Gaerne SG12 Boots: 15 Years of Real-World Abuse

When you spend almost two decades riding around the planet, you learn pretty quickly what gear you can trust… and what gear will get you hurt. Boots especially. A great pair will save your ankles. A bad pair will ruin your trip—or worse.

The Gaerne SG12's are not a new boot, but they are still readily available and that alone should give you some idea just how good a model they are. Let's get into it.

I slipped on my first pair of Gaerne motocross boots back in 2002, and I’ve worn Gaerne for over 400,000 miles. Fifteen years of mud, sand, snow, river crossings, crashes, and over 400,000 miles later, I was still loving them and they were still protecting me.

In 2015, Lisa retired her beloved Alpinestars Tech 6 and joined Team Gaerne with a pair of SG12s, and she’s been impressed from day one.

First Impressions

Let’s be honest… the SG12 is a damn sexy boot. The bright, tough outer shell looks the part, but more importantly—it works. The impact protection is exceptional, and the lateral support is confidence-boosting.

And trust me: when you’re lying on the ground with a 700-pound fully-loaded adventure bike taking a nap on your leg, you stop caring about how cool your boots look and start caring about whether your ankle still works.

Yes, the SG12 sits at the high end of the price scale—but after a serious leg injury years ago (while wearing “good” motorcycle boots, not MX boots), Lisa and I learned the hard way that skimping on protection is the most expensive mistake you’ll ever make.

Why We Kept Wearing Them

Easy To Use—Even With Frozen Hands

We’ve ridden through some of the worst weather on the planet. Cold enough that your fingers split and bleed. Even then, I’ve always been able to open, close, tighten, or loosen the SG12 buckles.

The overlapping front panels and well-placed buckles make one-handed adjustments simple—something you’ll be grateful for when you’re exhausted on the side of a mountain.

They Stay Shut—No Matter What

Despite some spectacular spills (and a few unplanned slides down asphalt), I’ve never had a buckle pop open. When the SG12 locks down, it stays locked down. The micro-adjust straps are solid, simple, and stay exactly where you set them.

MX Boot, Not Waterproof Boot

At the top of the boot, Gaerne includes a neoprene gaiter that does a decent job of keeping out sand and snow. But these are full motocross boots, which means one thing: they’re not waterproof.

If you step into a river, your feet are going to get wet. Full stop.

Our solution? SealSkinz waterproof socks when we know the day will be soggy. Otherwise, we accept wet feet and dry things out at camp.

Protection That Matters

Because of a previous injury, I need a boot with proper articulation—something that allows controlled forward and backward flex. The SG12’s hinge system delivers exactly that.

An added bonus? They require almost no breaking-in.Honestly, that comfort right out of the box is worth the upgrade alone.

Fit & Feel

Here’s what we’ve learned from long-term use:

• Sizing runs a bit large, and the toe box is chunkier than other MX boots. I had to slightly adapt my shifting technique and adjust my gear lever—easy fixes.

• They feel heavy in your hand, but once you’re riding, the weight disappears.

• On day one, I felt a small pressure point from the lowest buckle on my right ankle. It vanished after a short break-in period.

• And yes… they squeak. Loudly. You’re not sneaking up on anyone, ever.

Final Thoughts

After years of constant abuse, river dunkings, crashes, and all-day riding, the Gaerne SG12 remains one of the best pieces of protection I’ve ever used. Tough, comfortable, supportive, and confidence-inspiring.

If you want real protection on a serious trip, this is the boot I trust.

PROS

▲ Comfortable

▲ Minimal break-in period

▲ Wide choice of colours

▲ Easy to repair

▲ Super tough and durable

▲ One-handed buckle operation

▲ Neoprene liner

▲ Professional-grade protection

CONS

▼ Not Waterproof

▼ Squeaky

▼ Heavier than a standard touring boot

Enjoying These Honest, Real-World Gear Reviews?

If you found this review helpful, check out more of our long-term, real-world gear tests from 17 years on the road. No sponsorships. No fluff. Just the truth from the trail.

👉 Follow our journey on Instagram: @2ridetheworld

👉 Explore more gear reviews at 2ridetheworld.com/gear

👉 Sign up for updates and behind-the-scenes stories from the road: SIMONANDLISATHOMAS.COM AND HEAD TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE TO SIGN UP.