As a sportbike enthusiast and track-day junky, I’m always in search of not only the best gear, but gear that can give me years of use. From leathers to helmets to gloves, I put them all through the test, whether it’s a day at the track, a day-long canyon ride, or a week-long trip wherever.
When it comes to motorcycle boots, I’ve always been a fan of the comfort in the Alpinestars SM-X series on the street. After riding around with the Sidi Vortice boots for the past six months, I can’t seem to put anything else on my feet. This goes for a track day, canyon ride, or touring trip. Yes, there are many boots that are more practical for every day street use, but when something provides comfort and safety, I’m hooked…although they do take a bit of time to strap up, but more on that later.
The Vortice (pronounced Vor-Tee-Che) are designed and manufactured in the country that breeds performance, and makes it look so good, Italy. The Vortice are Sidi’s replacement to the Vertigo Corsa, one of the most popular boots in motorcycle racing. The Vortice has to live up to its older brother, and what a job it’s doing.
The first notable featur
e is the Tecno Tensioner system used on the instep, shin and calf. Each tensioner tightens the respective parts through the use of nylon wire and a crank-down system using a dial. It's a perfect feature, since none of our feet are the same, and I’ve always complained of boots not being tight enough. With the Tecno Tensioner system, I can crank these boots down as tight as I need.
As mentioned before, the boots takes some time to strap up, or in Vortice language, “dial down.” For each Tecno Tensioner, a dial with a flip-open, half-circle tab is cranked down to tighten the nylon wires.The wires are attached to a metal bar on the opposite side of the dial through the use of a plastic hook. Once everything is hooked, you just crank the dial clockwise until you’ve received the tightness needed. To release the tension, there’s a push-lever above the dial that allows the dial to turn counter-clockwise, thus loosening the nylon wires.
Sidi knows racers go down, and that’s why they designed the boots with replaceable parts. Anyone who’s ever be
en to the track knows that toe sliders are usually the first to wear down, and Sidi’s are replaceable by removing two Phillips screws; the sliders are designed of nylon reinforced with fiberglass, and fitted with the air intake (explained later) and an alloy insert. The next thing to go is usually the sole due to racers digging it into the foot pegs while leaned over…the Racing SRS sole is easily replaced by removing six Phillips screws. Also, the composite inner sole features a removable arch support.
Also replaceable are the Shock Absorbing Heel Cups and the Shin Plate. The polyurethane shell of the heel cups conceals a shock absorbing insert and is fixed to the boot by two Phillips screws, which allow 3mm of movement in case of impact. The Shin Plate is made of nylon, and is inserted into a polyurethane frontal support, which is also replaceable.
Now to my favorite part of the boot: the Air Ventilation System. The Vortice boots contain one on the slider and another one below the ankle support braces on the outside of the boot. Whether on the track or riding along on a 90-degree day, the air ventilation system significantly improves comfort, allowing air to rush in and wrap around the feet. This system is activated by a simple sliding red button, although make sure you open or closed them before riding; a few times I tried closing the buttons while riding, but didn’t have much luck.
The boot itself is made of Lorica instead of leather, a material that’s been proven to be stronger than leather, more flexible, easier to maintain and also lighter. The inner lining is made from a Teflon vented mesh with Cambrelle in the toe area, a material that is soft yet strong. Using these materials, the liners prevent water or sweat from being absorbed, and also dries quickly, not forming mold.
I’ve tested these 
boots on my favorite mountain rides, a week-long, 1400-mile trip, and a few days at Virginia International Raceway. The Vortice provided me with satisfaction during all the different forms of riding, but were best on the track. This is what they are designed for, and it shows. They were great during the longer legs of the week-long trip, but like many high-tech racing boots, walking feels a bit weird.
As with all racing boots, they took some time to break in. Maybe if I got to the track a bit earlier they would have broke in faster, but it seemed like weeks on the street. But once they did, it was as if they were made specifically for my feet. The three different adjustments through the Tecno Tensioner System really enhanced the customized feel. And while talking fit, the size European 46 was true to my U.S. 11.5 size.
The Sidi Vortice boots retail for $475, and are available in black or white in European sizes 37 through 48.
