fundamental design has been around since the late 1980s.

Like the company’s leather gloves and textile jackets and pants, the shinheight GPW-1 s are made by hand to Kushitani’s specs in

China. The upper is a combination of cow leather, plastic shin protection and Zylon (a proprietary synthetic claimed to be seven times stronger than kevlar), with a perforated nylon liner sewn over a pigskin interior. Shock-absorbing KFoam in the ankle zone stands in for conventional plastic armor. The steppedheel rubber sole has a zig-zag pattern for good onand off-bike traction.

Ingress and egress is a snap, thanks to hook-and-loop closures-buckles, zippers and the like are not used. Break-in isn’t really necessary, though comfort improves with wear. Got narrow feet? A tug on the top-offoot Fitting System Belt snugs up everything.

Good boots, then. Exactly what you’d expect from one of the best in the business.

DETAILS

U.S. Kushitani 4059 Lincoln Blvd. #E Marina del Rey, CA 90292 310/823-9111 www.kushitani.com Price.. .$390

Ups Repairable, last-a-lifetime construction Conservative styling won't get strange looks at restaurants Not just for racing, plastic calfand toe-sliders notwithstanding

Downs Overly generous footbed; inserts recommended Rubber shift pad on left boot only; right-side-shifting vintage-bike pilots get leather only Just two standard colors-black and red/black-and sizing limited from 5 to 10