bikepacking with flat pedals/shoes

[sherpaxc]

I'm not big on gortex on those or any other dwr. My experience with those is wet feet due to lack of breathability.
Love the freeriders but I don't feel like they have enough structure for long hike a bikes. I think an approach shoe is the ticket though. Plenty of time to figure it out for sure.

[murf]

I recently did a 200 mile trip after being off the bike for many months, I chose to use flats in an attempt to avoid any knee pain.........still got some minor pain and ended up wrapping my knees but I do credit the flats with lessening the pain. The terrain was not very technical sans a few spots and after a few hours i almost forgot that i wasn't clipped in.So for now, on my touring bike, i plan to leave the flats on.I know some companys make some very comfortable cycling shoes , but i don't own any that are more comfortable than regular cross training/trail running shoes. I swapped the laces for the elastic tie-less kind and my feet never felt better.

[stumpyfsr]

I understand that five ten are great shoes for BIKING. for bikepacking through unpredictable weather we need true waterproof shoes to keep our feet dry and happy. Also these shoes has to be breathable. And, of course, sole should be grippy. Considering all criteria, mentioned above, I got a pair of Columbia trail running shoes (waterproof, omni-tech, omni-grip) for $35 and abused 'em on multi-day trips and one day rides in multiple climates over 2 years now. Never had my foot slipped off of ZuZu pedals, even on the toughest trails like Bootleg or Porcupine Rim.
Once I finish this pair I'll buy another Columbia for its best value and reliability.

[bruce.b]

I love 5/10 stealth rubber but I can't stand the Impacts. Too heavy, bulky and stiff. I have a pair somewhere I never wear anymore. I wear lighter skate shoes. My son has a couple pair of 5/10 shoes, Dirtbags (model name) is one of them and they are very nice when new. They wear out really fast though. He goes through several pair a year riding. I'm riding in some Adidas shoes with flat bottoms that are nice and wear well, but they aren't as grippy as stealth rubber.

[adelorenzo]

My go to MTB shoes are 5-10 Freeriders, but typically with bikepacking I find I spend a lot of time doing hike-a-bike, fording rivers or in a packraft. I've been pretty happy with a pair of North Face hedgehogs, they are fairly light and reasonably good on and off the bike and dry reasonably quickly.

[Couloirman]

I've been through a lot of hiking shoes trying to find the best that work with flats. I've settled on Canfield crampon pedals with a nice pair of low top columbia hiking shoes and that is working best for me. It is tough to find the proper lug pattern on the soles of the shoe that mate perfectly with pedals, but the extra long spikes on the crampons, combined with a relatively flat tread of the shoes work perfectly together. I need a hiking shoe sole to be stiff and rounded like a rocking horse on the front of the shoe for it to work well for extended hike a bike (bad ankles from too many injuries) so hiking in 5-10s just doesn't work for me since the soles are so flat and the calf muscle is engaged too much with every step.

[nanite]

   On account of knee issues, I started riding with flat pedals last year, and rode the CTR with Patagonia Drifter A/C Gore-Tex hiking shoes on cheap Wellgo B102s. I never got wet feet from external or internal (sweat) water sources, and don't remember slipping off the pedals. My only issue with them was that a couple of months after the CTR, a couple of the lugs broke off, giving me a grand total of 3 months of use before lug-failure. I still wear them, though, and haven't had any other issues besides the fact that my laces are frayed, because I suck at tying them. Velcro. 

[Farawayvisions]

I'm just back from first bikepacking trip in Morocco.  I use Shimano Saints and wore a low cut pair of yak skin Ecco hiking boots.  Goretex (so dry) soft but tough leather for the rocks and found the soles great in the dry conditions of Morocco.

[pedalad]

i really like my la sportiva boulder x approach shoes. nice flat-ish, stiff sole, but not too stiff. they are comfortable for hike-a-bike sections and they handle the moisture pretty well.

i'm glad to hear other folks praising the approach shoe method, as everyone looks at me like i'm crazy for riding the gdmbr this summer on flats. but i like the la sportiva's a lot.

just tried on a pair of 5.10 guide tennies and i like em too, just not sure if the expense is justified as i think i'm going to bury my sporrtivas on the trail and toss em when i'm done. they've worn well for the past 4 years.

i have tinkered with a vapor barrier layer (sheet of light plastic wrapped around in foot) and was thinking about the plastic bag method for the bad rain. anybody else have any thoughts on ways to keep feet dry?

