bikepacking with flat pedals/shoes

[Couloirman]

After a few weeks walking around in the new impacts I can say they walk much better than previous models and I'll still probably take them on the ctr, but wow they are hot. My feet sweat like mad in them.

[sherpaxc]

They look hot.  I think I'm sticking with my nicely broken in Freeriders.  I just cant justify the expense yet for a new pair of kicks.  Please give a post ride review of how they faired on the CT.  I'll make sure to do the same.

[wbcmaelstrom]

They look hot.  I think I'm sticking with my nicely broken in Freeriders.  I just cant justify the expense yet for a new pair of kicks.  Please give a post ride review of how they faired on the CT.  I'll make sure to do the same.

Some things have happened recently and I'm 90% sure I'm not going to make CT this year. It looks like I'm probably just going to spend two weeks traveling colorado doing a mix of riding, backpacking, camping, GDMBR from Silverthorne to Salida, etc. However, I still plan on using these quite a bit this season as compared to my Specialized Rimes. They're just so comfortable and grip well now that I'm used to them.

I don't blame you in wanting to not spend the $125 for new shoes if you've got good Freeriders. Perhaps an 'end of season durability' will be in order.

[Couloirman]

I am really liking the Impact's now apart from the heat, but the insoles could use some work. Has anyone tried Sole brand moldable insoles? Superfeet dont work for me shape wise so I figured it was maybe worth a try.

http://www.yoursole.com/us/mens

[sherpaxc]

I'm totally not a fan of the 5.10 insoles.  I replaced them with the insoles from my Vans. 

[ec_duz_it]

Once you go flat you never go back.  Flat pedals are hands down the best option for technical singletrack and walk a bike sections. 

[wbcmaelstrom]

Just an update. Today I rode my Pugsley with my 510 Aescents. It has Specialized Bennies pedals. The grip was nothing near as good as the DMR Vaults. The Bennies worked good in the winter with my snow boots, but they just don't grip as well as the Vaults

[sherpaxc]

Shoe covers 

Plus one for approach shoes being the bomb on flats.  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 ; )

OK, so this comment had my interest peaked.  I did a fair amount of research on them and the more I read the more I liked them.  Then, today I got a gift card to REI from one of my students as an end of the year gift.  So I headed over to the local REI and tried on both the Addidas Terrax Solo Stealth and the Scarpa Crux.  The Scarpa just felt better from the get go for me even though the Addidas had the Stealth rubber sole.  I figured I'd give the Scarpa a shot and if they don't work I'd take them back.  Just riding them around the neighborhood I was very happy with how well they held and how sticky they felt on the pedals.  They will be put through the training ringer the next 3 weeks but man, I'm pretty excited.

I had put a 6 hour ride on my 5.10 Freeriders the other night and by the end the arch of my foot hurt.  They were just too flexy for such sustained hard effort riding.  I needed a stiffer sole, hence the Scarpa. 

I'm pretty happy to find out about these.

[Couloirman]

How are you size wise from a 5.10 to the scarpa crux? I wanna try a pair but can't find any locally to try on before I order?

[sherpaxc]

I wore a 10 in both and both fit just fine. I found the Scarpa flexed a bit more than I liked in the arch. So I took them back and got the Addidas Terrex Stealth Solo. They have the 5.10 stealth rubber and were stiffer in the sole. They are not as good looking of a shoe but performance wise I'm really happy with them and they walk really well. I'm doing a big ride this weekend and that should tell me if it is a shoe to use or not.

[mountainjah]

I am really liking the Impact's now apart from the heat...

Hotter than the previous generation Impacts? or just as hot...I thought the new Impacts "vented" better but maybe with the new fabric? Appreciate the perspective here...

[JReeves]

I'd love to hear how the Adidas Terrex work for you!  I just ordered some platform pedals(Nashbar Verge) last week and jumped on the REI sale price of the Adidas after having them in my Amazon cart for a few weeks...  I've always been a SPD fan, but for some of my more remote outings, having one pair of shoes to do it all makes a little more sense, and will hopefully yield a little more hiking comfort.

[sherpaxc]

They have worked amazingly well. Stiffer than the 5.10'freeriders in the arch and just as grippy. Not sure which rubber compound they are using but they are super sticky. They hike good too. I don't think they have as much sole padding as some approach shoes bit they have enough to be comfortable. Plenty of toe protection too with a roomy toe box. I'll be using these on my Colorado trail thru ride next month. 

[Aushiker]

I know this is a serious bring back from the dead bump but I am interested in the current thinking/suggestions for flat pedals and shoes for bikepacking. Having just read a post over at Bikepacking.com and working towards a minimal load hence no camp/town shoes to be carried I am seriously considering moving from clipless to flat for bikepacking.

If you are using flat pedals, I would value your thoughts and suggestions on pedals and shoes. Also what do you think of the suggestions in the blog post linked to above?

Thanks
Andrew

[ec_duz_it]

I ride with kona wah-wahs.  They are probably not the best flat pedal on the market, but they are decent.  I have discovered that if you use Loctite® Threadlocker when replacing the screws, that the screws won't get loose and the threading will hold up better. 

Here are some reviews of some newer models

http://reviews.mtbr.com/round-up-best-new-flat-pedals

[Bobonli]

I followed the advice in that article about a year ago, even for regular trail riding, and have been very satisfied. I went with the Blackspire model mentioned (either in that post or in another one about pedals) and a pair of FiveTen trekking shoes. The sticky soles of the shoes provide a very secure and stable interface with the pedals, allow me to walk when I need to without worrying about destroying cleats and allows me to "get out of" the pedals quicker if I've lost control on a technical section. YMMV, but I've been having more fun mountain biking on flats and hiking shoes than I ever had in clipless pedals. And the trekking shoes are a lot more comfortable to wear around the campsite than specialized riding shoes.

A word about the pedals. The "spikes" that allow for gription with the bottom of the shoe are hell on the shins! A couple of times my foot has come off the pedal either intentionally or not and I've been struck in the lower leg by the pedal. The same can happen when hiking or carrying the bike. They leave a mark!!! For that reason some people remove them on long hike-a-bike sections or if they are going to load the bike onto a packraft.

[Hoka Hey]

5.10 guide tennis are great for hiking, riding and a number of other things. I use Spank Spike and Canfield Crampon Ult pedals and both are fine. I use super feet in my shoes and think I will stick a carbon footbed in a pair to see if i like the added stiffness. I use the carbon footbeds to stiffen my ski boots and they are pretty cheap.

[Smithhammer]

For bikepacking purposes (not racing) I have a hard time thinking of any downside to flat pedals. In fact, I'm doing more and more of my biking with flat pedals/5.10s these days.

[Aushiker]

Here are some reviews of some newer models

http://reviews.mtbr.com/round-up-best-new-flat-pedals

Thanks for the comments and link.

[Aushiker]

@Bobonli for your comments. Interesting that the FiveTen shoes get a lot of love. Might have to add them to the shopping list.

@Hoka Hey Thanks for your comments. The carbon footbeds sound interesting. I wonder how they would impact on the hiking side of things and around camp.

@Smithhammer Thanks also for your comments. I more and more developing a similar view to you. With another vote for the FiveTen shoes I think that side of the equation is sorted.