Our
ankles and feet are vulnerable
to injuries when
riding and probably more so when riding
at a racetrack. These injuries can result
from abrasion, impact (including crush),
and excessive range of motion. So it
stands to reason that a good sport
motorcycle riding boot should address
these areas.
Whereas most
motorcycle boots offer good protection
against abrasion, finding a pair that
offered protection that addressed impact
and range of motion injuries for feet and
ankles was more difficult.
It’s with this
perspective that I set out to find a pair
of motorcycle boots for track use. I was
looking for motorcycle boots that offered
maximum protection for the ankle and
foot.
And this is where the Sidi
Vertebra Race Carbon boots shine.
They offer a rigid exo-skeleton
protection that protects the back of the
lower leg, the shin, the ankle, and the
foot. In addition, the Sidi Vertebra
Race Carbon boots offer protection
against injuries caused by excessive
range of motion.
Overview:
The Sidi Vertebra Race
Carbon motorcycle boot is constructed
using Lorica instead of leather. Though
less known in North America, Lorica is a
high tech synthetic fiber that is widely
used in Europe for footwear ranging from
regular streetwear to tough hiking boots.
Among its properties:
- microporous
surface that offers both good
breathing and water resistance.
- light and very
durable and claimed to offer more
abrasion resistance than leather.
- does not easily
scuff
The inner liner is fully
perforated.
The interior of the boot
surrounding the ankle cavity is padded
and the inner shank strengthened.
Protection:
The rear of the Sidi
Vertebra Race Carbon boot features
overlapping hard plastic plates (hence
the vertebra name) that protect the
region from the lower calf down the
Achilles tendon to the heel from impact
while allowing forward and backward
flexing.
Likewise, hard, dual
density plastic armor wraps around the
heel cup.
The upper front of the
boot (shin area) offers a hard carbon
fiber armor plate to protect the shin
from impacts.
But the most visible part
of the Sidi Vertebra Race Carbon
motorcycle boot is the rigid articulated
brace that protects from the base of the
foot up to the mid calf area where it
connects with the upper vertebra plate.
This brace provides the
following:
- protects the ankle
from impacts
- protects the
vulnerable mid-foot area from
impacts
- articulation at
the ankle allows for easy
movement frontward and backward
- limits excessive
pronation of the ankle (ie
rolling in) to prevent ankle
injuries caused by excessive
range of motion
- along with the
very stiff sole, it minimizes
injuries from crush-type forces
by spreading the point load along
its length
- adds protection
against twisting forces
The brace also integrates
with an adjustable toe flex mechanism
designed to prevent excessive backward
bending of the forefoot.
Other features:
All serviceable parts
(skid plates for toes, upper calf, as
well as the shin plating) are bolted on
rather than velcro'd on for increased
stability and durability. This allows to
re-build the boots should parts be
damaged or worn from use.
The Sidi Vertebra Race
Carbon motorcycle boots come with a
handy tool to perform all adjustments.
What I found:
The Sidi Vertebra Race
Carbon boots provide a substantial
level of protection and offer strong
lateral rigidity. And yet, with all of
this protection, the Sidi Vertebra
Race Carbon boots are lightweight and
remain comfortable to wear. The fully
perforated inner liner combines well with
the breathability of Lorica, providing
good comfort for riding in hot
temperatures.
Evolution of a concept:
Sidi Vertigo Corsa
The Sidi Vertigo Corsa
boots represent a further evolution
of Sidi’s focus to provide maximum
safety for track riding and have won
Motorcyclist Magazine "Best New
Product" Award for 2004.
Some highlights of the Sidi
Vertigo Corsa Boots:
- an improved
lateral brace system
- a patented
adjustable calf closure system
that will accommodate a greater
variety of calf sizes
- a forefoot closure
system: to stabilize the foot and
help prevent injuries resulting
from the foot sliding forward in
a crash
- snap-lock vent
panel: allow adjustable airflow
- a three stage,
shock absorbing heel cup: this
cup is molded using three
different densities of plastic.
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