[offroute]

Shoe covers  

Even REI has a selection of them these days. Boom, your fave shoes are storm worthy. You can hike in shoe covers, too. Some, like Sugoi, have a very open bottom. The PI ones have more under foot with, basically, a hole at the sole ball. Covers also eliminate the need for sand gaiters.

I can't imagine riding in a storm-proof shoe all day every day. My shoes would be wet inside all day = disaster in the long run.

Plus one for approach shoes being the bomb on flats. Impacts are too much shoe (they are warm, however). Approach shoes are way smaller and lighter; the difference would be significant if copious HAB. Current fave is Scarpa Crux, but I've run Sportiva Boulders and five ten approach shoes in the past. Any approach shoe by a company with climbing or mountaineering roots will have sticky rubber and is probably a good pair with flats.

pedalad, you won't be the only approach shoe wearer on the trail this year ; )

[chrisx]

Anybody find a good combination of flat pedals and walking shoes?
Kindly allow patience, while I attempt to explain what I want.

last August; I went to North Cascade National Park.  I got to the park by riding a bicycle.  I stashed the bike in the woods, then went on a week long hike. Next, on my bike ride out to the coast I stopped at the Eagle Nest hotel and camp ground. I said to the old women there,
^I haven't had a shower in over a week.. .. . She said, oh, not in Concrete dear. Don't worry.^

At the coast, the Indians pumped me full of cookies.  I enjoyed several festivals they had going on.  I went for a 3 day hike on the beach.  Next, I rode down the coast a little while.

So, I want to ride my bike with flat pedals.  And, I want my feet to be comfortable.  Comfortable while walking, and comfortable while riding.  I have yet to find the best combination.  I am not in a hurry. I don't care about speed or racing.

[offroute]

I'd find a comfortable hiking shoe first. Almost any shoe will work with a decent flat with pins, but the more aggro the sole pattern and shape, the less grip. My money is on approach shoes as a great compromise. Try on and walk around in a few different shoes and see what speaks to you.

 I think it's key to have a very thin pedal, esp with shoes that are not very flat. Replacing pins with longer, shorter, or removing some is an option for adjusting the grip of your flats. Lots of great products that fit the bill for me. Some of the mag/ti options are silly light (and spendy). Lots of people swear by cheap Wellgo and other brands at a fraction of the cost. I try to find a pedal that's not super large, most flats are pretty huge to accommodate a big DH shoe.

[bmike-vt]

these just hit my flickr stream.

Sabot Pedal by Velo Orange, on Flickr




i'm firmly wedded to clip less and pearl izumu x-alps (for now....!).
but if i ever go flat i would look into some of those really thin designs. (not these from VO).

[wbcmaelstrom]

I just posted this in the CTR 2014 thread but figured I'd toss it in here too

I've been riding with Specialized Rimes for over a year and love them. They are not terribly uncomfortable walking/hiking, but I don't think I'd enjoy them for hundred miles of hike a bike.

I've worn clippies mountain biking for years, as up until last year I lived in Texas where we can ride with 'summer shoes' year round. Over the winter, I ran my Pugsley on platforms with big snow boots and my Fargo on flats with Five Ten Impact Highs. The Five Tens are incredibly grippy, and love them much more for descending as I just 'feel' more of the pedal with my whole foot instead of just the ball of my feet clipped in. That, and seeing how much HAB was on CT, I thought I might keep the platforms on through the season. Just with different shoes.

I kept platforms on the Pugsley through the spring and even put platforms on my FS Turner. However, the Impact Highs are just terribly hot now that it's getting warmer out. I also have a pair of Salmon Trail Running shoes and they just don't feel near as good on the pedals and have thin flexy insoles. Casual ride around town... fine, but I wouldn't even want to wear my Trail Runnders at Buff Creek for a day. I looked at Five Ten Freeriders and they were pretty solid, but heard about them taking forever to dry out. I don't like wet feet. There's also two versions of the Freeriders, one has slick soles around the pedal contact the other does not. Reviews said that the smooth sole ones don't give hardly any traction hiking.

I then found out about the Five Ten Aescents. They are more for hiking/casual. They have the same grippy sole as the other Five Tens but have more ventilation. Some kayaking guys also wrote that they wear them without socks and they are comfortable and dry fast. I ordered them last night and will be using them in Moab this weekend. Will chime back with a review.

[wbcmaelstrom]

I'd find a comfortable hiking shoe first. Almost any shoe will work with a decent flat with pins, but the more aggro the sole pattern and shape, the less grip. My money is on approach shoes as a great compromise. Try on and walk around in a few different shoes and see what speaks to you.

