Pros: Comparatively inexpensive, wears well.
Cons: Not water proof, slippery when foggy.
Rating: 8/10 points.
I was looking for a multi-purpose boot and those one-piece looking, made-for-motorcycle boots weren't going to cut it. If I ever needed to get off the motorcycle and walk around, I did not want to feel like I was in ski boots. So, I asked my local cobbler (yes, one still exists...Joe at Outback Footwear in Simi Valley, California) what would be best. He carried Wolverine, Red Wing, Harley-Davidson, and other brands. However, he suggested the Caterpillar Indiana FX boot for daily riding. He said the inner sole was not too comfortable and threw in a pair of comfort soles. Here is a picture of the boots with about three years of wear. These boots were only used for motorcycle riding as opposed to a daily use shoe. If you look closely, you can see the wear from the shifter on the left boot:
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These boots worked out very well. In fact, I did not need to replace the laces in that period. However, there were two problems; 1) they are not water proof and 2) when the outer sole wore down, they were very slippery on foggy mornings. If you hit the street or a dividing line just right, you would skid like you were on ice. Here's a picture of the worn down sole:
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I didn't expect the boots to be water proof. Joe recommended some boot polish to help with the water problem. I also carried an extra pair of socks. Another way is to put a plastic bag over your socks, but it gives a different feel to the grip you normally get with socks. To help with the worn down outer sole, I thought about cutting new grooves in the rubber for traction or wearing some type of strap-on ice grippers, but the fog only occurred in the morning and it seemed like a lot of effort for a minimal problem. Instead, I decided that after three years it was time for another pair of boots. I went back to see Joe and he again recommended the Caterpillar Indian FX boot. Only this time, I bought the steel toe version. Caterpillar must have been aware of the comfort issue as these boots came with a Caterpillar comfort sole. These boots were used every day for a month. You can still see most of the grooves in the outer sole. Here is a picture of these boots (left) and the outer sole (right ):
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Anyway, I paid $99 for the first pair of boots. So, for three years, that equates to $33 per year. Not too bad, considering the current cost of shoes. I don't think I could have found a $33 boot that would have lasted a year. And, consider this. The other boot manufacturers that Joe carries were $125 and more! The Caterpillar boots were the least expensive of all the brands and held up well.