The perfect bikepacking shoe

[Jeff Z]

While the Pearl Izumi X Alps seem to be the "standard" for bikepacking, they just don't work for me.

I have the X Alp Elites. While they are super comfortable and great to walk in, the front of the sole is just too soft and after a couple of hours I get substantial pain from the pressure of the pedal through the sole. Now, part of the problem is that I insist  on running Eggbeaters - but I'm not willing to give those up.

When I heard about the new PI X Project shoes, I was pretty excited. Supposedly they would offer a stiffer sole that still flexed enough to allow walking. Picked up a pair of the 3.0s to try them out about a month ago.

First impressions
 - Cramped toe box. Hopefully that would stretch with use
 - Nice bit of stiff carbon in the front part of the sole
 - Excellent tongue design. I hate the way the tongue on my Shimano's would slide to the side all the time. These have a nice padded and ventilated tongue with at V cut in the middle that keeps them from sliding to one side or another. Simple and effective.


After a couple of shakedown rides I decided that they were good to go for the Coco 250. The Coco was a good test environment, with plenty of HAB opportunities. The result? These are not the perfect bikepacking shoes - at least not for me.

 - These shoes are GREAT on the bike. Even after 12 hour days the bottom front of my foot felt OK. This was a drastic improvement over the X Alps and an improvement over my Shimanos (that had a fiberglass sole).
 - The toe box did stretch a little, but still felt cramped after 250 miles. My feet did hurt a little due to the narrow toe box, but I can live with that. I don't remember Sidis being that narrow in the front. This seems totally unnecessary.
 - Off the bike is where these shoes failed. The back of the shoe rubbed me above the heel. Clamped down the ratchet all the way, but it still rubbed continuously - resulting in blisters and the accompanying pain.

So, for me, the search continues. At this point, my next move is likely to the Specialized Rime, but I think they may not be stiff enough in the front. Some people love them, but I've heard at least one person that had big issues with them. Given what shoes cost it won't be until next year that I can take the next step. Until then, maybe someone else will get it right.

If anyone has suggestions for a shoe with a stiff front sole that can handle HAB, I'm more than happy to hear your opinion.

Thanks.

[evdog]

Platform pedal rider here.  I typically use 5-10's for most of my riding.  If I know there will be a ton of HAB, I wear my hiking boots.  I know they work for hiking (duh) and do not give me blisters.  Waterproof and they work great with gaiters if riding somewhere very brushy. 

Flat pedals aren't for everyone but for bikepacking especially I think they are a great option.  If you can't find a good option for clipless shoes I would give flats a chance.   

[Mikkel]

I have been very happy with Shimano Saint platform pedals and either Salomon XA Pro (non-GTX) for trail use or Scarpa Mojito Mid GTX for road/gravel. The Salomon shoes do get wet, but dry quickly without Gore-Tex. The sole is stiff enough for biking. They are my go-to shoe if there is mixed conditions with the occasinal wading involved.

The Scarpas are great for use when wading is not likely. If they do get wet, they dry quickly, though. Unfortunately, it seems like the Scarpas are discontinued. Both shoes have a broad toe box, which suit my broad feet well.

[Area54]

Shimano M088 have served me well, available in wide foot too. Great traction rubber outsole, flex in the toe for walking but stiff overall with good protection for your foot on sharp rocky ground. 

[Adam Alphabet]

I've been beating on some x-alp enduro IV's since May. I had a pretty good ankle sprain and needed something wider, more stable and 'softer' to walk in/plant that would also accommodate an ankle brace. They fit my feet well which having 2 different sized feet (full size) can be a huge hassle at times. While not perfect, they're doing the job.

Things I like: wide bottom, easy to walk/hike in, comfortable for long days, can move the cleats way back

Improvements: too much foam, they dry really slow. The top retention strap released on some creek crossings because of the design of the release being up and it's a little bulky imo. The first pair I had the threaded section for one of the cleats stripped out first ride, it looks like it's aluminum. I brought them in and had them traded over the counter no questions. No problems with the new pair in over a 1000 miles of trails and bikepacking since. They'll be coming on a bike tour next month.

[bakerjw]

I built up a new bike for bikepacking and am running flat pedals on it to see how well they work compared to clip pedals. I run Shimano SPD-SLs on my road bikes and egg beaters on my mountain play bike. Although I like clip in pedals, I also like the idea of being able to quickly get my feet on the ground when the bike is carrying all of the extra weight of gear. I am also not the greatest unclipper in the world.

