Sidi Cobra boots review

Sidi Cobra boots review | £194.99 | www.sidiselect.co.uk / 01384 413841 | Reviewed by: Carli Ann Smith

There are an unbelievable amount of choices and styles of footwear to choose from – and it all depends on what you’re looking for as to what kind of boot you choose. I was after a sporty looking boot that would fit over top of my one-piece leathers but also, which wouldn’t look out of place under my textile trousers – this is where the Cobra boots came in.

Sometimes with race style boots, they can be hard to bed in and can be quite uncomfortable to start with, not with these bad boys, they were comfortable as soon as I put them on – plus they’re available in half sizes which comes in handy when you have ‘in-between’ size feet like me.

They fasten with a full length zip on the inside and have a Velcro tab over the top to secure them.

They aren’t waterproof but there are Goretex options on the website. I have ridden in these boots in a rain shower though and my feet weren’t soaked – unless it was a really heavy downpour.

At nearly £200, they aren’t the most expensive available from Sidi, but in comparison to a lot of boots on the market – they aren’t a cheap choice. However, for the price you get the benefit of years of experience that Sidi have acquired making boots for on-road and off-road motorcycling.

On the back of the boot, there is a ‘vertebra system’ – essentially two piece of plastic that slide over each other for ease of movement and added rear calf protection. The heel cup of the boot (the bit that your heel bone sits in at the back) is shock absorbing too for extra protection.

The toe slider is replaceable – good for track day nuts who may scrape it off – and they feature a rubber sole, which help you grip in the wet.

On my old Sidi boots, I used to get something which I affectionately called a ‘Sidi Squeak’ – but I don’t on this pair, perhaps because there is more material than plastic on them. I did find that the ankle protection dug into my ankle bone slightly when I walked around in them a lot – mainly at work because I am too lazy to put normal shoes on – but this was never an issue on the bike or when walking short distances. After all, they’re made for protection on the bike, not for walking around.

They have vents on the outside edge of the boot, which are opened and closed using the slider – easy even with gloves on. These are great on a really hot day as you get a lovely breeze through into your boots – however, do remember to close them if it rains, otherwise the result is very wet socks.

They’re available in white/black, blue/black, red/black and plain black.