Vetter Street Feet Boots
VETTER STREET FEET BOOTS
EVALUATION
WHAT'S IN A NAME?
IT’S DIFFICULT TO TELL AT FIRST glance, but there's definitely something missing from Vetter Products’ Street Feet boots. Not from the boots themselves; from their name. There’s no adjective such as “sport,” “racing” or “touring” to modify “boots.” After all, motorcycling footgear has become as specialized as modern hardware, and almost every boot extant uses one of those adjectives as an integral part of its name. So, it must be a mistake; Vetter just forgot, right?
Not on your Vibram sole. The Street Feet are general-purpose riding boots, and they attempt to find a foothold between the extremes of sport/racing and touring footwear. Yet the Vetters clearly weight their emphasis toward sport or racing use, as evidenced by their construction. The 12-inch-tall Feet employ relatively light, 1.5mm-thick cowhide exteriors bonded to Vibram soles, compared to the thicker leather and sewnon soles of typical touring brogans.
The Street Feet’s construction shouldn’t suggest any inherent shortcomings, though. Quite the opposite, in fact. Such boots generally are lighter, more flexible and offer better control-feel than their touring-style sole brothers—and that’s precisely the case with the Vetters. Still, the Feet’s soles are slightly stiffer and provide more arch-support than most sport/race boots, forfeiting only a fraction of feel in the bargain. And that’s a trade most riders should be happy to make.
Extra support means added comfort. too, whether you're taking it to the streets by riding or walking. The calfskin-lined (or pigskin, depending on what Vetter has available) Feet’s comfort also comes from certain construction details, such as the ribbed, padded sections above the heels, which keep the shafts from sagging, thus preventing chafing and shortening break-in time. Plus, the side zippers make them a cinch to pull on and off, and the sewn-on shift pads are properly placed—not always the case with riding boots. And as an added boon, the Feet require about as much care as a paper clip. Thanks to a lacquer finish coat on the leather, ours are still on their feet, shiny and new-looking after months of use, requiring only an occasional wiping off with a damp towel.
Yet Vetter's boots do trip up in a few places. For instance, the leathercovered foam ankle pads are placed too far forward for some riders. The heel counters and toe boxes tend to break down quickly, too, despite their triple layers of leather. And the boots' shafts flare too much for their elastic panels to offer skinny-calved pilots any ankle support.
Otherwise, Vetter’s Street Feet (available for $109.99 in men’s sizes 7-12 in black, black-red-and-white and blue-red-and-white from Vetter Products Inc., Rantoul, IF 61866; [217] 893-9300) hardly put a foot wrong. You’ll find them willing partners for whatever kind of footwork you choose. Because no matter what side of the street you direct these Feet—be it sport, touring or cruising— they’ll do their stuff.
