FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For men, order your most common size in the largest brand (Nike, Skechers, Vans, etc.) you own. For women, go a half to a full size up (e.g. if you're a 7, order an 8. If you're a 7.5, also 8). HOWEVER......read this next part.

*IMPORTANT*: The Comanche, Black Comanche, and The Armstrong fit more narrow at first, but will break in. It just takes a little longer. If you have a wide foot, consider going up a half size (for men). For women, go with the instructions above.

Indie Ridge boots run wider compared to European-style boots. They start as a standard D, but they'll break in to an E-EE if you have a wider foot (if you're a standard width, they'll stay at the standard width).

Remember, The Comanche, Black Comanche, and The Armstrong start slightly narrower. If you have a wide foot, consider going up a half size (for men). Give them some time to break in. For men ordering any other style, stick with your most common shoe size—unless you have a ridiculously wide foot.

If you followed the instructions above, I'd say yes. They're Level 2 leather motorcycle boots — they're supposed to be snug at first. If they feel ultra tight, I recommend taking the laces out completely and walking around. If it's unbearable, contact us and we'll help you sort out the fit.  

On the flip side, if your heel is slipping even when the boots are tied tight, you should exchange them for a half size down. Or wear thick socks. 

You can, yes. I recommend Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP or Obenauf's Leather Oil. 

The women’s size 10 would be a men's 7.5. If you have a really wide foot or are considering one of the Comanche variants, men's 8.5 should be fine for most people who wear a men's size 8. 

If you have beefy hands/fingers, use the width measurement first, length measurement second. If you have long fingers, finger length is more important.

However, gloves break in much easier around the hand/knuckles. The palm area will break in, but the fingers won’t magically get shorter or longer. If you have wide hands and short fingers, I'd say split the difference. I'm sure this isn't the first time you've had issues finding the right size.

You can start a return or exchange within 45 days of your order date. Here's our exchange/return/warranty portal: https://exchanges.indieridgeusa.com.

We do have a generous return and exchange policy, called The Live Free Guarantee®. But don't be the person who ruins it for everyone. 

You will receive an email when your return has been inspected and processed, or your requested exchange is on the way. It may take up to one business week to process your request. If you'd like an expedited exchange, choose "Instant Exchange" in the exchange portal on the last page of the exchange process.

We have a 1-year warranty on manufacturing defects. If your order was placed within the last year, it's likely covered. BUT, I've sold over 100,000 pairs of boots. I can spot a legitimate warranty claim vs. people intentionally destroying their boots just before the 1-year mark. I'm like a warranty-claim-falcon. 

Have your order number and photos ready, and head to https://exchanges.indieridgeusa.com to begin a warranty claim. Don't ruin it for everyone else.

If you want the real heavy duty protection, I recommend Obenauf’s Heavy Duty LP to clean, replenish oils, and protect your boots. It will darken your boots a bit but it also removes some of those tough scuffs.

Leather CPR is another great option that will not darken the leather. I use Grandma’s Secret Sneaker Cleaner on the soles with a scrub brush. 

You can use the same conditioners for the gloves. If you need to wash the gloves, you can hand wash them with a very, very mild soap and let them air dry. Follow up with leather conditioner.

That's mineral residue from the road and rain. It can appear after the boots dry. 

Use a microfiber cloth and some warm water to wipe it down - most of it comes off easy. Let them dry a second, then re-condition the leather with the products above.

Re-conditioning your motorcycle boots often is just common sense, but it's imperative after a rain.

No. 99% of non-warranty repairs you can do yourself or have done locally. 

Orders are typically fulfilled by the next business day. If we're having a sale or it's the holidays, give us an extra day to get them out. 

Delivery times are estimates provided by the carrier (that we don't even calculate). Once we hand over your package to the shipping carrier, we are unable to make changes/cancel an order. Carrier delays can and do happen for any number of reasons. If you call me to complain about USPS or UPS, I'm going to call you every time they screw up. 

Most U.S. orders arrive within 2-6 business days after they are fulfilled, depending on your location. You can upgrade to faster shipping at checkout if needed.

And no, if it's Wednesday night and your MSF course is Saturday, unless you live in San Bernardino, it's not gonna make it. 

You'll receive emails updating you with the status of your order. You can find your tracking number in your shipping confirmation email. If you never received an email or can’t find it, contact us. BUT, you need to read this next part.

