Frey Daytona Modul Vario Boots
Frey Daytona Modul Vario Boots
CW EVALUATIONS
Convertible footwear
HERE'S A NOVEL CONCEPT: HOW ABOUT boots that separate above the ankle, so that you can wear just the lower part on hot days or while walking around off the bike? Okay, so maybe it isn't as clever an idea as feeding tuna fish mayonnaise, but it's pretty witty, huh? Better run off and patent it before somebody beats us to the punch.
Except that somebody already did. German company Frey Daytona offers just such a set of shoes. Called Modul Vario (Deutsch for “variable modulation”), these boots do in fact separate into two halves, giving you a set of tall street boots plus a set of shorter “paddock” boots for the price of just one pair.
Zipped together, the Modul Varios measure 12.5 inches tall. Unzipped, they measure a mere 8.5 inches, or slightly taller than a pair of basketball sneakers. But there’s more to them than their versatility.
For example, they’re watertight, if not waterproof, thanks to a velcro-closed flap over the front entry zipper and a nylon panel behind. Also, the upper portion of the boot overhangs the zipper that attaches it to the lower, effectively keeping out rain-unless you ride a feetforward cruiser, in which case water can be driven up through the gap.
And then there’s the level of protection, which while not up to Frey Daytona’s industry-standard Security roadrace boots (all $750 worth, with a removable carbon/kevlar inner shell!), is definitely up to the rigors of street riding. The thick cowhide outers are augmented by plastic reinforcements at the shin, toe, heel and both sides of the ankle, while padding cushions the shin, ankles and instep. Yet in spite of all this protection, the Modul Varios are comf~' on the bike as well as off, particularly with the uppers removed. Maybe there's something to be said for German ingenuity after all?
DETAILS
Helimot European Accessories 1141 Old Bayshore Hwy. San Jose, CA 95112 408/298-9608 www.helimot.com Price $250
Versatile with a capital "V' Subtly racy Watertight
r Expensive with a capital "E" r Would you like black, black or black? Not waterproof