 I think it's key to have a very thin pedal, esp with shoes that are not very flat. Replacing pins with longer, shorter, or removing some is an option for adjusting the grip of your flats. Lots of great products that fit the bill for me. Some of the mag/ti options are silly light (and spendy). Lots of people swear by cheap Wellgo and other brands at a fraction of the cost. I try to find a pedal that's not super large, most flats are pretty huge to accommodate a big DH shoe.

I have fancy expensive pedals, but I also have Wellgo MG-1 and they are perfect for 90% of people. For example, my girlfriend uses them with Trail Runners on her Fargo. $35 Amazon Prime!

[wbcmaelstrom]

Repost from CTR thread

Just got the Aescents from UPS. Initial thoughts is wow they are comfortable. They are very light. I can tell these will be no problem in the heat. The rubber is very very sticky. Walking on my hardwood floors, they make noises and are sticky like walking through a dollar cinema. However, on the bike, they're not as grippy as my 2013 Impacts. Comparing the soles, the Impacts circles are smaller and much deeper. Just pedaling around my street on DMR Vault Raddogs. My Impacts hold on to those pedals like glue, almost like my Crank Bros pedals with Rimes. The Aescents have good grip, but still move around a bit. However these are going to be MUCH more comfortable for hike a bike. Will chime in after a weekend in Moab/Grand Junction on the Aescents. Worst case scenario, they'll make great casual shoes or light duty bike packing with my Fargo.


Left are 2013 Impact Highs. Size 11.5 (I can't remember why I bought a size larger than I'm used to, maybe because they feel like bricks). Right are size 11 2014 Aescents.

[offroute]

Looks really promising, WBC. Thanks in advance for reportage!

[wbcmaelstrom]

I spent 4 days in Moab/Fruita/Grand Junction. I did full suspension all mountain riding on my Turner 5.Spot with DMR Vault pedals. When I first got the shoes, I thought they they might be too thin in the soles, but while riding I thought they were stiff enough. I couldn't feel the tall pins in my pedals. Although they're not as grippy as my Impacts, they still grip very well. It's nice to be able to move your feet around a bit riding long hours.

It wasn't super hot, but wasn't cold either. These shoes were very comfortable and didn't get hot at all. I'm sure they'll be fine during the hottest days.

What was really nice about these was how easy it was to hop off the bike if I needed to hike a bike over big obstacles or drop down unrideable stuff. If anyone has ever been to the Horsethief Bench entrance, you know what I'm talking about. It was also raining when we did Horsethief so all the rocks were wet. At not time did I slip or think I would slip. It would have been pretty sketchy on stiff clippy shoes.

The only time I had a problem with these shoes was after a desert rain that caused huge muck mud in Fruita. I could barely walk or ride, but I don't think anything could have helped. I think these will be great bikepacking shoe because they are so comfortable. I wore them four days straight because they're the only shoes I brought. On the trails, before the trails, dinner, restaurants. Everything. They're really great.

Since they don't have a reinforced toe or anyhting, I thought that could be a problem. However, if you're not clipped in it's really easy to dodge rebel rocks. I had a bad crash at one point but I'm fine.

In conclusion, these are great. If they work good doing blue/double black AM rides, they'll be fine bikepacing. This weekend I hope I'll be able to do Ring the Peak on my Pugsley and that'll be more of a 'bikepacking' test. These should be perfect for CTR.

Sure, climbing was a little bit rougher. But it just takes practice.

[sherpaxc]

Good review.  Did you get much heel slippage?  For the life of me I couldn't stop getting heel slippage with the Aescents.  It is a non issue with the Freeriders though. 

One thing I'd recommend with the Five Tens is to buy a pair of Dirty Girl gators to keep out the debris.  I get a lot of junk in my shoe.  The tires I use don't help (Ardents) but still, a lot.  The gators keep things nice and clean on the inside.

[wbcmaelstrom]

I didn't notice any heel slippage. It looks like this year is a little different, but I've only seen pictures, so I don't know. I suppose every shoe is going to fit everyone different. I noticed that the Aescents even made it to Outside's Best Gear to Buy list or whatever (which is mostly bs, but oh well). The Aescents didn't come highly recomended from Mojo Wheels i nDenver either. But I suppose that's because it's more of a downhill shop and are more likely to recomend Freeriders or Impacts (like my purchase from them last year).

Good thinking on the gaiters. I didn't notice my feet getting too nasty, but I always wear black socks. The conditions I was in were not overly dusty because there was rain on/off during my days there. We also didn't ride many miles or long rides like what would be seen bikepacking. This weekend I should put them on a bikepacking test.