TCX X-Blend Boots- One year(ish) review!

One year... ish 

Okay, I'll admit... this one took a bit longer than expected, hence the "ish" in the title. I originally planned on doing this review right at the one year mark, or as close to it as possible, but the curse of 2020 wouldn't let go, and I wasn't able to do it until now. But enough about those arbitrary timelines- let's talk about these boots! 

First of all, if you haven't read my 6 month review, you can read it by clicking here. If you've already read it, or don't really care about what I said about them last May, then keep reading to see how these puppies have held up so far.

A brief recap

I bought my X-Blends from Union Garage in Brooklyn, NY back in October of 2019 and had them shipped all the way to my humble home in beautiful, sunny South Mississippi. The best part? The good folks at Union Garage shipped them to me from the Big Apple for free, which was nice considering that I dropped $199 on them. Now, don't get me wrong- I'm not saying that $200 is an excessive amount of money for good riding boots, I'm just expressing to you the fact that I tend to be a bit of a cheapskate at times, and I don't like spending $100 bucks (or more) per foot for my brick kickers. 

My TCX X-Blends, when they first showed up on my doorstep

When I first got them, I was like a kid at Christmas. I couldn't wait to get them on my feet and get them broken in. It didn't take long either, because I pretty much wore them ALL OF THE TIME. Actually, I still do.

 Really holding up 

These boots are still my favorite footwear, ever since I first laced them up, way back when the only people that wore masks regularly were doctors and bank robbers. They really are holding up quite well, considering that they are pretty much my primary footwear away from the office. They still look good enough to wear on casual Fridays too. Overall, the leather is still supple and strong and it's pretty obvious to me that the hide they used to stitch these babies up came from one tough bovine, because I have abused these things. Aside from riding in them, I also wear them when working in the garage and have scraped the leather on the concrete, scuffed them while playing with my dog, worn them while cutting the lawn and even accidentally spilled grease from the grill on them! I actually thought that I might have ruined them with that one, but after some cleaning and a bit of leather conditioner, I got them cleaned right up. 

Now, don't get me wrong. I have done some basic maintenance on these boots. I'll admit that the rich, brown color of these boots has been maintained and "spruced up" a bit over the last 17 months with brown Kiwi shoe polish. The Kiwi has helped maintain their good looks as well as helped them keep their water resistance. The nicest part about the leather of these boots, though, is the way that it's wearing in. The boots look awesome and feel great. They are flexible and supple, but still feel rigid and strong enough to instill confidence in their ability to keep my feet and ankles safe in a slide- God forbid I have one.

The soles and heels are simply out of this world. I mean like- they must be made out of some kind of other-worldly materials or something, because they barely show any wear at all, seriously, it's insane. I've had boots from other manufacturers and they have all worn pretty quickly on the heels and toward the toe. These X-Blends have taken all my abuse and just shrugged it off like it was nothing at all. When I did my 6 month review of these boots, I described the soles as "lug like" but more "linear and grooved" which I asserted must be so the soles can avoid trapping gravel and mud in them. I still stand by that assertion and can affirm that if that was TCX's intended purpose, they have succeeded in their design. My driveway is a mix of sand, Mississippi hard red clay and pea gravel and these boots don't pick up any of it. They've got plenty of grip though and I've never lost my footing, not even on the worst oil strips that the highways have had to offer.

Issues and oversights 

These X-Blends aren't perfect though and I have identified a few issues and oversights with them. First of all, the brake side (right) toe pad stitching broke loose within the first six months. I'm still baffled as to why this happened though, because it never gets used. The left side, which does get used (more when I ride my Dyna Street Bob than my Road King) is still just as solid as can be. The stitching on the shifter side is strong and secure, just as it should be. The brake side toe pad, however, is peeling back as the stitching continues to unravel. 

The thin fabric covering on the insoles is another annoyance, too. As you can see in the picture, it has worn under my heel and the fabric has a tendency to bunch-up and it can be a little aggravating because it feels like something is in my boot. It's not uncomfortable, mind you- just annoying.

Lastly, the laces are taking a beating. The metal eyelets are strong and sturdy, but it would seem as if the laces aren't quite as durable as they need to be to go up against such a formidable eyelet. Now, don't get me wrong- the laces are holding up; they are still strong and secure, but they are getting abraded by the eyelets. I suppose it's not too bad, considering the amount of use they get though.

Still my favorite footwear 

Despite those aforementioned, relatively minor, issues though, these are still my go-to footwear when I'm not in the office of the job that actually pays my bills. They look good enough to take my bride out to a decent steakhouse and they are rugged enough to keep me safe while I'm out riding my scooter. They are comfortable enough to wear all day- whether I'm walking through the newly opened Mississippi Aquarium, or if I'm standing around in my garage drinking some brewskies, or even if I'm shuffling around the lift, working on one of my motorcycles (like the MotoWriter Dyna that you see strapped down in the photos- that's another story for another day).

The bottom line- I don't like these boots, I love them. They are the perfect balance of comfort, style, durability, safety and price. TCX Boots really hit it out of the park with the X-Blends and, in my most humble opinion, I think these are best damn motorcycle boots you can get for the money. 

My dad always used to tell me, "son, you get what you pay for", and that statement couldn't be more true of the X-Blends from TCX Boots. For just under $200 shipped (from Union Garage anyway- yeah... this is a pretty gratuitous plug for them- hit them up and tell 'em the MotoWriter sent ya. They probably won't give you a discount or even know who I am, but tell 'em anyway), these boots deliver top-notch safety with their integrated ankle cups and strong, durable (and good-looking) cowhide that is stitched to the absolute best soles of any motorcycle boot, or any work boot, that I've ever owned. 

I can't tell you what to buy, but I can tell you that if you want one hell of a great pair of boots to work, play, ride and relax in- you can't go wrong with the X-Blends. While I don't foresee myself wearing these kickers out anytime soon, I can guarantee that I'll be buying another pair of these soon- not because I need them, but because I want them.

A few more pics

One last thing- 

I feel that it is important to note that I am not an employee of, or a paid affiliate of, Union Garage or TCX Boots (or any company for that matter). The article you just read (like all of the posts on this blog), is my honest opinion based on my personal experience with these boots and that store. 

Now, if either of these companies wanted to send me a few bucks, give me a discount on my next purchase or even float me a new product to test in the future- I'd be more than happy to accept and I'd be more than willing to offer another honest review. 

Till next time- Ride Safe and MAKE GOOD CHOICES!