That said. For shoes to be used with platform/flat pedals. I've been wearing some regular running style shoes and the rear of the sole is noticeably wider than my normal road or mountain bike shoes. It is wide enough that I occasionally hit the pedal crank or the chain stay with the bottom of the sole. I just wonder if  any of the regular shoes that you folks use have a narrower heel.

[pavementgraveldirt]

Things that I want in a shoe. Clipless or Flats I don't care. 
- Super Stiff from the just behind the toe on back
- Fairly flat sole with a slightly recessed grippy rubber tread
- Water Resistant and Fast Drying
- Tough


Shoes that I have tried:

Specialized Sport / Comp Mountain Shoes
+ Reasonably stiff
+ Velcro Closures (the comp having a cinch strap is even better)
- Take forever to dry
- The soles have absolutely no traction on rocks.

Chrome Kursk Pro
+ Looks great
+ Very walkable
+ Comfy
- No where near stiff enough, under hard effort your feet fall asleep/tingly
- The cleat will drag on cement / hard floors
- Hard to clean dust out of them

Specialized Road Pros/SWorks/carbon soled wonder shoes
+ Ridiculously stiff and great power transfer, I could ride all day in these
- No walkability whatsoever. Even for a road based trip I wouldn't take these without back up shoes.

Several different types of running shoes
+Very Walkable. Great for around camp and for hike a bike sections.
+ Dry Fast
- Not enough traction even on nice pinned flats (and the soles fall apart quickly)
- Foot support is meh
- Toe cages make my feet go numb in most soft front shoes

Skate Shoes
+ Some have very stiff soles that remain walkable
+ Durable
+ Enough of a 'kickplate' to keep me from injuring my feet in poorly executed single track maneuvers
+ Soles stick to pedals and have enough traction for walking
- Dry fairly slow


Best answer? I don't know. Right now for me my DC Jameson 2's have been giving me the best all around features in a bike shoe.

[trebor]

I've had remarkably good luck with Pearl Izumi Select MTB shoe - the 2009 model. You can still find New-Old stock out there. Good stiff sole from the cleat back and the ability to flex at the toe. The sole compound isn't soft, but it's not so hard that when you are on rocks you immediately feel like you are slipping. I've used them for 2 trips on the Divide 3 times on Stagecoach, Coconino 250, Trans North Georgia, Tour de Los Padres, and a failed attempt at the Sierra Trail Race. Since walking a HUGE amount of trail in the Sierras, mostly up the Rubicon Jeeper route, I have high regard for this shoe design.

My notes.... I have narrow feet. This may impact you depending on size availability. Shoes like gloves, chamois, saddles, etc are so very personal, my wonderful shoe may not be yours.....

Never a blister, hot spot, or a shoe failure other than beating them to death on these types of rides. I'm sad and also in search of the next shoe as I can't find my size of that exact shoe any longer. Very sad.

I tried the next level up of the same shoe, the Race version. Hurt my feet terribly. Narrower, smaller toe box, sole too stiff to walk in.

Did I say I'm sad?

[bobjenkins79]

I've had pretty good luck with Specialized Tahoes. They lasted a few years before the soles ripped down the middle.

[MPS]

I usually ride with SPD sandals... did 10 months through Africa with Shimano sandals. On another tour I did most of Southamerica and Northamerica (18months) with noname SPD sandals and a pair of Lake mountainbike shoes. They were even better, and now I got a second pair of the sandals, rode across western Africa and Europe this summer with them.

They'd even work when it gets colder, just wear a pair of sealskinz (water/windproof socks) and merino inside, but you'd look pretty silly.

[NT]

I have used the PI Xalp pros for several years with great success, but eventually they died and I'm so bummed to not be able to find another pair. I got some PI X-project 2s this spring and ended up using them on a colorado trail through ride. I have similar feelings to you about them- I have to crank them down and tape my heels for hiking, but do like the way they pedal (though towards the end of the CT I found the narrow toe box was starting to take a toll on the tops of my little toes, so I had to tape those as well). I got through without any blisters, but only due to religious taping. Oh to only have my old shoes back....

[jmh]

Any thoughts on the Specialized Rime?  They look pretty good for hike a bike. Not sure how they are for on the bike.

[Jeff Z]

Any thoughts on the Specialized Rime?  They look pretty good for hike a bike. Not sure how they are for on the bike.

