These boots come in several designs, and although the GP tracks outlines in grey on white boots do look awesome, they will not stay looking that way for long unless you suffer from a serious case of OCD or like cleaning. Due to the artificial man made leather that the outer boot is made from it is advisable to you don’t opt for the white version as these have slightly yellowed in the year that I have owed them and are very difficult to clean. Although most people won’t notice that they have very slightly yellowed or are less white than when they bought them at £300, the owner will notice any imperfections.
The boots overall are very well made, and come in two parts; the inner boot and an outer boot. The inner boot is black with naked plastic armour and fabric. This boot uses laces which can be tighter for a better bit. As for the outer boot the zip is on the outside of the leg with a ratchet closing mechanism around the calf. This arrangement works well and I cannot fault AlpineStars for their design. The boots reasonable light but there are lighter boots on the market, and they generally fit well. Walking down the high street in them will generally lead you to walk a little funny as they are not your favourite pair of trainers, but they are not uncomfortable, and you could go the whole day in them if you had to. On the bike, they work well and I have no problem selecting neutral on my Daytona 675, which is notorious for being difficult to find on that model. It is on the bike where you find that the boots are well ventilated. So in cooler weathers wearing thicker riding socks is advised, or you will find yourself riding with your feet at slightly different angles to vary the angle of attack on the front vents of the boot. Although not a real issue, it would have been nice if you could close the vent.
As for replaceable parts, you can replace the sole, toe slider and heel. At this point you are probably thinking that you can replace a lot more on the Sidi's. But after testing these boots in good old bike and rider meets tarmac fashion, I can say that I didn't even need to replace the slider, and the boot held up well enough for me not to bother replacing them. I was lucky and received minimal scuffmarks even though my foot was caught under the bike and holding the entire weight of the engine in the air. Even though my foot was caught under the bike, I suffered minimal foot damage only spraining my toes, which I didn’t realise to long after I got home. In the event of an accident, these boots should provide some reassurance.
Posted: 01/03/2012 at 19:09
