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\f0\fs28 \cf2 The new kid is back in town. This is the Sidi Mag1 in my right hand, as
you can see it, and the theme is flexibility, lightweight and streamlined in a brand new
design for 2014. On the other side of the table, I have the classic Vortice and really
the Vortice remains right at that same level, same price point but it's set up a little
bit different compared to what they've done with the next iteration from the Mag1. Now,
Sidi worked with Bautista, Cal Cruchlow, they worked with Andrea Dovizioso. And they worked
with the GP-level riders and really found where they wanted to go with this new boot,
outside of a dramatic restyle, was they wanted to shave weight from it and make it a little
but more flexible for the rider.\ So, each boot now is seven ounces lighter
compared to a Vortice, what we saw the pros wearing previously. They've also done, you're
going to see it right away, is they've internalized your vertebrae system. So, on this boot again
it goes with the weight saver, you get this big, rigid structure all the way outside on
the lateral side, on the medial side going all the way up to the Achilles, what they've
done with this boot is they've actually used two aircraft-grade carbon-fiber supports running
from bottom to top on both sides of the boot, but they're internal and they allow for a
little bit more flexibility, a little bit more feel. And you can see the streamline
of this boot, again, they shaved nearly a half a pound off of each one combined. And
I have the black/white version of each one. So, again, from a positioning standpoint,
you're Vortice probably still is a bit stiffer, a bit more bomb-proof, but the pros want something
with a little more tactile response and feel.\ Notice how they shaved down the heel cockpit
here? You're getting halfway shock absorbing heel counter that on the inside is a much
more low profile than what< we've seen previously. Again, going with that streamlined appearance.
But a lot of the rest of the boot is very similar in its function, meaning performing
at the highest level, full-speed, for MotoGP level crashes and catering to a pro-level
rider around that $500 mark. Now, before I get into every change and every nuance, let's
talk quickly about fitment. I believe this booth will be more comfortable for most riders.
They've even made it more adjustable up here at the top. You're getting 15 inches of adjustable
circumference around the top of the boot, that's brand new. They've also changed the
way it interfaces with your calf.\ The foot bed is going to remain relatively
similar, and you'll still get that hardcore race sole from Sidi but you'll notice on the
bottom that they've removed that piece that was replaceable, on the dual-compound sole.
but again, looking at the arch and looking at the Achilles from a Fit standpoint, again
removable arch inside of the boot but on top now you're going to get a bit more breathability
and you have this area of elasticated nylons which has these big TPR's over the front of
it and these TPR's along the back. Again for allowing,more flexibility.\
Now, there's no hard start and stop from a hyper-extension, hyper-flection standpoint,
but you do have those carbon-fiber rods that do run up and down the boot for that internal
rigidity. Keep that in mind guys, and if you're concerned how it's going to rock, remember
European sizes but again Sidi's been playing here in the U.S. long enough, will ship for
free, so don't worry about it. You can always give us a shout if you're concerned about
that fitment and remember, I want to hear your gut reaction. Click here, subscribe to
us on our YouTube channel, RevZilla TV, leave your comments, your questions, and your feedback.\
Now, let's dive back into the nitty-gritty and really work this Sidi Mag1 against the
Vortice, front to back, top to bottom and highlight all the changes besides just the
overall style as we go. And remember guys, the baby brother to both of these boots, which
you really can't go wrong with, is the ST, which is just a different, it's around that
$400 dollar mark, but if you're already making that investment, both these guys are just
head and shoulders above that level of protection. Now, looking at the toe, you're going to instantly
see a dual compound with a replaceable alloy slider here on the toe box. It's nylon with
fiberglass reinforcement, reinforced toe as well, you have that similarly on both the
Vortice and the Mag1. Notice a refined shift panel, recessed stitching, you're going to
see it without and both of these boots are going to have micro-fiber, that techno-micro,
which is synthetic leather all the way out. When you use synthetic leather versus natural
leather, you eliminate all imperfections, keep that in mind.\
Now, looking at the Techno-3, magnetic system. Big change here on the Mag-1versus the Vortice.
Notice this is different now, instead of nylon mono-filament, now you're, using coated stainless
steel. And the cool part about it is you have a release on both sides, versus one sided
on these bad boys, and what happens is it actually the Techno3mag system, see that magnet
right on the bottom there? Just kind of holds it in place; it doesn't go anywhere. It got
rid of a lot of the fuss on this guys and they managed to use lighter weight, smaller
stainless steel to keep it in.\ So, if I completely undid this boot, right?
