The Best Mountain Biking Shoes for Every Type of Rider

The Disney-fied story of Cinderella has deep roots — the first version of the tale has been traced all the way back to ancient Greece, where 2,000 years ago “a Greek courtesan named Rhodopis has one of her shoes stolen by an eagle, who flies it all the way across the Mediterranean and drops it in the lap of an Egyptian king.” Ever since then, each one of us has had our Cinderella moment: a desperate search for the perfect-fitting shoe.

If you’ve ever experienced an ill-fitting mountain bike shoe, you know what I’m talking about.

What makes a great mountain biking shoe?

The ideal mountain biking shoe is a mix of utility and comfort: you don’t necessarily want a super-squishy pair of shoes, because although they’ll feel great off-trail, you need some stiffness and rigidity to help maintain balance and power going downhill or up.

You’ll want to keep an eye out for features like reinforced toe and heel caps, breathable and durable upper materials, a grippy and strong rubber outsole, and quick-lace systems that allow for micro-adjustments on the go. The best mountain biking shoe should be tailored to your specific riding style and should be able to hold its own in varying conditions.

Should you ride with a clipless or flat-specific shoe?

There are two pedal types in mountain biking, and whichever you choose to ride will inform which mountain bike shoes you pick. Flat pedals are just as they sound: it’s the type of pedal almost everyone learned to ride on, and consists of a flat, even surface where you can place your foot wherever you want. Clipless pedals (which, contrary to their name, have clips) secure your foot to the pedal via a locking mechanism between shoe and pedal.

If you’re a casual or recreational rider who prizes flexibility and maneuverability, flat pedals will be the way to go; you can wear a flat shoe with any flat pedal, and hop on and off the bike with ease. If you plan on both riding and walking, flat pedals will offer more comfort off the bike. Conversely, if you’re looking for pedaling power and efficiency, clipless pedals will be the move for you. Just make sure the clipless shoes and pedals you choose work together as a system.

Amazon

Best Overall Men’s MTB Shoe: Giro Tracker

• $130.00 at Amazon

• Materials: Textile upper with thermo-bonded PU overlays, Tack rubber outsole, dual-layer EVA midsole
• Weight: 11.9 ounces
• Pedal Type: Flat

If you’re not clipping in but you still want power and performance, the Tracker is Giro’s answer to clipless styles. The shoe has an athletic, skate-shoe vibe, and the grip and fit allow you to rip single track and bomb hills with confidence.The Tracker is built with a flat profile, which allows for more contact with the pedal (which translates to more riding power). The dual-layer EVA midsole offers comfort on and off the bike, and the BOA L6 stainless steel lacing system allows for easy micro-adjustments on the go.

REI

Best Upgrade Mountain Bike Shoe: Ride Concepts Tallac Clip

• $72.00 at REI

• Materials: Hexagon rubber outsole, anti-bacterial mesh lining, TPU toe and heel protectors, Cordura upper, EVA midsole
• Weight: 1 pound, 1.7 ounces
• Pedal Type: Clipless

My favorite clip/clipless (two different words that confusingly mean the same thing!) shoe is the Ride Concepts Tallac Clip. It’s pricey, sure, but it fits great and has a nice burly outsole for battling rocks and logs, plus the inset for the cleat is deep enough that you can walk around in it without sounding like a tap dancer. The Tallac Clip is pretty comfy too — this is actually my go-to shoe riding around town on my fixie.

ADIDAS

Best Budget-Friendly Mountain Bike Shoe: Adidas 5.10 Sleuth DLX Canvas

• $66.00 at ADIDAS
  $120.00 (45% off)

• Materials: Parley Ocean Plastic and recycled polyester upper, Stealth Phantom rubber outsole, EVA midsole
• Weight: 1 pound, 5.3 ounces
• Pedal Type: Flat

The Sleuth is a dependable and comfortable flat mountain bike shoe that delivers just what it promises: no-nonsense performance. I’ve worn mine on mellow single-track as well as multi-day bikepacking trips, and I’m always left impressed with the comfort of these kicks both on the bike, and off.

