Sidi ST Boots | MC Hammered

Occasionally the products we test don’t just get used; they get hammered. Such is the case with Sidi’s ST boots.

The STs offer all the protective features you’d expect in sport boots. There’s plenty of armor and bracing and many of the parts are replaceable in the event of a crash, which is something I managed to do during a recent racetrack sportbike comparison. The boots suffered only a few minor scuffs and my feet were fine.

I was pleased to see that the STs utilize easy-to-use cam buckles instead of the complicated cable-and-ratchet closure system employed on Sidi’s high-end Vortice boots. As with most Italian footwear, the footbed is somewhat narrow. This gives the boots a snug, dexterous feel that’s great on the bike but squeezes your toes too much to be comfortable while walking.

Speaking of toes, the nylon toe sliders are fairly robust and replaceable—unless you wear through the mounts. After ultimately exposing my right sock, I taped more durable metal sliders over the beveled toes.

On the bike the boots’ thin, dual-density soles offer great feel at the footpegs, providing a critical data point while wrangling high-powered machinery. Unfortunately, the ankle braces caused some drama as they repeatedly ran afoul of the heel guards on nearly every bike I rode, resulting in some tense moments as I wrestled to free my foot while tipping-in to a turn. I solved this hang-up by layering duct tape over the inside of the ankles to cover the offending edge. Ugly, but effective.

Sporting street riders who do the occasional track day would do well to consider the Sidi STs, but roadracers and dedicated track riders should spend the extra money for the top-shelf Vortices.

Sidi ST Boots
Price: $395
Contact: Motonation
www.motonation.com
Verdict: 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Superb sport boots for all but serious track riders and roadracers.