I'm gong to snap my adjuster up, I'm going to give myself some slack, I'm completely
undoing it, right, going all the way to the top of the boot, again allowing, it to release.
Remember, 15 inches of circumference up here along the top. You're going to see it doesn't
go anywhere, it stays in place, you just kind of pop it in. I put my foot back in there
and I'm ratcheting it down . Notice how it slides right into place and again that magnet
lines up there perfectly.\ And you'll see how they use that larger area
of TPR across the instep here to give you better coverage and make sure that this is
going to stay hardcore and in place and hold up to abuse, because remember, look at all
the screws in the outside here, screw, screw, screw, screw, screw, screw, you're going to
have a lot of places that are replaceable within this boot. And just like the Vortice,
these are heirloom products, they're not meant for one season, or even three. They're meant
to really hold up and allow you to make that lighter weight investment of just replacing
a slider or two and keep it running for you season after season after season, whether
you're racing, whether you're crashing or whether you're just doing track days.\
Now notice, as we move here into this hinged area, if you popped off the cap of this slider
which is a medial or it's a lateral outside slider, you'd see a screw that holds this
carbon-fiber structure in place, that run all up and down the inside and outside. Again,
big departure from the vertebrae system on the back of the Sidi. And notice, we do have
that heel counter on the back here, you're going to see there is an area of reflective.
Moving back up, the shin plate is completely re-designed now. Lighter weight, smaller,
out of harms way, and you notice if you come in here really tightly the whole interior
of this boot the medial side is much flatter, much lower profile, meant to create a much
more seamless area of contact with the inside of your faring or your bike in aggressive
scenarios rather than having a raised point here, a raised point here.\
Again, that was one of the big feedback pieces that came back from the Motor GP level. Now,
you can see those both on the inside here and remember; low-profile in the inside of
the heel as well because that area is going to be stopping right there where you have
the area of the counter that is rubber-backed with that shock-absorbing zone. Notice, too,
medial slider, and again, dual-carbon fiber struts up from there, down from there, keeping
it in place again, limiting range of motion adding sturdiness, adding rigidity but again
not getting in the way. And the nice part about this boot too is by allowing a little
more flex, you actually give your knee a little bit more range of motion, you're actually
giving yourself a little bit more room for escape if you do get into a situation where
some of that torsion, or twisting is going to be relayed up to your knee.\
Now, what I'm going to do here, I'm going to open this bad boy up from the inside out,
done that a couple of times, show you how easy that is to pop this off just like that.
And when I start to open it up you're going to see that the lining looks like the classic
Sidi Cambrelle lining but it''s actually not. It's Cambrelle in the toe box and around the
foot, but up here toward the ankle towards the calf it's actually going to be perforated
nylon that has a little bit more thickness to it. It's actually more comfortable it has
a much more a 3D effect to it, so what it's going to do is it's going to promote better
air circulation, promote better wicking. It's actually going to be more comfortable overall
and you can see all the way down into that bad boy how much that breaks. This is going
to be very easy on and very easy off. You notice there's even a stretch panel right
there for better range of motion. The other thing I want to call out is look at the back
here along the top of the calf.\ Now on the Vortice it goes all the way up,
and you have another techno-micro adjuster or a Techno-3 adjuster right there You have
it on the side there, you're eliminated one, you're saving some weight here but on the
back you're going to notice they have that high point of TPU that goes up. They've given
you another area of soft TPU that has some padding built into it and what that's going
to allow you to do is make sure that your calf never get chaffed or cut up because this
area of TP is never really going to break in and that's okay because it's meant to be
supported. So they're giving you an area of soft plastic to interfere or to interface
with your leg so you're not going to have any trouble there, and you can see the way
that this is put together.\ They didn't skip, but they shaved right where
they could, they eliminated excess where they could and they simplified where they could
and for me I'm a fan of that approach especially if it's going to offer more tactile response
to the rider and again, being a little but more light weight, you're going to produce
less fatigue over time with this boot which will be the Mag1 over the Vortice, especially
if you're talking about 25 laps around the track. So remember the Vortice and the Mag1are
really brother and sister products. One is not better, it depends on what you're looking
for.\ If you want ultimate bomb-proof, you go Vortice.
If you want to sacrifice a hair on the stiffness and protection side, just a hair and get a
little but more streamlined and light-weight and a little bit more response from a boot
that's going to be a little less rigid, that's where you go Mag1, and again, we're seeing
that trend at the pro level. Keep that in mind, guys. Still a bunch of sizes and a ton
of colors for each one, you really can't go wrong and the baby brother for both of these
guys is going to be
the ST.\ }