The stand-out feature in my mind is the outsole: aside from the unique polka-dot look, the Stealth Phantom rubber offers high-traction grip on the pedal and off. My feet felt securely locked in when pedaling in this model, in both wet and dry conditions. Best of all, the upper makes use of Parley for the Oceans recycled plastic, pulled right from the ocean.

REI

Best Overall Women’s MTB Shoe: Ride Concepts Flume

• $160.00 at REI

• Materials: Cordura upper, EVA midsole, TPU toe and heel protection, rubber outsole
• Weight: 12.9 ounces
• Pedal Type: Flat

Ride Concepts makes capable, high-quality mountain bike shoes for men, women and kids, and its female-specific Flume is our number one pick for lady mountain bike shredders. Featuring a breathable and bombproof Cordura upper, Max Grip rubber outsole and reverse hex traction in the toe and heel, the Flume has intense traction and grip both on and off the bike and is constructed with the burliest off-road riding in mind. The shoe is style-forward enough that you can rock it off-bike without missing a step.

I found that the Flume required a longer break-in period than comparable flat mountain bike shoes I’ve tested, and the toe box in particular was definitely on the snug side. After 4-5 rides these loosened up, but if you’re planning any longer or more intense rides and you have a little lead time, I’d recommend breaking these in as much as possible beforehand.

Backcountry

Best Skate-Style Mountain Bike Shoe: Endura Sport Hummvee Flat Pedal

• $120.00 at Backcountry

• Materials: Perforated textile upper, rubber outsole
• Weight: 1 pound
• Pedal Type: Flat

My favorite flat pedal shoe is the Endura Hummvee. This skate-style shoe sticks to the pedals quite nicely and has a firm yet comfortable sole for max pedaling efficiency. It also looks great and doubles as an everyday shoe/travel shoe. I find myself using it for everything. Multi-use is the name of the game with these kicks: the StickyFoot Grip rubber compound used in the outsole sticks to pedals but also works great on the trail in a pinch. The quick-dry lining combats weather and sweat and the Flex Profile has been tuned for comfort on and off the bike.

REI

Best Clipless Mountain Bike Shoe: Shimano ME5

• $119.00 at REI

• Materials: Synthetic leather upper, EVA footbed, Shimano rubber outsole
• Weight: 1 pound, 8.8 ounces
• Pedal Type: Clipless
• Shimano has made a name for itself in making top-tier components for mountain road bikes alike, but for the uninitiated, the brand’s shoes are also killer.

The ME5 platform is relatively rigid while maintaining comfort on the trail. The synthetic leather upper is light and breathable, and the BOA L6 speed lacing system cuts weight and provides the most accurate fit available in MTB shoes. The ME5 is compatible with a variety of pedal manufacturers, and the reinforced armor provides top-tier protection and durability while riding.

Courtesy

Best Bikepacking Mountain Bike Shoe: Pearl Izumi X-Alp Summit

• $150.00 at pearlizumi.com

• Materials: Rubber and textile upper, Vibram Ecostep rubber outsole, EVA footbed
• Weight: 1 pound, 7 ounces
• Pedal Type: Clipless

Colorado-based Pearl Izumi knows a thing or two about adventure gear, seeing as it makes some of the best in the business. The clipless X-Alp Summit continues the rugged and ready bar set by the brand and is an ideal shoe for hike-a-bikes and bikepacking thanks to its extra-grippy Vibram Ecostep rubber outsoles that grip on par with the best hiking shoes out there.Along with its burly outsole, the X-Alp Summit also features perforated synthetic leather uppers, which maximize breathability, as well as reinforced toe boxes, 2-bolt SPD-style cleat compatibility (cleats not included) and EVA heel cushioning for extra comfort while hoofing it up hills with your bike. The BOAL6 SpeedFit system rounds out the functional and feature-rich shoe.

Related Topics