The Scott Genius Arrives

By Zap

A Day in the Dirt With the Scott Genius Boot

The Details:
Scott Genius Boot
Material: Injection molded Dupont Hytrel & polyurethane
Price: $499
Weight: 4 lbs, 3 oz. (claimed)
Sizes: 6-13
Colors: White/black
Availability: Spring 2007
Made in Italy

You can mark January 8, 2007 as the day a new chapter in MX boot history arrived. Scott USA, longtime purveyors of all things goggle related have re-entered the boot market. Brimming with a variety of technical highlights and futuristic design, the new Scott Genius boot is indeed something to behold. Scott chose Competitive Edge Park in the high-desert north of Glen Helen to launch their re-entry into the MX marketplace.ÿ

Yes, re-entry. For those of you not around in the late 70’s, you may not know that Scott first introduced a groundbreaking plastic boot design that was used by riders like Bob Hannah and Jeff Ward before it quietly disappeared in the early 80’s. The new Genius boot is similar to the original Scott boot in that is made entirely of plastic. Even when Scott introduced their first boot, the concept of plastic MX footwear was not unique. European boot makers like Heckel and M. Robert were already on the market with their own unique designs.ÿÿ

Fast forward twenty years from the original Scott boot days and Scott USA – the goggle company – was throwing a coming out party to test ride pre-production samples of its radical new Genius MX boot.

The Background
While the event was staffed by a full-court of twenty & thirty-something year old Scott employees tending to the needs of all the assembled journos, we tracked down the forty-something VP of just about everything at Scott USA, Scott Watanabe to talk about the Genius. A Scott employee for the last 28 years, we knew “Watts” was the only guy present who would have first hand, comparative knowledge of the first Scott boot as well.

Watts said that the saw the first concept of the boot six years ago at the Milanoÿ motorcycle show when it was introduced to him by its designer, Gerard Valat. “All I did was walk around in the parking lot with it on to get the concept. That early version was actually being test ridden back then as well.ÿ What I immediately realized about the design was that it was truly revolutionary in what it was trying to accomplish.ÿ For us, there was no other boot on the market that offered such a leap forward in terms of protection, comfort and performance.”ÿ

Through extensive anthropomorphic, laboratory, and materials R&D testing, the Genius began to take shape. Key to the design is the patented Scott Pivot System and Sure-Feel shifter & Brake Transfer pads. Unlike traditional pivoting boot designs, the Scott pivot articulates to provide a small level of “suspension” for hard impacts.

When asked to compare the new boot with the original, Watts pointed out a few key differences. “You know, the sport has changed so much since back then. Supercross used to be not much more than a MX track moved indoors. The original boot was basically designed just to protect against external impacts. Scott USA’s heritage is one known for producing forward thinking technology ? the Genius is that kind of product. The new boot is designed specifically for the new age of the sport where riders are jumping triples and at speeds no one would’ve thought possible in the late ?70’s. We spent countless hours considering how the Genius could provide increased orthopedic protection for how people are riding their bikes these days.”ÿ

On The Track
Although still in pre-production mode, Scott had a few dozen pairs of Genius boots on hand to test. On first fit, the boot is definitely more complicated to put on than an ordinary leather boot. Both the straps and shin plates are adjustable. Like most high end boots, the Genius uses an internal bootie.ÿ Even with just three straps, the boot could be cinched down tightly. Overall comfort was very good. Take a few steps in the Genius and you get the immediate sensation that you’re walking in a plastic boot.ÿ MXA test rider Dennis Stapleton used the word “Robotic” to describe the feel. I asked one Scott guy if in six months the boot would break-in to get the feel of a broken-in leather boot. The answer was short ? “No.”

On the bike the Genius felt light and the robotic feel disappeared. Shifts and braking points were immediately missed ? this boot definitely takes some getting used to. The first observation we made was that the toe box was on the high side which inhibited shifting, although Dennis said it was less a problem for him because he already runs his shifter higher than normal. Thanks to the Sure Fire shifter pad, when you did get the boot under the shifter, you could feel the shift being made. The Scott guys said they looked at the measurement and the Genius ranks somewhere in the middle compared to how tall the other boots on the market are. A similar feeling of sensitivity, or lack there of, could be pointed to the brake side. Despite the Brake Transfer Pad we initially had problems feeling the brake pedal.

In Conclusion
The Scott Genius boot is unlike anything else on the market today. That can be good or bad. The biggest disappointment was that we didn’t get to keep the boots for an extended test. Being as different as they are, we definitely needed more time to have any firm conclusion. As the day wore on, we got more used to the Genius nuances and our initial problems became less apparent (but never disappeared). Dennis said that unlike some leather boots which break-in right away, the Scotts didn’t. But he noted, the issue with the Genius boot is less one of break-in then simply getting used to how different they are. The aluminum buckles and three strap design provided both positive attachment and a snug fit. We were surprised to see some wear issues crop-up which raised the specter of overall durability. Though not the right solution, Scott said that every part is replaceable

We also learned that many of the design elements used with the Scott can also be found on the still-to-be seen road racing boot coming out from Puma. In fact, despite their initial road bike design, Watt’s admitted that Puma too would be able to introduce their own dirt version of the Genius.

Currently, Scott has up & coming amateur racer Ben Lemay using the boots and that the public can expect to see the Genius on the shelves sometime in the spring. No matter the costs associated with plastic molding technology, the Scott reps said changes to the shape of the boot could still be made. Time will tell.