Snickers for short rides. Which ones seem to protect the most?

[psycledelic]

My small 2 cents worth is just stay away from laces, even for short rides.  In my nooby days, I had a road gremlin hook my lace around my gear lever and I didn't notice it until I flew hooligan on a line of slow cars.  Long, scary, story short.  I couldn't upshift and met my rev limiter that day. 

[iheartny]

Sidi Doha boots look SWEET. They're pretty stiff in the sole and the heel cup, come up above the ankle bones, and have hard pads on the inside. $160 and look like a shoe I'd wear no matter what...

[Cucciolo]

I bought the Puma's V2 last version from cycle gear. I must say that these are the coolest looking boots available. They are extremely comfortable and look like a pair of unique snickers when wearing with jeans. They have enough padding on the sides to make them feel snug. The heel has a plastic enclosure for protection. The only complaint would be that the toe box is not hard enough on the top compared to my Sidi's Air scorpio toe box. But I guess that I can't have it all! I love the Sidis but they are very narrow and it gets uncomfortable after a while. Pumas are good looking, comfortable and offer decent protection. A great riding boot for my application. Hope this helps!