Sidi Crossfire 2 SR

What it is

• Sidi is an Italian boot and shoe manufacturer who makes high-end footwear for two-wheeled applications.

Sidi is an Italian boot and shoe manufacturer that makes high-end footwear for two-wheeled applications. The Crossfire 2 SR is the company's top-of-the-line motocross/off-road boot that is designed to protect and be comfortable like no other boot. It has an ankle hinge system designed to limit foot/ankle hyperextension. The calf plate system features an inner double adjustment that expands to fit even the largest of legs with an exclusive Dual Flex System upper that offers an additional pivot designed to make movement in knee braces easier. The inner heat shield is made of a high-grip material and laminated Technomicro is used as the base material in all areas.

One of the key features is a replaceable sole that is changeable with normal hand tools to a number of different styles if desired. An enduro and supermoto sole/protection is available as an option. The insole is reinforced with a nylon, not steel, while internally there is a replaceable/removable arch support. The toe box is reinforced as is the anatomically correct heel. The lower portion of the boot is lined with anti-abrasion Cambrelle.

The boot closes with cam lock buckles on a micro-adjust straps with the lower buckle protected with a deflector molded into the boot. The top gaiter seals with Velcro and shuts with an elastic belt and is lined with Teflon mesh that is claimed to prevent absorption of water and sweat. Almost every part of the boot is replaceable which also allows some color combination changes if a rider feels the need for fashion.

There are 10 different color combinations and every so often a special color will pop up. Sizes range from 7 to 13 (40-48).

How it works

• Fit is a little tight in the toe box if you have wider feet.
• There is no break-in for the ankle and over time the boot does not fade in the ankle either.
• The SR Sole is one of the most protective from all kinds of impacts due to its stiff construction.

There is no doubt the Crossfire 2 SR is a very high-end boot. From the fit and finish to the high-quality materials, right from opening the box you can just tell. The fit is true to size in the length department but those with wide feet may want to consider going up a size or at the least trying a pair on, as the SE sole is slim in the mid-toe box. The TA version of the Crossfire runs just a bit wider. Though the boot does break-in a little bit in this area, it is not roomy by any means. I wear a EE width running shoe in size 10 and prefer a size 11 Crossfire so my toes are not scrunched.

Taking time to properly adjust the buckles pays off with a fit on the ankle and calf that is as perfect as could be expected. Adjusting the buckles is simple. It will accommodate strange fits of knee braces easily. The interior of the boot does not have any seams or ripples that bother. You can easily wear a thin sock (good if you have wider feet) and you’ll still be comfortable.

Once in the boot the hinged ankle and calf make the boot feel like there is no break-in required. They move as good on the first day as they will in a week or in a year. One thing that is different is the stiffness of the SR sole. It does not feel as if it flexes at all. This was appreciated by some and a bother for others who wanted to feel some sole movement or would like to feel the brake pedal or shift lever more. It is a protection compromise and Sidi chose the safest design.

The boot is slightly vented at the rear and it is not waterproof, but it is as good as any at keeping out moisture from below the top of the boot.

When riding, the thinness of the boot has its advantages, especially considering it is a hinged boot. You can’t tell by the width at the ankle, there is no bulk in the system and you feel as if your ankle is right on the frame rail. The toe box is slim and thin, top-to-bottom  and side-to-side, so getting under the shifter is easy and moving the ankle is positive and free with lockout at just the right time. The toe box’s stiffness is also one of the best for protection from every direction, especially if the boot is getting flexed in the area where your toes reside. Anywhere on the boot, when put in awkward positions, it will flex just a bit farther than is comfortable then stop, preventing injury as much as is possible.

One of the best features for me personally in on extremely hard landings that will flex the soles of some boots, the Sidi’s stiffness really stands out and my foot doesn't flex, even when I’m standing on my arch. And all of this protection comes with movement and flexibility in boots that do not offer at near the same level of safety.  The grip of the soles is great with one exception--the side of the SR sole area which is hard and slippery. Not that you are supposed to be standing here but sometimes when your foot “just misses” the footpeg you can notice this. As for side grip of the boot it is excellent. The contact areas with the bike seem to enhance this side grip.

The weight of the boot is on par with other top-end boots, not too heavy but also not featherweight. Yet the Sidi seems to carry its weight lower than most other boots. As for durability the Crossfire 2 is beyond expectations and clearly one of the best out there for a number of reasons. First, the plastic parts of the boot are tough and clean easily. Should something happen almost every piece is replaceable. The buckles stay shut and are some of the easiest to index and close, a rare combination.

Areas of leather are minimally exposed but in years of wearing Sidi boots I’ve never seen these parts split, crack or tear, even without treatments. The stitching is as tough as any other boot and double stitched in the areas it needs to be.  Protective covers over the hinges keep them free from snagging and additional wear. Some riders are able to hook and tear off some of the protective pieces but these riders are extremely hard on any boot. It just means a more frequent check/replacement schedule for the protective parts, not time for all-new boots.

Aside from the thinner toe box there are only a couple of things that some may take issue with. The boots can squeak when walking, if that is a bother to you a squirt of silicone spray instantly cured it. And the flat-headed quarter-turn fasteners, sixteen on each boot can become worn and scratched enough to where getting them out can be a chore. I’ve used a chisel to re-notch them to get them to turn with a screwdriver.

New fasteners with sole replacement is a good idea. Replacing the soles before you eat into the outer sole carrier is wise and even the most aggressive boot thrashers take quite a while to go through a sole. I get a full year of excessive riding out of mine and I’m classically hard on boots. And if you have the earlier version of the Crossfire you might notice that the boot does not close around itself as easily as the older boot did, sometimes taking a better tug of the closure to get everything wrapped around your shin. Adjusting the top plate to the larger position can remedy this. It is as if Sidi made the overall diameter of the boot just a bit smaller to save some weight.

At close to $600, the Crossfire 2 is a premium boot in a class of the elite and it belongs there. First and foremost is the protection it provides, where I feel it is the class leader. Coming from a guy with only nine toes and who’s very particular about boots being protective, even more so than helmets, I can say these are my outright favorite boots I’ve ever worn. And I’ve spent a lot of time in almost all of them.  There isn’t an area where the Sidi isn’t right among the top in any performance category, and it always matches or exceeds when compared to a lot of good company.

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