SIDI Arcadia Boots

For the past 2 or 3 years I've needed to replace a very simple pair of light riding boots, but nothing I've found has fit the bill. My requirements: 1) Styling: simple, understated, bordering on bland so they wouldn't look out of place in a casual office setting or walking around town. 2) Side zip for quick entry and exit. 3) Comfortable enough to walk in for extended periods. 4) *NOT* waterproof. 5) Under $200.

I use these for running errands around town and commuting to work and meetings with clients. I need something that doesn't scream *MOTORCYCLIST* and isn't clunky, uncomfortable, impractical, or too out-of-place for an office environment or the city streets - yet provides more protection than sneakers, dress shoes, or basic work boots. The side zip is critical for quickly putting then on and off - thereby increasing the chances I'll use them for quick errands on the bike. These are not boots I'm going to use for all-day touring, sport-touring, adventure riding, or extended motorcycle trips. These are - by design - a compromise in safety.

The lack of a waterproof membrane also makes them much more comfortable (read cooler) for hanging out in an office or walking around. So thank you Sidi for *not* adding that layer. I'm kind of baffled at the number of riding shoes that are waterproof. I live in Seattle and if the weather is that bad, and/or I'm going to be riding for more than just a few minutes in the rain, then I'm going to done some real waterproof gear and forget about my style concerns.

My previous casual boots were made (or marketed) by Harley Davidson. I bought them over 10 years ago for probably $70-$80, and they far superior in quality to anything I could find currently for nearly that cost. The leather is much thicker and the zipper is a solid, metal, YKK zipper than anything I've found so far. I've tried on, bought, returned (or sold
used) at least a dozen pair of replacements in the past two years. These new Sidi Arcadia Tex Boots are the closest I've found.

There are only 3 areas of improvement I'd add: 1) a more robust, metal zipper and 2) another protection disk on the inside ankle. 3) thicker leather - I'm a little skeptical they'll last as long as my previous boots.. With those I'd rate this a 5 star purchase.

The "Best subtle riding boot" review is spot on. Greg's observations give us potential buyers keen insight to what these boots are all about. I made my decision based upon his review. I'm glad I did! Thanks!

If you're looking for something that offers a bit more protection than sneakers for quick trips around town, without giving up the comfort or convenience of them, you've found your pair.

First off the looks: If you haven't already noticed, they're beautiful. They can easily double as a pair of casual boots. I have them in brown and have gotten a ton of compliments.

Protection: Compared to other motorcycle boots, these aren't the most protective. They're better than a regular pair of boots for sure, and a hundred times safer than sneakers, but I'm not sure how well they'd protect your feet in a really serious accident. The impact protection in the heel, ankle and toe will do their job, but these don't seem to have the same rigidity in the twist test that I've seen in other motorcycle boots. I would've liked to see more protection, but the convenience and comfort of these makes up for it.

Features: The side zip system is what sold me on these. I don't have any excuse to not wear boots now. They're just so damn easy to put on and take off. The safest gear is the gear you wear, and I no logger have an excuse to skip safety for convenience since these take care of both. This along with the price is definitely the boots biggest selling point.

Fit: I'm generally around a US 11, and got them in UK 44 (US 10-10.5ish), so they run a tad large. They also felt a bit narrow at first (and I have narrow feet) but after breaking them in, they feel great.

Overall, I really think these are the best bang for your buck. They're cheaper than almost any of the other boots I've seen in this style, and the side zip gives them a good upper hand. You no longer have a good excuse to wear sneakers over motorcycle boots, so go ahead and buy these.

Looked great on line... much less than expected once received. Lots of "pleather", rather than leather. I'm sorry, I expected more for almost $200.

Have ridden with these 4x now and each time I'm amazed at how comfortable they are. A bit big in the toe box, but much better than being squeezed. I walked for an hour this afternoon in these and they were awesome. Did I mention how comfortable they were? They don't move much, if any air into your foot, some good wicking socks and you should be set. Perfect!

I was shopping for boots I could wear under casual work clothes. I ordered 3 boots that I thought could fill the bill. Two got sent back, this was the keeper.

First thing, these are my 4th pair of Sidis, I should just stick with what I know moving forward. They just fit my foot perfectly. If you have other pairs of Sidis then you can buy without worry on this one.

Second, these are wicked comfortable. I actually wore them for the first time on a full work shift. 7 hours of standing and walking on pavement. They were as comfortable as my favorite Timberland Pro Duty boots. There was zero break in time. I even got several compliments on the boots at work too.

Third, they breathe! I have enough WP boots that I didnt want my summer pair to be that way. Because of this, they have really great airflow. Today it was an indicated real feel of 107 degrees! I could feel the air flowing around the inside of my boot from the canvas part.

Fourth, they are easy to wear! The side zip functions very well. I just tied them up as I normally would and now use the side zip to take on and off, no more laces!

Fifth, I would buy these again in a heartbeat. Honestly, my boots last a long time except for my daily wear which these would be. I typically only get maybe two years out of them until they start having issues. Then again, any boot I had that fell apart wasnt a Sidi. That being said, if these ever go to closeout, Ill buy them again even if this pair is perfect just to have a new pair if I ever need them.

I ordered these for my birthday and have never owned anything Italian made so I figured what the heck. They came quickly, thank you Revzilla. After wearing them for a few weeks and bragging to friends and co workers about them I looked at the inner tag. Made in China. So now I have Chinesse made Italian styled boots. My fault I guess for not calling and asking where they were made. It would be nice for that little bit of information to have been included in the product description. Other than that they are nice boots and well made. I even used them for trail riding a few times with no issues. If you can live with the fact that they are NOT Italian boots then you will be happy.

My last motorcycle crash was in 1977, when I was hit by a car. The last 40 years I have stayed upright, so while I have my heavy duty Touring and Adventure Class CE-rated boots, there are times such as when going to an outdoor motorcycle show when I want to ride up, get off the bike without the drama of talking off the boots and carrying tennis shoes, and simply walk around. Then I can ride back home just as easy. These fit the bill perfectly!. Far better than street shoes or sneakers, very comfortable, but less than a full-on cycle boot.

The Footbed is wide enough for my 2E foot, and the adjustable laces means I can set them so they are comfortable on my calves then zip in and zip out. I've impressed with the Arcadia's by Sidi, and that company never makes a bad boot. Revzilla's easy return policy means I decided to take a gamble and I'm not disappointed, in fact they are perfect for what I was looking for.

These boots are by far the most comfortable I've ever worn. I've had them for 2-3 months now and and bought them hoping they'd fly under my offices dress code where most of my other boots don't. They are stylish without being overly sporty in appearance. They're probably not as protective as my all-leather boots, but the features are thoughtful, practical, and of good quality. I intend to buy a second pair in the other color.

With the look of a beautiful casual boot, the Arcadia has many of the features essential for a motorcyclist: structured toe box and heel; non-slip sole; shifter reinforcement on the toe; cup for protection of the exterior ankle; and limited flexing in the sole. It also has a convenient zipper so you put them on quickly, removing any excuse for riding in street shoes. I wish there was another ankle cup for the interior, and I would feel a lot better about the protection factor.

The boots themselves are very attractive (as one would expect from Sidi), and the materials look top-notch. You could easily wear these boots all day without anyone calling them out as moto boots - they look great.

I don't know if it's worth noting that these are 'SDS' boots, designed by Sidi and manufactured by someone else. At this point, I don't have any complaints, and I hope that they prove as durable as the Sidi name implies.