November 14, 2011 - I finally had a chance to meet the staff at Falco during the 2011 EICMA show.
Mattia Foscarini, the Director of Sales, showed me all of the new boots for 2012, including a few new models that were being released at the show that were not included in the original Falco press release I published below.
Two of the new boots that were of most interest to webBikeWorld readers are the "Atlantis" waterproof boot (stock number 973; sizes 39-48).
It is a street/sport and touring style. Also, the new "Dust" waterproof boot (model 108; sizes 39-47) is an enduro/adventure-touring on/off road style that has become so popular with adventure-touring motorcycle fans.
The "Yukon" (model 810; sizes 39-47) is a good-looking cruiser boot available in black or brown and the "Ayda" (652; sizes 36-41) women's boot is a stylish new version but with a heavy-duty sole and heel, made the old-fashioned way; i.e., built to last!
Both the Yukon and Ayda come with a removable toe protector shift pad to prevent scuffing of the leather.
One more boot model shown at EICMA that was not in my original posting is the "Mint" (model 897; sizes 39-47), a sort of retro street/comfort boot with a quick-entry zipper along the side. Photos of each of these new boots are shown below.
Falco has two interesting technologies for 2012 that will be incorporated into some of the boots. First, the one-piece outer protective molding structure, seen in the photos below, eliminates the need for the "Goodyear" type stitching along the top of the soles that can separate and allow water to leak in.
This technology is applied to the Dust enduro boot shown below, which has a very clean look and styling, in part due to the absence of the traditionally heavy stitching where the last meets the sole. It also appears to be not as bulky as some of the enduro boots from other manufacturers.
The one-piece welting system is featured on these Falco off-road boots: The 113 Extreme Pro 2 (MX top range); the 111 Extreme Pro (MX mid-range); the 107 Dust LS (MX entry range) and the 108 Dust WTR (enduro range). I asked Mattia about sole replacement and he said that it is possible to replace the soles.
But the R.L.S. system is expected to provide a much longer life to this type of off-road boot, which typically gets used in mud and water, which can quickly deteriorate the Goodyear-type welt and fabric stitching.
Also, both the Dust and the new Atlantis sport/touring boots will incorporate the Falco "R.L.S.", or Removable Liner System.
This is, as its name suggests, a removable/replaceable inner liner that is easily installed in the boots. The R.L.S. is a one of those "Why didn't I think of that?" ideas -- make the liners removable, replaceable and interchangeable, which allows them to be removed for cleaning or drying.
The R.L.S. system allows different liners to be installed, such as the available insulated winter lining, shown in the photos below. This gives the owner a pair of summer, winter and waterproof boots all in one!
The insulated liner, which is available as an optional accessory, has a fleece-like outer layer with a thin metallic textile-like material insert sandwiched between the outer and inner layers of fabric to keep you warm and dry.
The other big news at Falco is the use of the d3o brand armor in some of the boot models. In the Falco "Atlantis" boot, shown in the photos below, the armor is also installed in the R.L.S. insert as you can see.
Here are some photos of the new boots, the R.L.S. and the other Falco technologies. We look forward to reviewing some of these new boots soon! For more information, visit the Falco Boots website. By the way, all Falco boots are made in Italy and Falco boots are imported in the U.S.A. by Advanced Motorcycle Gear.
October 27, 2011 - Gianni Falco, S.r.l. is an Italian motorcycle boot maker and we've reviewed several Falco boots over the years.
I plan on visiting the Falco booth for some "live" photos and more information, but in the meantime, here's more on the three new Falco boots being shown at EICMA 2011.
Perhaps we can acquire a pair or two for a 2012 review also!
Publication Date: October 27, 2011
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