Well, there are a lot of things to take into consideration. For example, you should consider your budget first. Then, think about what type of riding you will be doing mostly. Do you plan on racing? Are you going to be using clipless pedals initially?
You just do not hop on a bike with any shoes. It is first not safe, nor is it comfortable. And so that is why we have this guide to help you select the best shoes for the sport. When shopping for the perfect mountain bike footwear, there is a wealth of possibilities. To determine which set is ideal for you, the very first consideration you’ll make is whether you should go with flat-pedal or clipless-pedal footwear.
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All in all, these are the options you have:
Giro Chamber II
The Giro Chamber II shoes have a thin sole for a good feel and efficient rigidity so you can sprint or climb easily. They also have wide camo-print soles that protect your feet, as well as padded collars to keep your ankles comfortable throughout the ride. These shoes offer plenty of cleat adjustment, which will allow riders with different-sized pedal cages to find their best fit without any trouble at all.
Shimano ME7
These are supposedly the most versatile pair you will ever own. And this is because they have impeccable design and functionality with resilience in whatever terrain you decide to ride them on.
Our tester found the shoes to be comfortable even when pedaling through rough terrain with skinny mountain bike pedals. The outer flap protects against mud, dirt, and stones getting into your shoe, while the neoprene ankle gaiter ensures comfort in colder weather conditions as well. You can redeem points on any of your future orders.
Bontrager Foray
Bontrager’s Forays are a versatile choice for trail riding or long days in the hills. The sole is surprisingly flexible, making it comfortable to walk around in, and there are plenty of grips even without using studs at the front. Bontrager’s have a great fit thanks to their Boa dial strap combo, which helps avoid having hot spots during your ride! This shoe is also highly durable, so you can wear them out on multiple rides before replacing them.
Giro Ventana Shoe
As the Ventana replaced Terraduro, it had a bulky design with high-quality Boa closure and grippier outsole. Its unique touch is its placement of a cleat pocket, which has zero impact on comfort but is hard to quantify for stability control while testing. The shoe’s moderately stiff construction balances both weightiness and flexibility to give better performance over trails at moderate speeds.
The Ventana is stiffer and better suited to longer days, but the Giro’s Boa dial makes it easier to adjust on the trail. The cleat pocket of the Ventana has been a source of consistent annoyance: its unnecessarily compact design means that clipping in can be complex.
Mavic Crossmax Elite CM
The Mavic Crossmax Elite CM shoes are great for both riding and racing. They feature a Velcro forefoot strap, Ergo Dial closure system, weather-shrugging toe & tongue, along with a neoprene collar which ensures comfort in wet conditions. The sole is stiff enough to sprint but not too rigid when you’re on longer rides that it feels uncomfortable or hurts your feet. It also has an efficient power transfer through the pedals due to its optimal stiffness distribution while providing a good grip off the bike with its soft-compound treads.
Specialized S-Works Recon shoes
The new S-Works Recon Shoes from Specialized are not just high-performing in terms of their stiffness. Still, they’re great too when it comes to how comfortable they feel on one’s foot, even after hours or days spent cycling across rough terrain like trails or roads filled with bumps and rocks. Both are large enough to cause pain if stood upon accidentally and poorly maintained ones that can cause a hard underfoot.
Ride Concepts Hellion Elite
These shoes have a low profile and lace-up upper with the stickiest DST 4.0 rubber on them to keep your feet glued in place while you ride. With this grip, Specialized’s 2FOs can rightly claim that they’re as equally sticky as Five Ten. The Five Ten are pretty impressive, considering how few companies can do so right now since everyone else has been using their proprietary blend of rubbers for years before they even came out with theirs.
These feel just like my Freerider Pros did when I had those: supportive enough without being too heavy or bulky but flexible enough at midsole levels (heel and forefoot) where pedals and bike contact points touch down; no toe scrunching.
Five Ten Freerider
The Freerider is a great all-around shoe from the legendary brand Five Ten. It has outstanding grip and comfortability, with its sticky Stealth rubber soles that provide an excellent connection to pedals as well as traction on rocks for those occasional hike-a-bikes. The midsole strikes a good balance between stiffness and flexibility while avoiding hotspots, making it perfect for both uphill or downhill grinding (although some people might find the dotty treads less gripping in mud). Finally, this reinforced toe box keeps you safe during rocky trails.
Pearl Izumi X-Alp Summit
The X-Alp Summit is an excellent shoe for intermediate riders, trail use, and off-the-bike exploration. It has an aggressive sticky Vibram outsole that can handle anything from all-mountain ripping to overnights on the trails! It’s pretty affordable, making this one of our favorite adventure shoes around.
The mid-range design is well suited for riders in flatter regions that don’t see significant elevation gains (like the Midwest of the United States). But climbers will find it too rigid and robust when torquing on them. Riders who like to hit backcountry trails will also enjoy its adventure-ready feature set, but XC cyclists should stay away from this one.
Crankbrothers Stamp Boa
Crankbrothers has launched new shoes for 2021. The company, known for its clipless and flat pedals, offers a range of closure systems, including laces and quick-pull designs, as well as Boa. Their top model Stamp Boa is the most exciting shoe because it’s designed to work with the corresponding pedal line that Crankbrothers is best known for.
Sidi Dominator 7 SR
The most popular mountain biking shoe Sidi has to offer, the Dominator is known for its high prices and premium build quality. The stiff outsole paired with a low-volume fit makes it good at putting down XC race levels of power, while its construction and replaceable parts make this a long-term investment.
Despite being less than ideal for hiking and walking, the XC shoe called The Dominator is one of the best options available to cross-country cyclists. Cyclocross riders who are on their bike more often will find this option worthwhile because it provides a strong power output that not all shoes can match. Because these types of sports require quick movements, they sacrifice stiffness to improve ground grip, which leaves many runners uncomfortable with biking-specific footwear like The Dominators.
It’s also reasonably thin underfoot, so you won’t feel as much impact from rocks or other obstacles while out riding your bike but again. Those used to non-cyclo-specific models might want something thicker when taking long walks away from their bicycle during events.
Northwave Clan
With the Northwave’s Clan flat pedal model, you get an internal shank for increased rigidity, reinforcement at the toe and heel for protection from rocks on trailside, and a lace-up design with simple features. The Northwave employed a Michelin outsole, which is also similar in grip compared to other competitors’ soles but has a more solid build that can endure shocks of falling or impacts against something hard like rock surfaces found during mountain biking adventures.
The Northwave Clan is a strong shoe, but it comes in heavy and lacks durability. It weighs 2 pounds 2 ounces which makes it on the more severe side for trail riding. The long-term durability of this product isn’t as good when stacked up with proven options. However, with a sticky tread and downhill-ready construction, we can say that this option holds some merit against other choices out there.
Fizik Vento Overcurve X3
While not as adjustable or customizable as shoes with multiple dials, the Vento Overcurve X3 features a single Boa closure at the top of the shoe and an asymmetrical shape that wraps around your feet in ways you feel surprisingly natural for a shoe. The Microtex upper is durable and has minimal seams; after some time riding them, they broke in nicely. This model will make it into my mountain biking collection.
Bottom line
We hope you enjoyed our list of the best mountain bike shoes. If this is your first time buying a pair, we recommend starting with one of these. However, if you already have a shoe that works for you and don’t need to buy another pair just yet, then check out all the other top-rated styles on this list for future purchases. Happy riding!