LeMieux Shoc Air XC Boots: ‘very flexible boots’ 7/10

Welcome to our independent group test of cross-county boots. All of the boots in this group test have been put through their paces by professional event rider Sam Jennings and her team. Find out what they thought below.

Official description

Representing the cutting edge of cross-country protection and design, the new LeMieux Shoc Air boots combine the latest developments in material and fabric advancement. Optimum strike protection is provided by the new impact responsive smart layer between the tendon and the outer boot composed of dilettante material that remains supple and flexible until the point of impact when free-form molecules articulate and lock together forming a hard protective shock-absorbing barrier – only returning to a flexible state when pressure is released.  Vented EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) mould technology gives pliable strength and air flow to the outer shell. The boots are lightweight with deflective hexagonal moulding detail and minimal water retention.

View at equus.co.uk

First impressions

These boots were not very lightweight to hold in your hand and I was interested to see how the straps would perform as the middle one was elasticated while the top and bottom ones were not.

Overview of performance

I found the inside of the boot to be very thick, which made them heavy; more so once the boot had picked up water. However, they did protect the legs well without a strike pad, which makes them really flexible. I didn’t find them true to size. I would recommend going up a size from normal.

Likes and dislikes

I don’t like the way the thick lining retained so much water and I found it difficult to get even pressure down the leg due to the middle strap being elasticated. But I liked that they didn’t slip and how flexible and durable they are.