Some of you may remember my original review of the Majyk Equipe XC boots that I did in the spring. I remain very happy with my ME boots, and my first set is still trucking along looking as good as new over a year after their original purchase. When ME contacted me asking if I’d be interested in trying out and reviewing their new Gen 2 version of the XC boots, I jumped at the chance. I’ve been very pleased with mine and wasn’t really sure what they could do to make them better, so I was definitely curious.

Straight out of the box I immediately saw a few differences between the new Gen 2’s (white) and my older Gen 1’s (black). The first most obvious thing is the logos – they used to be fabric and now they’re a rubbery/plastic. I’m definitely down for anything that is easier to clean. They’re also smaller and a little bit more conservative looking.

The second obvious thing was the design of the straps themselves. The Gen 2 boots have a little tab on the end of the velcro straps, making them MUCH easier to grab and pull off. This is awesome when you’re trying to untack a hot, prancy horse after XC, or on cold days when you’ve got gloves on. Very smart. Tip of the hat to you on that one, Majyk Equipe. I didn’t even realize I needed that feature until you gave it to me.

Once I started using them, I noticed that the strike plate on these felt a bit bigger and was easier to conform to the leg. The Gen 1’s require a bit of a squeeze so you can feel when the strike plate settles in the right place, but the Gen 2’s are more fool proof in application.

Old strike plate

New strike plate

A lot of the original features that I loved so dearly are still there – how super lightweight they are, how they dry so quickly, the tags under each tab that clearly mark left/right, and the durable yet very well perforated outer layer. I can still throw them in the washing machine to clean them (on the gentle cycle and then air dry, of course, which is great if you’re lazy and now own white boots). Majyk Equipe still pays close attention to technology, materials, and does research/testing on their products.

So what are the main differences between the Gen 1 and the Gen 2?

Upgrades to the Gen 2 boots:

• 5 layer construction (for more durability). According to ME this provides 30% more impact protection without having a negative effect on flexibility.
• eco friendly anti-fungal Gen II Hyperflex Foam lining
• more extra large perforations to help keep the legs cool
• stronger materials (including the fabric binding, which is now double stitched)
• New strike plate design (4 way flex and covers a larger area)
• improved strap design

I already thought that the original Gen 1 Majyk Equipe XC boots were the best on the market, and the Gen 2’s are even better. Especially when you consider that they retail at only $75 for the fronts and $82 for the hinds (not to mention that RW has free shipping over $50 and always has a coupon code floating around, which makes them even less).

I’ve been using the new ones for a month now and find myself enamored with Majyk Equipe all over again. I even let the white ones get super muddy, sit in their own filth for a week, and then wash them. They came out sparkling and beautiful again, which gives me much hope for the longevity of the white.

Well done, Majyk Equipe. Well done.