How to Read a Motorcycle Boot’s CE Rating (EN 13634 Explained)
THE MOST COMMON MISREAD
“My boot says 1 2 2 2. That first 1 means it’s the weaker version.”
It does not. The first digit is height, not strength. A 1 means a short boot. That boot reached the top level on all three protection tests.
A CE-rated motorcycle boot is tested to EN 13634:2017, and its label carries four digits after a motorcycle pictogram.
Each digit is scored 1 or 2 on its own, so mixed results are normal. Here is what each position means.
overall levels since 2017
“Level 2 boots” needs a follow-up: Level 2 in what?
abrasion at Level 2
Against 5 s at Level 1, on a belt doing 8 m/s.
flexing in water for WR
Optional. No WR, no tested waterproofing.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Four digits, read left to right: height, abrasion, cut, transverse rigidity.
- The first digit is coverage. 1 is a short boot, 2 a tall one. It says nothing about strength.
- The other three are protection. 1 is a pass, 2 is a higher pass.
- There is no overall level any more. The 2017 version removed it.
- Waterproofing is optional. Only a WR code means it was tested.
- Older boots show three digits if they were certified to the 2015 version.
IN THIS GUIDE
Boots are safety equipment, and the data shows why
In the EU, motorcycle boots are personal protective equipment under Regulation (EU) 2016/425, and EN 13634:2017 is the standard they are certified to.
It covers riding boots and riding shoes alike. A short urban riding shoe and a tall touring boot are tested to the same standard. The label then tells you how each one did.
The case for good boots is in the injury data. NHTSA studied motorcyclists treated at US trauma centers and found the legs are the most commonly injured part of the body, ahead of the arms and the head.
Where injured motorcyclists were hurt
Share of trauma center patients with a moderate or worse injury (AIS 2+) in each body region
Riders can have injuries in more than one region, so the shares add to more than 100%. Source: NHTSA, “Lower-Extremity Injuries in Motorcycle Crashes,” DOT HS 810 982 (2008), trauma center data 2003 to 2005.
Within those leg injuries, the foot and the ankle each account for about 10%, so together roughly 1 in 5. NHTSA found 90% of the ankle injuries were fractures of the bony points at the ankle, the area a stiff boot shell is built around.
Boots cut the risk by about half
A study of 212 crashed riders in Australia (de Rome and colleagues, 2011) found that even non-motorcycle boots were linked to a much lower injury risk than shoes or sneakers: a relative risk of 0.46, less than half. Motorcycle boots are built to do better still, and the label tells you how much better.
The four digits, one by one
SATRA, a test house that certifies footwear, lists the marking codes in a fixed order: height of upper, abrasion resistance, impact cut resistance, transverse rigidity. Boot maker TCX lists the same four in the same order.
| Position | What it measures | 1 means | 2 means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Height of the upper | Short, ankle height | Tall, covers the shin |
| 2nd | Impact abrasion | At least 5 s before wearing through | At least 12 s |
| 3rd | Impact cut | Blade penetrates 25 mm or less | 15 mm or less |
| 4th | Transverse rigidity | At least 1.0 kN to squeeze it 20 mm | At least 1.5 kN |
Mixed results are normal and fine. “1 2 2 2” is a short boot with the top result in every protection test. “2 1 1 2” is a tall boot that passed abrasion and cut at the base level but resists crushing at the higher one.
⚠️ “Level 2 boots” is not a rating
BSI notes that the 2017 version removed the overall performance level. So when a listing says “CE Level 2 boots”, ask Level 2 in what? It could be one test or all three. Only the four digits tell you.
What actually gets tested
Three of the tests mimic what happens to a foot in a crash: sliding on the road, a sharp edge, and the bike landing on it.
TCX, whose certification notes we use for the test thresholds, filmed how a boot goes through CE certification. It is the quickest way to see what each digit means in practice.
🛣️ Abrasion
Upper samples hit a 60-grit belt at 8 m/s. The test times how long until a hole forms: 5 s or 12 s in the main zone.
🔪 Impact cut
A blade strikes the upper at 2.8 m/s, like a sharp edge in a crash. Less penetration is better: 25 mm or 15 mm.
🗜️ Transverse rigidity
The whole boot is squeezed from the sides. 1.0 or 1.5 kN to deform it 20 mm. This is your foot under a fallen bike.
The abrasion test also splits the boot into zones with different targets. Dainese and other sources put the secondary zone at 1.5 s and 2.5 s. Sources describe the zone boundaries slightly differently, so we quote the main-zone figures.
The optional letter codes
After the four digits, a label may carry letter codes for extra tests. They are optional, so a missing code means the property was not tested, not that it failed.
WR
Water penetration resistance. The one that proves waterproofing.
IPA
Impact protection at the ankle.
IPS
Impact protection at the shin.
FO
Outsole resists fuel and oil.
WAD
Insole water absorption and desorption.
B
Upper is breathable (water vapor permeability).
SRA · SRB · SRC
Sole slip resistance. Useful when you put a foot down on a wet forecourt.
For a touring rider, WR is the code that matters most. TCX describes the test: the boot must stay dry through 80 minutes of continuous flexing while standing in water 2 cm above the line where sole meets upper.
So a “waterproof” boot without WR is the maker’s claim, not a tested one. It is the same gap we found with luggage in how to waterproof your motorcycle luggage.