I've heard good things about the Rimes from various people, but I am not impressed with their durability. My wife has TWICE ripped the soles off. The soles actually tear and separate from the shoe. IT appears that cutting out the section of tread to allow cleats makes them weak in that area.

First time was on the AZT 300. I was able to super glue them in order to finish the race. The shoes were brand new so they replaced them. However, it happened again during the Coco 250 this fall. The design is just not durable enough for serious AZ hike-a-bike.

[SlowRide]

Glad you posted that JeffZ, I just did TD in a pair of Rimes and they held up great, excellent combo of durability and stiffness, decent tread with the Vibram sole and they dried fairly quickly, no problems with them falling apart even after rain, snow, sleet, mud, and more rain on the divide this year. The only thing I had to do was replace the Boa system when I got back, I couldn't even turn the Boa tensioners they had so much grit in them from the wet dirt/gravel roads(boa replaced them for free and I was impressed they had the forethought to make it an easily replaceable cartridge system). In total my Rime's have about 10,000 miles on them with a lot of hike-a-bike. I was riding, well, hiking my bike through tons of chunk in the late summer while gearing my training for AZT riding, they've been holding up well so far and I was thinking of using them for AZT750 in the spring but if you're saying you've had some issues with them blowing out in the desert.. hmmm. Might be time for me to start looking for another shoe.

[jmh]

I'm going to order a pair of Rime's.  The Elite model has a only velcro and doesn't have the inside of the ankle pad found on the Expert model.  I'm in the desert of West Texas (not too different from AZ) and will test them prior to AZT.   I've been pretty happy with how every other pair of Specialized shoes fit me, so this look like the best option. 

[SlowRide]

I'm going to order a pair of Rime's.  The Elite model has a only velcro and doesn't have the inside of the ankle pad found on the Expert model.  I'm in the desert of West Texas (not too different from AZ) and will test them prior to AZT.   I've been pretty happy with how every other pair of Specialized shoes fit me, so this look like the best option. 

I'd be very interested to here the results of your desert testing, definitely post back the results please.

[Jeff Z]

Glad you posted that JeffZ, I just did TD in a pair of Rimes and they held up great, excellent combo of durability and stiffness, decent tread with the Vibram sole and they dried fairly quickly, no problems with them falling apart even after rain, snow, sleet, mud, and more rain on the divide this year. The only thing I had to do was replace the Boa system when I got back, I couldn't even turn the Boa tensioners they had so much grit in them from the wet dirt/gravel roads(boa replaced them for free and I was impressed they had the forethought to make it an easily replaceable cartridge system). In total my Rime's have about 10,000 miles on them with a lot of hike-a-bike. I was riding, well, hiking my bike through tons of chunk in the late summer while gearing my training for AZT riding, they've been holding up well so far and I was thinking of using them for AZT750 in the spring but if you're saying you've had some issues with them blowing out in the desert.. hmmm. Might be time for me to start looking for another shoe.

The fact that my petite wife has destroyed 2 pair so far makes me unwilling to go with the Rimes. True, Oracle ridge did some damage on my PI xalps, but the Rimes were worse. And the HAB on Coco was not nearly as rocky - but same result.

I was thinking that maybe she just spends more time off the bike than some folks. But the first time they ripped the shoes had less than 300 miles on them.

[SlowRide]

The fact that my petite wife has destroyed 2 pair so far makes me unwilling to go with the Rimes. True, Oracle ridge did some damage on my PI xalps, but the Rimes were worse. And the HAB on Coco was not nearly as rocky - but same result.

I was thinking that maybe she just spends more time off the bike than some folks. But the first time they ripped the shoes had less than 300 miles on them.

Definitely a good red flag to know about. If it had been once I'd say maybe a factory defect or something, but twice makes me have doubts. I'll be watching this thread for suggestions, I've gotta get something soon so I can break them in before spring. April 3 is going to be here before we know it. Thanks again for the good info.

[SlowRide]

So as I was doing a core workout today I was watching Aaron's awesome AZTR video for about the billionth time and noticed that the shoes he has on that are "falling apart from all the HAB" look to be Specialized Rimes. I think I'm going to find another shoe for the AZT...

[cjdunn]

Has anybody tried the Giro Terraduro?

http://www.giro.com/us_en/products/men/cycling-shoes/dirt/terraduro-24028.html

I'm using  PI X-Alp Enduro III but they are kind of wide for my feet so I have to wear thick socks to take up space.