If your package was marked delivered and you can’t find it, wait 48 hours before contacting us. The package might have been scanned as delivered early, or will be delivered to a neighbor and will show up later. If 48 hours have passed and the package still has not arrived, please let us know and we can file a claim.

In reality, ask your wife. She probably knows where it is. You'd think I'm joking. I am not.

Technically, yes. If you're placing an order for delivery OUTSIDE the United States, you are responsible for shipping fees, VAT fees, duty fees, entry fees, fees for your fees. I don't cover any of that. 

If you refuse an international shipment, I charge an $85 customs re-entry fee. 

International orders are eligible for return only and customers are responsible for all return shipping fees. All duties, taxes, and shipping fees are non-refundable. Contact us to start an international return.

Indie Ridge products are sold online and at a few places I know and trust, like Harley Sacramento. If you're in the area and you want to pick up and save on shipping, let us know beforehand. But, we're not a shoe store. If you come to my office, you're buying something or you've already bought something.

Yes, with verification. If you’re active duty, you can send an email from your .mil address. If you’re a veteran you can send a picture of your DD214, VA Card, or DL with Veterans designation. A screenshot of your ID.me verification works too.

Yes. You can order a digital gift card via this link.

The email address used for the order will receive the gift card code which can then be printed or forwarded to the recipient. The gift card can be redeemed by entering it in the “Gift card or discount code” section at checkout.  

Yes, Indie Ridge boots are CE-rated and certified under European standards for protective motorcycle footwear. This is something I take incredibly seriously. All Indie Ridge boots tested under EN 13634:2017 are: 1 2 2 2 + WR (for the waterproof variants, the ventilated variants don't have WR).

Level 1 is a 'basic pass'. Level 2 means the safety requirements have been exceeded and offer superior protection, 'superior pass'.

For the four categories most commonly presented on the boot, Indie Ridge boots rate: 

- Height: Level 1 (basic pass) Boots must be shin height to receive a 2, our boots are about an inch above the ankle.

- Impact abrasion resistance: Level 2 (superior pass). Measures how well the boot’s upper material resists wearing through when it hits and slides against a rough surface.

- Impact cut resistance: Level 2 (superior pass). Measures how well the boot’s upper material resists being cut by a blade striking it.

- Transverse rigidity: Level 2 (superior pass) Measures the boot’s ability to resist lateral crushing forces to protect the foot in a crash. In my opinion, this test is the only thing that separates a work boot from a motorcycle-dedicated boot. 

- WR: Resistance to water penetration. The boot’s ability to keep water out under specific conditions.

I discuss CE Certifications here.

All styles use the same last and have dual-directional sawtooth tread, but The Comanche, Black Comanche and Armstrong use a different pattern cut than all the other boots. 

As a result, they start off more narrow in the toe box. They will break in. It just takes a little longer. If you have a wide foot, consider going up a half size (for men).

The other difference with the "Comanche Variants" — they have a sole with exposed sawtooth tread that offers a more aggressive tread that will grip a little better on uneven concrete. 

The Crow (and all other styles) has a roomy toe box to start. The sole has the same sawtooth tread, just recessed. The wider toe box will be more comfortable out of the box.

The other differences are aesthetic. The Comanche variants use two-toned, hand-sanded leather.

I design our products here and we have a small tannery in northern Pakistan where we tan and construct those designs. Most of the motorcycle industry operated out of the same small region in Pakistan for decades, but many have moved production to Vietnam or Bangladesh.

The cotton in our apparel comes from one of the best mills in Guatemala, which is why our shirts are so damn comfy.

Yes. The insoles/footbeds are removable. You can swap them out if you have special or custom orthotics. Most customers do not need to size up to accommodate their inserts.

While every effort is made to ensure color consistency across all styles, slight variance in color is possible. Certain styles, like The Comanche, are hand finished to give them their unique patina look, which means no two pairs of Comanche are the same.

Also, the way they look on your phone is different than my phone. Plus, I'm a little color blind, so that doesn't help. But don't worry, Steph double-checks my product shots.

You can sign up to be notified as soon as they’re available. There’s a link on the product page just above the big red Add to Cart button. 

Like I mentioned above, our tannery is small, and because I make construction updates or tweaks with every batch, it could be anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months.