Oxford Canyon review | Good value waterproof motorcycle boots

Date reviewed: May 2025 | Tested by: John Milbank | Price: £129.99 | www.oxfordproducts.com

I’ve been wearing the Oxford Canyon boots on review here for two months on my 2019 BMW R1250GS, a Zontes ZT-350T and a Voge DS625X to find out if they can offer the right balance of protection, comfort and convenience…  

Pros & Cons

Construction and features

The Oxford Canyon boots’ upper is a mixture of leather and microfibre, with some neat bright yellow touches in the Black/Grey colour-scheme on review here. Also available in black, the Canyon have a hiking boot style that doesn’t look out of place with normal jeans or walking trousers.

Fastening

The Oxford Canyons have a traditional hiking boot-style fastening, with three pairs of fabric loop eyelets, then two pairs of speed hooks at the top.

The fabric loops appear tough (like all written reviews, this will be kept updated if anything changes), and the metal speed hooks are impressively solid, their cast construction preventing them from bending open.

Not everyone likes speed-hooks on a motorcycle – BikeSocial member Paul once told me that speed hooks can get caught on the spring clip that secures the float bowl of Bing carburettors on old air-cooled BMWs, which can lead to disaster as you come to a stop and try to put your foot down! Personally, I’ve never had a problem with them, my only fear of potential frame scratching be allayed by the rounded cast form and the fact that their position should mean they can't cause any harm.

Most usefully, the Canyons very easily pull open wide, making it no hassle to slip your feet in without even really needing the large, tough pull loops on the backs. The fabric eyelets are set in such a position that the laces slide through them easily, meaning it’s a quick and easy job to pop the boots on and do them up.

Protection and certification

The Oxford Canyons aren’t quite high enough to be classed as a Level 2 mid-to-high boot, but they cover the ankles well. There’s polyurethane impact protection fitted at both sides, though this hasn’t been certified (you’d find the acronym IPA on the label if it had).

Impressively, the Canyons have achieved the higher Level 2 in testing for impact abrasion resistance, impact cut resistance and transverse rigidity, making them a great choice for protection.

From April 21 2018, all new motorcycle clothing is deemed to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). To meet this legislation, it must be tested to a recognised standard. For more information on the new laws, click here.

Comfort and fit

I’m usually a slightly wide size 43 (UK 9) in trainers, but typically end up in size 44 (UK 9.5) motorcycle boots, or sometimes even 45 (UK 10). The Oxfords seem a more generous fit than some, being about right for me as a 43.

I say ‘about right’, as the 44s were noticeably too big for me, but the 43s were a little narrow, just pressing in on my little toe and the widest part of my right foot, behind it.

Over time the Canyons have given, feeling more comfy around my foot, if still a fraction tight at some times.

Fit is of course subjective, but the one part of the Oxford Canyons that I do think could be improved is the tongue: near the top it’s quite wide, which presses into the front side of my ankle a little. Not to the point of the boots being painful to wear, but scaling this down a touch would make them more comfortable (for me at least) and less bulky around the top.

All-day comfort is again quite subjective, and I do find the combination of the mid- and innersole firmer than I’d prefer, making them quite a solid shoe under foot, which can lead to my feet getting a little achy after spending a long time off the bike.

Sole and Grip

The sole on the Oxford Canyons has a deep, sharp tread that gives good grip in the mud, and has only felt slippy when I stood in diesel on a garage forecourt.

So far the sole’s wearing well too, the diamond pattern that’s moulded into it appearing surprisingly resilient. This will smooth out over time, but I expected to see more wear than there is. Even when it does start to fade, there’ll still be plenty of depth to the tread.

Hot and cold weather use

There are more comfortable bike boots to spend all day in, and in very hot weather if I was going to be off the bike a lot I’d go for a high-top style boot. But the Oxfords are a waterproof hiking-style boot with high levels of protection, so you’d expect some compromise, and the mesh lining does help to keep them from getting too hot.

If you’re an all-year-round commuter an ankle-height boot like this is unlikely to seal well with your trousers, so you’re better off with a full-height touring style. But given the price of these Oxfords, you might consider having them for everything but the worse winter weather, and another pair for when it gets really nasty.

Waterproofing

For the same reason as boots of this height aren’t great in the cold, they’ll also struggle in heavy rain as water will likely get over the tops under the trouser legs.

However, the Oxford Canyons will keep your feet dry if you stand in a puddle, and of course if you can keep the tops sealed thanks to their ‘Dry2Dry’ membrane. Cost has been kept down by not using a branded waterproofing membrane like Gore-Tex, but Oxford has proven the effectiveness of the waterproofing by having the boots tested and certified, hence the WR (water resistance) acronym on the label.

The Oxford’s dry out pretty quickly, even the suede-like material on the upper shedding water effectively. This may well be down to a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating, but this can easily be renewed with a Nikwax spray if necessary.

Three alternatives to the Oxford Canyon boots

Less ‘motorcycle-like’ boots such as these have become much more popular over the past few years, especially as more riders choose protective motorcycle jeans. Here are some others to consider…

• TCX Climatrek Surround, £199.99 | Striking a balance somewhere between an urban and touring boot, These are certified for water resistance and absorption and desorption of the lining materials, though of course they're not going to keep your feet dry like a tall touring boot. Protection levels are very good at 1222 (though we'd like to see the IPA marking on there), and the ported sole that draws warm air from the base of your foot also gives you a useful bit of extra height – something I really appreciated on my S1000XR. Read the full review of the TCX Climatrek Surround boots here.

• DXR Clayton, £79.99 | They're not perfect, but our tester was still very impressed with these boots, which reach Level 2 throughout (except height of course), and are certified for ankle impact protection. Outstanding value for money, they're well worth a look. Read the full review of the DXR Clayton boots here.

• Stylmartin Vertigo, £190 | Designed as a hybrid motorcycle and hiking boot, these are certified to Level 1122 and do a good job of working in both environments. Read the full review of the Stylmartin Vertigo boots here.

These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the boots we’ve tested here and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership. To find the best motorcycle boots based on our independent testing, click here.

Oxford Canyon boots review: Verdict

Yet again, Oxford’s in-house design team has impressed with its well-considered, relatively affordable kit. The Canyons could benefit from a small tweak to the shape of the tongue, but otherwise it’s just the personal issue with them being a fraction narrow for my feet. Even so, I think the Oxford Canyons offer good value and protection, and can double-up as a practical pair of day-to-day boots. Another recommended product… 

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