2010, 2015 and 2017 labels
Boots last for years, so older labels are still on the road. SATRA’s history of the standard explains why they look different.
2002
Written for professional riders only.
2010
Opened to all riders. Added slip resistance, a second rigidity level and an impact cut test. Height linked to size.
2015
Lower minimum height, so shorter boots could comply. Label shows three digits.
2017 · current
Height becomes the first digit. Overall level removed. Four digits.
The practical rule: three digits means a 2015 label, reading abrasion, cut and rigidity. Four digits means 2017, with height in front. BSI lists the 2015 version as withdrawn and superseded.
Which numbers do you actually need?
There is no single right code. Match the digits to the riding, and remember that higher protection often means a heavier, stiffer boot.
Touring and highway
Look for a tall boot (2 first), a 2 on rigidity, and WR if you ride in all weather.
Town and commuting
A short boot (1 first) is reasonable. Aim for 2s in the last three so short does not mean weak.
Gravel and trails
Tall, with rigidity at 2. Feet go down a lot off-road, and that is when a bike lands on them.
Labels come from a lab. FortNine shows what a pair of boots looked like after a real crash, which is a useful reality check before you choose.
Cold feet are a separate problem the standard does not touch. Insulation is covered in how to layer riding gear for cold-weather touring.
Decode your own boots
Pick the four digits from your label in order, then tick any letter codes after them.
Reading a boot label in five steps
- Find the label inside the boot or on its swing tag.
- Check the standard and year. EN 13634:2017 is current. 2015 or 2010 means an older certification.
- Count the digits. Four means 2017, with height first. Three means 2015.
- Read the digits as separate results. Do not add them up and do not treat the first one as a strength score.
- Look for letter codes after them. WR for waterproofing, IPA and IPS for extra ankle and shin protection.
Where these figures come from
The order of the codes, the optional letter codes and the history of the standard come from SATRA. Test thresholds come from TCX‘s published certification notes. The removal of the overall level comes from BSI. Secondary-zone abrasion times come from Dainese and other guides.
Injury figures come from NHTSA report DOT HS 810 982 and the de Rome et al. study of crashed riders (2011). Photos are from Wikimedia Commons under the licenses shown, and the videos are by TCX and FortNine.
We have not read the full standard, which is sold by standards bodies. Where sources describe something differently, we say so. Figures checked in October 2026.
Boot ratings, answered
Do motorcycle boots really prevent injuries?
The evidence says they help a lot. In a study of 212 crashed riders in Australia, even non-motorcycle boots were linked to less than half the injury risk of shoes or sneakers (relative risk 0.46). NHTSA data shows the lower body is the most commonly injured area in motorcycle crashes, with the foot and ankle making up about 1 in 5 of those injuries.
What do the numbers on motorcycle boots mean?
Boots certified to EN 13634:2017 show four digits after a motorcycle pictogram. In order they are height of the upper, impact abrasion, impact cut and transverse rigidity. For height, 1 is a short boot and 2 a tall one. For the other three, 1 is a pass and 2 is a higher pass. Each digit is scored independently.
What does 1 2 2 2 mean on a motorcycle boot?
It is a short, ankle-height boot that reached the higher level in all three protection tests: abrasion, cut and transverse rigidity. The leading 1 describes how far up your leg the boot goes. It is not a weaker rating.
Is a short motorcycle boot less safe?
It covers less of your leg, which is what the first digit records. Its protection where it does cover is measured by the other three digits, and a short boot can score 2 on all of them. For touring and off-road riding, a tall boot protects more of the shin, so it is worth considering as well as the protection scores.
What is transverse rigidity on motorcycle boots?
It measures how well the whole boot resists being crushed from the sides, as it would be if the bike landed on your foot. The finished boot is squeezed until it deforms 20 mm. Level 1 needs at least 1.0 kN to do that and Level 2 at least 1.5 kN.
What does WR mean on motorcycle boots?
WR means water penetration resistance. It is an optional test in which the boot must stay dry through 80 minutes of continuous flexing while standing in water 2 cm above the line where the sole meets the upper. A boot sold as waterproof without WR on the label has not been tested to that standard.
What is the difference between EN 13634:2015 and EN 13634:2017?
The 2017 version made height a separate property shown as the first digit of the label and removed the overall performance level. A 2015 label shows three digits for abrasion, cut and rigidity, while a 2017 label shows four. SATRA describes the 2017 changes as having no fundamental change to the main test principles.
What do IPA and IPS mean on motorcycle boots?
They are optional impact protection codes. IPA means impact protection at the ankle and IPS means impact protection at the shin. If they are missing from the label, that area was not impact tested, so any padding or hard insert there is untested.
Are there CE Level 2 motorcycle boots?
Not as a single rating. Since the 2017 version there is no overall level, so each of the abrasion, cut and rigidity tests is scored 1 or 2 separately. When a listing says Level 2 boots, check which tests reached Level 2 by reading the four digits on the label.
Read next
- What is CE-rated motorcycle armor? EN 1621 explained
- EN 17092 explained: what AAA, AA and A jackets mean
- Motorcycle armor ratings explained: CE Level 1 vs Level 2
- More protective apparel guides
Updated October 2026. Marking order, optional codes and revision history from SATRA; test thresholds from TCX; revision notes from BSI; injury data from NHTSA and de Rome et al. (2011); photos via Wikimedia Commons; videos by TCX and FortNine. Always check the label on the exact boot you are buying.
